'He wasn't popular at all' - 50-1 Noble Yeats a big winner for the bookies

The 50-1 shock success of Noble Yeats resulted in an excellent Grand National day for bookmakers, with the winner reportedly one of the least fancied runners in the most popular punting race of year.

At one stage on the run-in the worst was feared as 15-2 favourite Any Second Now, who was backed strongly before the off, traded at a low of 1.20 on the Betfair Exchange, but Noble Yeats continued to find to produce a fairytale win for retiring jockey Sam Waley-Cohen.

Delta Work was a strongly fancied 10-1 chance and picked up place money in third, while the fifth Fiddlerontheroof was a market mover on Saturday and sent off 12-1. Longhouse Poet, also a 12-1 chance, took sixth position with some firms paying up to seven places.

Race report: Grand National fairytale as 50-1 Noble Yeats wins for retiring Sam Waley-Cohen

Saturday's result was a change of luck for the bookies after a number of well-backed Grand National winners in recent years, most notably Tiger Roll's second success in 2019, which at odds of 4-1, made him the shortest-priced winner of the race in a century.

The Rachael Blackmore-factor also meant 11-1 Minella Times would have been a loser with several firms this year.

For the first time since 2019, punters were able to bet on the Grand National in betting shops and the race result was in favour of bookmakers.

Sam Waley-Cohen celebrates as he crosses the line ahead of Any Second NowCredit: Edward Whitaker

William Hill spokesman Tony Kenny said: "It was an excellent result in the trading room with Noble Yeats one of the 40 runners who wasn't fancied going off at 50-1, and all in all it's looking like being one of the top five best results we could have hoped for."

"Noble Yeats was a good result for the books as he wasn't a horse that backers latched on to," said Paddy Power spokesman Paul Binfield.

"Plenty of punters will be collecting from the placed horses with Any Second Now, Delta Work, Fiddlerontheroof and Longhouse Poet all attracting plenty of support, but we are certainly not complaining."

Punters report difficulties accessing bookmaker websites after Grand National

'A very favourable result'

Nicola McGeady, of Ladbrokes, said: "As results go, this is certainly one of the better Grand Nationals we've had. Noble Yeats just didn't prove popular with punters at all today and, after last year's result, we have been spared another costly payout."

Sky Bet's Michael Shinners added: "That was a very favourable result for the firm. We had a sizable liability on Minella Times and had seen plenty of each-way support for the likes of Good Boy Bobby, Dingo Dollar and in particular Snow Leopardess, who were all unplaced."

The National overround was equal to 2021 at 146 per cent, the lowest in 16 years.

More 2022 Grand National reaction:

'This is just the stuff of dreams' – Emmet Mullins shock at Grand National win

'I've no regrets over selling Noble Yeats – it's my best day in racing'

'He wasn't popular at all' – Noble Yeats a big winner for the bookies

2022 Grand National result: where your horse finished and who won

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