I Am Maximus was a resounding winner of the Grand National for Paul Townend and Willie Mullins last season - Reuters/Carl Recine
A maximum of 34 horses will line up at Aintree Racecourse on Saturday, April 5 for the Grand National.
Six horses were withdrawn at the five-day confirmation stage including four runners (L’Homme Presse, Capodanno, Velvet Elvis and Minella Drama) who would have been guaranteed a run. Fontaine Collonges and Quick Wave were also not confirmed.
The final field will be confirmed at the two-day declaration stage on Thursday morning.
Won the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham, rushed preparation for the meeting last year but really caught the eye when fourth on Trials day at the end of January over a trip short of best. One of the favourites on the back of that. Nice warm up at Kelso, will relish four and a quarter miles. Trainer Greenall's dad Lord Daresbury was chairman of Aintree for years, a good opportunity for the son to get in on the family Aintree act.
Appears to have really found his niche as a cross-country horse winning his last four including with top-weight at Cheltenham. Plenty of precedent for that type of horse enjoying the cut and thrust and distance of the Grand National and the further he goes the better. Might be the pick of Gavin Cromwell's collection of possible runners.
The £800 horse who won the 2023 King George as well as a US Grand National (ironically, over hurdles), a Bet365 Gold Cup and Galway Plate. Snuck off to Thurles the day after Cheltenham to win a hurdle so in good form. Not the biggest, he likes decent ground. If it was a popularity contest he'd go very close.
The grey came over from France as a novice chaser last season and went into the Irish National well fancied and unbeaten in two starts in Ireland. He duly delivered a second Irish National winner for Thomas Gibney despite belting four out. They have been running him in hurdles this season to protect his mark but looked the pick of them when an excellent second in the Bobbyjo to Nick Rocket. Good chance of making it a grey day at Aintree on April 5.
Last year's comfortable winner. Two starts behind Galopin Des Champs so far this season you could not rule out at this stage although, Tiger Roll apart, more often than not the previous year's winner is the first to put a line through.Missed the Bobbyjo with a respiratory infection. Plenty of time to clear that up.
Heroic runner-up to Corach Rambler in '23 but only 14th to I Am Maximus last year. Trying to reinvent himself as a cross country horse. Might have gone very close to Stumptown had his jockey not nearly taken a wrong turn after the third. One was beginning to feel his golden chance came and went two seasons ago but arguably going into race in better form than a year ago.
Good profile. Winner of his last two at Leopardstown, including a big handicap chase at Christmas and a handicap hurdle at the DRF clearly trying to protect his chase mark. Definitely one for the short list.
Third in last year's Irish National, winner of the Bet365 Gold Cup, distance should be no problem. Last three starts have been in at the deep end against Galopin Des Champs. He'd be interesting back in a longer distance handicap. Rallied late on in Bobbyjo without quite setting world on fire.
Lightly raced comfortable winner of the Coral Gold Trophy in November who was also a staying on third in last season's Topham over too short a trip. Good weight, had a lazy afternoon at Newbury to put him spot on for this. The pick of Paul Nicholls entries.
A good jumping grey who loves decent, good ground so he would not want a wet spring or too much water put on. He should squeeze in the handicap and, though still a novice, this may be the time to catch him as the race is increasingly won by horses on the up, as he appears to be after chasing home The Jukebox Man at Christmas. Not a bad second at Kempton running on in what is often a good trial when overnight rain probably compromised his winning chance.
An 11-1 shot in last year's race and jumped the last in fourth but faded late on to finish seventh raising a slight question mark about the last furlong or two of such an extreme marathon. Ran over hurdles suggesting they might be protecting his handicap mark but didn't show a whole lot on his last start back over fences.
Beaten favourite in last season's Irish National, close third in bet365 gold Cup and good winner of the Thyestes Chase. Jumped right there which is not ideal for the left-handed Aintree but otherwise going the right way as he proved when beating Intense Raffles narrowly in Bobbyjo and sure to be near top of the market.
Carries the same colours as those carried to victory by Corbiere in the 1983 National, possibly pick of the British at this stage. A Midlands National winner last year, he switched to hurdles to protect his handicap mark after a smart Ascot win and nearly won the G1 Long Walk Hurdle and runner up in Rendlesham at Haydock. No stamina issues.
