Grand National 2026 tips, best bets, runners, jockeys and declaration dates

Apr 9, 2026 - 18:45

The Grand National is the biggest race not just in the UK but in the world and it’s fast approaching once more as the showpiece of horse racing.

Picking out winners is often a hard task but recent years have shown recent form has been the key and this Saturday’s 2026 Grand National won’t be any different.

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Grand National 2026: Declaration dates

The following are the next stages for the 2026 renewal at Aintree scheduled for April 11 at 4pm.

February 11: Weights announced
March 3: First scratchings deadline (12pm)
March 24: Second scratchings deadline (12pm)
April 6: Final confirmations (12pm)
April 8: Final declarations (10am)

Grand National 2026: Confirmed runners and jockeys

The Grand National now allows a maximum of 34 runners, down from 40 effective as of 2023 onwards.

The declarations were announced on Wednesday morning, where we finally have our confirmed 34 for this year’s huge race, with I Am Maximus is the big favourite.

Jockey bookings were also released and confirmed shortly after, which can often make a huge indication in which horse a yard with multiple runners consider as their top choice.

Similarly, stable jockeys like Paul Townend get the choice of horse and it’s interesting to see who he’s decided to mount for Saturday…

Nick Rockett will not defend his crown this year as he was shockingly declared a non-runner on Thursday.

Pied Piper was next on the reserves list to take his place but had to quickly withdraw due to being lame, so that has opened the door for Imperial Saint.

Shortly after Spillane’s Tower featured in the Bowl Chase, he was of course also pulled out officially of the National as well.

Which will give way to another reserve, potentially Amirite, who’s next on the list, going to show the reserve feature in this race is so important.

Your field for the 2026 Grand National is:

1. I Am Maximus Paul Townend
3. Banbridge JJ Slevin
4. Grangeclare West Patrick Mullins
5. Gerri Colombe Jack Kennedy
6. Haiti Couleurs Sean Bowen
8. Firefox Keith Donoghue
9. Monty’s Star Darragh O’Keeffe
10. Spanish Harlem Brian Hayes
11. Lecky Watson Sean O’Keeffe
12. Champ Kiely Danny Mullins
13. Iroko Jonjo O’Neill Jr
14. Favori De Champdou Danny Gilligan
15. Three Card Brag Jordan Gainford
16. Oscars Brother Daniel King
17. Mr Vango Jack Tudor
18. High Class Hero James Bowen
19. Stellar Story Robbie Dunne
20. Beauport Sam Twiston-Davies
21. Captain Cody Jonathan Burke
22. Jagwar Mark Walsh
23. Perceval Legallois Harry Cobden
24. Gorgeous Tom Sean Flanagan
25. The Real Whacker Gavin Sheehan
26. Quai De Bourbon Donagh Meyler
27. Answer To Kayf John Shinnick
28. Jordans Ben Jones
29. Final Orders Conor Stone-Walsh
30. Marble Sands Kielan Woods
31. Panic Attack Harry Skelton
32. Top Of The Bill Toby McCain-Mitchell
33. Johnnywho Richie McLernon
34. Twig Beau Morgan
36. Imperial Saint Callum Pritchard

Reserves

Amirite
Ain’t That A Shame
Deep Cave
Buddy One

Grand National 2026: tips

Choosing a horse for the National has changed in recent years in line with the major changes to the festival for horse welfare.

The race itself now also requires a stricter threshold for better horses to compete, meaning higher-rated horses over jumps will and should result in less fallers and therefore better welfare in the national.

This was implemented by raising the minimum Overall Rating from 125 to 130.

Trends are still vital to look at but a big focus should also be on the last two renewals, when the key changes were first implemented.

The 2024 winner went to trainer Willie Mullins with Paul Townend up on I Am Maximus as the 7/1 favourite.

The year after it was a huge win for Mullins again and his son who rode Nick Rockett to victory at 33/1.

As Mullins has won the last two Nationals he’s got to be fancied to win again, coupled with the fact he had yet another phenomenal Cheltenham Festival.

We of course wait to see who jocks up on which runner, with the Townend choice going to be the most interesting.

Will he opt for previous winner I Am Maximus or will he choose Grangeclare West?

Iroko was set to be a major player but after his disappointing run in the Ultima, he’s drifted massively in the odds having been favourite in the antepost for quite some time.

Jagwar 12/1

Jagwar went close to Johnnywho (right) in the Ultima at Cheltenham Festival[/caption]

Jagwar fits the bill in many respects though, he has placed close up in each of his last three starts.

Has potential to rise in the weights as a chaser, still young and progressing all while having nearly gone on to win the Ultima, only denied by half a length.

The JP McManus-owned horse was beaten narrowly by Johnnywho, who has of course been cut in the odds for the National.

He is still a bigger price than Jagwar despite clearly benefitting from a wind op.

The Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerrerio-trained horse has long been considered as a top horse in the making.

At just seven he’s still got time to reach higher than he’s achieved and it was clear he stays and jumps well.

When he was a hurdler he only won once and struggled if anything to really live up to the expectations that connections saw of him.

But now over fences he’s won four from eight, including four placed efforts in some of the biggest races over 2m4f.

Upped for the first time beyond 3m at Cheltenham Festival last time out, he’s proven he’s clear of a few rivals and has the benefit of escaping a rise in the weights from that run.

Much like the route that the 2023 winner Corach Rambler took and made the most out of.

Iroko 12/1

I had initially held the second tip for the Grand National for Spillane’s Tower, but with not only a declaration for earlier in the week and the ground going against him, he’s easy to take out in place of other horses who are being geared towards this race and this race only.

There hasn’t been a ten-year-old winner of the National in quite some time but there seems to be an influx of them in this years renewal so it’s hard to rule them all out on that basis alone.

I still can’t believe Iroko is 14/1 to win with some bookies as he could be a very popular bet.

This is a horse who, granted didn’t run well last time out, but has only ever shown consistency before this including over incredible stamina tests.

Including placing fourth in the 2025 Grand National, when just 4lb lower.

Since then he’s placed close up behind The Jukebox Man, which is phenomenal form before winning at Ascot ahead of Firefox.

This is the same horse that was favourite for last year’s race so it would be a steal at nearly double the odds the year after.

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Tom Lunn’s Horse Racing Profit & Loss

March ’26: +11.31pts
From October ’25: +38.46pts
From March ’25: +109.76pts
From Oct ’23: +419.61pts

All odds correct at time of writing

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