Grand National tips from horse racing expert Jeff Garlick

Delta Work is fancied by Jeff Garlick for the 2023 Grand National. Picture: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images

Harrogate Advertiser horse racing correspondent Jeff Garlick previews the Grand National.

Grand National fever will strike the country on Saturday when the most famous race in the world takes place at 5.15pm.

Noble Yeats was a shock winner at 50/1 last year and he returns to defend his crown with a different jockey on board. He now carries a lot more weight and had a hard race when fourth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, so is reluctantly bypassed this year.

Corach Rambler did this column a favour when winning the Ultima Chase at Cheltenham and he looks the best of the British runners. His trainer Lucinda Russell won the race in 2017 with One For Arthur ridden by Derek Fox, who also rides Corach on Saturday.

Irish horses have dominated the National over the last few years and I fancy a few from the Emerald Isle again this year. Delta Work was third last year and won the Cross Country Chase at the Festival, beating his stable companion Galvin into second.

Galvin is a really classy individual having won at the Festival and finished fourth in the Gold Cup last year. He is 7lb ‘worse off’ with Delta Work from their Cheltenham clash, so with Delta Work being proven over the fences and the distance then he has to be the bet.

Trainer Willie Mullins and owner JP McManus won the Irish National on Monday and their Capodanno is another on my shortlist along with last year’s sixth-placed horse Longhouse Poet. But I am hoping to see the Tiger Roll colours of Delta Work in the winner’s enclosure on Saturday.

The Aintree festival starts on Thursday where I like the look of Banbridge in the opener as his main rival, Stage Star, had a hard race when winning the Turners Chase at the Festival.

Ashtown Lad has been my fancy for the Topham Chase ever since he won the Bechers Chase over these unique fences in December. Millers Bank can run well at a big price in the Marsh Chase.

Garlick’s Goodies: Aintree Thursday 1:45 Banbridge; Friday 3:30 – Millers Bank; Friday 4:05 – Ashtown Lad; Saturday 5:15 1st Delta Work; 2nd Galvin; 3rd Capodanno; 4th Longhouse Poet.