The Grand National is the biggest event of the British racing calendar, and this year those who fancy a flutter can tap into some high-tech odds before the race tomorrow.
Forty horses will taking to the iconic Aintree fences over the course of 4m 2.5f and the race is a handicap event, which means each horse is rated beforehand and weighted accordingly so as to ensure a level playing field. This complicates the betting market and makes the race the most eagerly anticipated in the National Hunt calendar.
However, the GrandNational.org.uk supercomputer has been crunching the stats since the race began in 1839 to gather trends and build a profile of a potential winner, and has concluded Enjoy D’Allen will be ridden to glory by jockey Simon Torrens in the race at 5:15pm on Saturday, according to the Liverpool Echo.
Read more: When is the Grand National 2023, how you can watch it on TV and what time it starts
The 'supercomputer' has found that the most common profile of race winner is a nine-year-old horse with an owner named John. This leads directly to Enjoy D’Allen, who is nine years old and whose owner is John Patrick McManus, otherwise known as JP, one of the most recognisable owners in the sport.
The computer also determined that the race winner most often came from having odds of 20/1 before the race, which means that this could be a riskier bet at 66/1. It was also found that, historically, jockeys named John (11) or Tommy (11) have the most wins.
The winner of the steeplechase will receive a £500,000 share of the £1 million prize pot, but it is not a simple race to win with 16 fences to navigate - 14 of which are jumped twice - before a victor emerges.
In addition, the handicaps were also taken into account, finding that a horse with a handicap of 10st 7lbs typically wins. In 2023’s field, Diol Ker and Minella Trump – both aged nine – whilst not exactly matching, come closest with a handicap of 10-8 and 10-6 respectively.
A spokesperson for GrandNational.org.uk said: “Our research shows that historically, nine-year old horses, with an owner named John, race best in the Grand National, making EnjoyD’allen a strong pick, despite being priced at 80/1 (now 66/1). The historical traits of previous horses can be worth considering when having a flutter on the Grand National. This typically goes against the bookmaker’s favourites, so will Enjoy D’allen – and our Supercomputer – beat the bookies? We’ll find out very soon.”
Read more:
- Grand National winner Sam Waley-Cohen's story moves ITV viewers to tears
- The non-league heroes who packed out St James' Park for a memorable FA Cup clash
- Metroland funfair at the Metrocentre opened 35 years ago - 10 photographs
- County Durham woman who lost leg in horror crash goes surfing in North Sea thanks to 'amazing' rehab and prosthetics
- Colin Firth and Richard Madeley back 'in sickness and in health' dementia campaign supported by Jesmond widower
