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Randox Grand National 2026 shortlist from our daily tipping duo

By David Massey & Rory Delargy
Horse Racing
Tue April 07, 2026 · 4h ago

Rory Delargy and David Massey have put their heads together to come up with a shortlist for the 2026 Randox Grand National at Aintree.

Jagwar (Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero)

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The 1-2 from the Ultima are both of interest in the Grand National, but while Johnnywho suggested that a marathon trip stretches him in last year’s Irish Grand National, Jagwar showed previously hidden reserves of stamina to make up a lot of late ground at Cheltenham having been put on the back foot by an early blunder. Given how he shaped there, it’s very possible that an even stiffer test will bring about further improvement from one of the least exposed runners in the race, and while the flipside of being unexposed is often a lack of experience in a competitive environment, Jagwar cannot be accused of that, with his win in last season’s Festival Plate at Cheltenham showing he is well suited by big-field handicaps. He’s improved again this season despite not winning and is officially ahead of his mark; he has been trained with this race in mind all year and is very much in the same mould as stablemate Iroko, who was the same age when running such a fine race to be fourth a year ago. His stamina would have been a concern prior to Cheltenham, when tackling 3m1f for the first time, but he looked a stayer there, and his half-brother d’Jango stays 3m6f, which adds grist to the mill. (Rory Delargy)

Grand National JockeyBox - Willie and Patrick Mullins on their Aintree heroics!

Gerri Colombe (Gordon Elliott)

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There is a general belief that Gerri Colombe is a mudlark, or in need of a small field, but I’ve always viewed him as a Grand National horse and backed him early for this before he returned to form when second in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse. For me, Gerri Colombe has always lacked the tactical pace to be a Gold Cup horse, but he stays very well and has shown that he doesn’t require bottomless ground with victory in the Grade 1 Mildmay Novices’ Chase here a few years ago. He looked uncomfortable down the hill when a strong-finishing second to The Real Whacker at Cheltenham prior to that, and a flat track might well be ideal for him. Gerri Colombe was off the track for a long time before reappearing in the Savill’s Chase at Leopardstown at Christmas, and he’s been given a very un-Gordonlike campaign as a result, only beginning to peak at Fairyhouse and then not having a hard time to win at Down Royal last time, with Nick Rockett behind. That should set him up nicely for this, and it would be a major surprise if he lacked the stamina for this longer trip, having long given the impression that he will keep galloping relentlessly. (RD)

Monty’s Star (Henry De Bromhead)

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There’s a fairly glaring negative in the fact he hasn’t won a race since 2023, but then again, Rule The World threw that rule out of the book when he won a decade ago, so I’m less concerned about it than I might have been, and Monty’s Star strikes me as the type that could go well in a race like this. He finished a staying-on fifth to Affordale Fury in the Grade 1 Savills Chase at Christmas and then only weakened out of the Irish Gold Cup late, paying for his earlier exertions in the race, but all in all shaping very nicely indeed. He has the right sort of run style for this, seems to go on pretty much all ground and for one as classy as he is, has a nice racing weight. (David Massey)

Favori De Champdou (Gordon Elliott)

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Favori De Champdou has really refound his mojo this year, winning the valuable Paddy Power Chase at Christmas as an unconsidered 66/1 shot, but showed that to be no fluke by winning the X-Country easily on Trials Day at Cheltenham at the end of March and then only finding Final Orders too good for him in at the Festival, the pair pulling 18 lengths clear of Vanillier in third. There was a time the XC at the Festival was as good a pointer to something’s chances in the Grand National as anything, as Tiger Roll frequently demonstrated, and there’s a chance the form has been somewhat underestimated. Won’t mind good to soft ground on Saturday and I’d expect him to be front rank from the get-go. (DM)

Imperial Saint (Philip Hobbs & Johnson White)

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Of those at three-figure prices, I could throw a few quid at Imperial Saint, who has a nice profile for this; winner of four of his 11 chase starts, including the Peter Marsh at Haydock in January, and for all he’s yet to try the National fences, he certainly enjoys a day out at Liverpool, winner of three of his five starts over the Mildmay fences and a good second to Cruz Control in the Freebooter last year too. In the circumstances, his eighth in the Ultima last time wasn’t a bad effort, given he probably needed the run to sharpen him up after a break; he was on and off the bridle throughout, but was still in touch when Konfusion fell on the final circuit and all but brought him down, but he kept on and passed a few late on. The worry is they’ll go too quick again here, but at 66/1 and bigger I can give him a try over a trip that might bring out a bit more yet, with fingers firmly crossed that he just sneaks in the race. (DM)

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