Seven horses including Royale Pagaille, Envoi Allen and Quick Wave were scratched from the Grand National at the five-day declaration stage, leaving 50 runners still listed to run on Saturday.
There were no huge surprises amongst the 50 horses to remain in the reckoning, with Cheltenham Festival winners Corach Rambler, Gaillard Du Mesnil and Delta Work joining the top two from last year’s National – Noble Yeats and Any Second Now – at the head of the betting.
The news has given a much-needed boost to both organisers and punters. Fears that there would be fewer than 40 runners now appear unfounded, although there remain ongoing concerns over protests from animal rights activists.
Those looking to bet on the race will be hoping for further good news, in the form of generous betting offers including attractive place terms for each-way bets. A host of betting sites have already increased the number of horses they’ll pay out from four to six, and there’s a good chance that generosity will be extended further by the time Saturday comes around. You can check grandnational.org.uk for more information.
