Grand National tips: Who has caught the eye in the trials ahead of Aintree on April 15?

Randox Grand National Handicap Chase - Aintree, April 9 2022

It's not always the most fruitful place to look but last year's race is typically my first port of call for potential Grand National clues.

Barring the remarkable Tiger Roll, in recent seasons the majority of winners have been having their first experience of the race (not necessarily of the venue or the actual National course itself), but it's not too long ago the likes of Hedgehunter, Silver Birch and Mon Mome won at Aintree after featuring in some capacity the previous April, and we have a few obvious ones this year towards the top of the antepost betting.

First up, Noble Yeats who beat Any Second Now in first-time cheekpieces from an official BHA mark of 147. Now 20lb higher in the ratings on the back of an encouraging Cotswold Chase third, having bolted up in the Many Clouds Chase in early-December, the now eight-year-old obviously has a mountain to climb if he's to follow in the Tiger's hoofprints, even with a likely return of the headgear at some stage.

Incidentally, Noble Yeats winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup would not affect his weight as no penalties are carried in the National these days, though one suspects the damage has already been done in that regard. In short, it's a surprise he's favourite for Aintree.

Any Second Now, third to Minella Times the year before, bumped into another very well-handicapped winner last spring but that looks like being a running theme as he won't be any lower in the ratings if returning for another crack despite the fact Ted Walsh has run him over hurdles to try and protect his mark this time around.

The more interesting ones returning from last year are perhaps third Delta Work and sixth Longhouse Poet.

Unlike last season, Delta Work has been kept away from open Grade 1s and won his sole pre-Christmas start over the banks at Punchestown in November. Third in the Trials Day cross country and well held over hurdles at Navan since, he'll now go back to Cheltenham for the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase he won so memorably from Tiger Roll last term. Connections of Longhouse Poet also seem keen not to ruin his mark as he's run twice over hurdles before the turn of the year, winning a five-runner race at Limerick on Boxing Day, before being well beaten behind Teahupoo in the Galmoy Hurdle last time.

Fortescue and Dingo Dollar didn't look like playing much of a part in the finish before departing on the second circuit in the 2022 National and both have one or two questions to answer at present.

Coral Gold Cup Handicap Chase - Newbury, November 26 2022

Many Clouds did the Coral Gold Cup (then Hennessy) and Grand National double in the same season (2014/15), since when Newbury winners Total Recall and Cloth Cap have both gone off favourite at Aintree (both came up short), so it's no surprise to see Dan Skelton's Le Milos towards the head of the betting after his tenacious effort in November.

On ground (officially good) said to be plenty quick enough for him, Le Milos travelled stylishly through the race, jumped perfectly adequately from the outset and really knuckled down on the run-in. The winning rider picking up a whip ban for excessive use is another story but runner-up Remastered scoring at Kempton off a 4lb higher mark on his next run arguably underlines the fact he was a touch unfortunate on the day.

Quite what remains in the tank in regards to Le Milos and a revised rating of 152 is hard to gauge as he's only had two starts for his new yard and has won them both. Genuine spring ground would be a slight concern come April but he's evidently progressing rapidly now and has only just turned eight so is unlikely to have peaked.

Third Gericault Roque and fourth Corach Rambler did put down promising enough Grand National trials.

Like Noble Yeats last year, Gericault Roque is still only seven and is actually a maiden over fences (0-6) but he promises to relish marathon tests in future. Unfortunately he won't be seen again this season after a small setback, with connections already targeting Aintree 2024 so hopefully his recovery goes well.

Corach Rambler ended last season on a high, winning the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, and has been campaigned sparingly this year in comparison. He already had too much to do at Newbury before pecking on landing three fences from home but rallied well in the closing stages to be beaten nine lengths. There are more races to be won from his mark in the mid-140s when the emphasis is on stamina.

