This time the horse has been around five times the price and trainer Jonjo O'Neill will hope a breathing operation can help him see out the marathon trip. French Dynamite is the "most notable market mover" of the day for William Hill, who have shortened him to 15-2 from 10-1. He runs in the Marsh Chase ( 3.30 ), where Fakir D'Oudairies is a 7-4 favourite. Among his chief hopes is Delta Work, winner of the Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham in March when denying stablemate Tiger Roll a triumphant swansong before retirement. He represents Nigel Twiston-Davies, who has won this race twice, and looks to be dangerously handicapped on his best form. He won off his current mark of 128 by seven and a half lengths in November 2021 and this is the first time he will have run off that rating since. Fantastikas is now 14-1 (from 18-1) but was available at 33-1 with some firms on Thursday. There has also been noticeable support for Haut En Couleurs who is 9-1 (from 11-1) and Numitor 20-1 (from 25-1).

Paddy Power's Paul Binfield said: “Punters seem to think that Fakir D'Oudairies' bid for history by becoming the first horse to scoop the Marsh Chase three times will be successful. It’s amazing the way that he seems to thrive at Aintree in the spring and Joseph’s [O'Brien] horses ran well on the opening day with a win for Banbridge as well as a third [Nusret].” Last season he joined the likes of Viking Flagship, Moscow Flyer and Voy Por Ustedes by defending the race, and the Joseph O'Brien-trained eight-year-old did it in tremendous style too.

Composer

William Hill spokesperson Lee Phelps, said: “Business has been strong already ahead of day two at Aintree, with the most notable market mover being French Dynamite in the Melling Chase. Mouse Morris' charge is 15-2 from 10-1 for that contest. In the Topham, the one punters are latching onto is Fantastikas, who is 14-1 from 28-1.” The winner, the third Scottish trained winner in the history of the race, is owned by a syndicate of seven people including 21-year-old student Cameron Sword and William Wallace - it would not be a Scottish syndicate without a William Wallace would it? - a Scotsman who emigrated to Australia to run a telecoms company four years ago. It would be a fitting tribute to triple Grand National-winning owner Trevor Hemmings if Cloth Cap could carry his green, yellow and white colours to victory. Trot on down to Grand National, the world-famous horse racing event at Aintree Racecourse. As one of the toughest courses in the sport, this equestrian explosion is the toast de la ville !

Surprisingly yes it does, the 2021 Virtual Grand National predicting three of the top five finishers in the race. In 2018 it predicted that Tiger Roll would be first past the post and he did so in very similar circumstances just a few hours later.

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ITV will be screening a Virtual Grand National at 5pm on Saturday 4th April 2020, this virtual race featuring the 40 runners who would most likely have taken part in the famous steeplechase had it been run this weekend. The outcome of the virtual race is to be determined using ‘special algorithms’. The 2023 Virtual Grand National gets underway on Friday, 14th April 2023, just one day before the real event at Aintree Racecourse. The Virtual Grand National provides the virtual world with the excitement of the real-life event and it can often give a hint as to who might actually go on to win the showpiece event on Saturday afternoon. This event is fully televised by ITV The bookmakers have yet to confirm whether they will be offering betting markets on the 2022 Virtual Grand National but they had little choice but to do so in 2020 when the real race was cancelled. Millions were raised for the NHS in the process. When you get to my age you don't get too many more chances to win it again," said Walsh, who turns 72 in the week after the race. Hemmings, the owner of Preston North End FC, died in October 2021 aged 86 and his sporting interests were passed on to his family.