Ireland optimistic as Grand National odds suggest Irish winner

After a hugely successful Cheltenham Festival for the Irish, the Emerald Isle are back for Aintree’s Grand National meeting and they are dominating the Grand National betting.

Ireland are 2/1 to train the winner of the 2011 Grand National and considering they boast the top three in the Grand National betting, that seems a strong bet.

Following Ruby Walsh’s decision to ride The Midnight Club, the Willie Mullins-trained 10-year-old has been heavily supported and is available at 8/1 to win the Grand National.

The other two highly fancied Grand National runners are the Gordon Elliott-trained Backstage with Grand National odds of 12/1, and Oscar Time, also 12/1, who will be ridden by Gold Cup winning jockey Sam Waley-Cohen.

With Grand National odds of 14/1, Big Fella Thanks is the fourth Irish-trained horse among seven British horses that are priced under 20/1 as the Irish hold 21 of the 65 Grand National entries.

Of those 21 entries, 14 are guaranteed to run in the Grand National and the Irish line up looks like this.

The Midnight Club (8/1), Backstage (12/1), Oscar Time (12/1), Big Fella Thanks (16/1), Arbor Supreme (20/1), Bluesea Cracker (20/1), Majestic Concorde (25/1), Becauseicouldn’tsee (25/1), Northern Alliance (40/1), Vic Venturi (50/1), Killyglen (50/1), Our Monty (50/1), In Compliance (50/1) and Dooney’s Gate (100/1).

Of the 16 horses 25/1 or less – we’re not counting Junior who is highly unlikely to run – eight of them are Irish, including the first three in the betting, making the 2/1 for an Irish win looking a very strong bet.

After such an incredible Cheltenham Festival in which the Irish claimed six of the seven winners on the Thursday, you can’t argue with the form of the Irish challenge and the Irish contingent will be confident of snaring the biggest prize in National Hunt racing.

A £20 stake on Backstage winning the Grand National would return £260. New customers can sign up here to get £60 in free bets.