All You Need to Know Ahead of the 2022 Grand National Monday 31st January 2022

The clock is ticking down towards the 2022 Grand National. Aintree Racecourse will be delighted to reopen its doors to spectators, after last year’s race was forced to run behind closed doors at the Merseyside circuit. This time around, a full house of 70,000 people is anticipated, with the 2022 Grand National due to be staged on Saturday 9th April at 5.15pm.

The Grand National remains the most valuable jump race in European horseracing. With a prize purse of £1m and a global audience of more than 600 million people, it’s no surprise that the National attracts intense interest from racing fanatics as well as casual one-off bettors.

It’s not only the most valuable jump race, but also the most gruelling one too. With the race staged over four miles and 514 yards, equating to two laps and 30 fences of the Aintree Racecourse, it’s a stiff test of stamina for horses and jockeys alike. The iconic jumps such as Becher’s Brook, The Chair and the Canal Turn can be something of a lottery with so many horses in the field, which is why the pre-race favourite is never certain to fulfil its billing.

Who are the leading contenders for the 2022 Grand National?

Based on the latest antepost odds, let’s take a look at the four leading candidates to win this year’s Grand National:

• Galvin
  With five wins from his last seven races, the Gordon Elliott-trained Galvin is one of the prime candidates for pre-race favouritism in 2022. Aged eight, Galvin recently won at Punchestown in October and can handle the ground.
  
  
• Any Second Now
  Ten-year-old Any Second Now was one of the leading contenders in the 2021 Grand National. He eventually finished third last year and is still considered capable of going better in 2022.
  
  
• Run Wild Fred
  Eight-year-old Run Wild Fred demonstrated plenty of promise by finishing runner-up in the Irish Grand National in April 2021. Although he didn’t make the cut for 2021 at Aintree, he is sure to be back in 2022 and at the forefront of bettors’ minds.
  
  
• Minella Times
  Henry de Bromhead’s Minella Times earned a history-making Grand National win in 2021. With jockey Rachael Blackmore on board, she became the first female winner of the National. If Blackmore and Minella Times return in 2022, they will be ones to watch again.

How to bet on the Grand National

As we’ve already said, backing pre-race favourites to win the Grand National are never a sure-fire bet. There are so many variables in this race that you need more than a healthy dose of luck to pick a winner.

Sure, there are certain traits that bettors look for when making their National picks. Horses aged between eight and 11 have won 19 of the last 20 Nationals. Meanwhile only four horses carrying more than 11 stone 3 pounds in weight have won at Aintree in the last 20 years.

Field size matters when betting on the Grand National too. This is where you must think like a poker player. In the biggest events like the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, the sheer number of entrants makes it that much harder for the top professionals to win. It’s almost unheard of for the best players to become two-time winners of tournaments like the WSOP Main Event and it’s the same with the Grand National. The pre-race favourite is rarely a sure thing, so it’s important to enter the markets with an open mind.

Are tickets still available for the 2022 Grand National at Aintree?

The ‘Festival Zone’ tickets at Aintree Racecourse have already sold out for Grand National Day. This zone gives you unrestricted access to the racing, the live music and entertainment on offer before and after the racing and the iconic parade ring.

Tickets on ‘The Embankment’ are still up for grabs at a cost of £40 per person. This gives you an excellent view of the opening fences of the racecourse, as well as access to bars, catering facilities and big screens to catch the rest of the action. These tickets offer unreserved seating, allowing you to pick a view that you like.

The most expensive hospitality packages are also still available, giving you high-end dining, first-class service and unrivalled views of the racecourse. These packages range from £369 to £1,015 per person, but it’s well worth your consideration for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.