Templegate’s complete bluffer’s guide to the Grand National and his tips on how to back the winner

THE Grand National is the biggest race of the year – but trying to pick a winner is a punting minefield.

Even the shrewdest operators can struggle to turn a profit on the 40-runner blockbuster.

PA:Press AssociationTemplegate reveals his tips on how to find a winner in the world’s most famous race[/caption]

While someone with absolutely no clue can quite easily pick the winner.

It’s what makes the race so special and keeps punters coming back year after year.

But whether you’re a seasoned bettor or totally new to the game, there’s always something to learn.

Here, Sun Racing’s top tipster Templegate guides you through everything you need to know for Aintree.

HAVING A BET

We all love to take a few quid off the bookies. There are various ways of doing this, here are just a few:

WIN SINGLE: This is where you pick a horse and back it to win. It has to be first past the post to get a return.

EACH-WAY: This is where your horse either has to win or finish in the places. Usually the places are the first three for races of 5-15 runners, or the first four for 16-runners or more.

With an each-way bet half your stake goes on the win, and half goes on the place which is paid out at either a fifth or a quarter of the odds depending on your bookie.

FORECAST: This is where you try to name the horse that will finish first and the one that will come second – in the right order. A bit tricky!

ACCUMULATORS: Also known as an acca, this is where you try to pick the winner of two or more different races – and they all have to win to get a payout. Even more tricky!

HORSES FOR COURSES

Aintree is unusual in that it is two racecourses in one. The Mildmay course is the conventional track where most of the races are run.

It features standard birch fences and hurdles like you would see anywhere.

It is one of the flattest tracks in the country, unlike undulating Cheltenham.

Many horses who don’t stay the distance at the Festival run much better at Aintree which is less of a stamina test.

Then there’s the Grand National course. It features the big, green spruce fences that make the place so special.

There are famous obstacles like The Chair in front of the stands, which is the tallest at 5ft 3ins.

The Canal Turn is another important fence at the top end of the track where horses have a sharp left-hand turn after they have jumped it.

Becher’s Brook is another famous obstacle. It’s named after Captain Martin Becher who fell there in the first race officially called the Grand National in 1839.

The 40-year-old’s mount Conrad was leading but slammed the brakes on at the fence, hurling Becher over the top and into the brook which was full of water in those days.

It has since been filled in and the fence is no tougher than the others.

The National course is used just three times at the meeting – for the Foxhunters’ amateur riders’ race on Thursday, the Topham on Friday and Saturday’s big one.

SAFETY FIRST

There have been massive modifications to the Aintree track to make the Grand National safer.

The wooden poles that used to be under the spruce have been replaced with light plastic.

The drops behind fences have been filled in so it’s easier for horses to land.

The start was moved away from the crowds so the runners don’t get buzzed up by the cheers – and the race distance has been shortened to four miles, two furlongs. A furlong is an eighth of a mile.

There are also chutes around each fence for loose horses to run out of the way and not cause the kind of chaos we saw in the past.

The race is still a challenge and a spectacle but there are far fewer fallers than in the old days – six last season.

BASH THE BOOKIES

Make sure you shop around for the best offers when it comes to the National itself.

Some bookies pay as many as seven places for each-way punters in the big race. Make sure you don’t end up with just four places as some high street bookmakers will offer.

If you’re betting on the morning of the big race, you should probably take the price as many fancied runners will shorten in the hour before the off.

PAThe Grand National is the big betting heat of the year[/caption]

And if your fancy is 12-1 or less I wouldn’t go each-way as the return for a place will be pretty small.

Instead have win bets on two horses instead which will cost you the same amount.

TALKING TRAINERS

A few trainers have managed to make hay at the Aintree Festival in the past decade.

Gary Moore’s runners have generated a profit, as has Lucinda Russell and Henry De Bromhead but it’s not easy for yards to get winners at such a competitive meeting.

Some of the big boys operate at much lower than their usual strike-rates.

Paul Nicholls has eight per cent winners, local hero Donald McCain is on just three per cent, while it’s five per cent for Dan Skelton.

Nicky Henderson does a bit better on 14 per cent but you would still make a loss backing all his runners.

Venetia Williams’ record is now 0-55 at the meeting in the past ten years with only three horses in the placings.

Henderson is desperate to end his Grand National hoodoo with no horse even in the first four since Brown Windsor in 1990.

Nicholls has won one National but has just three other places from 78 runners. Philip Hobbs is no places from 31 runners.

On the positive side, Gordon Elliott has three wins in the great race plus three places.

JOCKEYS TO WATCH

Of current riders, Harry Cobden ties for the most Aintree Festival wins with eight and you make a handsome profit backing all his mounts.

Nico De Boinville shares the eight mark but makes a loss. Mark Walsh has the best strike-rate of the big boys with 22 per cent winners to show a profit.

Looking at current jockeys in the National itself, Davy Russell has won it twice on Tiger Roll with another placed effort.

PAKing George hero Cobden could be a jockey to follow at Aintree[/caption]

At the other end, Paddy Brennan has failed to finish on nine of his 11 National mounts, it’s 10 non-finishes from 14 for Aidan Coleman, Brian Hughes has got round once from eight attempts.

Paul Townend has failed to get round nine times from 11 goes with 11th his best finish and that was his first try in 2009.

Sam Twiston-Davies is looking for his first placing in the race.

CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL FORM

Last year, 11 of the 21 winners at the meeting had run at the Cheltenham Festival and there’s a bigger gap this time so horses have had more time to recover.

That figure is about the average with 107 Aintree Festival winners in the past decade running at Cheltenham.

A run at Leopardstown last time out is worth looking out for as those horses show a profit backing them all blind.

IN THE PADDOCK

You should get a good look at the runners in the paddock – also known as the parade ring – on telly before the big races.

Most jumps horses are experienced being a bit older than Flat runners and handle things well.

But you can look out for a horse that is agitated when walking around – especially if they are sweating between their rear legs.
That is a sign that they are using up precious energy they need for the race.

On the plus side, if the horse has a nice, shiny coat – effectively its skin – that is usually a good sign. If the horse’s coat is dull that can be a negative.

Also it’s good to see the horse walking round looking alert, taking an interest in their surroundings without getting wound up.

After that, all that’s left to do is find some winners… easy!

But these tips will at least put you on the right path. Good luck.

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