The Grand National at Aintree 2026

by Sean Roberts · 7th April 2026

The Grand National at Aintree and how to Profit

Recent Grand National Winners

2025 – I Am Maximus, ridden by Paul Townend and trained by Willie Mullins
2024 – I Am Maximus, ridden by Paul Townend and trained by Willie Mullins
2023 – Corach Rambler, ridden by Derek Fox and trained by Lucinda Russell
2022 – Noble Yeats, ridden by Sam Waley-Cohen and trained by Emmet Mullins
2021 – Minella Times, ridden by Rachael Blackmore (first female winner) and trained by Henry de Bromhead
2020 – ❌ Race cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2019 – Tiger Roll, ridden by Davy Russell and trained by Gordon Elliott (back-to-back winner)
2018 – Tiger Roll, ridden by Davy Russell and trained by Gordon Elliott

Get Aintree’s Prediction for only £14.97, All 6 Aintree racers and tips

What You Get for £14.97

✅Six Premium Aintree Tips – Carefully selected from the biggest races of the week, with a mix of win and each-way value plays to maximise returns.

✅Direct Delivery – Get your selections instantly sent to your inbox, ensuring you can place bets at the best available odds before the markets move.

✅One Simple Price – No Hidden Fees! – Just £14.97 for access to all six premium selections. No ongoing subscriptions, no additional payments – just pure value for money.

✅Proven Profit Strategy – The selections are based on a strategic betting approach aimed at beating the bookies, targeting big-priced value horses rather than short-priced favourites.

I Am Maximus, Win & Place Probability (2026)

Can I Am Maximus win a third time?

📊 Current market odds

Typical price: ~10/1 (sometimes as short as 15/2)
That implies a bookmaker win probability of ~9–12%

👉 Quick conversion:

10/1 ≈ 9.1% chance to win
15/2 ≈ 11.8% chance to win

🥇 Win chances (realistic view)

✔️ Positives

Proven winner (2024 champion)
Runner-up in 2025 → elite course form
Trained by Willie Mullins, dominant in recent Nationals
Strong ratings + stamina (ideal for Aintree)
Currently market favourite

❌ Negatives

Top weight (11-12) – historically a big disadvantage
Very hard to win twice (rare in modern era)
Grand National is inherently chaotic (34 runners, high attrition)

🎯 Verdict (win)

True win chance: ~10–13%
That’s very strong for this race (most horses <5%)

🥈 Place chances (Top 4 typical each-way)

Bookmakers usually pay 1/4 odds for 1–4 places.

Key context

Only ~40–50% of runners even finish the race most years
Proven Aintree horses massively outperform market expectations

🎯 Estimated place probability

Top 4 finish: ~30–40%
Top 6 (extended places): ~40–50%

👉 This is where he’s especially strong:

Already 1st and 2nd in last two Nationals
That consistency is extremely rare

📉 Historical reality check (important)

Only ~13 favourites have won in 100+ years
Average winner odds ≈ 20/1

👉 Translation:

Even a strong favourite like this is still more likely to lose than win

🧠 Bottom line

🥇 Win: Strong contender, but still only ~1 in 10 chance
🥈 Place: Very solid (~1 in 3 chance) → much safer bet angle
📊 Overall: One of the most reliable horses in the field, but not dominant enough to be “likely” in a race this unpredictable

💡 Betting insight (practical)

Win bet: High-quality but not value-heavy at short odds
Each-way: ✔️ Best angle (strong place probability)
Without favourite markets / forecasts: also worth considering

What makes The Grand National so tough

The Grand National is known for its unique and challenging track. The track is a left-handed, undulating course that covers a distance of 4 miles and 514 yards and features 30 fences, many of which are larger and more imposing than those found on other racecourses.

The fences on the Aintree course are among the most famous in horse racing, with names like Becher’s Brook, The Chair, and Canal Turn. These fences are challenging because they are much larger and more difficult to jump than standard steeplechase fences, and they require horses and jockeys to have a great deal of skill and experience to navigate them successfully.

The Aintree track is also known for its long and demanding run-in, which is the distance between the final fence and the finish line. This stretch of the course is uphill and can be very tiring for horses that have already completed the gruelling four-mile race.

Overall, the Aintree track is a challenging and unique course that requires horses and jockeys to be at the absolute top of their game. The combination of the size and difficulty of the fences, the undulating terrain, and the long run-in makes the Grand National one of the toughest horse races in the world.

Emerging Trends Among Winners

Having looked at the past winners, let’s now discuss some of the trends we can observe among these champions.

