Grand National Runners 2024 & Odds List of Top Horses to Bet On

Publish date: 2024-06-22

WITH Cheltenham done and dusted, attention now turns to Aintree, with the 2023 Grand National Festival, as riders of all ages participate in this iconic event.

The Grand National is the world’s most popular horserace and you’ll find that everyone wants to have a bet on the big day – from your grandmother to the neighbour next door that you never see! This event brings together chasers and contenders alike, where jumping ability and rider skill are put to the test.

The Grand National is arguably the most popular event of the year for punters, with everyone from experienced fans to part-time bettors scouring the Grand National odds and enjoying the experience. With that in mind, we’ve taken a look at some of the best bookmakers when it comes to betting on the 2023 Grand National and put together some of our best tips and advice in this handy guide, complete with stats and insights.

Top 10 bookies for the 2023 Grand National

  • BetUK
  • Spreadex
  • William Hill
  • BetVictor
  • bet365
  • Unibet
  • kwiff
  • 10bet
  • Tote
  • Betway

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    How many horses are running in the Grand National?

    The Grand National is one of the most difficult punting equations around and for good reason, with 40 runners taking their chance over the world-famous fences. There are 46 horses left in the race at the time of writing, meaning that we are almost certain to have a full field of 40 to choose from on race day – in what looks likely to be a vintage renewal of the race, where the ground conditions will play a crucial role.

    The obvious starting point is last year’s winner Noble Yeats, who doesn’t have the typical profile of a Grand National winner. Emmet Mullins’ charge broke one of the great Grand National hoodoos when becoming the first seven-year-old since 1940 to win the race 12 months ago, so he certainly should be underestimated in his bid to become just the second horse this century to win back-to-back renewals adding to his impressive list of wins. 

    If Noble Yeats is to do it, he will do so with 11 stone 11 lbs on his back. Such weights haven't been carried to victory since Freebooter in 1950 - though the great Red Rum went the distance twice and carried 12 stone for his second success in 1974.

    Many Clouds (11-09) showed that producing a big weight-carrying performance in modern times is possible back in 2015. However, Noble Yeats arrives here on the back of a fine fourth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

    The current number-one favourite is Scottish challenger Corach Rambler, who ticks plenty of boxes. The nine-year-old represents trainer Lucinda Russell, who won the race in 2017 with One For Arthur, and he arrives here on the back of a second straight victory in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. He has an excellent racing weight (10-05) and with stamina unlikely to be an issue, he deserves his place at the top of the winners' market, proving to be a serious contender with his jumping ability.

    Delta Work will be aiming to follow in the footsteps of his former stablemate Tiger Roll, in following up victory in the Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham with Aintree success and must be respected, while Any Second Now has finished third and second in the last two renewals. 

    Willie Mullins won the race in 2005 with Hedgehunter and in Mr Incredible (third in Kim Muir) and Gaillard Du Mesnil (won National Hunt Chase) he has two seven-year-olds who ran excellent trials at Cheltenham – while stablemates Capodanno and Carefully Selected can’t be ruled out either. 

    The Coral Gold Cup at Newbury has a good pedigree for producing classy types, meaning the Dan Skelton-trained Le Milos can’t be ruled out, while Irish challengers Vanillier, Galvin and The Big Dog, as well as the improving Our Power and last year’s sixth Longhouse Poet all deserve respect in a typically wide-open race.

    Who will win the Grand National?

    Punters can be excused for having more favourites and more than one bet on the Grand National, with one win bet and one each-way bet a sensible play. 

    The claims of Corach Rambler are obvious for the Lucinda Russell team and he’s fancied to provide his trainer with a second winner in the race in six years. The nine-year-old strikes as the type who could improve further for the step up to four and a quarter miles and his hold-up style ought to ensure he avoids any trouble in-running under the hugely talented Derek Fox. 

    Meanwhile, it may be worth also having a look at Mister Coffey each-way. The eight-year-old is a 50-1 chance at the time of writing and is the sole representative for the veteran trainer Nicky Henderson. The Grand National is the last thing evading the 72-year-old, whose first runner in the race was 44 years ago. 

