Corach Rambler is one of the leading staying chasers in the UK. He added his name to the roll of honour in the Grand National in 2023 when he won the world’s most famous steeplechase at Aintree. He stayed on better than any of his rivals to win the marathon contest as the 8/1 favourite.
The Aintree hero’s next run is likely to be in the 2024 Cheltenham Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival. He will be bidding to become just the third horse in history to complete the Gold Cup and Grand National double, with the other two being Golden Miller and L’Escargot. He is 20/1 in the Cheltenham Festival betting for the feature race of the week.
Corach Rambler knows all about Cheltenham Festival success as he has been victorious at the meeting in each of the last two years. He won the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Festival in 2022, while in 2023, he defended his crown in the day one contest, powering up the hill in an impressive performance.
The Scottish-based horse will be taking on a strong field in the 2024 Cheltenham Gold Cup which is set to include the defending champion Galopin Des Champs. He will be joined from Ireland by talented second-season chaser Gerri Colombe. Gordon Elliott’s runner is 4/1 in King George VI Chase betting to win the Kempton contest before he heads to Prestbury Park.
A month after his Cheltenham Festival appearance, Corach Rambler is expected to return to Aintree as he bids to become just the third horse in the last 50 years to defend his crown in the Grand National. He is 16/1 in the horse racing odds for the race. The challenge is expected to be much tougher this season as he will have more weight on his back for his latest attempt.
Other considerations for Corach Rambler at the end of the 2023/24 season include the Scottish Grand National at Ayr. That race takes place over the marathon distance of 4m, so it would be ideal for the staying chaser. There is also the Punchestown Gold Cup, the feature race of the Punchestown Festival, if his connections want to take a trip across to Ireland for one of the most prestigious races on the Irish Jumps calendar.
Corach Rambler Recent Form
The Grand National winner has featured twice so far in the 2023/24 Jumps season. He made his first appearance of the campaign in a handicap chase at Kelso over the distance of 3m2f. Unfortunately for connections of the horse, he could only finish fifth of six runners in that contest.
Corach Rambler ran at the highest level when he lined up in the Grade One Lancashire Chase at Haydock in November. He joined a top-class field that included former King George VI chase winner Bravemansgame, defending champion Protektorat, and two-time Peter Marsh Chase winner Royale Pagaille.
In what was a big step up from his seasonal reappearance, Corach Rambler finished third of four runners in the Lancashire Chase. He was over 15 lengths behind the winner, Royale Pagaille, but he did finish 13 lengths ahead of the 2022 race winner, Protektorat.
Connections of Corach Rambler will not be too concerned by his form in the early stages of the 2023/24 season. A year earlier, he came home down the field in appearances at Carlisle and Newbury, before ending the campaign strongly with wins in the Ultima Handicap Chase and Grand National.
Corach Rambler’s race record is now seven wins from 15 starts under rules. He has won five of his 12 races over fences, and he has accumulated over £700,000 in career earnings.
Who Trains Corach Rambler?
Corach Rambler is trained by Scottish-based National Hunt trainer Lucinda Russell at Arlary House Stables in Kinross. She has trained the chaser since he joined her at the start of the 2020/21 National Hunt season, and he has gone on to be one of her most successful horses.
Russell is one of only four women to win the Grand National as a trainer, joining Jenny Pitman, Venetia Williams, and Sue Smith. She first won the race in 2017 when One For Arthur was successful. He was only the second Scottish-trained horse to win the Grand National in history when he crossed the finish line in first place at Aintree.
The Scottish trainer then won the Grand National for a second time in 2023 with Corach Rambler. He stayed on strongly at the back end of the 4m2½f contest to score by just over two lengths ahead of Vanillier.
Russell was awarded an OBE in 2018 for her services to horse racing. Some of her major wins also include the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, Mildmay Novices’ Chase, and Sefton Novices’ Hurdle. She has made an excellent start to the 2023/24 campaign and could be on course for one of her best seasons on the track.
