David Brayshaw Contributor | Grandnational.org.uk

February 18th 2020, 2:07 pm

Weekend Takeaways – National hopes rise and fall

Although the Cheltenham Festival is now firmly coming into view, many of Racing’s marathon men and women are already looking beyond Prestbury Park and towards the Grand National in April. During a busy weekend, there were many Grand National possibles putting their credentials to the test and here we look at those who gained traction […]

February 18th 2020, 1:29 pm

2017 winner One For Arthur’s participation in doubt

By David Brayshaw

While two-time defending champion Tiger Roll returned in most pleasing fashion, another former National winner hopeful of success in 2020 had a more sobering experience at Haydock. When winning the 2017 Grand National, the then eight-year-old One For Arthur looked a horse who could very well go on to be a big player in future […]

February 13th 2020, 1:54 pm

Timing of National a factor punters must not ignore

By David Brayshaw

There are 101 different angles one can look at for even the most mundane of races, so when you’re talking about a four-and-a-quarter mile chase over 30 unique fences with 40 runners involved, that can probably be doubled. One factor few take into account is the gap between runs. With the Grand National and Cheltenham […]

February 13th 2020, 1:37 pm

Grand National Weights Revealed- Update on McManus and Ditcheat teams

By David Brayshaw

As the great Organist Professor Ian Tracey sounded the final notes to the Champions Theme yesterday at Aintree, all eyes and minds turned to the revealing of the weights for the 2020 Grand National. The horse on almost everyone’s minds was dual-champion Tiger Roll. His owners, Gigginstown House Stud, have been very vocal about their […]

February 10th 2020, 10:36 am

Ranking the 20 winners of the National this century

By David Brayshaw

With the 21st Grand National of the 21st century now less than two months away, we take a look back at the winners this century and rank them informally based on the performance of the winner and how memorable the race was in general. 20– Rule The World (2016)- On extremely testing ground unfancied 33/1 […]

February 10th 2020, 10:28 am

National Favourite ready to Roll after setback

By David Brayshaw

Tiger Roll’s trainer, Gordon Elliott, has given an upbeat update on the wellbeing of the defending champion who will hopefully bid to emulate the only three-time National winner Red Rum in April. Of the star chaser, Elliott told reporters ‘”He’s in good form. If we can we might get a canter into him after racing […]

February 3rd 2020, 1:31 pm

Road to Grand National glory likely to go through Closutton

By David Brayshaw

Perennial Irish champion trainer Willie Mullins tasted Grand National glory with Hedgehunter in 2005, and, after second and third-placed finishers Pleasant Company and Rathvinden respectively in the last two years, he looks to be assembling his strongest ever team for the 2020 edition. 105 horses were entered at the unveiling of the Grand National last […]

February 3rd 2020, 1:26 pm

Tiger Roll participation in genuine doubt as O’Leary voices warning

By David Brayshaw

If there is one thing racing fans have learned where Michael O’Leary is concerned it is that he is a man of his word. In 2017 he famously withdrew the vast majority of his Gigginstown House Stud owned entries from the Grand National blaming then chief BHA handicapper Phil Smith for what he believed to […]

January 26th 2020, 2:18 pm

Twiston-Davies Star tailor-made for National Test

By David Brayshaw

While his conqueror Santini emerged a leading contender for the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March, Bristol De Mai gave the impression in Cheltenham’s Cotswold Chase that he would relish the unique test that is the Grand National at Aintree. Of course having given Santini 2lb at the weekend connections could still see value in a […]