Due to the size and competitive nature of the John Smith’s Grand National field, a horse with a double-figure starting price often wins the race.
Grittar (7/1), West Tip (15/2), Rough Quest (7/1), Earth Summit (7/1) and 2005 victor Hedgehunter (7/1) are the only horses to have been returned at less than 10/1 since 1978.
Only four of the last 28 favourites have won: Grittar in 1982, Rough Quest in 1996, Earth Summit in 1998 and Hedgehunter in 2005. Papillon was backed down to be 10/1 joint second favourite
when winning in 2000 and both West Tip (15/2) and Rhyme ‘N’ Reason (10/1) were also second best in the betting.
There have been seven long-priced surprises in the last 28 runnings: Last Suspect at 50/1, Royal Athlete and Ben Nevis both at 40/1, Red Marauder at 33/1, Maori Venture and Little Polveir both at 28/1 and Rubstic at 25/1.
Even so fancied horses have a fair record. Since 1968, when Red Alligator came in at 100/7, horses starting at 16/1 or under have won 29 times.
The shortest odds overall for winners are Poethlyn (1919) at 11/4, Huntsman (1862) at 3/1 and Roquefort (1885) at 100/30. The longest odds are 100/1, with four victors being returned at that price – Tipperary Tim (1928), Gregalach (1929), Caughoo
(1947) and Foinavon (1967).
Two 100/1 shots have been placed since1980 – Over The Deel in 1995 and Camelot Knight in 1997, while last year Nil Desperandum was the longest-priced placed horse, coming home fourth at 33/1.
