Almost two centuries after the Lottery – the 5-1 favorite – became the first horse to win, the National is more competitive than ever and luck, good and bad, always plays a huge role in the result. The Minella Times and Any Second Now plotted similar routes in last year’s race until the 12th race, when a downhill stalled Any Second Now. If the Double Shuffle fell in front of the Minella Times, we would still be waiting for the National’s first victory from a female jockey. Rachael Blackmore’s instincts and skill also played a role, and her remarkable ability to find the smoothest path to the line, even between the beds of a Grand National, will be even more important on Saturday as she seeks a repeat success in Minella Times from 15 pounds higher point. The form of last year’s race, however, strongly suggests that Any Second Now is a much more likely winner, and with any luck in the run, it is difficult to see him finish outside the top four. The form of his slim defeat by Escaria Ten last time also looks solid, and Gordon Elliott’s gel is another key candidate for the frame, along with Enjoy D’Allen. But Ted Walsh’s gel is also high in weights, and this is no longer a race in which previous obstacle experience is a significant advantage. The last five horses to win the National saw the famous fences for the first time and the biggest threat to Any Second Now is likely to come from a younger, progressive opponent with less weight to carry. Quick guide

Greg Wood Saturday Tips

projection Aintree 1.45 Remastered 2.25 Good Risk At All (nb) 3.00 Edwardstone 3.35 Thyme Hill 4.15 Killer Kane 5.15 Longhouse Poet (nap) 6.20 Ernest Gray Newcastle 12.30 Bird On The Wire 1.00 Git Maker 1.37 Sir Apollo 2.15 Lough Salt 2.50 Byzantine Empire 3.25 The King Of May 4.00 Get With It 4.40 Kings Creek Thirsk 12.55 Paddy Brunty 1.30 Shallow Hal 2.05 True Mason 2.40 Symbolize 3.15 King Of Jungle 3.50 Juan De Montalban 4.30 Broadspear 5.00 Sfumato Bangor 1.55 Vintage Fizz 2.33 Ecume Atlantique 3.08 Daranova 3.43 Dawn Raider 4.22 Tigerbythetail 4.52 Spirit Of Regulus Wolverhampton 4.57 Pons Aelius 5.30 Voltaic 6.00 Lucia Joy 6.30 The Grand Visir 7.00 Pilot Wings 7.30 Odd Socks Havana 8.00 Study The Stars 8.30 The Resdev Way Thank you for your response. No horse on this year’s field fits this description like Longhouse Poet (nap 5.15), whose campaign was created around Saturday’s race by a coach who knows exactly what is required. Martin Brassil won the 2006 National with his first runner, Numbersixvalverde, and after throwing the same horse to finish sixth a year later, he returned to Aintree until 2014, when Double Seven, the overall favorite, finished third. . Longhouse Poet was a profoundly impressive winner of the Thyestes Chase in January, a race that Numbersixvalverde won the season before his national success, and has kept fresh after an obstacle course in February. Round 16-1 with most bookmakers is a great bet to give Brassil a second victory in the world’s biggest steeplechase. Aintree 2.25 Many of them have Grade One experience, while Good Risk At All goes one step further than handicaps, but the form of its easy win at Ascot in February is backed by a strong time and early chances of around 7-1 underestimate his opportunity. The Aintree 3.00 Edwardstone is as tough and reliable as they come and was a comfortable winner of the Arkle Trophy in Cheltenham last month. He’s a worthwhile performance to complete a six-year run with his third Grade One success on the campaign. The Aintree 3.35 Flooring Porter showed at Cheltenham last month that it is very difficult to win if it takes a slight lead, but Tom O’Brien, who chased him home to Thyme Hill, will be more alive than ever in danger and last year’s winner it could be a value bet around 3-1 to reverse the Festival’s form. Aintree 4.15 A hot chase with a handicap to upgrade the National. Many participate with a shout, but with the odds, Killer Kane could be a decent choice in every way to continue his victory in a Listed handicap in Sandown Park last time.