The Grand National is not just the biggest race in the North West of England, with many sports fans making the trip across from Warrington to Aintree every April, but it is also the most famous steeplechase in the world. Le Milos has established himself as an early contender for the race this season.
The seven-year-old chaser has an excellent record over fences, with five wins from his nine starts. This is his second season over timber, and he has shown he can win some of the biggest races in the 3m chase division, as he prevailed in the Coral Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Newbury.
Big race double for the Skeltons! Le Milos puts in a lovely performance on stable debut to win at @BangorRaces! @harryskelton89 @DSkeltonRacing pic.twitter.com/PzFAhtPTLP
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) November 9, 2022
Trained by Dan Skelton, Le Milos got off the mark for the campaign in a handicap chase at Bangor on his opening seasonal reappearance. He scored on heavy ground at the Welsh racecourse by just under four lengths. The gelding was then required to carry a 4lb penalty at Newbury for his Grade Three assignment, but it did not stop him from successfully following up.
Le Milos is now the 16/1 second favourite for the 2023 Grand National at Aintree. His trainer has yet to win the marathon contest and he has made no secret about how much he would love to land the race on Merseyside.
Le Milos is owned by The Jolly Good Partnership, who are likely to be very excited about the horse’s prospects at Aintree. One of the reasons people buy shares in a race horse is to one day have the chance to have a stake in a runner who is good enough to line up in the Grand National. It is also done to give people the chance to visit horses like Le Milos at their stable. During this visit, you can get the inside from the trainer on their plans for the campaign ahead.
Horses like Le Milos are bred by experts in bloodstock, with the aim of producing a champion on the track. The Grand National hopeful’s sire is Shirocco, while his dam is Banjaxed Girl. They both had successful careers on the track, so connections will be hopeful their horse can go on to produce great things too.
Noble Yeats on Course to Defend His Crown
Irish-based horse Noble Yeats won the 174th running of the Grand National in 2022. He was successful by just over two lengths under the hands of amateur jockey Sam Waley-Cohen, on what proved to be his last ride in the saddle.
Noble Yeats is expected to return to Aintree in April where he will be bidding to become just the third horse in the last 50 years to win the 4m2½f contest in back-to-back years. He will likely have more weight on his back this time around, but he has shown his liking for the larger obstacles on the Grand National Course.
It has been a mixed start to the 2022/23 campaign for the Emmet Mullins-trained horse. His first outing of the season came in France at Auteuil. He was pulled up in the Grade Three Prix Héros, a race over 2m6f.
The Grand National winner is back!
Aintree hero Noble Yeats shows plenty of spark and runs out a good winner of the Listed M.W. Hickey Memorial Chase for Emmet Mullins and @Sean_Bowen_ @WexfordRacecour pic.twitter.com/OlsppOzdte
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) October 31, 2022
The Grand National hero was much better on his second appearance. He won a Listed race at Wexford, beating three other rivals, including Run Wild Fred from Gordon Elliott’s yard.
The seven-year-old has entries in the Many Clouds Chase, King George VI Chase and Cheltenham Gold Cup, so he is likely to have at least one more run before he defends his crown at Aintree.
This season’s Grand National is set to take place on the 15th of April and a sell-out crowd is expected once again at the racecourse in Liverpool.