BoyleSports Becher Handicap Chase - Aintree, December 3 2022

That man Skelton again and having decided early on in the autumn that he'd split staying handicap chasers Ashtown Lad and new recruit Le Milos between the Becher Chase and the Coral Gold Cup, there must have been some smug faces about the place after the whole plan came to fruition.

Building on a promising hurdles run behind Newbury second Remastered, Ashtown Lad came good in a big way on just his sixth career start over fences.

After charting a wide course and handling the jumping test extremely well, the stamina which came into question when seemingly a non-stayer in the Scottish National last spring was the only possible stumbling block as the more patiently-ridden Gesskille bore down on him at the elbow, but Ashtown Lad responded in kind and had over two lengths in hand at the line.

He finished tired and, in the circumstances, has since run an very fair race in Warwick's Pertemps Qualifier before another reasonable effort at Haydock, so perhaps the next big target will be Cheltenham in March, either the Pertemps Final for which he's eligible or the Ultima Handicap Chase on the opening day of the Festival.

Either way, four and a quarter miles at Aintree looks likely to stretch him, despite the fact he's a year older than when floundering late on at Ayr.

Gesskille is out of the Grand National and seems more likely to be aimed towards the Topham, while third home Percussion won't make the cut having been well beaten at Kempton since as well. Becher fourth Fortescue at least completed the course on this occasion and although he subsequently took a backwards step when wearing cheekpieces for the first time in the Welsh Grand National, he was a running-on fifth behind Quick Wave in Haydock's Grand National Trial and remains something of an enigma.

He'd likely need soft ground to come into it and a similar comment applies to Hill Sixteen, who made Snow Leopardess pull out all the stops in the 2021 Becher Chase but could manage only seventh on this occasion. Hill Sixteen has, however, crept back down to a workable mark (143) and wouldn't be the worst 100/1 shot for those willing to take a chance on the British weather.

Coral Welsh Grand National Handicap Chase - Chepstow, December 27 2022

The two most recent winners of the Grand National and the Welsh version at Chepstow are Bindaree and Silver Birch though neither of them did so in the same season and it surely won't be happening this year after 127-rated 11-year-old The Two Amigos caused a bit of a surprise over Christmas.

However, there is a small chance we saw the 2023 Aintree winner in the race as runner-up The Big Breakaway and third home The Big Dog shaped really well in defeat.

The Big Breakaway looked to have lost his way after pulling-up in a Grade 1 novice chase at Aintree in 2021 but he's always had a touch of class and - after 266 days on the sidelines - has evidently turned a corner on account of back-to-back runner-up efforts earlier this season.

Still around six lengths down coming to the second-last fence at Chepstow, he stayed on best of all to go down just a length and a quarter at the line on what was his first attempt at a proper marathon trip. His three career wins under Rules have all come on soft ground but he handles good to soft well enough.

Take nothing away from The Big Dog, but it's hard to escape the notion he has the look of one who has shown his hand a little too generously. After beating Ain't That A Shame (more on him below) to win the Munster National and Lifetime Ambition to win the Troytown, 10-year-old The Big Dog produced another small PB in Wales and he's obviously never been better having looked to be still in the mix before falling two-out in the Irish Gold Cup at the Dublin Racing Festival in early-February.

One has to applaud the manner in which he has been campaigned but, as well as that rising mark, there isn't much juice left in his current price (25/1) for Aintree.

Paddy Power Chase – Leopardstown, December 27 2022

The past two Grand National winners have contested Leopardstown's Paddy Power Chase (Handicap) earlier in the season so it makes sense to go back and review this in some detail.

The first thing that strikes you is that eventual winner Real Steel was barely sighted for a circuit and still didn't get a mention in the commentary until they turned for home with just one of the 16 fences (one omitted) left to jump. He hadn't been particularly tidy at the obstacles prior to that but the former Willie Mullins and Paul Nicholls inmate kept snapping back onto the bridle for Conor McNamara, who must be applauded for plotting a path through the field right from the back early on.

