On the second Saturday in April, 40 of the finest staying chasers in the sport will contest this famous race. Four-and-a-quarter-miles of the hallowed Aintree turf will need to be crossed, and 30 fearsome obstacles jumped cleanly, if any of this year's contenders want to claim their place in the annals of sporting history.
Following the announcement of the weights, I've taken a look through the current list of entries and drawn up a three-horse shortlist of Grand National tips.
Table Of Contents
2022 Aintree Grand National Odds
Grand National Tip - Farclas
Grand National Tip - Good Boy Bobby
Grand National Tip - Brahma Bull
2022 Aintree Grand National Odds
Name
Odds
Any Second Now
16/1
Escaria Ten
16/1
Snow Leopardess
16/1
Longhouse Poet
20/1
Run Wild Fred
20/1
Galvin
20/1
Mount Ida
20/1
Bar
25/1
*Odds taken on 16/2/22*
At the beginning of the season, I backed Galvin to win the National at 33/1. Since then, I've watched Gordon Elliott's talented eight-year-old progress into a genuine Gold Cup contender. Baring an early fall or any other mishap at Cheltenham, Galvin won't take part in Aintree's showpiece event.
Neither will fellow top-weight Conflated, who will be aimed at either the Gold Cup or the Ryanair following his Irish Gold Cup triumph. When they drop out, it will likely leave Chris's Dream carrying a top-weight of 11-10 and everyone else's weight will be nudged up by four pounds.
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Winner of three beginner's chases in the summer of 2019, FARCLAS then spent over 500 days on the sidelines. Gordon Elliott's grey returned to action at the start of last season, having missed the opportunity to run in Graded novice chases, and proceeded to bump into several classy types in high-quality handicaps.
Farclas finished third to Castlebawn West at Leopardstown last Christmas, before placing a close fourth behind Off You Go and future National winner, Minella Times at the Dublin Racing Festival. Jack Kennedy's mount was then beaten into second by The Shunter in the Paddy Power Plate at the Cheltenham Festival, and went on to finish fifth on his first crack at the Grand National.
Jack Kennedy's mount handled the National fences well, sitting just behind the pace throughout. Between the third and second-last fences, Farclas seemed to get a little outpaced and Gordon Elliott's runner couldn't bridge the gap, crossing the line 29-lengths adrift of Minella Time, just a length behind fourth-placed Burrows Saint.
Farclas (second right) follows The Shunter (right) home in the Paddy Power Plate at Cheltenham. (Getty)
Farclas was the youngest horse in last year's Grand National. The former Triumph Hurdle winner came into the race on the back of a busy season and he'd only run over three miles once before. Taking everything into account, that has to be regarded as a fantastic effort.
This season, Farlcas has only been seen twice. Elliott's charge unseated Jordan Gainford when going well in the Kerry Grand National, before bumping into the exceedingly well-handicapped Run Wild Fred in the Troytown. Farclas will return to Aintree a year older, a year stronger and plenty the wiser for that maiden spin around the Grand National course. The British handicapper rates him six pounds higher this time around, but that will still see Farclas shouldering a weight of just 10-13 on his second crack at the National.
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After looking like he'd completely lost his way, GOOD BOY BOBBY - who was once favourite to win a Grade One as a novice - has gotten his career back on track.
Nigel Twiston-Davies' nine-year-old was backed into favouritism for the Listed Handicap Chase at Wetherby on his reappearance in October and made all to win with a little left up his sleeve. Following a narrow defeat to the classy Aye Right in the Rehearsal at Newcastle, Good Boy Bobby held off a pair of hardy stayers in Lord Du Mesnil and Top Ville Ben to land the Rowland Meyrick with 11-8 on his back.
Twiston-Davies' will run his nine-year-old again before the Grand National. Good Boy Bobby is entered up in both the Eider at Newcastle and the Coral Trophy at Kempton. He's perfectly capable of winning either of those handicaps off his current mark of 150. If he does, then 40/1 for the Grand National will disappear very quickly.
*Update*
Good Boy Bobby carried 11-12 into the Coral Trophy at Kempton. Sam Twiston-Davies' mount recovered well from an early blunder and sat fourth turning for home, but the weight began to tell coming down the straight and Good Boy Bobby was eased down as he fell behind. That was still a decent showing and I'm confident Nigel Twiston-Davies' charge will be much more competitive in the National.
Good Boy Bobby winning over fences at Haydock. (Getty)
We've seen ten, eleven and even thirteen-year-olds run their way into the places in recent Grand Nationals, so age shouldn't put you off backing Willie Mullins' experienced handicapper, BRAHMA BULL at a hugely tempting price.
Mullins' eleven-year-old was beaten just three lengths in the Kerry National earlier in the season, before following Galvin home in the Grade Three Irish Daily Star at Punchestown. Brahma Bull then stayed on from out the back to finish third in the Ladbrokes Trophy, where he was forced to carry a top-weight of 11-12.
Brahma Bull is a Grade Three winner over fences and has carried big-weights to victory in handicaps on a number of occasions. From his 16 starts over fences, Mullins' chaser has finished inside the top three places on ten occasions. The three times he has failed to complete a race, the ground was either soft or heavy. Mullins said when the weights were announced that Brahma Bull would love spring ground at Aintree and I see no reason why he can't compete for the places, even with 11-4 on his back.
*Update*
Willie Mullins gave Brahma Bull a prep-run for Aintree in the Cross Country at Cheltenham. Mullins' charge was still traveling comfortably in the midfield as the field approached the 20th fence, but a slight blunder and a sharp right turn immediately after that fence saw Brian Hayes thrown from the saddle. Prior to that error, I was pleased with the way Brahma Bull had handled that unique test and I still feel he's a lively outsider to look out for in the National.
Verdict
Farclas is my strongest ante-post fancy for the 2022 Grand National. I've also backed Good Boy Bobby and Brahma Bull, who've both been overlooked in the market.
2022 Grand National Tip 1: Farclas Each-Way @25/1 at Unibet - 10 Units
2022 Grand National Tip 2: Good Boy Bobby Each-Way @40/1 at Coral - 5 Units
2022 Grand National Tip 3: Brahma Bull Each-Way @66/1 at Betgoodwin - 5 Units
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