Rachael Blackmore causing Paddy’s traders biggest Grand National headache in a decade

Can the Queen of Prestbury Park strike again at Aintree?

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widget, while in-copy odds are accurate at time of publication but subject to change

Rachael Blackmore’s bid to become the first female jockey to win tomorrow’s Grand National on Minella Times is set to give Paddy Power’s traders a sleepless night with the prospect of a possible £15 million pay out should the pair manage to enter the annals of racing history.

The top Irish jumps jockey was the leading rider at last month’s Cheltenham Festival and Minella Times, who was first backed for Grand National glory at 40-1 in February, started to move for the world’s most famous steeplechase after Prestbury Park when the it looked like the eight-year-old might be her mount at Aintree.

Minella Times, a creditable runner-up on his last two starts in the prestigious Paddy Power Chase and Leopardstown Chase, is currently a 9-1 chance with Paddy with the horse having huge popular low-staking mass market appeal.

The popularity is reminiscent of when another leading female rider Katie Walsh partnered Seabass in 2013 in one of the biggest Grand National gambles since the days of the great Red Rum. Seabass was a double-figure price that morning before being backed into 11-2 favouritism, but his supporters were left swimming in the ocean as he could only muster a 13th behind Auroras Encore.

Paddy Power spokesman Paul Binfield said: “Girl power could nail us to the wall with history being made and we could be staring down the barrel of a £15m pay out come 5.15pm on Saturday.

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“To put it into some kind of perspective our traders haven’t experienced a headache like this since 2013, when Katie Walsh was backed into favouritism on Seabass, and there are echoes of that with Rachael’s Cheltenham heroics having huge popular mass market appeal, especially amongst our Irish customers who adore backing one of their own.”

There are two other female jockeys competing in tomorrow’s Grand National. The brilliant Bryony Frost partners 33/1 shot Yala Enki while 2019 Foxhunters’ Chase winner Tabitha Worsley rides 50/1 hope Sub Lieutenant.

Cloth Cap is the 9/2 favourite after scoring at Newbury and Kelso this season. 2019 Irish Grand National winner Burrows Saint is also available for a single-digit price.

Ted Walsh’s Any Second Now is at 9s and Kimberlite Candy 10s while Discorama has been a market mover into 14s. Magic Of Light, the runner up to Tiger Roll in 2019, is 16/1.

The rest of the field is priced between 20/1 and 100/1 – and Paddy is paying SIX places. Woof!

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