7 Random Ways To Pick A National Horse

As you’ve probably already gathered from the title, this is not a ‘serious’ guide to picking a Grand National Winner but if you’re a ‘once a year punter’, fed up of studying ‘form’ or just fancy a fun bet, (you could have a ‘serious’ one as well), you could do a lot worse than read this.

The most exciting race of the year for many, the Grand National is about as unpredictable as the weather will be on this years race day, Saturday April 6th 2013. No horse can be completely ruled out of this race, so while the ‘experts’ are studying weights, ‘form’ and ‘distances’, were going to take an alternative and more amusing route to picking the winner of the Most Famous Race on Earth.

WHAT’S IN A NAME

Pick a horse that is named after someone you know, you might love them or it could be someone you can’t stand, it doesn’t really matter but it will help you narrow the field. You might know a Weird Al or a Rare Bob or even a Harry The Viking or a Swing Bill! Italian Punters might also take a shine to ‘Roberto Goldback‘. Not forgetting…Join Together for any of you with impending nuptials!

GOING GREY

Go for a ‘grey’ (thats the colour of the horse by the way), this narrows the field dramatically, only 4 ‘greys’ lined up in 2011. They don’t have the best record in the race, but Neptune Collonges won last year and King John’s Castle was runner up in 2008. These horses could appeal to the ‘grey pound’, especially to Senior Citizens looking to replace the income the Chancellor has snatched from them recently! Try and win some of your pension back with Chicago Grey.

FOOTBALL CONNECTIONS

With Sir Alex Ferguson having two runners this year – What A Friend and Harry The Viking he could very well be hoping that Aintree becomes another Theatre of Dreams for him but if you’re not a fan of the reds try to find a link to your favourite football team, use their strip colour, location or method of play. There are a number of horses which might fit the bill, Becauseicouldntsee (Arsène Wenger), Ninetieth Minute for City fans, Always Waining for Villa fans (sorry!), or Saint Are if you’re a Southampton fan!

SILKY SMOOTH

Look for the jockey who’s wearing silks (that’s his jockey outfit), in your favourite colour and hope he’s riding a decent horse. A stat you might like is that three of the last four winners of the Grand National have had green in their silks. My sister-in-law always picks a horse wearing pink and you’d be amazed by how often she wins!

JOBS WORTH

Another interesting way of picking a horse is by relating it to your job. Anybody working in a trawler or a chippie should get their money on Seabass while plasterers may stick a few quid on Forpadydeplasterer. Work in a bank? Then how does Any Currency sound? Or maybe you’re a leprechaun and The Rainbow Hunter grabs your fancy!

LUCK OF THE IRISH

Put your faith in the old saying, the Luck of the Irish, pick an Irish horse, trainer or jockey and if at all possible, all three. Irish horses do exceptionally well so pick from On His Own – Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh duo, Colbert Station is named after Limerick’s train station or Gordon Elliott’s Chicago Grey not to mention the Cooper family from Kerry – father Tom is training Forpadydeplasterer with son Bryan on Rare Bob. Top Irish jockeys include A.P. McCoy, Ruby Walsh, Barry Geraghty and Andrew McNamara, though to be fair nearly all the jockeys are Irish!

ASK RED RUM

If all else fails then ask Red Rum to pick a winner for you – try our interactive Rummy, he’ll come up with great tip in seconds – try it here.

Place your bet with a bookie who is offering Free Bets, there will probably be some conditions. Paddy Power are giving a Free 20 Pound bet if you open an account on line and stake £20 of you’re own money. It wont feel half as bad if you lose using someone else’s cash and as they pay out on the first 5 horses (instead of the usual 4) you have a better chance of collecting some cash.