In case you aren’t aware, the Grand National takes place on Saturday. This is the most exciting and most watched race of the whole year in the UK and it’s one of my favourite horsey events of the year. I find that the race is so much more exciting if you are backing a horse in one way or another. So here are some fun ways you can get more out of this years Grand National.
Sweep Stake
For as long as I can remember, we have done a family sweep stake for the grand national. We buy the racing post Saturday morning and cut all the horses out and put them in a hat. We then take turns to draw horses out of the hat until they are all gone. There are 5 of us, so we get 8 horses each.
This makes the race more exciting for the family as we all have a few horses to follow during the race. My Dad then puts up prize money for 1st, 2nd and 3rd placed horses.
You could also do this at work or with a group of friends. You could pay £1 (or any agreed amount) per horse drawn. There are 40 runners in the National, so you can split the £40 pot between 1st, 2nd and 3rd. £25 for first, £10 for second and £5 for third for example.
Having a Flutter
As well as a sweep stake, you could also place a bet on your favourite horse(s) or the one with the best odds. With so many online gambling websites, it’s never been easier to put a bet on the National. Plus the race is so unpredictable and so many of the horses have high odds! Read my previous post for tips on how to choose a winner at the races.
Pick your favourite
If you don’t fancy putting any money on the race, I still think you should at least pick one or two favourite horses to look out for during the race. You can view the race card for free on the Racing Post. It gives you the horses’; names, trainers, jockeys, form and silk colours. So you can choose your horses any way you like! Funniest name? Prettiest silks? Favourite Jockey/Trainer? You can use this to choose your horse!
Stuck for ideas?
Here are my favourites for this years race:
- The Last Samuri
I’ve seen him run a few times and I’ve always liked him. Plus he is trained by a trainer I like, Kim Bailey. - Cause of Causes
I saw him run at the Cheltenham Festival this year and really liked him. - Definitely Red
I watched him run recently against another horse I like (I think Druids Nephew) and he won with style! - Highland Lodge
This is one of my silly favourites, his racing name is similar to Scottie’s (Highland Rain.)
Last Updated on 07/08/2018