A natural jumper and good novice last season he ran an absolute stormer when a 66-1 second to stable companion Galopin Des Champs in the Irish Gold Cup recently so subsequently a bit disappointing when fifth of five over two and a half miles last time. Might have shown the handicapper his hand a bit too soon. Nevertheless three miles seems to have wrought some improvement from him and definitely one for the short list.
Relatively inexperienced chaser but won at Cheltenham in the autumn and was a respectable sixth in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury. Pulled up late on in last season's Irish National but from the stable of Minella Times.
Useful staying novice hurdler who booked his ticket to Aintree when finally getting off the mark over fence at Navan. Has had niggly problems in the past but his trainer nominated this race before the sweat had dried on him last time so that's where they're aiming.
Coral Gold Cup placed, he has always looked like he might have a decent staying handicap chase in him but I doubt the National is that race. Fourth in the Welsh National this season.
Soft/heavy ground specialist who appears to have no limit to his stamina, he just gets in four wheel drive and keeps going. Winner of London National, Peter Marsh and Midlands National. Borderline to make the cut but would be one of the favourites were he to make the line up on very testing ground.
Former Gold Cup winner bidding to join Golden Miller and L'Escargot as only winners of both races. Ran a cracker in third last year but that may have been his golden chance. Another year older now and, in all probability, won't have come down enough in the handicap to offset another year on his legs but trained for this year's race. Nevertheless a class act.
A King George winner who finished second in a Gold Cup. Has not won for over two years but his rating has dropped appreciably and he could be an interesting proposition in handicap. That said, even at his best, three and a quarter miles looked a stretch for his stamina.
A one time Mayo National winner who was runner-up in last season's Galway Plate behind Pinkerton. Not much since and his rating might just have dipped from what is required to get a run.
Won Haydock's National Trial last year and was ninth in Irish National but needed to go on from that to get a high enough rating to get in and though he was fourth to Nick Rockett in Thyestes, it probably wasn't enough to guarantee a run.
The 2021 Supreme Novice Hurdle winner who has finished within hailing distance of Fastorslow a couple of times over two and a half miles but is yet to win over three miles. But good ground? He'd appreciate it.
Consistent sort who likes Cheltenham and was runner up in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury in November. There is a big handicap in him one day but the National is usually won by a well handicapped horse and he looks like the handicapper has him in his grip.
Switched back to fences after two seasons hurdling with a win at Cheltenham on New Year's Day which scuppered a plan to go hunterchasing. A lovely old horse, I could see him jumping round in his own time without troubling the judge.
Third in a Gold Cup to Galopin Des Champs once but stamina doubts for this marathon but ran well for a long way in the Festival Plate at Cheltenham before weakening. Coming down handicap but this race now seems exclusive to horses on their way up not down.
Second in the National Hunt Chase in 2023 but has failed to cut the mustard since and even a switch to cross-country has failed to ignite any chemical reaction. Better in the cross-country behind Stumptown at Chelttenham but finished very tired.
A Irish Mullingar Midlands National winner on his first start over three miles plus. Might have been run over wrong trip in Ireland having had to avoid Gigginstown's legion of three milers. Bought by an old school pal of the trainer having had this dream in the playground 50 years ago. Got a run under belt over hurdles. Could outrun his odds.
Took to Aintree like a duck to water when winning the Grand Sefton in November, in the van all the way. Borderline to get in but if he does, he'd give a lucky jockey a good spin.
Scottish National winner who helped propel Willie Mullins to the British trainers' title. Not much to write home about so far this season; pulled up, 20th beaten 91 lengths, unseated rider at the start and pulled up again. Needs to show a sign of life before April.
A former Ulster National winner whose best effort was to win a three and a half mile chase at Cheltenham in November 23. Placed in the Ultima in March, long distance chasing ought to be her forte. She would be one of the smallest in the line up but that probably doesn't matter so much these days.
Led them over the Melling Road for the last time two years ago and enjoying something of a resurgence as a cross-country horse always finishing like he wants further. Ridiculously is still yet to win a race over fences and probably struggling to quite make the cut.
A grand old servant who despite his relative anonymity compared to some of his rivals, has won nearly £1m in prize-money and not diminished by age. Ninth and seventh in the last two Nationals but it is 102 years since the last 13-year-old, Sergeant Murphy, won it. Might just squeak in the race at bottom of handicap for one last hurrah.