Real Steel's natural pace - he was a Grade 2 chase winner over the extended 2m3f at Down Royal in his youth - ultimately seemed to win him the day on the yielding ground around what is quite a sharp track, and the efforts of stamina-laden Diol Ker, young novice Panda Boy and the lightly-raced Ain't That A Shame probably want marking up in what was a frantic, bunched finish.

The one with the most eyecatching profile for Aintree has to be Henry De Bromhead's Ain't That A Shame who was disappointing when well-fancied for last year's Kim Muir at Cheltenham. He'd been a non-runner at Ballinrobe (coughing), Listowel (stone bruise) and Gowran (going - good to yielding) prior to making his eagerly-awaited seasonal return and he was sent off 5/1 favourite for the Munster National when missing out in a head-bobber behind The Big Dog.

Competing off 7lb higher, Leopardstown was another step forward and it looks to have just about guaranteed he'll make the cut if connections are keen on Aintree this time around. Interestingly, the Paddy Power was also Ain't That A Shame's sixth start over fences which officially qualifies him to run in the big one.

He jumps well, looks a stout stayer and has shown enough potential without completely destroying his mark. There's plenty to like including quotes of 40/1 with a few major bookies. De Bromhead also saddled the sixth home Gabbys Cross who looked to be keeping on at the finish as well.

Among the Leopardstown also-rans, 10th home Enjoy D'allen isn't really firing but could get another chance at Aintree having unseated rider when quietly fancied last year, and 11th Carefully Selected didn't run at all badly on his first outing since the 2020 Cheltenham Festival and he also qualified for the National when winning the Thyestes under a masterful Paul Townend last time time. His stablemate Mr Incredible (more on him below too) was an early casualty at Leopardstown over Christmas.

Wigley Group Classic Handicap Chase - Warwick, January 14 2023

One who was briefly quite short in the Aintree betting (20/1 or thereabouts) but won't be running having not satisfied the qualification criteria is Iwilldoit, who has won his last three starts but has only had the five career runs over fences which leaves him one shy of the six chase outings required.

Trainer Sam Thomas was looking to squeeze in another run before the end of January but the weather didn't play ball and they'll have to sit tight in regards to this project for another year.

In what looked a quality renewal of the Classic Chase, runner-up Mr Incredible is very much one to have on the radar having enjoyed what was surely a confidence-boosting clear round after three straight non-completions, two of which were for previous trainer Henry De Bromhead.

He now runs in the colours of Noble Yeats' former owner Paul Byrne (The Shunter/Winter Fog/So Scottish etc) and has joined Willie Mullins for this season. Warwick was his sixth chase start so he's ticked that box, has got youth on his side as an unexposed seven-year-old and the moody tendencies he had been exhibiting for previous connections were not in evidence at Warwick. All down to a new regular routine with Patrick Mullins, according to the owner.

He can sneak into the top of the (0-145) Kim Muir at Cheltenham after reassessment (up 2lb to 144) and another positive outcome there would rubber-stamp his credentials for the National.

Fourth home Guetapan Collonges has franked the form with a win at Uttoxeter looks one for the Midlands National at Uttoxeter, sixth Threeunderthrufive might fare better in the Scottish National, while the slightly flat Lord Du Mesnil would need torrential rain to be a factor at Aintree and looks a touch past his best anyway.

The Classic Chase disappointment was Grumpy Charley who at least avoided having another hard race having been pulled-up by James Bowen, and while this looked to come soon enough after his gritty Mandarin success at Newbury, he's unlikely to go to Aintree having also failed to finish in the Grand National Trial at Haydock since.

Goffs Thyestes Handicap Chase - Gowran Park, January 26 2023

The aforementioned Carefully Selected duly stepped up on his belated return to action to win the Thyestes and he did so in dramatic circumstances, the photo being required to split him and 25/1 outsider Dunboyne with the pair five lengths clear of Pencilfulloflead.

