The Punters' Guide to the Grand National

John Cottrell argues convincingly in the Punters" Guide to the Grand National that, as the result of changed conditions, the Grand National is no longer a lottery; that, in reality, it offers the would-be punter excellent value. "As will be shown", he writes, "the Grand National only remains such a perilous minefield because so many once-a-year punters bet without regard for well-proven guidelines".

In the Punters' Guide he explains these simple guidelines and analyses in depth all the factors to be considered when seeking the Grand National winner. "By observing these guidelines," he writes, " the casual punter will not only avoid many pitfalls but greatly simplify the task of making selections by eliminating from the reckoning more than three-quarters of the runners".

Cottrell has written an original, easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide to betting on the Grand National.

At the same time, in explaining his approach - evolved over decades of trial and error - he recaptures many of the most magical and dramatic moments in the National's illustrious history.

Had the punter followed the system when betting on the 2007 Grand National he would have backed the following: 1. Silver Birch (R Power) 33-1?2. McKelvey (TJ O'Brien) 12-1?3. Slim Pickings (B Geraghty) 33-1 And you can hardly do better than that.