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After his success in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the 2023 Cheltenham Festival, Corach Rambler is now rated as high as 156, which is 10lb higher than when the weights for the world’s most famous steeplechase chase were announced back in February.
Corach Rambler's done it again! pic.twitter.com/JZ5quU3iph
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) March 14, 2023
Lucinda Russell’s runner won the handicap contest on day one of the Festival for the second consecutive year. He was involved in a close tussle with Fastorslow, but he did enough to score by a neck.
Cheltenham Festival Winner Now Tops Betting 263m61
With a weight allocation of 10st 10lb in the Aintree feature, Corach Rambler is now the 7/1 favourite in the Grand National antepost odds. He will be making his debut in the race, but he has shown he has the stamina for the marathon distance this season, which is why the bookmakers have him at the top of their market.
This latest mark of 156 is the highest the nine-year-old has had in his career. He enters the Grand National with four wins from nine appearances over fences. Only once has he not completed the course, and that was when he unseated his usual rider Derek Fox in a Grade Two contest at Ascot in February 2022.
If he can prevail at Aintree, he will be the first horse since Tiger Roll in 2019 to win at the Cheltenham Festival and Grand National Meeting in the same season.
Russell Bidding for a Second Win 5f513a
Scottish-based trainer Russell knows what it takes to win the Grand National. She became just the fourth female trainer in history to land the contest in 2017 when One For Arthur was successful at Aintree.
One For Arthur had a similar weight allocation to what Corach Rambler will have to carry this year. Russell will be hoping her latest start can help her stable pick up the headlines following the race once again.
The Scottish woman has had an excellent season in the 2022/23 National Hunt campaign, and victory at Aintree would be the perfect way for her to end it.
Challengers Include Defending Champion 165y4t
NOBLE YEATS HAS WON THE GRAND NATIONAL FOR SAM WALEY-COHEN!
— Sky Sports Racing (@SkySportsRacing) April 9, 2022
On his final ride!
Follow all the action with our #GrandNational Live Blog 👉 https://t.co/3BmGBji299 pic.twitter.com/q38xPnJDLL
Noble Yeats is bidding to defend the crown he won in 2022 when he lines up in the same race again. The Irish horse prevailed by just over two lengths last season to provide his trainer Emmet Mullins with the biggest moment of his career so far.
The nine-year-old warmed up for Aintree by finishing fourth place in the Cheltenham Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival. Although he was no match for the winner Galopin Des Champs, he ran on strongly at the back end of that race, coming home ahead of some highly rated chasers.
Any Second Now and Delta Work were just behind Noble Yeats in 2022 in second and third place respectively. Those two horses are set to another shot at the 4m2½f where their connections will be hoping they can improve on their placings.
This year’s Grand National is the 175th running of the race. It marks 50 years since Red Rum’s first success, and Aintree is expected to mark that anniversary with a dedication to the three-time winner.