Five tips to help improve your Grand National chances

Needless to say, there is no full proof method of picking a winner at the Grand National but there's hope - you can boost your chances with a few tips:

1. Odds aren't everything

In the last 23 years only three favourites have been victorious at Aintree, a sign that the obvious choice is not always the best. The average odds for the first past the post is 24/1. For example, the last two winners started at a price of 25/1.

2. Keep an eye on age

The majority of races in recent history have seen a nine or ten-year-old horse come out on top over the four-and-a-half mile course, even though the last four winners have either been eight or 11.

3. Rest is overrated

Ensuring your horse has had a recent run is key, as all winners have prepared for the Aintree slog with a race in the 55 days running up to the big day.

4. F and U

No one wants to be sent the letters F and U, but in horseracing they're even worse than normal. If your horse has an F for "fell" or U for "unseated rider" then they're not the most likely to navigate the 30 fences successfully.

5. Chasers need experience

Without experience a horse is nothing in the National and all the successful ones have had at least ten chases to their names, which seems to be the bare minimum when it comes to a race of this length.