A full list of 40 runners for the 2020 Virtual Grand National at Aintree which will be screened at around 5pm on ITVi this Saturday, April 4, has now been revealed. Bookmakers will be donating profits they make from the race to the coronavirus stretched NHS which is currently battling the Covid-19 pandemic.
Prices on offer are the same across the board and won’t change. There will also be a maximum £10 per horse per customer or £10 each-way per horse. Here’s our trio of fancies to consider for the 4m 2f spectacular run over the unique spreece fences at the Merseyside venue:
This Robert Walford trained 10-year-old has a fine record at the venue. He won the 3m 2f Becher Chase run over National fences in 2018 and looked as good as ever when retaining his crown in that back in December off 4lb higher. Walk In The Mill is bidding to become the first horse to win both the Becher and Grand National in the same season. Amberleigh House (2001/2004) and Silver Birch (2004/2007) also won the Becher Handicap Chase three years before capturing the Grand National, while Earth Summit (1998) won both races in the same calendar year, but different seasons.
Missed out on the 2018 running of the Grand National when he made the final field of 40 as a reserve but became a non-runner after being found lame on the day but ran a cracker in last year’s renewal when staying on gamely to finish a 16 length fourth of 40 to Tiger Roll. Walk In The Mill sneaks into the race off 10st 4lb and looks handily weighted. So with his proven form over the course an obvious plus, he looks to have a big each-way shout.
Trained in Ireland by Gordon Elliott, this 10-year-old became the first back-to-back winner of the Grand National since Red Rum (1973 and 1974, also won it in 1977), following his 2 3/4 length victory in the contest 12 months ago. Tiger Roll was once described by owner Michael O’Leary as “a little rat of a thing”, but is a real superstar and four-time Cheltenham Festival winner with a huge public following. Looked as good as ever, when shaping with promise on seasonal reappearance when fifth in the Grade 2 Boyne Hurdle at Navan before finishing an honourable second in the Cross Country Chase at last month’s Cheltenham Festival.
Away from Aintree and Cheltenham, he has enjoyed victories in the 2016 Munster National at Limerick and the aforementioned Boyne Hurdle at Navan. Tiger Roll is 9lb higher in the handicap this year and has to shoulder top weight of 11st 10lb. That will be no easy task, but he looks sure to make a bold bid to land the “hat-trick” under regular partner Davy Russell and not surprisingly favourite to do just that.
This Tom Kacey trained eight-year-old, who carries the famous green and gold hooped colours of leading Irish owner JP McManus ran a blinder on his sole start over the National fences when a 2 1/2 length second of 18 to Walk In The Mill in the Becher Chase in December. Kimberlite Candy, who was making his seasonal reappearance, stayed on strongly to be gaining all the way to the line under Riche McLernon but now meets the winner on 4lb worse terms.
However, he has since gone on to land the 3m 5f Classic Chase at Warwick in fine style when taking up the running at the last and powering clear to beat Captain Chaos by 10 lengths. The way in which he finished off the race that day suggests that the maraton trip of this should be right up his street. Kimberlite Candy is also a sound jumper, so looks to have a perfect profile for this test. With McLernon once again in the saddle, a big run looks assured.