Aries Grand National Horses

Considering what he has ultimately achieved, it seems amazing that it took Hewick twelve races under Rules before he recorded his first victory. That first success came in a handicap hurdle at Kilbeggan from a handicap mark of just 94. Hewick is currently rated 162 over fences so Shark Hanlon has improved the gelding by a massive 68lb from that first win.  The ten-year-old gelding has been an absolute star for his yard winning eleven times including a King George, a bet365 Gold Cup, a Galway Plate and an American Grand National.  Hewick has been in good form this season with placings at the Punchestown Festival, in the French Champion Hurdle and the Champion Chase at Down Royal. On his most recent run at Thurles he made the winner’s enclosure once again when an easy five length winner in a 2m 6f hurdle race. The British handicapper has given Hewick a mark of 162 for the Grand National which is eight pounds lower than his highest official rating. That mark of 162 could arguably mean that Hewick is well-handicapped as his run this year at Down Royal, when second to Envoi Allen in a Grade One chase, has been rated only two pounds lower than his best ever rating by the Racing Post.  Decent underfoot conditions are key to Hewick’s chances so if we get a good to soft or good ground Grand National there is every chance this superb horse could be involved in the finish.

Vanillier ran a remarkable race in the Grand National two years having been in fifteenth position jumping four out and was still twelve lengths behind the leader when jumping the last. The grey gelding powered up the run in and passed all of his rivals bar one, the well-handicapped, Corach Rambler. That excellent run meant that Gavin Cromwell’s charge was a well fancied 14/1 shot for last  year’s National but Vamillier didn’t seem to enjoy himself as much in that race and ended up crossing the line in a well-beaten fourteenth place.  This season Cromwell has tried the ten-year-old in Cross Country races which it seemed Vanillier took a while to get used to with a sixth place at Punchestown and a ninth place at Cheltenham. His third attempt was back at Punchestown and this time the penny dropped and Vanillier was an impressive eighteen-length winner. Cromwell then sent Vanillier to Cheltenham for the Cross Country race at the Festival but unfortunately his rider Sean Flanagan nearly took the wrong course and ended up losing many lengths trying to correct his error. Eventually Vanillier finished a fast-finishing third there which was a great result in the circumstances.  The British handicapper appears to have given Vanillier a chance at the weights for the Grand National, dropping him four pounds from last year and he is now on the same mark as when second in 2023. If the Cross Country races have sweetened him up Vanillier must have a good chance of running another sound race in this year’s Grand National.

Bravemansgame has been a brilliant servant to his connections winning his owner over £725,000 in prizemoney and providing three wins at the very highest Grade One level. One of the top novices of his generation over hurdles, he was always expected to reach even loftier heights over fences and so it has proved with wins in a Kauto Star, a Charlie Hall and the King George in 2022.  Unfortunately that famous victory in the King George at Kempton was the last time Bravemansgame crossed the line in front but the ten-year-old gelding has finished second or third on a frustrating eight occasions since December 2022. That run of defeats has though been reflected in the rating the handicapper has attached to Bravemansgame for this Grand National. At his peak, the gelding was top-rated at 172 and he gets to run here from 155 so perhaps the handicapper has given the Paul Nicholls trained gelding a good chance of running a big race at Aintree.  Bravemansgame’s stamina must be taken on trust for a Grand National especially as in his attempts at the 26 furlong Cheltenham Gold Cup he appeared to struggle to see out that trip. Class horses have tended to do well in recent Grand Nationals so perhaps Bravemansgame will follow suit but stamina doubts and a run of eleven races without a win temper enthusiasm.

Former Cheltenham Festival winner, L’Homme Presse, was recently a last-minute scratching from the Gold Cup after a training setback ended his chance of running for the third time at the Festival. Trainer Venetia WIlliams stated at the time that the ten-year-old gelding was still being aimed at Aintree with the Grand National one of his possible targets. L’Homme Presse hasn’t run in a handicap since 2022 so an interrupted preparation and the fact that he was pulled up in his last appearance at a racetrack (Ascot) must make him a risky bet at this stage for the 2025 Grand National.