Racing fans will get an idea of what might have been for Tiger Roll’s historic Aintree hat-trick bid when the Virtual Vrand National is run tomorrow. Whatever happens in the race, however, the NHS will be the big winner.
With the world’s most famous horse race called off because of the coronavirus pandemic, ITV is filling the void with a computerised renewal — and gambling companies have pledged to donate all profits from bets on the outcome to the NHS Charities Together organisation.
The Virtual Grand National, which will also feature CGI jockeys, has been run as part of the preamble to the real thing in each of the past three seasons.
How to watch
ITV will be broadcasting the race, from 5pm, on both their SD and HD channels. You can also watch on ITVHub.
You can follow the race LIVE with Standard Sport on Saturday afternoon.
Betting
Tiger Roll has been made the 5-1 favourite, despite carrying top weight, and while soft ground proved his undoing at the Cheltenham Festival last month, when he finished second behind Easysland in the Cross Country Chase, he should find things more to his liking here on ‘good’ ground.
Unlike regular betting markets, there will be no price movement before the race begins and the maximum bet being accepted by bookmakers is £10 each-way.
- Tiger Roll: 5/1
- Any Second Now: 10/1
- Burrows Saint: 12/1
- Definitly Red: 14/1
- Kimberlite Candy: 16/1
- Walk In The Mill: 16/1
- Magic Of Light: 18/1
- Potters Corner: 18/1
- Bristol De Mai: 20/1
- Elegant Escape: 20/1
- Anibale Fly: 20/1
- Alpha Des Obeaux: 25/1
- Talkischeap: 25/1
- Ballyoptic: 25/1
- Ok Corral: 25/1
- Yala Enki: 28/1
- Pleasant Company: 28/1
- Sub Lieutenant: 33/1
- Vintage Clouds: 33/1
- Acapella Bourgeois: 33/1
- Beware The Bear: 33/1
- Total Recall: 40/1
- The Storyteller: 40/1
- Jury Duty: 40/1
- Top Ville Ben: 45/1
- Lake View Lad: 50/1
- Dounikos: 50/1
- Kildisart: 50/1
- Death Duty: 50/1
- Jett: 50/1
- Crievehill: 66/1
- Shattered Love: 66/1
- Aso: 66/1
- Ramses De Teillee: 66/1
- Valtor: 66/1
- Saint Xavier: 66/1
- Peregrine Run: 66/1
- Tout Est Permis: 80/1
- Warriors Tale: 80/1
- Double Shuffle: 100/1
Prediction
The challengers to Tiger Roll are led by Ted Walsh’s Any Second Now and Irish National winner Burrows Saint, with ‘Rachael Blackmore’ looking to become the first female rider to win the race — in the real or virtual world.
The smart money is likely to be on the well-handicapped Kimberlite Candy or Walk In The Mill, fourth last year in the real race and a winner over the National fences in December.
