This week, the eyes of the racing world are focused on Aintree racecourse in Liverpool, England. This year on April 14, the most famous horse race in the world, the Grand National, will take place. It is the one time of the year where every casual punter likes a bet which makes it a paradise for bookmakers.

The 3-day Aintree festival includes an incredible 19 Class 1 races, by far the most during any festival. In this guide, we will focus on just one race on each of the three days, including the legendary Grand National on Day 3.

Watch the Virtual Grand National online from outside your country in 2020. This scenario is less likely than it used to be, for sure, but if you do happen to be away from the UK for whatever. The 2018 Grand National (officially the Randox Health 2018 Grand National) was the 171st annual running of the Grand National horse race at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England.The showpiece steeplechase was the pinnacle of a three-day festival which commenced on 12 April 2018. The event was sponsored by Randox Health for the second time. The race was won by 10/1 shot Tiger Roll, ridden.

Best Betting Sites for the 2018 Grand National

Betway Aintree Hurdle

• Class 1, Grade 1
• Thursday April 12, 2018

The Aintree Hurdle was first run in 1976 and is open to all horses aged 4+yo with a BHA rating of 130+. It takes place over a 2m 4f course and often features horses that previously ran at the Cheltenham Champion Hurdle in March. With a guaranteed prize fund of £250,000, expect the best middle-distance runners in Britain and beyond to compete.

Previous Winners

Betting Trends and Information

At the time of writing, there are 16 confirmed runners including last year’s winner Buveur D’Air who is the 8/11 favourite. Supasundae is rated as the biggest threat at 5/4 while the rest of the field is 5/1 bar.

• 12/21 winners had an OR of 160+.
• 17/21 winners were in the top 4 in the market.
• 17/21 winners last ran 16-30 days before the race.
• 20/21 winners had at least three season runs.

Buveur D’Air looks practically invincible having won his last 10 races including an impressive five-length victory at the Aintree Hurdle last year. However, his last two wins have been close run things including a narrow Cheltenham victory over Melon. If the favourite falters, perhaps Supasundae can pounce. He was narrowly beaten at Cheltenham by Penhill and is capable of causing an upset here; his odds have shortened dramatically in the last few days. However, it is a race that favours favourites in recent years. Three of the last four winners have been 4/9 shots so everything points in the direction of Buveur D’Air.

JLT Melling Chase

• Class 1, Grade 1
• Friday April 13, 2018

This is another lucrative race with a guaranteed prize fund of £250,000 this year. It is open to all 5yo+ horses with a BHA rating of 130+. The Melling Chase was first run in 1991 and takes place over 2m 4f. It is a popular race for horses that ran in the previous month’s Ryanair Chase or Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham.

Previous Winners

Betting Trends and Information

At the time of writing, there are 12 confirmed entries in the Melling Chase and it is no exaggeration to suggest that all of them have a chance of winning. It is a remarkably competitive race with Min as the 7/4 favourite. Politologue is the second favourite at 10/3 with the rest of the field 9/2 bar.

• 13/21 winners finished first or second in their previous race.
• 17/21 winners won at odds of 6/1 or less.
• 18/21 winners last ran 16-30 days before the race.
• 20/21 winners had at least 3 previous season runs.

Backing horses at 6/1 or less seems to be your best option, as only three horses fit the bill. Min was well beaten by the magnificent Altior at Cheltenham but will seldom meet such an extraordinary opponent. However, Balko Des Flos also impressed at Cheltenham with a six-length win over Un De Sceaux.

Politologue was 23 lengths behind Altior and doesn’t look value, and while Cloudy Dream will doubtless interest some, the best value bet appears to be Balko Des Flos at a surprising 9/2.

Randox Health Grand National

• Class 1, Grade 3
• Saturday April 14, 2018
  

It is a race that needs no introduction. It is one of the world’s most watched horse racing events as people with no real interest in the sport pay attention for 10 minutes or so and watch 40 horses try to brave the 4 miles 514-yard course with 30 brutally tough fences. From the farcical win of Foinavon in 1967 to the wonderful 3-time winner Red Rum, the Grand National has created legends that stand the test of time.

Grand National 2018 Watch Online Watch

To qualify, all horses must be at least 7yo, have a BHA rating of 125+, have started a chase during the reason and finished at least fourth in a chase of at least 2m 7.5f. It is incredibly difficult to pick a winner as there are usually a dozen horses with genuine claims, not to mention the occasional year where a horse runs an unusually great race. As much as the £500,000 first prize is coveted, the admiration, adulation, and attention that goes with being a Grand National winner ensure that it’s the race every owner, trainer, and jockey wants to win.

