2026 Grand National Runner-By-Runner Guide: JP holds a strong hand
AN EARLY LOOK – GRAND NATIONAL RUNNER-BY-RUNNER GUIDE
Intense Raffles 7/1 – 9/1
The unexposed Thomas Gibney runner heads to the market following an excellent second to Nick Rockett in the Bobby Jo Chase at Fairyhouse last time – a race frequently used as a prep for the Grand National – and the 2024 Irish Grand National winner holds strong handicapping claims on that evidence.
The seven-year-old has only had 15 runs under rules and only six in Ireland, so he arrives entirely unexposed. He beat the second favourite, Iroko, in September 2021 in an AQPS Hurdle race for unraced three-year-olds at Auteuil.
He could yet be anything and looks to be building towards a more significant performance. However, his best form has come when the mud has been flying, and he is untested on a quicker surface than soft, which may be his Achilles heel.
Still, he is a strong and worthy favourite for the race on his first run in Britain for powerful owner-connections.
Iroko 7/1 – 9/1
Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero have built this horse’s entire season around the Aintree Grand National, racing him sparingly and letting arguably easier pots go in the process this term. His powerful owner, JP McManus, eyed this race last year with Iroko, and everything seems in place for a big effort.
The seven-year-old was rushed back to the Cheltenham Festival following a setback in 2024. Still, he put in a monster effort at Aintree on the clock following that run to finish an excellent second to recent 2025 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin, staying on at the finish of the 3m1f contest. That form has worked out well.
This emphasis on stamina should suit him well as he goes beyond 3m1f for the first time in his career. The strong suspicion is that we have yet to see the best of him. Strong claims.
I Am Maximus 8/1 – 11/1
A brilliant winner of this race last year and is another for JP McManus, who has had his entire season geared around a repeat victory. The Willie Mullins runner will carry top weight this time but could have more to offer after just 12 starts over fences.
A robust and hardy horse, he will be challenging to keep out of the frame with a repeat of last year’s effort. He will bid to become the first top-weight winner of the Grand National in at least ten years.
Stumptown 7/1 – 8/1
An improving eight-year-old who bids to repeat the feat of the excellent Tiger Roll by following up his Cheltenham X-Country victory with a win here. He has now won his last four starts, with his latest coming in first-time cheek-pieces, and if they have another positive effect, he could have improvement left yet.
This, however, is a more daunting task than the X-Country Chase for the Gavin Cromwell runner. He is a classy operator with proven stamina, and it’s tough to find faults if this race doesn’t come too soon (19 days from Cheltenham). He’s a big player.
Vanillier 10/1 – 12/1
Gavin Cromwell’s second representative, Vanillier, was handily weighted on his second in this race two years ago. He gave a strong indication in the X-Country Chase at Cheltenham last time that he is in fine fettle, running on at the finish, having almost taken the wrong course earlier in the race.
The ten-year-old will find this more competitive, but he should have won this race two years ago, and he is impossible to write off. His chance may have come and gone, and he may be vulnerable to younger legs.
Nick Rockett 12/1 – 25/1
An improving stayer for Willie Mullins, who arrives following victories in the Bobby Jo Chase over Intense Raffles and a career-defining win in the Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park in January.
Today’s 4m2f distance should prove no barrier to success, but he is carrying an awful lot of weight, and one suspects this is a slight afterthought, having gone up 13lbs in the handicap this season for his excellent work.
Perceval Legallois 12/1 – 16/1
Perceval Legallois represents a Gavin Cromwell and JP McManus partnership, and having been a horse that failed to live up to the promise on multiple occasions in years gone by, he has suddenly hit a rich vein of form, landing back-to-back races.
He is a winner of two of his nine chase starts and prepped for this contest by landing a Listed Hurdle race at the Dublin Racing Festival in January.
Given how well he won at Christmas over fences at Leopardstown over Nick Rockett and the recent Cheltenham National Hunt Chase third Will Do, he is impossible to knock. He is well handicapped on that form, and a sound surface suits him well, with career form figures reading 14821233.
Cromwell has had a fine season, and he has a live contender with Perceval Legallois, provided his sometimes iffy jumping can pass this test. He is a strong each-way player.
Hewick 9/1 – 11/1
Brought for a mere £850 in 2017, John Hanlon has reaped his rewards for such a shrewd purchase, including landing the 2023 King George at Kempton. He relishes good ground and is a dour stayer, but despite his big heart, he is small in stature and must lump around a big weight.
