Who Will Win The 2012 Grand National?

Betting for the 2012 Grand National opened the moment the winning horse passed the finish line in 2011. That horse was Ballabriggs and he was quickly installed as the 16-1 favourite. Several months later, he has remained at that price in spite of the fact that he has not been seen since the race. He is expected to be given a light campaign before his second Grand National, possibly one chase and one hurdle.

Also at 16-1 betting odds currently are The Midnight Club, Junior and Beshabar. Beshabar is the only one of the three who has been relatively active and finished well in fifth at the Hennessy Gold Cup. He is expected to take a break until spring with the Grand National as his main goal. Junior is being kept out until spring. He was impressive in a win at Cheltenham Festival in March, but did not make Aintree due to weights. His trainer, David Pipe, will be watching the weights closely this season and planning a campaign for Junior. The Midnight Club managed only sixth in 2011′s Grand National, in spite of being sent off as the favourite. He is being prepped to appear in the Lexus Chase around Christmas.

At 20-1 in early betting are Oscar Time, West End Rocker and Always Right. Oscar Time was the runner-up to Ballabriggs in the 2011 race. West End Rocker ended his race at Becher’s Brook in 2011, but did well while winning the Becher’s Chase. He will likely compete in the Warwick National as prep for the 2012 Grand National. Always Right recently won at Kelso and managed a solid third in the Scottish National.

A few other horses in the betting at 25-1 include Planet of Sound, Shakalakaboomboom and Beautiful Sound. Planet of Sound finished second in the Hennessy and Beautiful Sound is a possibility to compete in the Welsh National on the 27th of December.

The Welsh National is a prime race to watch for Grand National competitors. The race is 3 3/4 miles, 22 fences and the ground is often soft or heavy, making stamina an essential component of winning the race. Horses who have won the Welsh National and the Grand National in the same season include Silver Birch in 2007, Bindaree in 2003, Earth Summit in 1997 and Corbiere in 1982. Of course, winning is not always the thing to look for. Horses that do well in the Welsh often do well or move up at Aintree.

You can check out all the latest odds and runners for the 2012 Grand National here. Including our guide to each horses chances on the big day.