The weights for the 2023 Grand National have been revealed, which means the countdown is now on for the world’s most famous steeplechase in April. 82 runners have entries, with the final field for the race set to be revealed on April 13, 48 hours before the big race.
Here is a look at three of the leading contenders this year for the marathon contest at Aintree.
Noble Yeats
Irish chaser Noble Yeats added his name to the roll of honor at Aintree in 2022 by winning the Grand National. He produced an excellent performance under the hands of amateur jockey Sam Waley-Cohen to prevail by just over two lengths ahead of Any Second Now.
Noble Yeats and @swaleycohen win the 2022 Grand National! pic.twitter.com/Bm1y9qcV54
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) April 9, 2022
Noble Yeats is the +800 favorite in the UK horse racing betting to score in back-to-back years in the race. He is now rated at 167, which suggests he is one of the leading 3m+ chasers in the UK and Ireland.
Emmet Mullins’ chaser is one of the fancied runners in the Cheltenham Gold Cup this year. Only two horses in history have won both of those races in their careers.
Noble Yeats is set to have more weight on his back in the Aintree contest in April, but he showed his liking for the bigger fences last year and it would be no surprise if he replicated that success.
Corach Rambler
Lucinda Russell became the fourth female trainer in history to win the Grand National when One For Arthur prevailed in the race in 2017. She will be hoping for more success this year with Corach Rambler.
CORACH RAMBLER wins the Ultima Handicap Chase! pic.twitter.com/tfww3j3Mi0
— Racing Post (@RacingPost) March 15, 2022
The 2022 Ultima Handicap Chaser winner has had just eight appearances over fences. He has appeared twice so far this season, but he has not been able to add to his tally of three victories over fences. With a rating of 146, he could have one of the lowest weight allocations in the race, which will help his chances.
The nine-year-old is set to appear in the Ultimate Handicap Chase on day one of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival. Even if he wins that race, his weight for the Aintree contest will not be impacted.
Mr. Incredible
Irish Champion Trainer Willie Mullins won the Grand National in 2005 with Hedgehunter. He is having an excellent season in Ireland, which bodes well for him ahead of the Cheltenham Festival and Grand National Meeting.
Mullins’ best chance at Aintree this year looks to be with Mr. Incredible. He is a seven-year-old chaser who scored over fences on his debut at Clonmel. The horse made the trip across to the UK for a Grade Three contest at Warwick back in January. He finished second in that race behind Iwilldoit.
Irish-trained horses have won the last four renewals of the Grand National. Mr. Incredible is one of their best chances of improving that winning sequence to five when he lines up in the 40-runner field in the final month of the season.
This year’s Grand National will be the 175th annual running the jumps race. A sold-out crowd of 70,000 is expected for the race meeting in Liverpool.
