Bookmakers estimate £500 million worth of bets will be placed for the world’s greatest steeplechase - the Grand National at Aintree.

And two Wrexham-based owners will be keeping their fingers crossed that thry could be celebrating tomorrow evening.

Blaklion, trained by the two-time winning trainer of the race Nigel Twiston-Davies, is owned by Gresford businessman, Gino Paletta.

Blaklion was fourth 12 months ago and warmed up for this year’s race with was a very easy win in the Becher chase.

"There is a real buzz in the yard about the horse," said Paletta. "We go there with a chance.

“A lot has been made of how tired he finished after the Haydock Grand National trial race, but the ground was desperate that day.

“He has had eight weeks to get over the race and he has hardly done anything this week. I would not be worried about the ground as he has proven form on it.

“Obviously he has gone up in the weights but there is a real buzz in the yard about the horse.

“We go there with a chance but the main thing is that he comes back safe and sound.”

Chris Edwards, from Ruabon, is the other Wrexham-based co-owner hoping his charge, the Dan Skelton trained Virgillo, aiming for National glory.

“David Futter, from Yorton Stud in Welshpool, bought the horse as a two year old and he went over to France to race,” explained Edwards.

“We then bought him back three years ago and sent him to Dan Skelton to train.

“He was one of the first horses that he had in training when he started up. He has won three times at Aintree but not over the National fences. He is a safe jumper and he has not fallen in any of his 10 races.

“Ideally we would liked to have got a prep race into him, but time just ran out. He has always been a spring horse, which is in his favour but our worry is the testing ground may have gone against him.”

The Tony Martin trained Anibale Fly, in the colours of J.P McManus, is my big tip and could follow up Don’t Push It’s 2010 win for the famous Irish owner.

Anibale Fly was impressive when beating a field of 28 in the Paddy Power chase at Leopardstown over Christmas and he ran a blinder to finish third to Native River in the Cheltenham Gold Cup last month.

Willie Mullins won this race with Hedgehunter in 2005 and his charge Total Recall will probably be favourite before the race starts at 5.15pm tomorrow.

The Authorised gelding has really improved this season and was a ready winner of the Ladbrokes trophy at Leopardstown, and was travelling well when falling three out in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The Irish husband and wife team of Ross O’Sullivan and Katie Walsh with Baie Des Iles are also much-fancied, The mare who has proven form on the conditions, on the plus side she stays forever and the Punchestown form where she was third behind Folsom Blue has worked out well.

The mare was 50-1 last week and is as short as 16-1 now and Walsh remains the highest-placed lady rider in the race after Sea Bass finished third to Neptune Collonges in 2012.

David Pipe won the race in 2008 with Comply Or Die and this time runs Vieux Lion Rouge.

The 2016 Becher Chase winner has has appeared not to stay in his last two Grand National attempts but has only10st 9lbs to shoulder this year and has to be one for the short list.

Gas Line Boy, trained by Ian Williams, was fifth in the race last year, and ran out an empatic four and a half length winner of the Grand Sefton race at Aintree.

Williams is hopeful of another top five - if not better - finish in the race while owner Trevor Hemmings has a lively outsider with the Paul Nicholl’s trained Warriors Tale.

SHONE’S FAB FIVE: 1 ANIBALE FLY; 2 VIEUX LION ROUGE; 3 GAS LINE BOY; 4 BLAKLION; 5 WARRIORS TALE.