Most of us like to pick out a horse as our selection for the iconic £1 million race or draw one in the workplace sweep. And it's that time of the year again on Saturday when the latest edition of the National, first run way back in 1839, graces the Merseyside turf.
Sponsored by Randox, the tapes for the race, over the marathon 4m2f distance, will rise at 4 pm, and you can follow the action live on ITV and Racing TV. To help you find your fancy, I have compiled this easy-to-follow pinstickers' guide to all of the runners, in racecard order, complete with their best odds at the time of writing. Comments on each horse are based on the assumption that the going will be Soft.
Those horses include the last two winners of the race, Corach Rambler and Noble Yeats but, amazingly, no fewer than 16 of the contenders are trained in Ireland by either Willie Mullins or Gordon Elliott. Only eight are trained in the UK.
It's exactly 40 years since I made my first trip to Aintree when Hallo Dandy landed the spoils, beating Greasepaint and Corbiere into second and third. Things have changed dramatically since those days, with the course's stands and facilities now among the best in the country and the track's famous 30 fences, such as Becher's Brook and The Chair, far less demanding and daunting in the interests of safety.
Animal welfare is now of paramount importance, and more new safety measures have been introduced for Saturday's race. The number of runners has been cut from 40 to 34 to reduce the risk of falls and accidents, while the start has been moved to prevent a headlong charge to the first fence that can result in the horses setting off too fast.
Hopefully, the measures will contribute to an entertaining, thrilling spectacle, from which all horses and riders return home safe and sound. Good luck!
MY 1-2-3-4-5 PREDICTION
1 MEETINGOFTHEWATERS
2 PANDA BOY
3 MR INCREDIBLE
4 MAHLER MISSION
5 CORACH RAMBLER
Best Outsider: CHAMBARD
Those horses include the last two winners of the race, Corach Rambler and Noble Yeats but, amazingly, no fewer than 16 of the contenders are trained in Ireland by either Willie Mullins or Gordon Elliott. Only eight are trained in the UK.
![While there might be numerous Irish-trained horses in Saturday's big race, many have seen better days -- and they include Gordon Elliott's 8yo. He was a useful novice hurdler and he made a decent start to his career as a staying chaser. But his form over the past year or so has left a lot to be desired, including at the Cheltenham Festival last month.](https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjk3NDliZmVhLTlmN2QtNDgyNi05Y2NlLWQwZTBhMjZkMTU1Yzo0NjU2ZDczOC0xNDMzLTRkZjgtYjE2ZS00ZDVlM2U2MjkyY2E=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=640)
21. Minella Crooner (100/1)
While there might be numerous Irish-trained horses in Saturday's big race, many have seen better days -- and they include Gordon Elliott's 8yo. He was a useful novice hurdler and he made a decent start to his career as a staying chaser. But his form over the past year or so has left a lot to be desired, including at the Cheltenham Festival last month.Photo: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images
![Willie Mullins's charge has been struggling to make an impact in big handicaps, but he did return to form last time out with victory over the longest trip (3m2f) he's tackled. His age (7yo) is against him, but he has plenty of experience in his locker and, as a well-regarded novice chaser last season, he boasted fair form behind some of the best.](https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOmFmOGFmYTg1LTBiNjYtNDg0Yi05YjgzLTUzMzVhNWYwN2JjNDpkZDA0YzIzOS1hMWQwLTQ3M2YtODI1Mi05OTEwZjg3MjVjMTk=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=640)
22. Adamantly Chosen (66/1)
Willie Mullins's charge has been struggling to make an impact in big handicaps, but he did return to form last time out with victory over the longest trip (3m2f) he's tackled. His age (7yo) is against him, but he has plenty of experience in his locker and, as a well-regarded novice chaser last season, he boasted fair form behind some of the best.Photo: Submitted
![No horses in this year's race have a better Aintree pedigree than this 11yo veteran, trained in Wales by Peter Bowen, father of jockeys Sean (who rides on Saturday) and James. For on four visits to the track, he has won three times, including twice over the National fences in the Topham Trophy. However, he looks high in the handicap for his first crack at the big one.](https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjNmZDg3MjBhLWVhOTktNDEzMS05ODE4LTBiYjM4MTk2OWVkOTplMGM2OGYxOS05ZTA4LTRlOGEtYTQ5ZC0zNzQ3OTk0MjE2NDg=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=640)
23. Mac Tottie (50/1)
No horses in this year's race have a better Aintree pedigree than this 11yo veteran, trained in Wales by Peter Bowen, father of jockeys Sean (who rides on Saturday) and James. For on four visits to the track, he has won three times, including twice over the National fences in the Topham Trophy. However, he looks high in the handicap for his first crack at the big one.Photo: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images
![A stamina-laden 8yo who has been considered an ideal type for the National by trainer Gordon Elliott since he thrashed one of Saturday's leading fancies, Mahler Mission, by fully 61 lengths at Cheltenham in October 2022. Acquitted himself well at last year's Festival too, but he's been absent from action for 206 days and it's no secret that he prefers Goodish ground, although rider Danny Gilligan is one of the best young jockeys in the business.](https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjUzZDU0ZDU4LWIxZjMtNDM2My1hMWU1LWYwY2ZhZDk4MDY3Mzo2ODhkMmNlYi1lZWIzLTRmN2EtOGFkNS04NjUxMTFjNmVmOGI=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=640)
24. Chemical Energy (50/1)
A stamina-laden 8yo who has been considered an ideal type for the National by trainer Gordon Elliott since he thrashed one of Saturday's leading fancies, Mahler Mission, by fully 61 lengths at Cheltenham in October 2022. Acquitted himself well at last year's Festival too, but he's been absent from action for 206 days and it's no secret that he prefers Goodish ground, although rider Danny Gilligan is one of the best young jockeys in the business.Photo: Submitted