Robin Goodfellow’s guide to the Grand National

On Saturday 40 horses will look to add their names to racing folklore as they look claim victory at the Grand National.

Jono O’Neill trained Cloth Cap goes into the race as the hot favourite, though others including Minella Times could well be in the frame to take victory.

Sportsmail’s racing expert Robin Goodfellow gives his verdict on all the runners and riders at Aintree and rates their chances of crossing the line first. 

Cloth Cap enters the world’s most famous steeplechase as the hot favourite to take victory

BRISTOL DE MAI

Galloping grey who remains a high-class chaser on his day. Must shoulder plenty of weight but could still go well if taking to these fences – ✶ ✶ ✶

CHRIS’S DREAM

One-time progressive chaser who ran well at Down Royal this season but jumping has become erratic which could prove a nightmare for rider – ✶ ✶

YALA ENKI

Welsh National regular but capsized at the first fence in the Becher Chase and would arguably need the heavens to open to figure seriously – ✶ ✶

BALLYOPTIC

Record over the National fences reads two falls and a submission so this one-time Scottish National runner-up is overlooked this time – ✶

DEFINITLY RED

Will be popular with the red half of Merseyside but, like Liverpool, has struggled to recapture his best form this season and needs to improve – ✶

LAKE VIEW LAD

Looked an ideal type for this test but failed to fire in Tiger Roll’s second National two years ago and needs to cut out wayward jumping – ✶ ✶

BURROWS SAINT

Well-backed for the National that never was last year and prayers by connections of this former Irish National hero have been answered with good ground – ✶ ✶ ✶ ✶

MAGIC OF LIGHT

Chased home Tiger Roll in the 2019 National despite one or two serious errors and preparation has gone to plan as she bids to go one better – ✶ ✶ ✶

ACAPELLA BOURGEOIS

A lively outsider given his run behind Burrows Saint in the 2019 Irish National and could outrun his odds if he negotiates the fences well – ✶ ✶ ✶

Acapella Bourgeois may be in the frame for victory if he negotiates the fences well

TALKISCHEAP

Not much chatter about his chance following another subdued run at Kempton on his latest start and victory would be greeted by silence – ✶

TOUT EST PERMIS

Well held by both Acapella Bourgeois and Burrows Saint in the Bobbyjo Chase and hardly an ideal prep to arrive on the back of a fall last time out – ✶

ANIBALE FLY

Placed in successive Gold Cups, he also ran well in two Nationals when fourth and fifth to Tiger Roll so not one to dismiss if the fire still burns within – ✶ ✶

MISTER MALARKY

Rather enigmatic chaser who would probably need some carnage in order to figure, however is talented on his day and may snatch a place – ✶ ✶

KIMBERLITE CANDY

Runner-up in two Becher Chases here, performances which sandwiched a stamina-sapping Classic Chase win at Warwick. Lively contender – ✶ ✶ ✶ ✶

ANY SECOND NOW

Represents a trainer which struck 21 years ago with Papillon. Bounced back to form in timely fashion at Navan recently when clocking tidy win – ✶ ✶ ✶ ✶

Any Second Now (pictured in 2019) enters the race on form after taking a win at Navan

BALKO DES FLOS

Former Ryanair Chase winner at the Cheltenham Festival but has completely lost his way since and has plenty to prove for his talented trainer – ✶

ALPHA DES OBEAUX

Boasts plenty of back class but has been on the floor more than a mop at this fixture and victory would represent one of the all-time surprises – ✶

OK CORRAL

Has dodged more gunfights than Doc Holliday in recent times and pulled up on his sole start in more than a year at Cheltenham so others preferred – ✶

TAKINGRISKS

Scottish National winner who arrives in brilliant form courtesy of a Doncaster win at huge odds. Serious place chance if he enjoys this new test – ✶ ✶

SHATTERED LOVE

Ran a blinder at Cheltenham to take 3rd in the Mares Chase but stamina for this test unconfirmed and supporters likely to end brokenhearted – ✶

JETT

Sadly, since switching to his current owner last March, this lad has been grounded with no indication of take off – ✶

LORD DU MESNIL

Grand staying chaser who rules Haydock handicaps on deep ground but this ground may be livelier than ideal so may pay to look elsewhere – ✶ ✶

POTTERS CORNER

Recent efforts uninspiring but this former Welsh and Midlands National winner gallops and stays and has been prepared for Saturday so may clear up – ✶ ✶ ✶

CLASS CONTI

More questions than answers as the balance of his best form is on right-handed tracks and this is a step into the unknown distance wise – ✶ ✶

MILAN NATIVE

Cheltenham Festival winner last year and hard to know how much ability he retains following a subdued return to action there last month – ✶ ✶

DISCORAMA

Stable went close in the Irish National and this guaranteed stayer could well fuel a party with a nice light weight and conditions to his liking – ✶ ✶ ✶

Discorama is a guaranteed stayer and could ride well if conditions are to his liking on Saturday

VIEUX LION ROUGE

Boasts incredible record over the National fences, completing in all nine starts but in the National itself has finished seventh, sixth, ninth and 15th so unlikely to roar this year – ✶ ✶

CLOTH CAP

Arguably arrives at Aintree yet to peak and deserves his place at the head of the market, boasting all the necessary attributes to run a huge race – ✶ ✶ ✶ ✶

CABARET QUEEN

This would be a good stage for a revival, but recent performances have left her audience cold and tough to envisage a standing ovation here – ✶

MINELLACELEBRATION

Loves the Liverpool air having won three of his four starts on the Mildmay Course, but the National fences are a different proposition – ✶ ✶

CANELO

Useful chaser at his best but has finished weakly on his last two starts at Doncaster and question remains — does he have the stomach for this fight? – ✶ ✶

THE LONG MILE

Given the balance of his best form is around 2m 4f, this lad could find the final mile pretty long, while no seven-year-old has won this race since 1940 – ✶

GIVE ME A COPPER

Part-owned by Sir Alex Ferguson who loved nothing more than a Merseyside win. But this fragile chaser has seen more treatment room than track of late – ✶ ✶

FARCLAS

No horse of his age has won the great race for more than 80 years and, as well as he ran at Cheltenham, he seems unlikely to buck that trend – ✶ ✶

MINELLA TIMES

Jockey/trainer combination were in irresistible form at Cheltenham and arrives following two excellent Irish efforts, stamina unconfirmed but family stay well – ✶ ✶ ✶ ✶ ✶

Rachael Blackmore and Minella Times were in irresistible form at Cheltenham recently

SUB LIEUTENANT

Knows his way round these fences and victory for the mother/daughter trainer and jockey combination would be an incredible story – ✶ ✶

HOGAN’S HEIGHT

Displayed his brilliance over these fences with a runaway win in the Grand Sefton Chase in 2019 but more required to wrestle this prize from true stayers – ✶

DOUBLE SHUFFLE

One-time class act with a solid past body of work but has become a little harder to predict of late and previous trips to this course uninspiring – ✶ ✶

AMI DEBOIS

Arrives on the back of two solid prep runs and, although he’s on a losing run of 15 races, his dependable jumping means he may find a friend or two – ✶ ✶

BLAKLION

One-time favourite for this race (2017) and boasts an impressive Becher Chase win over these fences, but unlikely to prove king of the jungle – ✶ ✶