This weird naming pattern could help you pick the Grand National winner

If you're clueless about betting on horses, we think we’ve spotted a weird pattern in the list of previous winners.

Not trying to get all ~Illuminati~ on you or anything, but there's an evident code that emerges when you study the names of the winning horses from the previous Grand National races over the past 10 years. Nearly 50 per cent of previous winners have names related to nature or celestial phenomena: 'Papillon', Hedgehunter', 'Silver Birch', 'Neptune Colleges', 'Auroras Encore', 'Many Clouds' and 'Earth Summit' to name a few. Interestingly, half of the remaining winners names are linked to British political institutions: 'Royal Athlete', 'Lord Gyllene', 'Monty's Pass' and 'Party Politics', for example. Do you believe in coincidence? Last year 'Many Clouds', a random 33-1 shot, won unexpectedly out of nowhere. The good news is that 'Many Clouds' is running again this year, although at 7/1. Then again, so is the similarly nature-based 'Rocky Creek' at 50/1. So – given the odds – JOE suggests a tenner on 'Many Clouds,  and maybe a quick quid on 'Rocky Creek' or 'Black Thunder'. Surely it has to be worth a punt? Any betting tips or upcoming races we should know about, let us know at Hello@JOE.co.uk or follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more updates.