Much of this win has to be put down to Paul Townend's terrific ride, having kept to the wide outside in the hunt for better ground for just about the entirety of the race. The success was hardly unexpected, though, Carefully Selected having been heavily backed into 9/2 favouritism which wasn't a massive shock as he'd looked to be on the verge of top class as a novice before injury intervened.

Clearly sharper for the Paddy Power spin over Christmas, the question now is whether he can kick on again as the assessor has inevitably stepped in with a hefty subsequent rise in the ratings. His age (11) isn't a massive concern but he could easily recoil slightly from this massive effort under a big weight.

Dunboyne was the surprise package of the Gordon Elliott team and seemed to enjoy the return to Gowran where he'd won earlier in the season. He'd be a hard one to rely on going into a Grand National based on his patchy profile but stablemate Pencilfulloflead is worth considering as he's so lightly raced over staying distances.

He'd fallen at Ascot on his only start last season and was fourth of four behind Blue Lord at Clonmel earlier this campaign but enjoyed the step up in trip and remains capable of a bit better with screaming out as a well-handicapped horse.

Elliott saddled the fourth too in Coko Beach, who went three places better in the Grand National Trial at Punchestown (see below), while Henry De Bromhead's Gabbys Cross wasn't able to repeat his Paddy Power effort, ultimately beaten 30 lengths back in eighth, though a shuddering mistake three-out hardly helped his cause.

Betfred Grand National Trial Handicap Chase - Haydock, February 18 2023

Quick Wave might not be the easiest to train as she seems to need space between her races and she was very disappointing when sent off favourite under a 4lb penalty for the Welsh Grand National in December.

However, there's no escaping she's a highly progressive mare on the whole and I'd be tempted to put the Chepstow flop down to her failing to cope with the undulating track and very testing conditions after a relatively quick turnaround after her Sandown win. She also got bumped about a bit by a faller that day and was reported to have spread a plate at some stage so punters who were happy to put a line through it ahead of Haydock were rewarded by inflated odds of 18/1.

There was plenty to like about this, Quick Wave jumping and travelling well and ultimately giving trainer Venetia Williams a third win in the race having held off the late rally of fellow mare Snow Leopardess. She's up again in the ratings and needs more but she'll almost certainly stay well enough and, importantly, they've got time to freshen her up as she'll surely skip Cheltenham now.

Williams also saddled the third Cloudy Glen who was having his first run for over a year. He'd been a bit disappointing when last seen after winning the 2021 Coral Gold Cup at Newbury and first time out seemingly remains the time to catch him.

He likes to be prominent and jumps neatly when on song but could find the National a bit too hot to handle.

Old pal Fortescue plugged on past beaten rivals into fifth and he'll likely get too far back by halfway to stand any chance of winning at National, but he's one to keep in mind when firms are offering six and seven places - though making the cut looks a tall order on the back of the weights being published.

QuinnBet Grand National Trial Handicap Chase - Punchestown, February 19 2023

A Gordon Elliott-trained and Gigginstown-owned one two three with the consistent Coko Beach winning well and on the face of it producing a career-best having been defying an Irish mark of 146.

He was eighth at Aintree last year when losing a shoe may have contributed to him weakening having had a fairly prominent pitch early on. He was ridden a little more patiently at Punchestown so perhaps they'll look to repeat that if heading back to the Grand National though the Irish version is also presumably an option. He looks an each-way chance at best if heading to Liverpool.

The veteran Death Duty couldn't quite repeat his win in this from 2022 but stuck at it for a very respectable second, while Defi Bleu has become a devil to predict though perhaps a return to better ground did play to his strengths. He'll be in line for the Irish Grand National, no doubt.

In contrast, the disappointing Diol Ker really can't have it soft enough and while hampered by a faller at one point, it was perhaps surprising he made it round himself as he made far too many jumping mistakes on the yielding ground.

Updated at 1500 GMT on 21/02/23

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