2012 Grand National by Ginger McCain, the father of Ballabriggs' trainer Donald McCain, Jr. Among the early favourites for the race – alongside Ballabriggs – were Junior (trained by 2008's winning trainer David Pipe), Synchronised (the winner of the Lexus Chase on 28 December 2011 and later the 2012 Cheltenham Gold Cup), Weird Al (winner in the October 2011 Charlie Hall Chase), and Midnight Chase (first in the Cotswold Chase on 4 February 2012). Synchronised was attempting to become the first horse since Golden Miller in 1934 to win both the Gold Cup and Grand National in the same year. Handicap weights were
Stayers Chase Triple Crown Stayers Chase Triple Crown The Stayers Chase Triple Crown was an Betfair initiative started in 2005 called 'Betfair Million' to award £1 million prize for any horse who wins in the same season the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November, the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day and the Cheltenham Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival. In the following season it suffered a couple alterations which included the Lexus Chase as an alternative for the King George VI Chase or winning the Grand National whilst being placed in top two at any race at the Cheltenham Festival.