The Grand National Trial is a Grade Three race for horses aged five years and over and is held over a distance of 3m 4f.
The contest provides National Hunt racing fans with further clues ahead of the Grand National itself in April and this year includes nine horses that have been entered for the Aintree marathon.
Those horses and their respective positions in the Aintree weights are as follows: Yala Enki (15), Ballyoptic (16), Royal Vacation (32), Ramses De Teillee (42), Vieux Lion Rouge (57), Red Infantry (77), Ballyarthur (81), Impulsive Star (87), and Carole’s Destrier (90).
Runner-By-Runner Guide
Yala Enki (Venetia Williams)
The Venetia Williams-trained nine-year-old tops the weights on 11st 12lb, having carried 10st 11lb to victory in attritional conditions last year.
Yala Enki was 5¼ lengths third to Elegant Escape in the Welsh Grand National when last seen out and is no back number when it comes to competing around Haydock Park.
Ballyoptic (Nigel Twiston-Davies)
A smart hurdler who has turned into an equally smart chaser. A former winner of the Towton Novices' Chase at Wetherby his career best effort was when he was a nose second to Joe Farrell in the Scottish Grand National at Ayr.
There is very chance he can put his poor showing in the Welsh National behind him and bounce back here.
Royal Vacation (Colin Tizzard)
Royal Vacation returned to winning ways last time out when capturing the Weatherbys Portman Cup Chase at Taunton and appears to be going through somewhat of a revival of form.
His second to Rock The Kasbah in the BetVictor Chase at Cheltenham reads well.
Wakanda (Sue Smith)
Winner of the Peter Marsh Chase here last time out when beating Robinsfirth in a thrilling finish.
A former winner of the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster and a thoroughly likeable stayer.
Ramses De Teillee (David Pipe)
Runner-up in the Welsh Grand National, Ramses De Teillee has been popular in the betting all week.
Successful at Chepstow earlier in season, the progressive seven-year-old is a strong stayer and should be in the mix again in the closing stages.
Robinsfirth (Colin Tizzard)
Made a promising comeback run after some time on the sidelines when almost getting up to deny Wakanda in the Peter Marsh.
Hard to know whether the ten-year-old will follow that run up and he looks a little too short in the betting with that doubt hanging over him.
Vieux Lion Rouge (David Pipe)
The ten-year-old Vieux Lion Rouge won the Grand National Trial in 2017 and has participated in the last three Grand Nationals, completing the course each time.
Pulled up last time out in the Welsh Grand National and will need to be back on his A-game to figure here.
Red Infantry (Ian Williams)
Red Infantry was successful over the course and distance in a Handicap Chase in November before finishing a staying-on fifth back here in the Peter Marsh Chase, when he was beaten six lengths.
In between those efforts, the nine-year-old was a length runner-up in the London National at Sandown Park in December.
The Two Amigos (Nicky Martin)
The seven-year-old is in top form at the moment and steps up in class after a couple of facile victories at Exeter and Plumpton.
Usually front runs and acts on heavy going although Haydock has experienced a pretty dry week of weather.
Ballyarthur (Nigel Twiston-Davies)
Ballyarthur was beaten just over four lengths when fourth in the Peter Marsh Chase and is another horse in this field that generally runs well at this venue.
Prior to the Peter Marsh, the nine-year-old was an excellent second to Daklondike in the Tommy Whittle Chase before Christmas.
Impulsive Star (Neil Mulholland)
Impulsive Star already has a Grade Three win to his name this season, having taken the McCoy Contractors Civil Engineering Classic Handicap Chase at Warwick in mid-January.
Unlikely to get into this year’s Grand National, this could be Impulsive Star’s consolation prize.
Carole's Destrier (Neil Mulholland)
Winner of the Mandarin Handicap Chase at Newbury in December, Carole’s Destrier ran fourth to stablemate Impulsive Star at Warwick and boasts a similar profile.
Neil Mulholland does not want the going too soft for this chaser and it appears the trainer has got what he wished for with the favourable conditions this week.
Bishops Road (Kerry Lee)
Veteran performer who would probably be more at home with juice underfoot in fairness.
Bishops Road won this race in 2016 in a race where only three horses finished in atrocious conditions. Pretty hard to envisage a repeat victory but stranger things do happen.
Ah Littleluck (Thomas Gibney)
Has had plenty of races already this season and picked up a Beginners’ Chase at Navan on his latest start.
David Mullins is a positive jockey booking and this Irish raider could be absolutely anything.
Pobbles Bay (Evan Williams)
Thorough stayer who has the tendency to sit at the back of a race and pick his rivals off one by one.
He could however find things happening all too quickly for him in these quicker conditions.
Chef D'Oeuvre (Sam England)
Won the Last Fling Chase here at the end of December, relishing the conditions that day.
Comes into this race with no kind of weight and could quite easily run a big each-way race for his supporters and connections.
CONCLUSION
This race is quite often won by a horse that does not hold a Grand National entry, a prime example of that being Yala Enki who won last year and was not down to make the trip up the road to Haydock’s sister racecourse in the April.
With that in mind, the 888sport betting horse racing selection for the Grand National Trial is the Sue Smith-trained Wakanda.
A month on from his battling win here in the Peter Marsh, he can put in a not too dissimilar performance and score again.
888sports suggests: Wakanda (e/w).
*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*
