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The Grand National is perhaps the most prestigious race in all of horse racing. Fresh off the back of the Cheltenham Festival, which saw Irish domination this year at Prestbury Park, Aintree is once again ready to open its doors to the thousands ready to pack out the grandstands, enjoy the festivities and place a Grand National bet.

To win the Grand National is to cement your legacy in the sport’s history books. Having overcome the rest of the competition and survived one of the most gruelling courses, it’s all worth it to bask in the adulation of the adoring crowd, and you only have to look at how special last year’s 50/1 outsider Noble Yeats must have felt when he became the first winner back with a full crowd after behind closed doors events in 2020 and 2021.

Indeed, if the atmosphere is even a fraction as deafening as last year then we are surely in for a treat. The National’s unpredictability means picking a favourite is incredibly tough to call, but the winning formula often boils down to a cocktail of training, strategy and luck.

A good trainer can prove all the difference when it comes to winning the National. Over the years we’ve seen the legendary Ginger McCain earn statues with Red Rum and more recently Tiger Roll dominate in Merseyside thanks to the great work of Gordon Elliott. It’s hard to recreate the same variables as a big race day like the National and it’s a completely different experience to that of a run-out at Ascot or Cheltenham. Therefore, having a special trainer can be all the difference when it comes to getting the job done.

A strategy is always hard to devise at the National as the conditions on the day are never guaranteed. You can’t plan for specific ground in the same way and with the tricky hurdles like Becher’s Brook, the Chair, Canal Turn and Foinavon, anyone could fall at any time regardless of form. Planning for every situation is usually the best advice, with previous winners staying on despite some tough moments and waiting for the right time to strike.

Sometimes all the form guides and training go out of the window though, and a complete outsider will prevail to the surprise of everyone. There’s been some longshots come in before with even last year’s winner Noble Yeats a 50/1 for Sam Waley-Cohen to try and end his career with. This year the favourite Any Second Now will be hoping for a huge slice of luck after third and second-place finishes in the last respective years. His trainer Ted Walsh didn’t sound too confident the 11-year-old can get the job done this time around due to the weights, but if he can conjure a bit of that Aintree magic he could still make history.

“All I can say is that I know he’s not Red Rum, I know he’s not a Crisp and he’s not a L’Escargot, so make your own mind up,” said the trainer. “I’m absolutely shocked that he has top-weight. He goes there in as good form as he did last year. He is in as good nick as he was last year, but he’s got top-weight so make your own mind up.

“I think he’d have to be an exceptional horse to win it with top-weight.”

Horse racing is one of the oldest continuously operating sports in countries all over the world. Every day, dozens of races are run in the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and even Australia and New Zealand.

Some events, however, stand out above all the rest in terms of prestige, grandeur, and attraction. England has the Grand National, Australia has the Melbourne Cup, France has the Arc – in America, it’s the Kentucky Derby.

Started in 1875, the Derby is fast approaching a proud 150-year history at the famous Churchill Downs course in Louisville. Each year, 150,000 attendees and millions of viewers around the world watch this iconic 20-horse race with eager anticipation.

With a $3 million purse, great fortunes are won and lost during “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports”. On May 6, 2023, the world will tune in once again for the 149th edition of this mesmerizing horse race.

You don’t have to be in Kentucky to enjoy the Derby, or to get involved in it. Reputable sportsbooks such as DK Horse offer Kentucky Derby odds to interested punters all over the world.

If you’re considering placing a wager this May, you’ll want to know who the biggest contenders are. This is your guide to the top 10 horses, jockeys, and owners who have qualified for the 2023 Kentucky Derby.

1 – Two Phil’s

Owner: Patricia’s Hope LLC & Phillip Sagan
Trainer: Larry Rivelli
Jockey: Jareth Loveberry

Competing since July 2022, Two Phil’s has placed in six of seven races making this colt the outstanding Derby favorite. Four wins, including one at Churchill Downs in October 2022, have created high expectations for this big race debutant.

2 – Derma Sotogake

Owner: Hiroyuki Asanuma
Trainer: Hidetaka Otonashi
Jockey: Christophe Lemaire

Yet to race in the U.S. this Japanese colt made an impressive sixth-place debut at Hanshin in June 2022. Since then, three wins and a third place from four races have turned heads all around the world.

3 – Kingsbarns

Owner: Spendthrift Farm LLC
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Flavien Prat

100 points from a single win at FairGrounds in March 2023 have catapulted this novice colt into the favorites. Beating a field of 12 by 3.5 lengths on debut has left many wondering just what Kingsbarns might achieve.

4 – Forte

Owner: Repole Stable & St Elias Stable
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

The second Todd Pletcher-trained horse in the lineup arrives with an incredible form of four consecutive wins in six months. Most recently, this Kentucky-born contender took a 4.5-length victory under Irad Ortiz Jr. at Gulfstream Park on March 4.