Classy customer who might find 11st7 just too much in this company.
Kandoo Kid 16/1 – 20/1
Kandoo Kid represents Paul Nicholls and has strong claims if he can improve for this stamina-sapping distance. An excellent winner of the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury earlier this year, connections have raced once since to keep him ticking over when down the field at Newbury 35 days ago in his prep run. Still, he arrives fresher than most in this field, and the nine-year-old is entirely unexposed over staying trips. Fascinating runner.
Meetingofthewaters 14/1 – 25/1
He looked like a blatant non-stayer in last year’s race when travelling kindly for a long way, finishing seventh of 32. He has done little to enhance his claims this term, and his owner and trainer have more pressing claims elsewhere.
Bravemandsgame 28/1 – 50/1
This is Paul Nicholls’s second entry in the 2025 renewal, although one suspects that he wouldn’t be within touching distance of this contest if he was at the top of his game. However, he enjoys a flat track, and for the first time in his career, he has bypassed the Cheltenham Festival to come here relatively fresh.
He’s a brilliant jumper, but stamina has to be questioned, and he has looked a shadow of his former self this term.
Broadway Boy 33/1 – 80/1
He is a likeable front-running seven-year-old for Nigel Twiston-Davies, but he flopped at this meeting last year and arrives following a pulled-up effort in the Ultima Handicap. He has had plenty of challenging races and may be in the handicapper’s grip.
Grangeclare West 20/1 – 28/1
A Willie Mullins nine-year-old who is exceptional on a going day, however, usually at the start of the season or when returning from a break. None of those applies today, so it’s challenging to have confidence in a proper showing, and he must carry his fair share of weight for his second to Galopin Des Champs earlier this term.
The negatives stack up.
Hyland 20/1 – 25/1
Nicky Henderson’s runner, Hyland, enjoys good ground, has been raced sparingly in his short career, and will get in here towards the foot of the weights. It would be no surprise that connections eyed this race from a long, long way out.
He is 3-6 over fences and holds an excellent Grade 1 placed effort to his name this term behind a horse that will surely be worthy of a rating of 160 plus in due course, making him look fairly treated. He is a sound jumper and could be well suited to the demands of this relentless gallop.
Providing he gets good ground, there is no reason to think he won’t be involved at a considerable price from a fair rating, and this improving Novice has a different profile to many of the runners in this race. Strong claims.
Monbeg Genius 20/1 – 33/1
A once useful chaser, he returned to winning ways at Uttoxeter in fine style in February. He has the back form to play a strong hand in this if he can back up his recent effort, which came in a tongue-tie and cheek-pieces combination for the second time in his career.
If the headgear combination works again, a case can be made, but he faces the most challenging assignment of his career. How much is left in the locker is questionable; therefore, he is a risky proposition.
Three Card Brag 20/1 – 25/1
The Gordon Elliott-trained eight-year-old hasn’t reached the heights once thought, and stamina must be a big question, having looked like a non-stayer over 3m on a handful of occasions. He has plenty to find.
Minella Cocooner 20/1 – 25/1
A thorough stayer with a class edge, having finished second in an Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival in 2022. He has transformed into a very likeable staying chaser, and he only has four lengths to find with favourite Intense Raffles on their meeting in last year’s Irish Grand National. However, as strong a stayer as he is, this trip demands much more, and he could go very well until the final fences, but one suspects he will lack the finishing kick needed for this long run-in.
Threeunderthrufive 40/1 – 66/1
A ten-year-old for Paul Nicholls who arrives on the back of a career-best at Ascot, but his best efforts have come on a right-handed track (can hang left). He will be competitive, but looking elsewhere for the winner is best.
Twig 40/1 – 80/1
He had an excellent season last term, which included a narrow second in the Ultima Handicap from three pounds lower. However, there have been clear signs of regression this season, including his latest when he returned to fences at Doncaster. He will need a career best in some way and is an unlikely winner.
Beauport 25/1 – 33/1
A Nigel Twiston-Davies runner who is far too high in the weights to be competitive in the finish in this contest, and the lack of foresight for this race means he is quickly passed over.
Capodanno 50/1 – 66/1
Willie Mullins, a nine-year-old, was beaten 50 lengths and failed to finish in the last two editions of this contest. He is a savvy customer on his day, but he has been in the handicapper grip for some time, and his jumping is his frailty.
*Further horses will be added once five-day declarations are in.
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Current shortlist
1: Iroko
2: Perceval Legallois
3: Hyland
4: Stumptown