The final declaration of runners will not be made until 48 hours before the race, but it is now time to start considering your bets for the 2017 Grand National. This year's Aintree spectacular represents the 170th time it has been staged and as ever, there are a whole host of runners and riders who have a chance of getting themselves on the honours board.
There are a wide range of Grand National betting offers but right now, you cannot look past Vieux Lion Rouge going off as the favourite. Twelve months ago, he defied his lack of experience at the Merseyside course to claim seventh place and last time out, he won a high-calibre race at Haydock over three-and-a-half miles. His biggest competition could come from Definitly Red, who showed his credentials by winning the Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster by 14 lengths at the start of March, although that triumph came at three miles two furlongs, the longest distance over which he has triumphed in his career.
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Since March 2015, Cause of Causes has only claimed victories at Cheltenham but that is no reason to discount him from the running. There could be a change of jockey should Barry Geraghty decide to mount the nine-year-old American but even if he does replace Jamie Codd, who was on board for the Cross Country Chase in March, this horse has all of the credentials to go close in this year's National and build on his eighth-place finish in 2015. Geraghty's other choice is More Of That, a horse trainer Jonjo O'Neill speaks the world of, and although there has been no win since December 2015, he is expected to be in contention should he be on form.
Many punters will look to bet on the runners considered to be just outside the main contenders, and the best of the lot could be Ucello Conti, who will almost certainly go off shorter than the 16/1 which you can currently get for the French horse. The nine-year-old is yet to win in as many outings, but he was sixth in the National last year and will benefit from any wet weather in the days leading up to the race.
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The best of the rest could be Vicente, who won the Scottish National and finished sixth in the Welsh National during 2016. His most recent form has not been great - he finished ninth to Vieux Lion Rouge at Haydock in February - and Brian Hughes will be on board rather than Sam Twiston-Davies, but his performances over the longer distances cannot be overlooked and the Paul Nicholls-trained horse has to be considered a good bet for at least a place.
