Grand National 2024: New favourite emerges after weights revealed for Aintree race
The weights have been announced for the runners in the 2024 Grand National
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Your support makes all the difference.The weights for the Grand National were announced on Tuesday, with King George VI Chase winner Hewick given the top weight.
The Grand National is due to take place at Aintree on 13 April, and Hewick has weighed in at 11st 12lb, with last year’s winner Corach Rambler coming in at 11st 2lb.
Current favourite Gavin Cromwell’s Vanillier has a weight of 10st 8lb, and he was only beaten by two and a quarter lengths in last year’s contest, and has been made a favourite by several bookmakers, including William Hill.
Nine-year-old Hewick is being primed for a hat-trick, as he is due to race in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March, and has already won the Galway Plate and the American Grand National, a good feat for a horse purchased by John Hanlon for £800.
The top weight has a ranking of 169, with Corach Rambler at 159, the same rating as Tiger Roll had when he won his second Grand National, with Vanillier at 151.
A total of 56 of the 87 handicapped entries are trained in Ireland, with the new safety limit of 34 meaning the current minimum rating at the initial weights stage is 149, and just seven UK runners make that cut as things stand.
British Horseracing Authority handicapper Martin Greenwood does not anticipate a strong British squad.
Last year there were 13 British-trained starters, with Lucinda Russell’s Corach Rambler coming home in front.
"Hewick was on 169 after the King George and Ireland have rated him the same. I thought the King George flattered him to some extent. We all know his story, it’s a great one but they went flat out at Kempton and it is probably the one race in the calendar year in that division that doesn’t fit in if you like, given the nature of the track,” Greenwood said.
"We all know he’s a blinking good horse, but 169 is his actual UK rating. I just didn’t think there was any need to tinker."
With reporting from PA.
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