Virtual Grand National
When is the Virtual 2022 Grand National ?
The 2021 Virtual Grand National is being shown live on ITV4 on Friday 8th April at 9.15pm.
A repeat of the Friday evening programme will be shown on ITV1 on Saturday April 9th at 1pm.
Racing presenter Nick Luck will host the live show alongside Alice Plunkett.
Read on below to see how the Virtual Grand National works..
How does the Virtual 2022 Grand National work ?
The Virtual Grand National is the creation of Inspired Entertainment, a company based in the UK.
Using the latest Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI) technology, the world's greatest steeplechase and Aintree's famous obstacles like "Becher's Brook" and "The Chair" along with the 40 horses and jockeys have been recreated in stunning graphic animation to simulate the real Aintree racecourse and Grand National giving viewers the same feel.
The Virtual Grand National is run using a set of data algorithms to determine the result, including past form, ability to handle the Grand National fences, preferred going conditions etc.
Prior to the cancellation of this year's real Aintree showpiece, the history seeking Tiger Roll was heading the Grand National ante post betting along with fancied runners Any Second Now, Definitly Red and last year's 66/1 runner up Magic of Light.
This year's Virtual Grand National will be the 6th running since inception in 2017 and Inspired Entertainment say they have worked on making the 2022 running even more realistic than ever!
Let's take a look at the Virtual Grand National history and results:
Virtual Grand National History
The 2022 Virtual Grand National will be the 6th running, the inaugural event in 2017 along with the last two years have been broadcast live on ITV the evening before the Grand National.
In the first three years the Virtual Grand National predictor has been very close to the actual result each year including predicting Tiger Roll to win in 2018.
| 2021 | Virtual Grand National Result | Actual Grand National Result |
| 1st | Cloth Cap | Pulled Up |
| 2nd | Kimberlite Candy | Pulled Up |
| 3rd | Any Second Now | Third |
| 4th | Burrows Saint | Fourth |
| 5th | Minella Times | 1st |
| Finishers | 23 | 15 |
No luck for the computer with the first and second horses but it was spot on with third place for Any Second Now and fourth place Burrows Saint. The algorithms predicted Minella Times would finish fifth but he managed to exceed their expectations and ran out the easy winner of the 'real' race.
In 2020 we sadly did not have an actual Grand National but the virtual race still went ahead!
| 2020 | Virtual Grand National Result |
| 1st | Potters Corner |
| 2nd | Walk In The Mill |
| 3rd | Any Second Now |
| 4th | Tiger Roll |
| Finishers | 19 |
| Unseated Rider | 4 |
| Fell | 10 |
| Pulled Up/Refused | 7 |
Here's how the Virtual Grand National result and actual race result have compared:
| 2019 | Virtual Grand National Result | Actual Grand National Result |
| 1st | Rathvinden | 3rd (8/1) |
| 2nd | Tiger Roll | WON (4/1f) |
| 3rd | Jury Duty | Unseated Rider (20th Fence) |
| 4th | Anibale Fly | 5th |
| Finishers | 19 | 19 |
| Unseated Rider | 4 | 2 |
| Fell | 10 | 5 (inc. 1 Brought Down) |
| Pulled Up/Refused | 7 | 14 |
- Another close call with a near reverse forecast pay out, virtual winner Rathvinden finishing 3rd at 8/1 and virtual runner up Tiger Roll winning the actual race at 4/1 favourite.
- Virtual 4th Anibale Fly came home 5th and the number of finishers was spot on with 19 in both races.
Watch the 2019 Virtual Grand National here:
Here's how the results matched up in 2018:
| 2018 | Virtual Grand National Result | Actual Grand National Result |
| 1st | Tiger Roll | 1st (10/1) |
| 2nd | Chase The Spud | Pulled Up |
| 3rd | Total Recall | Pulled Up |
| 4th | Houblon Des Obeaux | Fell (6th Fence) |
| Finishers | 30 | 12 |
| Unseated Rider | 1 | 5 |
| Fell | 6 | 8 (inc. 2 Brought Down) |
| Pulled Up/Refused | 3 | 13 |
- The Virtual Grand National predictor get's it's first winner with 10/1 shot Tiger Roll obliging.
- No joy with the placed horses and the number of finishers were much closer to the mark in year's either side of here.
Here's Tiger Roll winning the 2018 Virtual Grand National:
Very nearly off to a Virtual winning start in 2017:
| 2017 | Virtual Grand National Result | Actual Grand National Result |
| 1st | Cause of Causes | 2nd (16/1) |
| 2nd | Pleasant Company | 9th |
| 3rd | Vieux Lion Rouge | 6th |
| 4th | Vicente | Fell (1st fence) |
| Finishers | 20 | 19 |
| Unseated Rider | 5 | 5 |
| Fell | 7 | 3 |
| Pulled Up/Refused | 8 | 13 |
- So the first Inspired Entertainment Virtual Grand National on ITV nearly started with an actual winner, Cause of Causes the virtual winner finished runner up at 16/1 to One For Arthur in the real race, beaten 4.5 lengths.
- The total number of horses predicted to complete the course was just one out, 20 in the Virtual race, 19 in the actual race.
- Those that deposited the jockey was spot on with 5 unseating.
Here's the rerun of the 2017 Virtual Grand National:
Who will win the 2022 Virtual Grand National ?
Tune into ITV on Friday 8th April to watch the Virtual 2022 Grand National and the Virtual Champions race.
