2026 Grand National Betting Odds at Aintree racecourse

2026 Grand National Betting Tips

Thirty-four horses lined up in the 2026 Grand National, with I Am Maximus boasting an enviable record in the race. The ten-year-old has a win and runner-up to his name in the Aintree spectacular, with the horse last seen racing in the Irish Gold Cup. A fifth-placed effort was solid enough after finishing second in the Savills Chase. However, it's worth noting that the 2024 champion is the top weight in the race.

There's been money for Jagwar and the seven-year-old is off a mark of 10-10 which could see the horse go well. There was a strong effort in the Ultima Handicap Chase to finish second as the 3/1 favourite. The horse that won that race was Johnnywho who has shortened in the betting market and might prosper off a weight allowance of 10-4.

Grangeclare West was third in the 2025 Grand National, with the ten-year-old having produced a fine performance to win at Fairyhouse in February. It was a commendable effort over three miles and two furlongs on heavy ground, with the horse having bags of stamina and he was third in the race for Willie Mullins last term at a big price.

Iroko didn't make the desired impression in the Ultima Handicap Chase when finishing tenth although a longer trip might be to the benefit of the eight-year-old. Haiti Couleurs won the Welsh Grand National back in December when scoring at Chepstow. The horse was pulled up in the Cheltenham Gold Cup but this has been the aim for Rebecca Curtis since the festive win.

2025 Aintree Grand National Betting

There are several horses that can win the 2025 Grand National, with INTENSE RAFFLES currently heading the market for the big race. Thomas Gibney trains a horse who could be favourably handicapped, with the runner last seen performing well at Fairyhouse. Over three miles and two furlongs, it was a second placed performance in the Bobbyjo Chase.

There’s another seven-year-old with similarly bold claims and Iroko is carrying similar weight. At the beginning of March, the charge was second at Kelso over nearly three miles, with his jumping better than previously at Cheltenham. On that occasion, the horse was fourth out of eleven horses and there could be more to come.

Stumptown was an impressive winner of the Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, with the horse having now landed four consecutive victories for trainer Gavin Cromwell. There was plenty to like about the 5/2 favourite’s performance, with this coming by seven lengths and this was after a previous Cross Country success at Prestbury Park in December.

I Am Maximus was the 2024 winner of the Grand National, with the nine-year-old having last been seen finishing eighth out of ten runners at Leopardstown at the Dublin Racing Festival. It was a decent warm-up race and that came after pulling up at the same course during the festive period. However, that victory by seven and a half lengths at Aintree last year could stand him in good stead.

Hewick was victorious last time out, with John Joseph Hanlon training a ten-year-old who was recently successful at Thurles. The 11/8 favourite was able to oblige over two miles and six furlongs in the Jimmy Neville Memorial Hurdle, with Asterion Forlonge beaten into second place, while there was previously a solid outing at the Dublin Racing Festival.

Vanillier might well have ended up winning the Cross Country Chase had the horse not almost taken the wrong turning, with the ten-year-old still ending up with a third-placed finish in the race. The horse looks favourably handicapped and Gavin Cromwell’s charge was previously able to score at Punchestown over three miles and one furlong on heavy ground.

Cromwell also has a strong contender in the form of Perceval Legallois, with the horse able to score at Leopardstown against twenty-four runners. That was over three miles on soft ground, with this coming after a festive success at the same course. There was also a smart effort at Navan back in November and he could be a good each-way contender.

Willie Mullins is likely to have a number of contenders for the big race and Nick Rockett is among them. The eight-year-old was actually able to beat Intense Raffles last time out, with the 5/6 favourite obliging over three miles and two furlongs on soft ground. Much comes down to how the horse is going to cope with the extra weight.

Another horse from the Mullins stable is Grangeclare West, with the nine-year-old another of the top-weighted horses. It was a disappointing showing at Navan last time out, with the charge finishing dead last although that came after a bright display in the Irish Gold Cup Chase where the 66/1 poke was able to finish second behind Galopin Des Champs by five lengths.

Hyland hasn’t been out of the first two in his previous four outings, with Nicky Henderson training a horse who was second at Kempton Park last time out. However, the charge was fifteen lengths behind the eventual winner, with the horse also runner-up at the same course on Boxing Day. That came after wins at Cheltenham in October and November.

Meetingofthewaters doesn’t have fantastic form coming into this Aintree spectacular but could still pose a threat as one of the lowest weights, with the eight-year-old finishing eighth last time out. There was an eighth-placed finish in a handicap chase at Leopardstown, with this coming after finish well down the order in handicap hurdle race at the Dublin Racing Festival.

Minella Cocooner is another Mullins-trained charge in the race, with the horse finishing fourth out of six runners in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse. This was over three miles and two furlongs, with the horse needing to reproduce the sort of form that saw the charge land a success in April in 2024.