Grand National 2018 Watch Online Games

Previous Winners

Betting Trends and Information

• 20/21 winners last ran 16-60 days before the race.
• Only 4/21 winners have been favourite with just 6/21 coming from the top 3 in the betting market.
• 15/21 winners carried 10-12 or less.
• 20/21 winners were aged 8-11.
• 11/21 winners were in the top 3 in their previous race.

Despite the immense openness of the race, the Grand National has only been won by a horse at an SP of 40/1+ five times since 1967. Therefore, look at likely contenders at odds of 33/1 or less but bear in mind that there will be horses at 66/1 that will shorten to 33/1 by race time.

Although the Grand National is “find the needle in a haystack” territory, you can help yourself by eliminating certain horses. It has been over 40 years since a horse without a career 3+ mile win has won the race and horses aged 12+ far poorly in the last couple of decades.

Milansbar is an interesting proposition at 33/1 having won a 3m 5f race this season and finishing second in a 4m 2f event. Vieux Lion Rouge ran a brave race here last season and may be maturing into a real contender at 28/1. Bear in mind that at the time of writing, there were 63 possible entries in what is a 40-horse race. Therefore, we recommend checking the latest news to ensure your fancies are running. Otherwise, place your bets with quality bookmakers that offer a money back guarantee for non-runners at this year’s Grand National.

For the record, the early favourite is Total Recall at 11/1 with Anibale Fly, Blaklion, and Tiger Roll all available at 12/1. Frankly, you can expect the prices of almost every horse in the race to fluctuate wildly between now and Saturday. With 23 of the preliminary horses not running, punters have to wait patiently until the 40 runners are confirmed.

With the 2018 Grand National in England just around the corner, thoughts will again be turning to who will come out victorious and have their name etched into the history books this year. Once again the legendary Aintree racecourse will play host to the biggest event of the equestrian calendar as the Grand National steeplechase returns to the famous racecourse near Liverpool. There have been lots of exciting plotlines over the years with many big winners who have gone on to achieve racing immortality and this year promises to be no different.

The initial list of 105 entries recently announced will soon be whittled down to the final 40 runners and so if you’re looking for the latest information, race times, odds and where to watch the big race check out the details below:

Grand National 2018 Race Times and Runners

With entries from some of the worlds best trainers consisting of seasoned handicappers and multiple graded winners, the 2018 Grand National is shaping up to be a classic in the making. This year the race will be run on Saturday 14 April 2018 at 5:15 pm and will feature a strong field of proven runners and champions. Grand National Day itself offers a magnificent seven-race card starting at 1:40pm, culminating in the big event at quarter past five.

Although the final list of horses that will take part in the race is yet to be announced, the list of the frontrunners for selection includes ante post favorites Blaklion, Definitely Red, Native River, Total Recall, and Minella Rocco. Should any of the above mentioned horses be selected, the winner is expected to be likely one of them.

Those of you lucky enough to get tickets to the races may be wondering exactly Where is Grand National Aintree? The race course is situated at Aintree Racecourse along Ormskirk road, on the outskirts of Liverpool, England. For those traveling by train, Lime Street station which is a brief walk from Liverpool Central Station has regular trains that go to Aintree Station every 15 minutes on race day.

2018 Grand National Runners Odds

Odds for the Grand National are hard to come by before the final list of 40 runners is announced and that list is only revealed on the Thursday and Friday before the big day. However bookies will currently be offering provisional, or ante post odds on the horses listed amongst the 105 initial submissions from which the final field is chosen. Favorites include Blaklion at 10/1, Bristol DE Mai is an outsider at 33/1, while last year’s second place horse Cause of Causes is also listed at great value odds of 33/1.

The Best Places to Watch the Grand National 2018

For many of those unable to get tickets or travel to Aintree the next best place to watch the races is arguably in the comfort of your own home. ITV has the rights for the event and will be broadcasting on its free-to-air channels on TV, as well as over livestreams online. The National is a communal pastime for many families and many across the country will likely take a punt before sitting down to watch the race with their loved ones.

For more social options, check out timetables at your local high street bookmakers, pubs and community centers. In the races’ nearest home city of Liverpool, some of the more notable venues include the Coral Arms in Aintree, McCooley’s in Concert Square, The Excelsior on Dale Street, and The William Gladstone on North John Street.

Grand National 2018 Watch online, free

And so there you have it, a quick preview of all the race times, runners, odds, and the best places to watch the Grand National to help you prepare for one of the world’s biggest horse races of the year. Enjoy!