Five thrilling days of Royal Ascot have come to an end, leaving us with a trail of upsets and outsider victories.
In hindsight, Triple Time’s win at 33/1 in the festival’s opening race was a glimpse of what was to come. However, the real shocks were reserved for Thursday, as Valiant Force secured victory in the Norfolk Stakes at an astonishing 150/1. The surprises didn’t stop there, as Witch Hunter capped off the day by triumphing in the Buckingham Palace Stakes, defying the odds at 80/1. The trend continued on Saturday, with Khaadem stunning the crowd by clinching the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes as the rank outsider, once again at 80/1.
These surprises left racing enthusiasts looking ahead to the Grand National and the possibility we could witness a similarly priced victor in the UK’s most famous race. But can an outsider truly conquer the challenge of a 40-runner field, and who might fit the bill?
While the most recent Grand National winner was a favourite, a glance at the roll of honour on grandnational.org.uk shows we don’t have to venture too far back to find a winner with long odds. Noble Yeats exceeded expectations at 50/1 to become the first seven-year-old winner of the race since World War Two. Auroras Encore’s victory in 2013 at 66/1 and Mon Mome’s improbable triumph at 100/1 in 2009 also show the potential for surprising outcomes.
Indeed, such shocks are more likely to occur in races like the Grand National, where favourites must contend with vast fields and the daunting challenge of 30 fences. As for identifying horses to back at these seemingly improbable odds, even the current favourites, like April’s victor Corach Rambler, can be tempting at 25/1.
For those seeking even more enticing odds, Minella Trump displayed promise during much of last year’s race before tiring due to inexperience over longer distances, eventually finishing outside the places. With another year under his belt and increased exposure to longer races, it is not beyond the realm of possibility to see Minella Trump defying his ante-post odds of 80/1 and making a significant impact at Aintree.
Meanwhile, Born By The Sea and A Wave Of The Sea, both available at 125/1, offer another avenue for hopeful bettors. Despite their relative inexperience in longer races, neither horse disgraced themselves over the Grand National fences in April, finishing sixth and ninth respectively. Their commendable performances provide a glimmer of hope, fueling speculation that they could be the next unexpected contenders on everyone’s lips.
