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
The Thinker (horse) entered in the 1987 Grand National but was withdrawn shortly before the start due to Stephenson's concerns about the muddy course conditions and the results of a training gallop the morning of the race. The 1987 Cheltenham Gold Cup, run on 19 March was the 60th running of Britain's most prestigious steeplechase. Arthur Stephenson was not at Cheltenham, preferring to attend the meeting at Hexham, where he had seven runners, and The Thinker was taken to the course by Stephenson's nephew Peter Cheeseborough. The twelve runner field was headed by the 5/4 favourite Forgive 'n' Forget who had won the