EVERYONE loves a grey horse? The stand out from the crowd?

This year's Grand National has no less than six horses offically registered as grey, inlcuding one of the favourites, the Irish-trained Intense Raffles.

However, data from William Hill, the official betting partner of the Grand National, has revealed that backing grey horses has been no way of winning money on the Aintree showpiece.

Only 11% of greys to run have been placed in the National, with just one grey winner since 1962.

The Jockey Club race statistics reveal that since the inaugural running at Aintree Racecourse way back in 1839, only three different grey horses have won the Grand National four times:

The Lamb (1868 and 1871)

Nicolaus Silver 1961)

Neptune Collonges (2012).

Greys have however been placed five times this century:

What’s Up Boys (2nd in 2002), Kingsmark (4th in 2002), King Johns Castle (2nd in 2008),

Vanillier (2nd in 2023) and Gaillard Du Mesnil (3rd in 2023).

Since the turn of the millennium, 62 greys have gone to post across the 24 renewals. But of those runners, a mere seven have placed in the first five, and we have seen just one winner since the beginning of the century in the Paul Nicholls-trained Neptune Collonges who sprung a 33/1 shock in 2012.

Despite the alarming statistic, William Hill think it could be a good year for the greys, offering just 3/1 that any of the eight greys set to run will win the 2025 Grand National.

The hand of eight runners looks strong this year, with four of the front 10 in the market in Vanillier (10/1), Intense Raffles (12/1), Kandoo Kid (20/1) and Hyland (22/1) backed up by 80/1 shots Fil Dor, Coko Beach, Duffle Coat who are all looking to buck the trend.

One of the shorter-priced grey runners, Vanillier, is trained by William Hill ambassador Gavin Cromwell, who said: “We’re very happy with Vanillier now, he’s in good form and seems to have come out of Cheltenham well. His run in the Cross Country was a big positive with him coming home so strong and hitting the line well. Hopefully, he can be in a good enough position to make a challenge when the time comes.”

William Hill ambassador JJ Slevin who rides another of the greys, Intense Raffles, commented: “Intense Raffles has a good profile for the race having already won an Irish Grand National. Tom (Gibney) has done a great job with him. He had those couple of runs over hurdles to get him going, but it was a good run back over fences in the Bobbyjo Chase last time out.

“The ground could possibly be the only negative, but although most of his form is on soft ground he is a classy horse, and his form is pretty strong. I think a good horse like him will get away with it, but they will water it enough to make sure that it is perfectly safe ground.

I jumped him over some of the Aintree style fences last week and he jumped them really well. He seems to have a nice weight on his back, and we are hoping for a good run.”

This year's grey challengers:

Vanillier 10/1

Intense Raffles 12/1

Kandoo Kid 20/1

Hyland 22/1

Coko Beach 66/1

Fil d'Or 66/1

Duffle Coat 66/1