Grand National Picks — Betting Preview, Trends, and Predictions (Apr 5)

There is no more exciting race on the horse racing schedule than the Grand National.

Britain’s most famous race will see a field of more than 30 horses compete over four miles at Aintree, with this year’s contenders looking to join legends such as Red Rum and Tiger Roll in the history books.

You can find the latest odds and key trends to consider when assessing the runners here.

Odds

Grand National Recent Winners

Grand National: Event Information

Grand National Trends

• Horses priced +1600 or shorter have won six of the last seven editions.
• All of the last nine National winners have been aged nine or younger
• 13 of the last 18 winners have carried 11st or less
• Horses that have raced at Aintree but never run in the National have won 15 of the last 21.
• Only Red Rum in the last 50 Nationals has carried 11st 5lb or higher to success.

Event Preview

The world’s most famous race is set for early April at Aintree, as the 2025 Grand National will be run. It is one of the most famous betting events in the United Kingdom and Ireland, having been staged for the first time in 1839.

However, the race is completely different in this modern day, with recent editions suiting the more classier runners. I Am Maximus will be looking to join a short list of back-to-back winners of the race, but he will have a bigger weight on his back to make history.

Intense Raffles looks like a leading contender on all available trends, winning the Irish National in 2024, and claiming second in the recent Bobbyjo Chase. That path carried I Am Maximus to success 12 months ago.

Iroko will be a leading British hope in the National this year for Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero. The seven-year-old has been mapped out for this race for a long time, and will carry a light weight on his back. However, the fact that he was a faller at Ascot last year would be a major concern.

The Cross Country Chase has been a popular path for National hopes, with Tiger Roll running in the race prior to both of his wins. Stumptown was a dominant winner of the race in 2025, but Vanillier could be the eye-catching contender from that race after finishing third, despite nearly taking the wrong route. However, the fact that the ten-year-old was 14th in the National last year can’t be overlooked.

Hewick will be a popular contender for John Hanlon, as he looks to complete an unlikely American-Grand National double. However, carrying 11-7 around Aintree is no easy feat.

Hyland is another British hope in the race this year for Nicky Henderson. He will run off 10-6, which will be among the lightest in the race. So far this season, he has taken two eye-catching seconds.

Grand National Picks

Intense Raffles could be very hard to beat, and he is one of three plays that I like for the National. Kandoo Kid ticks plenty of boxes for the Paul Nicholls team, as the nine-year-old carries 10-11, and he already has an eye-catching win over fences to his name this season.

His experience over the National fences is also noted after finishing third in the Topham last April. Perceval Legallois is also a notable angle for the in-form Gavin Cromwell.

The eight-year-old has already won two big-field handicaps at Leopardstown this season, including a dominant win at the Dublin Racing Festival when still appearing to have plenty in hand on the handicapper.