Aries Grand National Horses

Considering what he has ultimately achieved, it seems amazing that it took Hewick twelve races under Rules before he recorded his first victory. That first success came in a handicap hurdle at Kilbeggan from a handicap mark of just 94. Hewick is currently rated 162 over fences so Shark Hanlon has improved the gelding by a massive 68lb from that first win.  The ten-year-old gelding has been an absolute star for his yard winning eleven times including a King George, a bet365 Gold Cup, a Galway Plate and an American Grand National.  Hewick has been in good form this season with placings at the Punchestown Festival, in the French Champion Hurdle and the Champion Chase at Down Royal. On his most recent run at Thurles he made the winner’s enclosure once again when an easy five length winner in a 2m 6f hurdle race. The British handicapper has given Hewick a mark of 162 for the Grand National which is eight pounds lower than his highest official rating. That mark of 162 could arguably mean that Hewick is well-handicapped as his run this year at Down Royal, when second to Envoi Allen in a Grade One chase, has been rated only two pounds lower than his best ever rating by the Racing Post.  Decent underfoot conditions are key to Hewick’s chances and as it looks like we will get a good to soft or good ground Grand National, there is every chance this superb horse could be involved in the finish.

Vanillier ran a remarkable race in the Grand National two years having been in fifteenth position jumping four out and was still twelve lengths behind the leader when jumping the last. The grey gelding powered up the run in and passed all of his rivals bar one, the well-handicapped, Corach Rambler. That excellent run meant that Gavin Cromwell’s charge was a well fancied 14/1 shot for last  year’s National but Vamillier didn’t seem to enjoy himself as much in that race and ended up crossing the line in a well-beaten fourteenth place.  This season Cromwell has tried the ten-year-old in Cross Country races which it seemed Vanillier took a while to get used to with a sixth place at Punchestown and a ninth place at Cheltenham. His third attempt was back at Punchestown and this time the penny dropped and Vanillier was an impressive eighteen-length winner. Cromwell then sent Vanillier to Cheltenham for the Cross Country race at the Festival but unfortunately his rider Sean Flanagan nearly took the wrong course and ended up losing many lengths trying to correct his error. Eventually Vanillier finished a fast-finishing third there which was a great result in the circumstances.  The British handicapper appears to have given Vanillier a chance at the weights for the Grand National, dropping him four pounds from last year and he is now on the same mark as when second in 2023. If the Cross Country races have sweetened him up Vanillier must have a good chance of running another sound race in this year’s Grand National.

Former Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Minella Indo stormed back to top-form in the Grand National last year when finishing eight lengths third to I Am Maximus. Trainer Henry De Bromhead was reluctant to prep his stable star in Cross Country races this year and instead has used a softly-softly approach with the twelve-year-old gelding only running twice so far this season. Minella Indo reappeared this season at Punchestown in October where he ran a very encouraging race finishing second to French Dynamite and having one of the favourites for this year's Grand National, Hewick, over four lengths behind. It wasn't until nearly four months later that Minella Indo ran again having what looked like an exercise outing when finishing a well-beaten sixth in a hurdle race at Navan.  Henry De Bromhead brought Minella Indo to last year's Grand National off a four month break due to his intended target (the Cheltenham Festival Cross Country race) being abandoned and he obviously feels Minella Indo's best chance this year is to go into the big race fresh once again.  The handicapper has given Minella Indo one pound less to carry this year but that may not be enough as no twelve-year-old has won the Grand National since Amberleigh House in 2004.

Bravemansgame has been a brilliant servant to his connections winning his owner over £725,000 in prizemoney and providing three wins at the very highest Grade One level. One of the top novices of his generation over hurdles, he was always expected to reach even loftier heights over fences and so it has proved with wins in a Kauto Star, a Charlie Hall and the King George in 2022.  Unfortunately that famous victory in the King George at Kempton was the last time Bravemansgame crossed the line in front but the ten-year-old gelding has finished second or third on a frustrating eight occasions since December 2022. That run of defeats has though been reflected in the rating the handicapper has attached to Bravemansgame for this Grand National. At his peak, the gelding was top-rated at 172 and he gets to run here from 155 so perhaps the handicapper has given the Paul Nicholls trained gelding a good chance of running a big race at Aintree.  Bravemansgame’s stamina must be taken on trust for a Grand National especially as in his attempts at the 26 furlong Cheltenham Gold Cup he appeared to struggle to see out that trip. Class horses have tended to do well in recent Grand Nationals so perhaps Bravemansgame will follow suit but stamina doubts and a run of eleven races without a win temper enthusiasm.

Paul Nicholls' Hitman has a reputation for finishing placed rather than getting his head in front and his record of three chase wins from twenty-six starts backs up that viewpoint. Added to that, two of those wins came when he was odds-on in uncompetitive races.  Stamina for the Grand National is also a major concern with the furthest distance he has won being two miles five furlongs.

Chantry House was a dual Grade One chase winner back in 2021 but struggled after that until getting back in the winner's enclosure earlier this year when winning a five runner race at Cheltenham. That win aside, the eleven-year-old's form has generally been on the decline and he spent a full year running over hurdles as his connections experimented to find a race he could win. That recent win at Cheltenham meant he received a five pound hike in the handicap and he is now still rated only eight pounds lower than at his peak, despite his form being generally regressive. It's very difficult to see a horse with his profile winning the Grand National.

Henry De Bromhead has a good recent record in the Grand National with the one-two in 2021 and another placed horse last year. Senior Chief looks to have been campaigned with this race in mind since winning a handicap chase at Cheltenham in October that also had Vanillier and Broadway Boy in the field. The key that day seemed to be the good ground he was encountering for the first time in his career and the introductions of first-time cheekpieces.  This son of Gentlewave failed to back-up that win at Cheltenham when subsequently finishing a staying-on sixth to Kandoo Kid in the Coral Cold Cup at Newbury. Since that defeat, trainer De Bromhead has restricted the eight-year-old gelding to one quiet run over hurdles at Naas in February. With the ground likely to be no worse than good-to-soft, Senior Chief should have conditions to his liking but he does need to prove himself at extreme distances. He gave the impression at Newbury that he could well be suited by a marathon but he is nine pounds higher in the handicap than his last win at Cheltenham which could make being competitive in a white-hot race such as the Grand National very difficult.