Horses with ‘human inspired’ names most likely to win Grand National

• Human named horses have won 11 out of the 71 races since 1950

• Landmarks (8), Turn-of-phrase (7) and French-language inspired (5) named horses close behind

• Galvin & Run Wild Fred  – named after people – red hot favourites at 2022 Aintree event

• Avoid Horses with names relating to animals, colours, food, planets, TV shows, and pirates with only one winner each in 71 years

Ahead of this year’s first spectator-packed Grand National since the Pandemic, here at Casumo, we analysed the names of every previous winner and discovered horses with human names are most likely to triumph with 11 winners since 1950.

In 2019, more than 600 million people tuned in to watch the world’s most exciting Steeple Chase with a whopping £100 million spent by punters hoping their bet would beat the bookies.  

Punters looking for a 2022 winner should take note with ‘Galvin’ and ‘Run Wild Fred’, both named after people, red hot favourites to claim victory in this year’s race.

Those after an each-way bet should study the form for horses named after landmarks, such as ‘Mount Ida’, with 8 winners in 71 years while bettors prepared to take a risk and potentially win big should look at those named after animals or colours such as ‘Phoenix Way’ or ‘Snow Leopardess’, but beware these nags have only won once since 1950!

If you like to place your wager based on which names take your fancy, then this year’s horses most likely to take the crown are:

Human Inspired 

Run Wild Fred (14/1)

Galvin (20/1)

Enjoy D’Allen (25/1)

Good Boy Bobby (33/1)

Chris’s Dream (50/1)

Top Ville Ben (66/1)

Freewheelin Dylan (100/1)

Larry (100/1)

Pink Eyed Pedro (100/1)

Out-of-the-box

Escaria Ten (16/1)

Longhouse Poet (25/1)

Discorama (33/1)

Cloth Cap (40/1)

Delta Work (66/1)

Places

Mount Ida (16/1)

Highland Hunter (33/1)

Windsor Avenue (33/1)

Coko Beach (33/1)

Chantry House (66/1)

Turn-of phrase

Any Second Now (14/1)

Lostintranslation (33/1)

Ontheropes (40/1)

Two for Gold (50/1)

French-Inspired

Franco de Port (33/1)

Lord du Mesnil (50/1)

Domaine de L’Isle (66/1)

Defi Bleu (66/1)

Alpha des Obeaux (100/1)

We’ve examined every winner of the infamous race from the past 71 years and placed each equine star into categories to demonstrate which naming trends produce the most first-place winners. Categories include horses named after a person, place, alcoholic drink, or names with French language roots.

The top 5 categories since 1950 are 

1. Inspired by human names (11 winners)
2. ‘Out of the box’ names (9 winners)
3. Places/landmarks (8 winners) 
4. Turn-of-phrase (7 winners)
5. French-inspired (5 winners)

Name 

Year	Winner	Age	wgt	Trainer	Jockey	SP
2017	One For Arthur	8	10-11	Lucinda Russell	Derek Fox	14/1
2011	Ballabriggs	10	11-00	D McCain	J Maguire	14/1
1999	Bobbyjo	9	10-00	T Carberry	P Carberry	10/1
1997	Lord Gyllene	9	10-00	S A Brookshaw	A Dobbin	14/1
1990	Mr Frisk	11	10-06	K C Bailey	Mr M Armytage	16/1
1981	Aldaniti	11	10-13	J Gifford	R Champion	10/1
1978	Lucius	9	10-09	G W Richards	B R Davies	14/1
1965	Jay Trump	8	11-05	F Winter	T Smith	100/6
1961	Nicolaus Silver	9	10-01	F Rimell	B Beasley	28/1
1960	Merryman II	9	10-12	N Crump	G Scott	13/2F
1958	Mr. What	8	10-06	T Taaffe, Sr	A Freeman	18/1

Horses with ‘human inspired’ names, such as 2017’s ‘One for Arthur’, have bagged a total of 11 wins in the last 71 years. Other winners in this category include ‘Ballabriggs’ in 2011 and ‘Bobbyjo’ in 1999.

If you’re all about the name trend then this year, you could place your bets on the likes of ‘Chris’s Dream’ taking gold in 2022’s race. 

Out of the Box

Year	Winner	Age	wgt	Trainer	Jockey	SP
2006	Numbersixvalverde	10	10-08	M Brassil	N P Madden	11/1
1994	Miinnehoma	11	10-08	M C Pipe	R Dunwoody	16/1
1982	Grittar	9	11-05	F Gilman	Mr R Saunders	7/1F
1979	Rubstic	10	10-00	S J Leadbetter	M Barnes	25/1
1970	Gay Trip	8	11-05	T F Rimell	P Taaffe	15/1
1966	Anglo	8	10-0	F Winter	T Norman	50/1
1964	Team Spirit	12	10-03	F Walwyn	W Robinson	18/1
1956	ESB	10	11-03	F Rimell	D Dick	100/7
1955	Quare Times	9	11-00	V O’Brien	P Taaffe	100/9

The second most popular category when looking at previous Grand National winners are horses with out of the box names, with a total of nine horses crossing the winning post first.

Most recently, ‘Numbersixvalverde’ was crowned champion in 2006 with a 50-year gap in between with winners also in 1955 and 1956 – Quare Time and ESB. 

If names that are ‘outside the box’ are your forte, you can expect to bet on ‘Farclas’ or ‘Cloth Cap’ in this year’s racing line-up.

Place

Year	Winner	Age	wgt	Trainer	Jockey	SP
2004	Amberleigh House	12	10-10	D McCain	G Lee	16/1
2003	Monty´s Pass	10	10-07	JJ Mangan	B J Geraghty	16/1
1983	Corbiere	8	11-04	Mrs J Pitman	B de Haan	13/1
1980	Ben Nevis	12	10-12	T Forster	Mr C Fenwick	40/1
1969	Highland Wedding	12	10-04	T Balding	E Harty	100/9
1967	Foinavon	9	10-0	J Kempton	J Buckingham	100/1
1963	Ayala	9	10-00	K Piggott	P Buckley	66/1
1962	Kilmore	12	10-04	R Price	F Winter	28/1

Finally, horses with place-related names round off the top 3 categories of Grand National winners, with eight horses claiming the top spot over the years. Most recently, in 2003 and 2004, Monty´s Pass and Amberleigh House claimed victory, making that two consecutive wins for ‘place’ names. 

With the likes of ‘Mount Ida’, ‘Highland Hunter’, and ‘Windsor Avenue’ competing in this year’s race – betting on horses named after landmarks or cities might well get you the win you’re looking for.  

However, there are some categories that don’t often produce podium winners, so if you are predicting who will take the glory this year, you may choose to avoid them.

Horses with names relating to animals, colours, food, planets, TV shows, and pirates are off the mark, with only one winner each from the last 71 years.

Last year’s winner, ‘Minella Times’ was the first horse with an Italian-inspired name to win this pinnacle event in the racing calendar but with ‘Santini’ also appearing in this year’s line-up, could it be 2 from 2 for the Italian stallions?