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5.15 Aintree Randox Grand National Handicap Chase

Rachael Blackmore and Henry de Bromhead capped their annus mirabilis last season when Minella Times ran out an impressive and well-backed winner of the world's most famous steeplechase.

The duo enjoyed another remarkable Cheltenham Festival and it’s likely that there is some recent bias at play in Minella Times’ remarkably short price for a repeat win in the Aintree feature.

Tiger Roll became just the seventh horse to land more than one renewal of a race first officially run in 1839 when he completed his famous double in 2019, with Red Rum (1973, 1974, 1977) the only horse to capture the race three times.

Having scored under 10-3 last year, Minella Times will have to hump top weight of 11-10 over 4m2½f if he’s to repeat the feat.

The defending champion was matched at 99-1 on the exchanges earlier in the season and his contracting price isn’t due to any form boosts or view that he remains well-handicapped.

In his favour, he is in the care of a trainer who has proven himself a master at prepping horses to peak on the big day, but most of the runners in the field have had campaigns arranged around the National and won’t have to shoulder such weight burdens.

With 'AP’ and ‘Ruby’ now retired, ‘Rachael’ has a name recognition unmatched by any other rider in the National Hunt weighing room. That has a major impact in a race like no other.

The once-a-year punters that help shape the market aren’t particularly concerned by form, weight or any of the other factors used to analyse most races.

A match made in heaven