Alex Scott's Randox Grand National tips: this 40-1 shot has a big chance

Yet again, this looks a cracking renewal of the Randox Grand National. Eight horses are rated at least 160 and 26 are above the 150 mark, whilst last year’s first four are all back and hold leading claims.

It has paid to look towards the class horses at the top of the weights in the last two renewals, and to Ireland too, with the Emerald Isle having saddled the winner in eight of the past ten years, plus six of the first seven home 12 months ago.

It is natural to look at horses with proven form over the unique fences but most years it has been worth considering a horse running over the thirty obstacles for the first time. Eight of the past nine winners had not run in the race before.

One dour stayer that fits the bill this year is Haiti Couleurs. Now nine, he is the perfect age for the race and is something of a National specialist having won the Irish and Welsh versions in 2025.

He has, of course, thrown in a couple of bad runs in Grade One company in the Betfair Chase and in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, but he has been invariably solid in marathon handicaps, his three-length win at Chepstow under 11st 13lb was particularly impressive, and unusually, he should get similar ground conditions to that this week.

His jumping is solid, but not spectacular, with a Jump Index of 7.3, and this ability to save energy and brush through the tops of some of the fences may be an asset over these “easier” National fences. Tiger Roll was an obvious example of a horse previously regarded as a poor jumper that took well to the modern Aintree test.

It is his sixth start of the season, which might be a nagging concern for some horses, but his trainer Rebecca Curtis is on record as saying he needs plenty of racing and you are getting a massive price of 18-1 about a horse who has form figures of 211111 in handicap chases.

Another solid stayer that can outrun his odds is Quai De Bourbon. It is difficult to rule out any Willie Mullins-trained runner and the Master of Closutton has many horses shorter in the betting, but this 40-1 shot has the potential to be the best handicapped of all ten of his runners.

It is worth saying to start with that he does have a mistake in him. He has not fully convinced with his jumping over regulation obstacles, but if he takes to these fences, which is very possible, then I think he could have a big say in the finish.

He was unlucky last year, unseating his rider in the Brown Advisory when going well, and then things got worse. He was sent off a 9-2 chance at this meeting for the Grade One Novice Chase over 3m1f and was going well enough when being brought down by his stablemate Dancing City six fences from home.

However, it is his following effort that is of major interest. Sent off favourite for the Irish Grand National, he finished third under a big weight giving 7lb to winner Haiti Couleurs, despite again not convincing with his jumping.

Having just turned seven, there is still a chance he can iron out these mistakes and I am inclined to forgive his first two efforts of this campaign where the ground was bottomless. Last time was much more like it on slightly better ground with cheekpieces applied under another big weight burden.

Still rated only 151, he gets to race off just 10st 9lb here and there are worse 40-1 shots to back in a race given his stamina credentials and the yard he is from. Although the past two runnings have been won by those towards the top of the handicap, it is still worth considering those lower than the weights, as six of the past nine winners have carried no more than 10st 13lb to victory.

His sire Ivanhowe, a half-brother to dual Fighting Fifth hero Irving, produced his first top-level winner five months ago and this fellow French-bred has another good chance of putting him on the map.

Back HAITI COULEURS at 18-1 each-way.

Back QUAI DE BOURBON at 40-1 each-way.