All bets are off this weekend as the sun is to set to come out for the Crabbie's Grand National 2015 at Aintree racecourse.
The bookies favourite to win this year is Shutthefrontdoor, ridden by champion jockey Tony McCoy, who is on his record 20th Grand National stint.
He told the Liverpool Echo: “I have dreamt a lot in my life but I would not be silly enough to dream about winning the National again – it would be nice if it happened. Looking at the betting, the bookmakers seem to think it is going to happen and hopefully they are right.
“Shutthefrontdoor won the Irish National and has not run since winning at Carlisle in November.”
Close contenders behind the Weatherbys Bank Graduation Chase winner, with odds of 9/1 at William Hill, are Balthazar King and Rocky Creek.
But national eventer and Brunel University student, Jemma Rees, will have her eyes on another horse in the race.
She said she'll be closely watching horse Mon Parrain as jockey Sean Bowen takes his reins.
“It's pretty incredible that he is riding in his first national aged 17, so young!" she told getwestlondon. “When you look at his breeding [Peter Bowen's son] it's in his blood. He is only three-years older than his horse so its pretty amazing.”
Mon Parrain's odds currently stand at an average 40/1.
After his emotional victory at the Cheltenham World Hurdle, Warren Greatrex, trainer of Cole Harden, has his eyes set on National success on Saturday (April 11).
With two first runners this year, bookies prefer his eight-year-old Rowland Meyrick Chase winner Dolatulo for the win.
Trainer Dr Richard Newland insists last year’s Aintree hero Pineau De Re has become this years' “forgotten horse” with average odds of 25/1.
If you fancy hedging your bets and taking a real gamble, bookies are all in agreement that horses Maggio, Rose of the Moon and River Choice deserve poor odds of 100/1.
Check out getwestlondon's full guide to the horses, jockeys, trainers and odds here.
The three-day Grand National event kicks off with the Grand Opening Day on Thursday (April 9), followed by Ladies' Day on Friday (April 10) and the big event, The Crabbie's Grand National Steeple Chase, begins at 4.15pm on Saturday (April 11).
