What is the shortest priced winner in the history of the Grand National?

In 2019, Tiger Roll was sent off 4/1 favourite to become the first horse since Red Rum, in 1974, to win the Grand National two years running. The diminutive 9-year-old did so, making him the shortest priced winner of the National for exactly a century. Indeed, in 172 runnings of the celebrated steeplechase, just five winners have been sent off at odds shorter than 4/1. The first four were, in chronological order, Anatis (7/2) in 1860, The Huntsman (3/1) in 1862, The Colonel (7/2) in 1870 and Roquefort (10/3) in 1885.

However, the shortest priced winner in the history of the Grand National was Poethlyn, who had won the substitute ‘War National’ at Gatwick in 1918 and was consequently sent off 11/4 favourite for the so-called ‘Victory National’, when the race returned to Aintree in 1919. Ridden by Ermie Piggott, grandfather of Lester, Poethlyn was saddled with the welter burden of 12st 7lb, but justified favouritism in fine style. Always prominent, Poethlyn made headway from Valentine’s Brook on the second circuit to dispute the lead two fences later. By the second-last fence he had established a clear lead over his nearest rival, Ballybogan, who was receiving 11lb, and eventually won easily, by 8 lengths.