Many racing fans will be making the short trip across the Irish Sea from Belfast to Liverpool this year for the Grand National Meeting in April. The three-day event is the highlight on many people’s sporting and social calendars.
Here are a few things to look out for at the meeting this year.
Noble Yeats Looking to Add His Name in History
The feature race of the Grand National Meeting is the Grand National Handicap Chase. Only two horses since 1974 have won that race in back-to-back years, with Red Rum and Tiger Roll managing that feat. Noble Yeats will be looking to add his name to those Grand National greats this year.
The 2022 winner is 8/1 in the Paddy Power racing betting for the Aintree feature. He will have more weight on his back this year, but many pundits are confident he can replicate his success in Liverpool.
Noble Yeats is one of the horse racing tips for the Cheltenham Festival this year. He will line up in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the Blue Riband event of that meeting. Should he prevail there, he will arrive at Aintree as arguably the best chaser in the UK and Ireland.
Constitution Hill Could Step Up in Distance for Aintree Hurdle
The star of the 2m hurdles division this season has been Constitution Hill. He has taken a big step forward from his impressive campaign. Nicky Henderson’s runner won the Grade One Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle on his opening appearance of the season. He then followed that up with victory in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.
No horse has been able to get close to Constitution Hill so far over 2m. At Aintree he could be tested over 2m4f for the first time in the Aintree Hurdle, should his connections attempt to take it on.
Constitution Hill is already being compared with the greatest hurdlers of all time. If he proves to be just as dominant over the extra 4f, the argument for including him on that list will get even stronger.
Nicholls Looking to Defend His Trainer’s Championship
Paul Nicholls won the British Trainers’ Championship last season, and he can help defend his crown with another big Grand National Meeting. The Ditcheat trainer tends to do well at Aintree as he is not afraid to bypass the Cheltenham Festival with some of his horses to ensure they are fresh for the event in April.
Nicholls has only won the big race once. Neptune Collonges prevailed in 2012 following a photo finish. Threeunderthrufive is the Champion Trainer’s sole entry in the Grand National this year, but he is sure to have lots of big chances in the other major races across the three days.
Nicholls once again leads the way in the Trainers’ Championship ahead of Dan Skelton and Nicky Henderson respectively in the business end of the campaign. Those two men chasing him will need to have a big end to the season to overtake him.
The 2023 Grand National meeting takes place between 13-15 April, with the feature race coming on the final day.
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