Age and Experience

When it comes to the age of winning horses, the sweet spot seems to be between 8 and 11 years old. In the last five years, all of the winners have been within this age range. This is likely because the Grand National is a race that demands both physical prowess and the experience to navigate its unique and challenging course. Keep an eye out for horses in this age range with a proven track record in steeplechase events.

Weight and Handicapping

The Grand National is a handicap race, meaning that horses carry different weights based on their perceived ability, with the goal of levelling the playing field. In the past, horses carrying a heavier weight were at a significant disadvantage. However, recent years have shown that this is no longer the case. Both Tiger Roll and Minella Times carried a relatively high weight when they won the race. When looking for potential winners, don’t be too quick to dismiss horses with a higher weight allocation, as they may still have what it takes to emerge victorious.

Jockey and Trainer

A winning horse is often accompanied by a talented jockey and a skilled trainer. In recent years, we’ve seen some notable partnerships achieve success in the Grand National. For example, the pairing of jockey Davy Russell and trainer Gordon Elliott led Tiger Roll to his back-to-back victories. Similarly, the combination of Rachael Blackmore and Henry de Bromhead resulted in Minella Times‘ historic win. When analysing contenders, be sure to consider the quality and history of the jockey-trainer partnership.

Some of the most popular Grand National winners include:

Red Rum: One of the most famous horses in Grand National history, Red Rum won the race three times in 1973, 1974, and 1977. He also finished second in the race on two occasions.
Tiger Roll: A recent star of the Grand National, Tiger Roll won the race in 2018 and 2019, becoming the first horse since Red Rum to win the race in consecutive years.
Foinavon: A 100-1 outsider in the 1967 Grand National, Foinavon won the race after a pile-up at the 23rd fence caused chaos and allowed him to sneak through to the lead.
Aldaniti: A hugely popular winner of the 1981 Grand National, Aldaniti was ridden by jockey Bob Champion, who had recovered from cancer to ride the horse to victory.
Many Clouds: A popular winner of the 2015 Grand National, Many Clouds sadly passed away after winning a race at Cheltenham the following year.

Top 7 horse racing tipsters for Aintree!

Bet Professionals Off free tips for the event, also 7 expert tipsters
Their tips are based on extensive research and analysis, and he has a reputation for spotting value bets.

Dedicated Aintree tips for £14.97, one bet a day, Aintree Super 6

RaceValue Pro (14 day trial)

Next, we have best tipsters/the-bet-professor/">The Bet Professor. This well-respected horse racing tipster provides in-depth analysis of every horse in every race, as well as expert tips and predictions.

Third on our list is Off the Bridle Racing. Their team of tipsters are among the best in the business and provides expert analysis and tips for every major race, including the Grand National.

Fourth on our list is On Target Tips. He’s a well-known horse racing tipster in the UK, with a reputation for providing value bets, often at long odds.

Finally, we have AR68. This respected horse racing tipster provides expert tips and predictions for every major race. Their tips are based on extensive research and data analysis.

So there you have it, the top 57horse racing tipsters for Aintree. By following their tips and analysis, you can increase your chances of making profitable bets and enjoying a successful Aintree meeting. Thanks for watching, and don’t forget to like and share this video with your fellow horse racing enthusiasts!

For the best horse racing tipster, look no further and read about it here

🏇 Grand National 2026 –Runners & Odds

#	Horse	Odds
1	I Am Maximus	15/2 – 10/1
2	Grangeclare West	9/1 – 10/1
3	Iroko	10/1 – 12/1
4	Jagwar	12/1
5	Panic Attack	14/1
6	Nick Rockett	16/1
7	Johnnywho	16/1
8	Oscars Brother	16/1
9	Haiti Couleurs	16/1 – 18/1
10	Gerri Colombe	20/1
11	Meetingofthewaters	20/1
12	Stumptown	20/1
13	Iroko	12/1
14	Intense Raffles	20/1
15	Senior Chief	25/1
16	Broadway Boy	25/1
17	Stay Away Fay	25/1
18	Beauport	25/1
19	Chantry House	25/1
20	Kandoo Kid	33/1
21	Perceval Legallois	33/1
22	Pic Roc	33/1
23	Now Is The Hour	33/1
24	O’Moore Park	33/1
25	Paggane	33/1
26	Hitman	40/1
27	Conflated	40/1
28	Minella Cocooner	40/1
29	Appreciate It	40/1
30	Hewick	40/1
31	Minella Indo	50/1
32	Royale Pagaille	50/1
33	Pied Piper	66/1
34	Twig	66/1 – 100/1