Surge of cash for new Grand National favourite as punters place faith in awesome grey horse who’s a ‘strong stayer’

A SURGE of cash for Vanillier has seen the awesome grey become one of THREE co-Grand National favourites.

Gold Cup-winning trainer Gavin Cromwell's ‘strong stayer' is being backed to go one better than the runner-up finish he achieved two years ago.

And he is now 8-1 with Star Sports and PricedUp to land the big one – the same price as fellow favourites Iroko and stablemate Stumptown.

Vanillier was last seen finishing third behind Stumptown at Cheltenham's Cross Country race.

But he could have got a lot closer had he not almost taken the wrong course.

Prior to that, ten-year-old Vanillier bolted up by 18 lengths in a 3m1f Cross Country race at Punchestown in Ireland.

First-time blinkers sparked the old boy back into life and he hasn't looked back since.

Vanillier was second in the 2023 Grand National to Corach Rambler, having been sent off 20-1 under jockey Sean Flanagan.

He raced off a mark of 147 that year carrying 10st6lbs – the same weight he will have this year.

Other bookies aren't quite so keen to have him on side, although his odds have dropped markedly across the board.

Vanillier could be backed at 14s just two days ago but you won't get better than 12-1 now, with most as short as 10s.

Speaking of his chances recently, Cromwell said in his William Hill blog: “We’ll have the blinkers on Stumptown, and they seemed to do the trick with Vanillier as well.

“He also ran well at Cheltenham, and he seems in good form.

“He’s off the same mark as he was when finishing second here a couple of years ago, which certainly gives us hope that he could run well.

“The short gap between their runs at Cheltenham and the National is always going to be a concern because you’re in unknown territory, really, and you’re taking a bit of a chance.”

There are a lot of things to like about Vanillier.

He can handle the hurly-burly of the 34-runner field, stays the trip and jumps well in the main.

With the changing complexion of the race, though, you could argue he might not have quite enough class to see off some of his potentially even better handicapped rivals.

One of those is Iroko, the big British hope trained by Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero.

Ratings experts Timeform say he is the best handicapped horse in the race, given he is set to carry 10st11lbs.

Jumps boffin Phil Turner said: “I'm still very keen on both Iroko and Perceval Legallois.

“Bar a luckless early fall at Ascot, Iroko has had pretty much the perfect prep as his mark hasn’t gone up and he has shaped as if retaining all of his ability.

“He looks to possess the right blend of speed and stamina which usually plays well around Aintree, whilst his second place to Inothewayurthinkin at the meeting last year clearly reads even better now.”

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