The Grand National is fast approaching and anyone that has already studied the form guides and thoroughly examined the odds at sites like this one: https://www.betdaq.com/exchange/horse-racing/100004, will be well aware that the Jonjo O’Neill-trained Cloth Cap is the extremely short favourite. 

The nine-year-old, owned by serial National winner Trevor Hemmings, is now as short as 7/2 and is lengths clear at the fore of the betting with Any Second Now someway back in second favourite at 10/1. 

Of course, the Grand National is the ultimate test of horse and rider and winning the marathon race is no easy feat, even for the favourite. However, it seems that the bookies are very wary of the threat posed by Cloth Cap, who has won his last two races on the spin. 

With such short odds, there will be weight on the shoulders of O’Neill and jockey Tom Scudamore, who has never finished in the first three in 18 National attempts. But, if Cloth Cap does set off at 7/2 (or even shorter as his odds get slashed by the day), where will he rank amongst the shortest ever Grand National favourites? Read on to find out more!

1860: Anatis – 7/2

Just over 20 years after the official start of the Grand National, Anatis became the shortest ever winner at 7/2. Following Emigrant’s victory in 1958, Anatis, whose winning time wasn’t recorded, landed a second victory in three years for owner Christopher Capel. It was also a first winning ride for Mr Tommy Pickernell, who went on to win twice more with The Lamb (1871) and Pathfinder (1875). 

1862: The Huntsman – 3/1

Two years after Anatis’ triumph, another short-priced favourite romped over the line to nab a victory in the National. The Huntsman, trained and ridden by Harry Lamplugh, was slightly shorter than 7/2 at 3/1 and he proved his worth as he stormed home in just nine minutes and 30 seconds. That’s a modest time in the modern era. However, back in the 1800s, it was a new record and it stood for years to come. Lamplugh went on to train Cortolvin to victory in 1867. 

1870: The Colonel – 7/2

The Colonel was also a 7/2 shot when he was defending his Grand National crown in 1870. The seven-year-old went on to win the race in a time of 10 minutes and 10 seconds, almost a full minute faster than his maiden victory in the year prior. In doing so, The Colonel became just the second horse to win the race successively, whilst for jockey George Stevens, it was a fifth winning ride – a record unmatched to this day!

1885: Roquefort – 10/3

It was 15 years before a favourite shorter than The Colonel won the Grand National. Roquefort was six years old when he landed the victory in 1885, a rare age for a winner these days. However, it was actually a common occurrence for young horses to win the race back then. In fact, the 10/3 shot was the fourth six-year-old winner on the trot. It was a second successive winning ride for Mr Ted Wilson, who had won aboard Voluptuary the year prior. 

1919: Poethlyn – 11/4 

It was almost 35 years before another short-priced favourite won the National. No races were held between 1916 and 1918 due to World War 1. But the race returned in emphatic fashion in 1919 as Poethlyn won as an 11/4 shot, which still to this day makes him the shortest ever winner of the National. It was a second winning ride for Ernie Piggott, who rode Jerry M to glory in 1912.