Don Poli And The Last Samurai Head Grand National Betting

The weights for the 2017 Aintree Grand National were launched on Tuesday evening and at present our traders cannot separate the top two in the betting.

The Gordon Elliott trained Don Poli and Kim Bailey’s The Last Samurai, who finished second in the race last year, head the betting at 16/1.

Another Elliott trained horse, Empire Of Dirt, who has been allotted 11st 8lbs, is next in the betting at 20/1 alongside One For Arthur and the John Kiely trained Carlingford Lough. Elliott’s Ucello Conti has been allotted 10st 7lbs and can be backed at 25/1.

Willie Mullins last won the race back in 2005 with Hedgehunter and holds five entries with Alelchi Inois and Pleasant Company his shortest priced entrants, both at 33/1.

Vics Canvas who finished third in last year’s race can be backed at 50/1. The 14-year-old is now 10st 5lb rather than the 10st 6lb he carried a year ago when surviving a bad blunder at Becher’s first time around when he became the first 13-year-old to be placed in a Grand National since 1969.

At present the antepost book sees both The Last Samurai and Pleasant Company being the worst result for the firm, but no doubt over the next few weeks and when Cheltenham is over we are sure to see plenty of gambles starting up.

*Prices correct at time of publication