The Grand National is easily the most popular horse racing event in the world. While other races may have the title as the richest, Grand National manages to engulf every other horse race with its history, quality, and pedigree. This steeplechase event is run over 4 miles and it takes place at the Aintree racecourse. The competition is certainly a daunting puzzle when it comes to finding the best horse in the world.

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The quality of the horses and the competition appeared to be a major factor in the overwhelming popularity surrounding Grand National betting, with expectations of over £100 million money to be exchanged over this contest in 2017, according to Grand National 2017 info.

History

The Grand National is steeped in history. While the first run of this event was in 1839, the Grand National 2017 will be the 170th run of the race. In this illustrious history, many forces have defied the odds and nature to win the title. Despite long odds of 100/1, Tipperary Tim managed to win in 1928 even when the rest of the field fell to one of the several obstacles. Foinavon took advantage of a mix-up in the 23rd obstacle to win the event in 1967, even while being backed at 100/1.

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The most iconic horse at Grand National has to be Red Rum, who managed to win the race an incredible three times. Red Rum almost came close to getting three consecutive wins, but the bid was halted in 1975.
Horses will have to overcome 30 fences over the course of the race and up to 40 runners will be staking a claim for success.
Potential Favourites for Grand National 2017

The Last Samuri – Regarded as the overwhelming favourite to win the Grand National 2017, this Chestnut Gelding comes with a lot of weight upon his shoulders. The Last Samuri’s last victory was in March 2016. Since then, he has managed to finish second, fifth, and the third.

The latest race at Aintree witnessed The Last Samuri coming third amongst 22 runners. David Baas is likely to be given a run out on the back of this horse. There will certainly be one or two trial events before the event, and this will help punters gauge his ability ahead of the ultimate tournament. As of now, The Last Samuri is backed at 20/1.

Don Poli – Don Poli has more than sufficient time to come under the training regime of Gordon Elliott. Gigginstown House Stud and Willie Mullins parted ways back in September. In the three races under the eyes of Elliott, Don Poli is yet to win. His best result was a second-place finish in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown. He went on to finish third in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and it was certainly not a fluke. Backed at 25/1 to win at Aintree, Don Poli may just benefit from the presence of Elliott.
Potential Dark Horses for Grand National 2017

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A debutant has not won the Grand National since 2009. Yet, there are some promising contenders for 2017. They can also be considered as the dark horses for the event.

The Young Master – The Young Master’s success at Sandown’s bet365 Gold Cup Chase in April showed that he must not be taken lightly. Waley-Cohen has been riding on the back of The Young Master since the end of 2015. He is a top contender, but was beaten by Don Poli in the 2015 RSA Chase.

Vicente – The seven-year-old’s first appearance of the season came in the Hennessy Gold Cup. In this race, Vicente showed that he has all the attributes of a Grand National winner. After recently claiming the Scottish National title at Ayr, Vicente will be coming into the 2017 edition in strong form. One of his major disadvantages is racing on a soft track. Hence, he would be hoping that it does not rain prior to the race. Vicente is backed at 33/1 to win the title.

O’Faolains Boy – After winning the RSA Chase in 2015, O’Faolains Boy has suffered a lot of niggling injuries last season. Even though he has been in good shape since the summer holiday, a run at the Hennessy competition will be a perfect tool to gauge his status coming into the race.
It is anticipated that around 600 million will be tuning in to watch the Grand National 2017. The prize money of £1 million makes it the richest race in Europe. Many races may offer bigger pursues, but the Grand National remains as a top horse racing event in the world and will continue to do so.