Seems to come good at Cheltenham in the spring where he gave owner HGarry Redknapp a first Festival in last year's Plate. Subsequently unsighted in the Topham over Aintree fences. Fell at Cheltenham in a veterans chase in December on his only start this season. Stamina could be the big issue.
Won an Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham but has pulled up on his last three starts including behind Fact Or File in the Brown Advisory when fancied, pulled up in Scottish National and again, over hurdles on his reapperance at Wincanton over Christmas. Appears to have lost his way a bit.
Just failed in the dying strides to win last season's Scottish National, he stays all day and is now a standing dish in long distance chases. Trained in Surrey and, in all likelihood, staying there during Aintree because his rating is too low realistically to get in the race.
Skipped the race last year opting for the Bet365 Gold Cup instead but that plan did not come off so he is back in the fray this time. Good old sort who probably pays his way and has run well at Ascot on his two starts this season but he is probably not the Nicholls first choice and the trainer seems luke warm about this horse and the National.
Ran the race of his life to chase home Chianti Classico at 28-1 in the Ultima at Cheltenham, a race which flagged up Corach Rambler's National credentials, last year but has been hurdling since with mixed results.
Ninth in 2022 National and probably not getting better and that is reflected in a handicap mark which will see him struggle to make the cut. Good jumper but wants a swamp.
Solid staying chaser at his own level but may struggle to get in the race. If he does, it is hard to see him having the class to win a race the trainer's dad won twice with Hallo Dandy and Lucius.
Runner-up to Vauban in a Triumph Hurdle - Tiger Roll, from the same stable, won it - and a decent sort. Third in a race at Fairyhouse in early February but does not smack you in the face as a ready made National winner at this stage.
Potentially interesting. Runner up in a Munster and Kerry National before being dropped back in trip last time out, possibly to protect his handicap mark. One to keep an eye on in any post-weights trials.
Likes Aintree's Mildmay course, has jumped round the National fences twice and carries colours successful on Hedgehunter, Ballabriggs and Many Clouds but looks a few pounds short of making the cut as it stands.
Has been described as a bit quirky by his trainer, he was a good winner of the Troytown Chase but probably did not do enough next time out to get a high enough rating to get into the National. May have to satisfy himself with Irish equivalent this season.
Grade One winning novice hurdler at Aintree but not quite sure she has reached same heights over fences. Big plus is that she is from Lucinda Russell's 'National' academy in Scotland but pulled up in Midlands National after several jumping errors. Looks unlikely to be first mare to win since Nickel Coin in 1951.
Haydock soft/heavy ground specialist where he has won two Betfair Chases. A class act on his day but not getting any younger and produced two below-par displays in 2025. Two falls in his last seven runs and tailed off in the Gold Cup, not a cast iron certainty to get round.
Joseph O'Brien will, no doubt, add the National to his impressive big race CV one day but even in his hands Busselton does not appear to be the horse to do that. His last win was on the Flat at Galway in the summer. A switch to cross-country racing has perhaps not wrought the improvement they hoped for so far.
Has jumped round Aintree three times in shorter races so jumping not an issue but, despite the resurgence of his stable this season, he is a bit long in the tooth now.
Good jumper who has completed the National course in shorter races three times out of four attempts. If she gets in the jury would be out on her getting the trip given most of her starts have been around the two and a half mile mark.
Winner of three of 22 starts over fences but second nine times and not often out of the money. Almost exclusively campaigned over shorter distances than three miles so if jockey sets out with range anxiety, that's understandable.
Only one National winner has actually been trained in Wales, Kirkland in 1905 and Pat's Fancy is unlikely to be the second as he will not get in race off current rating. Once chased home Bravemansgame in a novice chase. Has a loyalty card for running at Chepstow but just back from year off.
Won a National trial a year in February '24 but not much sign of life since. A distant fourth in the Kim Muir at Cheltenham he was eight in Irish National, pulled up in Welsh and was one of the tail-end Charlies in the Thyestes. Struggling to make the cut.
Yet to win a chase. Sixth in the Scottish National, seventh behind Nick Rockett in Thyestes even Willie Mullins is failing to work his magic on the horse owned by the race sponsor. Off his current he won't make the cut – whoever owns him.