    Mister Coffey has a quirky profile seeing as he’s yet to win over fences, but he’s shown some strong form in his eight starts over fences. He was a solid third in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham and it would be no surprise to see him still in the frame as they go over the Melling Road for the second time – especially when you consider that the 2016 Grand National winner Rule The World hadn’t won over fences before this race, either.  

    Which bookie has the best odds for the Grand National?

    The Grand National is one of the biggest horse racing betting events of the year and as a result, bookmakers are absolutely desperate to secure your custom. It means that you can take advantage of some juicy offers during race week -particularly if you are a new customer – and there is plenty of value to be had as you try to find a winner. 

    Each of the 10 bookmakers above have excellent offerings for the Grand National, though it’s certainly worth having a look at William Hill. The bookmaker is one of the best known names on the high street, with almost 100 years of history, meaning they are a safe proposition for your Grand National bets. 

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    William Hill has a very strong retail presence, with more than 1400 shops in the UK at the time of writing, though their online presence is just as good if not better. William Hill currently runs an excellent ‘Money back if your horse doesn’t run’ customer bonus for this year’s Grand National, which means that you have some peace of mind if betting in advance is your thing – it essentially means they will return your stake if the horse you back is scratched before 11.59 on Thursday 13th April.

    In terms of Grand National betting logistics, William Hill is one of the best in the business, offering five places on the race. It also features the best price on the majority of the runners in the field, meaning that there’s plenty of value to be had compared to other operators. On top of this, Hills will offer plenty of enhanced prices and bet boosts for both new and existing customers to take advantage of. 

    Another key perk of being a William Hill customer is their Bet Boost promotion, which ought to come in handy for the Grand National. This only works once a day, meaning that it is perfect for your strongest Grand National pick (or NAP selection), but it essentially means that you can enhance the price of one horse each day on stakes up to £20 – which is a perfect tool to have up your sleeve for Grand National week.

    Where is the Grand National?

    The Grand National has almost 200 years of history and although the year of the first race is debated, it’s thought that the first Grand National was run in 1836. The race has always taken place at Aintree Racecourse in Merseyside, which is around 6 miles from Liverpool city centre. It may not be walkable, but there are excellent transport links to the city; with trains, buses, taxis and ample parking. 

    When is the Grand National?

    The Grand National Festival is a three-day horse racing festival which is due to take place at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool from Thursday 13th April until Saturday 15th April. The Grand National itself will take place on Saturday 15th April, with the steeplechase race due to go off at 5:15pm UK time. 

    How many people watch the Grand National?

    The Grand National is the world’s most famous horserace and as a result, millions from around the globe tune in to watch the action on Merseyside. Alongside the estimated 70,000 figure at Aintree to see the runners and riders, the race is broadcast to 140 countries around the world. 

    A staggering 8.8 million people tuned in to see Rachael Blackmore create history by becoming the first female jockey to win the National with Minella Times in 2021 – and you can expect huge numbers again this year.

    It’s estimated that around 7.5 million people tuned in to see Sam Waley-Cohen triumph in last year’s Grand National on Noble Yeats in the UK alone, while that figure can be as many as 500-600 million people worldwide. 

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    Will this be a record-breaking year for Grand National viewership it remains to be seen. However, we're sure that trainers, jockeys, and owners will have plenty to show on race day.

    If you aren’t lucky enough to be going to Aintree however, it doesn’t mean that you have to miss out on the action. The sport event has five races a day broadcast for free on ITV Racing and bookmakers offering betting and streaming on every single race. 

    How horses can qualify for the Grand National

    With 40 runners expected to have an OR (Official Rating) of at least 125, they completed a minimum of three steeplechases (of which one is in the current season). Hurdles aren't enough to qualify for the Aintree. Horses also have to be seven years old or older and placed between first and fourth place in a 2-mile and 7.5 furlongs steeplechase.

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    Grand National participants list for 2023

    It appears that horses Gordon Elliott trained, Gevrey, Punitive, Fakiera, and Milan Native, ended up under the 40 cut-off line for the sporting event. This leaves other entries like Galvin and Fury Road as top runner-ups behind Noble Yeats at UK sportsbook website.

    The excitement for the competition is palpable and here are the horses that will have to put in a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to take home the win. Here's the list of runners that will show off their horsemanship at the course of the Grand National. 

    Non-runners for the Grand National

    Other horse racing festivals

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