Grand National: Runners confirmed as Sir Alex Ferguson eyes up another big win

Grand National: Runners confirmed as Sir Alex Ferguson eyes up another big win.

RUNNERS for this year’s Grand National have been confirmed on Thursday, April 7, while Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson will be eyeing up another big win this year after celebrating a huge treble 12 months ago.

Horse racing’s biggest event of the year returns to Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool today (April 7) as fans around the world place their bets for the big race on Saturday, April 9 – which will see the 174th annual running of the Grand National horse race.

Included in the strong field is early favourite Snow Leopardess, a fifth-generation home-bred owned by Marietta Fox-Pitt.

Other notable runners are Delta Work and Any Second Now who are strongly fancied by punters.

🚨 CONFIRMED RUNNERS FOR THE 2022 GRAND NATIONAL 🚨

The 40 strong field has been declared!! 🏇 pic.twitter.com/DSJVX8Bcye

— The Winners Enclosure (@TWEnclosure) April 7, 2022

Although he has no runners in the race on Saturday, Sir Alex will be hoping for a repeat of last year when he won £169,000 (€203,000). Three horses he co-owns raced to victory on the first day of the event.

At the time Fergie revealed that it was his ‘best day in racing’ after Protektorat, Monmiral and Clan Des Obeaux all won their races.

However, he will not be on for a treble this year as Protektorat and Clan Des Obeaux go head-to-head in the Betway Bowl on Thursday, April 7.

“That’s the best day I’ve had in my time in racing, which is about 20 years or so,” he said at the time. “It is different to when I was managing my football teams – I was in control of what was going to happen on the pitch, but I’m not in control of that (on the racecourse) as the trainer does all of that and as an owner you hope it goes well.

“You do get the same excitement when you win big races like that as it does get you very excited.”

Despite the huge interest in the event this year, animal welfare advocates have described the event as the ‘work of the devil’.

Journalist Chas Newkey-Burden said about the event: “Horseracing kills: 2,420 horses have died on UK courses in the past 15 years. The Grand National is one of the most murderous. Abusing and killing animals, so rich gambling bosses can trick money out of poor and desperate people, it is the work of the devil.”

“An average of 200 horses die EVERY YEAR on British race tracks. How can we allow this cruel spectacle to continue for another year?” animal rights organisation PETA said ahead of the event.

🐴 the #GrandNational festival starts today.
An average of 200 horses die EVERY YEAR on British race tracks.
How can we allow this cruel spectacle to continue for another year? #GrandNationalDisgrace #YouBetTheyDie pic.twitter.com/TrHFOn8Q39

— PETA UK (@PETAUK) April 7, 2022

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