Grand National 2024

A total of 87 horses still held entries for next month’s Grand National at Aintree when the weights were revealed last month at a traditional lunch in St George's Hall.

The maximum number of runners for the Grand National 2024 has been reduced from 40 to 34, marking the first reduction since 1984.

Click here for the latest odds for the Grand National runners through oddschecker.

Keep reading for the five most backed horses ante-post since the turn of the year.

Vanillier - 12/1

It is the horse who finished runner-up in last year’s renewal who is the most backed through oddschecker for this year’s Grand National. Gavin Cromwell’s Vanillier has taken 12.5% of bets for the race in 2024. 

He was given the summer off after this 2nd place and this season’s preparations have gone very similarly to last year’s. After several runs over inadequate trips he last ran at Fairyhouse in the Grade 3 Bobbyjo chase behind I Am Maximus. As he did last year,  he came 2nd in the race this time around but it arguably seemed a worse performance. 

Whereas he was only ½ behind Kemboy last year he was 14 lengths short of I Am Maximus whilst in receipt of 12lb. With the race being run after the weights are released, there is really no handicapping reason for the poor performance shown which is worrying. 

However, it must be said he has shown a preference for sounder ground and so the soft to heavy going description wasn’t in his favour. Moreover, he has an 8lb swing with ante post favourite Corach Rambler for just a 2 ¼ length defeat. He can go close in a race that his season has been geared towards. 

Corach Rambler - 6/1

The second most backed horse is last year’s winner Corach Rambler who has taken around 7.75% of bets. After last year’s win in the race, the son of Jeremy went up 13lb’s to 159. A disappointing return at Kelso was followed by a sound run in the Betfair Chase at Haydock. 

He gained the most amount of lengths jumping on the field that day and 4th placed Protektorat has since won the Ryanair whilst 2nd placed Bravemansgame filled the same position in the King George. As was the case last season he was given the winter off before returning again at Cheltenham. 

Having previous won two Ultima handicaps he ran in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and stayed on admirably to finished 3rd in a strong field. He was an eyecatcher that day to many and has since been strongly backed into favouritism for this year’s National. 

Tiger Roll exemplified the possibility to win back to back renewals with his latter victory off the same mark Corach Rambler runs off, 159. With his Gold Cup 3rd the best piece of form on offer, perhaps Lucinda Russell’s star can emulate Tiger Roll and win consecutive runnings of the race. 

I Am Maximus - 12/1

Next in the list is I Am Maximus who has accounted for roughly 6.5% of bets placed in 2024. Having won the Irish National last year under Paul Townend, the son of Authorised quickly rewarded purchases J.P. McManus in spades. 

He also showed his abundance of stamina and this race has reportedly been the target ever since. He started the season winning the Grade 1 Drinmore Novice Chase, making use of a technicality in Ireland that he could still run in novice events. 

After respectable 4th and 3rd placed finishes in the Savills and Irish Gold Cup, he returned to his beloved Fairyhouse to thump Vanillier by 14 lengths whilst also giving him 12lb. 

He has subsequently plummeted to 10/1 second favourite for the race; however, he has never raced over these fences and must repeat the high level of form he has shown away from Fairyhouse. Defying a mark of 159 would not have been easy anyhow but doing it under such differing conditions only hardens the challenge. 

Noble Yeats - 16/1

The 2022 Grand National hero Noble Yeats takes up just over 5% of bets for this year’s race. It’s not difficult to see why either having built on his 4th placed finish in the race last year with excellent hurdle runs this season.

Indeed, having finished 2nd over an inadequate trip at Limerick, Emmet Mullins’ stable star won the Cleeve Hurdle on Trials Day before finishing a respectable 7th in a slowly run Stayers’ Hurdle behind Teahupoo. 

Now returned to his beloved Aintree, the course where he also won the Grade 2 Many Clouds Chase, this nine-year -old can go very well from a 1lb lower mark. 

Mahler Mission - 16/1

Finally there is John McConnell’s Mahler Mission who takes up just shy of 5% of the ante post bets for the race. The son of Mahler has been kept fresh for the race ever since finishing a fantastic 2nd in the Coral Gold Cup in December.

The form hasn’t really been given an opportunity to be majorly boosted given the fatality of winner Datsalrightgino alongside the disappointment of 3rd placed Monbeg Genius.

However, both Shakem Up’Arry and Ga Law have subsequently won Cheltenham handicaps down in trip. However, his fall in the 2023 National Hunt Chase also give enough reason to think he can go well with eventual winner Gaillard Du Mesnil finishing 3rd in last year’s Grand National.

Up to 155, better ground and a long trip seem precisely what this gelding needs and he can go extremely close if taking to the fences.