Grand National: Irish challengers dominate the market after weights reveal

Ante-post punters held their breath as the 2022 Grand National weights were released on Tuesday. A total of 104 horses remain in the running for Aintree’s showpiece 4m2½f event on April 9, with Becher winner Snow Leopardess (16.5) and last year’s third Any Second Now (17) currently heading the market.

Any Second Now, who ran off a mark of 152 in the 2021 Grand National and has only been seen twice over hurdles since, will compete off 7lb higher this season as the British handicapper handed the JP McManus-owned chaser 2lb more than his current Irish mark. 

The Ted Walsh-trained ten-year-old has been targeted at this race and will look to gain revenge on ownermate Minella Times, who bids to emulate Reynoldstown (1934/1935), Red Rum (1975/1976) and Tiger Roll (2019/2020) by winning back-to-back Nationals. Course-and-distance form is crucial given the unique nature of the National course, but a lofty mark of 161 could result in near topweight for Minella Times come the day of the race.

Only five higher-rated horses remain in the field - Conflated, Galvin, Melon, Chris’s Dream and Franco De Port - but upcoming Cheltenham targets may reduce that number to just one or two. Gordon Elliott has already all-but ruled out Conflated and Galvin, while the aforementioned history-seeking Tiger Roll, who has been allotted the same mark as Minella Times, isn’t set to run in the race according to owner Michael O’Leary.

Nevertheless, the Irish have a noticeably strong hand (52 entries) and could match or surpass last year’s dominance in the Grand National - only 15 horses completed and 12 of those were trained in Ireland, including six of the first seven home. 

Minella Times (green hat) leading the 2021 Grand National under Rachael Blackmore. Peter Powell

Elliott’s Escaria Ten (17.5), Mount Ida (19) and Run Wild Fred (25) have been described as likely runners and are all guaranteed spots off their revised marks, while last year’s fourth Burrows Saint (21) and the lightly raced Longhouse Poet (22) also feature among the top ten in the betting and appear reasonably rated. Don’t forget Enjoy D’Allen (21), who should relish the stamina-sapping trip for up-and-coming trainer Ciaran Murphy.

British hopes may lie with one horse, Snow Leopardess. The Charlie Longsdon-trained grey has performed better than ever this year despite her rising age of ten and looks attractively-treated off a mark of 146. Although she’s currently 57th in the entries, there is a strong possibility that she will make the final field of 40. 

Should Snow Leopardess win, she would become just the 14th mare to win in the race’s long history. That total may surprise you, but the last mare to win the Grand National was Nickel Coin in 1951. Will the 71-year drought end this season?

Other home-field hopes include Ladbrokes Trophy runner-up Fiddlerontheroof (24), who will run off a mark of 155 and attempt to provide trainer Colin Tizzard with his first winner in this race. While the late Trevor Hemmings’ unmissable white, yellow and green silks, which were carried to National glory by Hedgehunter (2005), Ballabriggs (2011) and Many Clouds (2015), could be represented by Cloudy Glen (70) and Cloth Cap (30).