Age is one of the best indicators of a horse’s chances of winning the Grand National. Looks for runners who are aged 8, 9 or 10  as the majority of winners in the last ten years have fallen within this bracket. Six of the last 10 winners have either been eight or nine years old. In 2022, Noble Yeats was the first 7-year-old to win since Bogskar in 1940.

Due to the nature of the Aintree fences you’ll be looking for a horse who is proficient over the jumps. Horses who struggle over the normal run of the mill fences will likely find Aintree too demanding. Look for a runner with at least 10 career chases under his belt and ideally they should have won at least one race with a prize fund worth over £17,000.

The Grand National is the longest race in the National Hunt calendar, unless a horse has previously had a run in the National it’s unlikely that they have ever raced over this distance. In fact, few races come close to the four mile slog that Aintree serves up. Which is why I favour horses who have previously tackled the National course and finished, even if they didn’t finish in the top half of the field.

Until very recently you would be hard pushed to find a Grand National winner who carried a big weight to victory. Between 1990 and 2005 the only horse who returned victorious carrying more than 11 stone was Hedgehunter (2005, 11-01). However, the 2015 winner carried a whopping 11-09 and between 2009 and 2022 six winners carried 11 stone or more. Though none have won carrying top weight.