 

5 – Practical Move

Owner: Pierre J Amestoy, Leslie A Amestoy & Roger K Beasley
Trainer: Tim Yakteen
Jockey: Ramon Vazquez

Another Kentucky-born colt, Practical Move has never finished outside the top three in six races since his August 2022 debut. Racing under Ramon Vazquez since Dec 2022, this exciting horse has comfortably won both of his longest races so far.

6 – Confidence Game

Owner: Don’t Tell My Wife Stables
Trainer: J Keith Desormeaux
Jockey: James Graham

Home advantage may come into play with this colt who has run three of his six races at Churchill Downs. Confidence Game has enjoyed Kentucky wins under both Graham and Hernandez Jr plus a February 2023 victory at Oaklawn Park.

7 – Angel of Empire

Owner: Albaugh Family Stables LLC
Trainer: Brad H Cox
Jockey: Luis Saez

From three races, Angel of Empire has won two with victories so far at Fair Grounds and Indiana Grand. Perhaps the biggest doubt in his form is a disappointing sixth place from eight at Kentucky Downs in September 2022.

8 – Raise Cain

Owner: Andrew N Warren & Rania Warren
Trainer: Ben Colebrook
Jockey: Jose Lezcano

Eighth place in the Maiden Special Weight at Churchill Downs on September 17, 2022, might leave some punters feeling nervous. Many, however, have been reassured by two wins and a second place since, including a March 2023 victory at Aqueduct.

9 – Tapit Trice

Owner: Whisper Hill Farm Llc & Gainesway Stable
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Luis Saez

A third colt trained by Todd Pletcher and this one is, so far, unbeaten with two victories from two races. Whether Luis Saez will take the saddle or stick with Angel of Empire could be key to this contender’s chances.

10 – Jace’s Road

Owner: West Point Thoroughbreds LLC & Albaugh Family Stables LLC
Trainer: Brad H Cox
Jockey: Florent Geroux

This Kentucky-born colt is easily the biggest outsider from the top ten contenders with a patchy record at Churchill Downs. Third and eighth have been his places on the Derby track but better results at Fair Grounds offer some hope.

Whichever contenders you choose to back, the 2023 Kentucky Derby is bound to be yet another incredibly exciting occasion. Anything can change between now and the winning post but, with this summary, you’re off to a great start.

 

The spring is an exciting time for fans of horse racing. There’s the Cheltenham Festival in mid-March, which offers four days of top-class action in the Cotswolds, and even more high-quality racing in April — including the Irish and English Grand National Festivals, the Punchestown Festival, the Jumps Finale at Sandown and the return of the flat racing season.

It’s the Irish Grand National we’re going to focus on in this article. The Fairyhouse showpiece is set to take place at the County Meath-based track on Easter Monday (April 10) and Thedevilscoachman is the 7/1 favourite in the betting odds for the Irish Grand National as Noel Meade, who trained the Bunny Boiler to success in 2002, looks to deliver JP McManus his fourth triumph in the contest.

As always though, the three miles and five furlongs race will be a wide-open affair at Fairyhouse in a couple of weeks’ time — with any one of the potential runners capable of taking out the €270,000 prize to for the winner. That said, read on as we take a look back at the last four winners of the Irish National.

2018: General Principle

Because of the cancellation to the 2020 renewal of the race due to the coronavirus pandemic, you have to go back to 2018 to find the fourth most recent winner of the Irish Grand National. And, it was General Principle who landed the spoils for top trainer Gordon Elliott.

The Gigginstown House Stud-owned horse lined up at Fairyhouse at a start price of 20/1 following some questionable form throughout the season (47046), but managed to pick up a win at the right time under Jamie Slevin. Disputing third two out, General Principle ran on from the last to take the lead from Willie Mullins’ Isleofhopendream in the final strides and win by a head and land Elliott his maiden Irish National. He won the English variation with Tiger Roll the following week.

2019: Burrows Saint

Mullins’s wait for his maiden Irish National success took longer than many would have expected and he might have been agonisingly denied his first Irish National success by such a slender margin in the prior renewal, but the 2019 edition of the race was all about the Closutton genius.

Not only did 6/1 favourite Burrows Saint live up to his status as market leader to win the Extended Handicap Chase under immense pressure for Ruby Walsh, but 2018 runner up Isleofhopendreams and Acapella Bourgeois made it a Mullins 1-2-3, while Bellow Mome also placed for the yard in fifth — securing Mullins a cool €420,000 in prize money.

2021: Freewheelin Dylan

With the two previous winners of the Irish Grand National coming from yards you’d expect to see on this list, Freewheelin Dylan’s victory in 2021 was somewhat refreshing. From Dermot McLoughlin’s small and relatively unknown stables just down the road from Fairyhouse Racecourse, the then nine-year-old became the biggest winner of the famed race at 150/1.

