Randox Grand National
Grade 3 Handicap,
Aintree 16:00
£1,000,000 guaranteed
7yo plus, 4m 2f 74y, Class 1   
Saturday 11th April 2026

Aintree in April needs no embellishment. Forty runners, four miles, thirty fences, and a race that stops a nation. The big one is once again shaping up as a renewal where proven stamina, sound jumping and a touch of luck will count for everything.

The early betting suggests an open contest. Iroko heads the market at 8/1, with defending champion I Am Maximus next best at 12/1. History tells us this is exactly the sort of shape the National likes. Seven of the last eleven winners returned at 11/1 or bigger, and only four of those eleven were in the top three of the betting. Big-field handicaps demand respect for the market, but never blind faith.

Age trends point firmly toward the prime of a chasing career. Ten of the last eleven winners were aged between seven and nine. It is the sweet spot where battle-hardened experience meets physical peak, and many of this year’s principals fit that profile neatly.

One horse whose name is now firmly on the Aintree radar is Handstands. Ben Pauling has long held him in high regard, a Grade One-winning novice over fences last season, and his recent return in the Fleur de Lys Chase at Windsor has rekindled belief that the big one could be his spring target.

Pauling said: “I think he ran a lovely race and it was his first run back after a wind op. I think he looked like he was finding it hard work from a long way out and he actually served it up to Protektorat two out.

“He was carrying an 8lb penalty and was only beaten six lengths so you have to say it was a good performance and I think it will put him right back where we want him.

“He seems great after the race and I imagine his mark won’t move much and he suddenly becomes a very attractive proposition for a tilt at the Grand National. I think that is where we will probably end up looking this season.

“He will run again before the National and whether that’s an Ultima or a hurdle race, I’m not sure yet. But I think now he’s back on track, wherever he goes I would hope he will be competitive.”

Those words matter, because the National demands a specific type of preparation. Nine of the last eleven winners were rated between 146 and 160. Eight of the last eleven had already won a graded race. All eleven had at least seven previous chase runs, and ten had at least eight. Experience is not optional at Aintree; it is essential.

Stamina, too, is non-negotiable. Ten of the last eleven winners had at least five runs over three miles or further, and eight had seven or more such runs. Most had multiple wins at those distances. The modern National may be kinder, but it still asks for relentless staying power.

Course knowledge helps as well. Six of the last eleven winners had run at Aintree before, and two had already won here. It is a track that can unsettle the uninitiated and reward those who know its rhythms.

Then there is recent form. Six of the last eleven winners won on their prep run, and nine had raced within 49 days of the National. Cheltenham remains a key stepping stone: six of the last eleven winners came from the Festival, while the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse has also proven a reliable launchpad, producing two winners from two runners in recent years.

Handstands will need to follow that pattern with another run before April. Pauling’s confidence suggests that plan is already forming.

As for the market leaders, I Am Maximus bids to repeat 2024’s heroics, something few manage in this unforgiving race.

Iroko brings strong staying credentials.

Haiti Couleurs and last year's winner Nick Rockett appeal as upwardly mobile types. The 20/1 battalion includes several with the profile trends demand: proven stamina, solid chase mileage, and ratings that sit comfortably in the historical sweet spot.

The weights will matter too. Nine of the last eleven winners carried between 10st 5lbs and 11st 8lbs, suggesting the handicapper still has a decisive role in shaping the outcome.

So we stand, weeks out, with narratives forming and targets set. Some will arrive via Cheltenham, others through Fairyhouse, a few through quieter routes. The rain, the ground, the draw, the luck in running — all will play their part.

But the essence remains unchanged. Four miles. Thirty fences. A test like no other. And among the many hopefuls, Handstands now finds himself stepping onto the grandest stage of them all, his trainer daring to dream that this could be the spring where promise meets history.

Randox Health Grand National 2025
Grade 3, £1,000,000 guaranteed
7yo plus, 4m 2f 74y, Class 1
34 ran
Going: Good to Soft

POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1    Nick Rockett 8 11-8 W P Mullins Mr P W Mullins 33/1
2 2½ I Am Maximus 9 11-12 W P Mullins Paul Townend 7/1
3 ½ Grangeclare West 9 11-8 W P Mullins Brian Hayes 33/1
4 4½ Iroko 7 10-11 Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero Jonjo O'Neill Jr 13/2F
5 2¼ Meetingofthewaters 8 10-7 W P Mullins Danny Mullins 20/1
6 1½ Senior Chief 8 10-10 Henry De Bromhead Darragh O'Keeffe 40/1
7 1½ Minella Cocooner 9 11-2 W P Mullins Jonathan Burke 18/1
8 5½ Hewick 10 11-7 John Joseph Hanlon Gavin Sheehan 14/1
9 4½ Minella Indo 12 11-3 Henry De Bromhead Rachael Blackmore 20/1
10 21 Twig 10 10-5 Ben Pauling Beau Morgan 50/1
11 1 Three Card Brag 8 10-5 Gordon Elliott Sean Bowen 16/1
12 18 Beauport 9 11-1 Nigel Twiston-Davies Sam Twiston-Davies 33/1
13 15 Horantzau d'Airy 8 10-6 Michael Keady Ciaran Gethings 150/1
14 1¼ Vanillier 10 10-6 Gavin Cromwell Sean Flanagan 12/1
15 11 Bravemansgame 10 11-0 Paul Nicholls James Reveley 40/1
16 14 Chantry House 11 10-13 Nicky Henderson James Bowen 66/1
Nolan 125/1
BD Appreciate It 11 11-2 W P Mullins Sean O'Keeffe 28/1
FELL Perceval Legallois 8 10-12 Gavin Cromwell Mark Walsh 10/1
FELL Kandoo Kid 9 10-11 Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden 25/1
FELL Broadway Boy 7 10-9 Nigel Twiston-Davies Tom Bellamy 66/1
PU Monbeg Genius 9 10-6 Jonjo & A J O'Neill Nick Scholfield 50/1
PU Hyland 8 10-6 Nicky Henderson Nico de Boinville 22/1
PU Celebre d'Allen 13 10-6 Philip Hobbs & Johnson White Micheal
PU Conflated 11 11-2 Gordon Elliott Jordan Gainford 100/1
PU Stumptown 8 11-2 Gavin Cromwell Keith Donoghue 10/1
PU Hitman 9 11-1 Paul Nicholls Freddie Gingell 28/1
PU Idas Boy 11 10-10 2 Richard Phillips Harry Bannister 100/1
PU Fil Dor 7 10-9 Gordon Elliott Sam Ewing 50/1
PU Coko Beach 10 10-9 Gordon Elliott Jody McGarvey 40/1
PU Royale Pagaille 11 11-9 Venetia Williams Charlie Deutsch 100/1
PU Intense Raffles 7 10-10 Thomas Gibney J J Slevin 14/1
PU Stay Away Fay 8 10-9 Paul Nicholls Paul O'Brien 66/1
PU Threeunderthrufive 10 10-12 Paul Nicholls Harry Skelton 40/1
UR Duffle Coat 8 10-4 Gordon Elliott Danny Gilligan 33/1

previous winners

BoyleSports