As the excitement builds for the 2024 renewal of the Grand National at Aintree Racecourse on April 13, eager punters are on the hunt for clues to identify this year’s champion.

At the time of writing, defending champion Corach Rambler, I Am Maximus and last year’s runner-up Vaillier led the market in the 2024 Grand National betting.

However, we know by now that the top of the betting is not always a good indicator of how this prestigious race is going to pan out.

So, instead of analyzing the market, and opting to delve into the trends of past winners, we can uncover valuable insights to help narrow down the field and pinpoint the potential victor that way.

Without further ado, let’s dissect the statistics from the last 11 editions of the Grand National…

Age

Age is a critical factor in the Grand National, and, notably, eight of the last winners were aged in the seven to nine age bracket.

It’s worth adding that horses in that age range have won the last eight renewals in a row, with 11-year-olds Neptune Collonges, Auroras Encore, and Pineau De Re the victors in 2012, 2013, and 2014, respectively.

Odds

As already mentioned, those looking for a horse race bet on the Grand National would be best to avoid the horses at the top of the market.

Just two of the last 11 market leaders or joint-favourites went on to win the race, while only three were in the top three of the betting.

11/1 or bigger is where you want to start looking, as eight of the last 11 winners were that price and beyond.

Last run

Just four of the last 11 winners won their final outing before the Grand National, while a further three of the champions assessed placed.

Remarkably, however, eight of the last 11 winners had their final run before heading to Aintree within just 35 days of the Grand National.

Cheltenham Festival

Of course, the Cheltenham Festival falls within those 35 days — and six of the 11 winners considered ran at Prestbury Park on their last race before the Grand National.

Weights

With the Grand National being a handicap, weights are a vital component that needs to be considered before making your selection.

All but three of the last 11 winning horses were carrying between 10st 3lb and 11st 5lb.

Course and distance form

A previous run at Aintree is almost certainly needed, with eight of the last 11 winners having at least one previous outing at the Merseyside track.

A win on the hallowed turf of Aintree is not necessary though, with just three of the last 11 champions having at least one victory here.

Distance mastery is also very important. Nine of the 11 winners assessed had no less than seven runs over three miles or longer, eight had at least one victory over three miles, while seven had at least two wins over three miles and beyond.

Chase form

Experience in steeplechasing and a proven ability over the larger fences is pivotal, with nine out of the 11 having at least 10 previous chase runs and eight having at least three chase wins.

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Other things to consider:

  • Rating: Nine of the 11 were rated between 146 and 160.
  • Graded success: Seven of the 11 had at least one win in a graded race.
  • Seasonal performance: All 11 had at least three runs in the same season as the Grand National, nine had no more than six runs, while eight had at least one previous win.