Under Ricky Doyle, Freewheelin Dylan made most of the running for the three-mile, five-furlong contest. He started facing strong challenges three out, but was ridden and stayed on to win by little more than a length from 9/1 shot Run Wild Fred for Elliott and Gigginstown House.

2022: Lord Lariat

While it was a shame the biggest win of McLoughlin’s training career fell on empty stands at his local track in 2021 as racing was still behind closed doors due to the pandemic, the Co. Meath trainer did the unthinkable again in 2022 — defending his title with 40/1 chance Lord Lariat.

With crowds back in attendance, the then seven-year-old led three out and went clear approaching the last before staying on to beat Elliott’s Frontal Assault by almost five lengths. Lord Lariat was initially being targeted at Aintree, but after being scratched he is the 9/1 second favourite to retain the Irish National this year.

 

You can find pretty many horse races in the UK, but Yorkshire is a county with one of the most thriving and vibrant horse racing sector that draws millions of racing fans from all over the world. And since there is a huge choice of betting options, as browsing Match.Center, a platform that analyses bookmakers, would show, horse racing betting adds some extra thrill to watching any Yorkshire horse races. So tourists to the county should definitely visit one of the top events, for the passionate crowds, the thrilling racing experience and the opportunity to soak up the history and culture of Yorkshire racing.

In total, there are nine Yorkshire racecourses, providing racing experiences all year round. In fact, there are around 180 days of racing in the county! Here are some of the biggest highlights.

The Lincoln Festival

Every year in late March or early April, the racing world descends on Doncaster for the traditional opener to the flat racing season. Spring is in the air, and the excitement is palpable as English flat racing emerges from the gloom of winter with a series of thrilling racing spectacles. The two big highlights are the Brocklesby Stakes, for the most precocious of the new thoroughbred generation, and the Lincoln itself, a straight one mile contest along the sweeping Doncaster course that is sure to get the pulse racing.

The Ebor Festival

The Ebor Festival is when Yorkshire gets to show off its unique qualities to the rest of the world. It is a four day extravaganza of fantastic races, drawing the cream of the crop of English flat racing.

The festival was first held in 1843 and has become one of the best racing festivals in the world, known for its vibrant and lively crowd , and a truly electrifying atmosphere. The festival is packed with high calibre racing, including the Juddmonte International, which is regarded as one of the most important flat contests in the world and the prestigious Yorkshire Oaks for fillies and mares.

If speed is your thing, then you won’t find anything faster than the Nunthorpe Stakes, a high-quality dash over five furlongs for the true speed kings of the equine world, and the Ebor itself is a grand old handicap that presents a fiendishly difficult puzzle for Saturday racing punters to get their teeth into.

The St Leger Festival

Even by the standards of UK racing, the St Leger is a historic and venerable institution. First staged in 1776, it is named after its creator, a local army officer, and is the last and the longest of the flat racing season’s five Classics, following the 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas, the Derby and the Oaks.

The St Leger is open to three-year-old fillies and mares and provides a true test of stamina. It is also the final leg of the incredibly rare Triple Crown, which was last run by the great Nijinsky in 1970.

Even the St Leger has to take second place in the age stakes compared to the Doncaster Cup. First stages in 1766, it is the final race of the Stayers’ Triple Crown for the most stamina-laden horses around, and is traditionally staged on the second day of the Festival, known as Donny Day

History, Thrills and Entertainment

As well as Doncaster and York, there are seven other horse racing venues in Yorkshire, each of which has its unique charms, from the spectacular gradients of Beverley to historic Catterick and its thriving Sunday market.

Based in the heart of beautiful North Yorkshire, Ripon is one of the prettiest race courses in England, known as the Garden Racecourse. It hosts some thrilling races, including the Great St Wilfred Stakes, an August contest that is all about speed and is often won by one of the world’s best sprinters.

Only twelve miles away from Ripon, you will find Thirsk racecourse, with its stunning views of the Yorkshire countryside. The current course has been there since 1923 and celebrates its centenary this year, but there has been racing at Thirsk since the very early 1700s, and it hosts the popular Thirsk Hunt Cup every may.

Finally, horse racing enthusiasts should head over to West Yorkshire in July, to Pontefract, one of the world’s oldest racecourses. There is evidence that races were held there as early as 1648, just before Oliver Cromwell seized Pontefract Castle. The venue for several thrilling contests, the highlight of the Pontefract racing year is the Pontefract Castle Stakes, which is a popular and prestigious event for northern-trained horses.

Summary

Yorkshire is home to some of the most historic and prestigious horse racing events in the world. Whether you’re a seasoned horse racing fan or a newcomer to the sport, these events are sure to provide you with a thrilling and unforgettable experience. So why not plan a trip to Yorkshire and experience the best horse racing events for yourself.