Grand National tips: Best advice for 2025 Randox Grand National at Aintree

What do you make of Intense Raffles who currently tops the market?

Matt Brocklebank: There have been countless horses in this bracket over the years and that is ‘obvious Grand National runners who have simply become too short for me to back’. I like to have a good pick at favourites in big-field handicaps by and large but I’m struggling to see many negatives with Intense Raffles, who has been brought along steadily and ran a fine trial when conceding 3lb to Nick Rockett switched back to fences in the Bobbyjo Chase. I suppose Daryl Jacob suggesting that he wouldn’t want to the sun to really come out next week caught my attention to some degree, while trainer Tom Gibney has never had a winner in Britain (23 jumpers and half a dozen on the Flat), but all the same I reckon he’s the correct favourite as things stand.

Tony McFadden: He's a strong stayer and bold jumper - and those traits should ensure he runs well following an encouraging prep in the Bobbyjo - but I suspect he might find a couple of rivals too classy, particularly if the ground isn't testing. He's a likeable type, but I can't help but wonder if he'd have been the perfect horse for the test the Grand National provided around 15 years ago before the various modifications to the course were made.

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John Ingles: He's obviously got the right sort of profile for the race as it is nowadays and his latest run in the Bobbyjo looks to have teed him up nicely. But with seemingly no rain in the forecast next week, the big question is how he’ll handle conditions likely to be much less testing than he’s used to. He won the Irish Grand National in a bog last year and it certainly won’t be anything like that at Aintree.

Andrew Asquith: I’ve been a big fan of this horse for the Grand National for a while – I selected him in the ante-post section of the 2024/25 Timeform Horses To Follow booklet – and he looks a leading contender in my eye, as the market reflects. He won the Irish Grand National last year – just as I Am Maximus did the season before his Grand National success – and he has been prepared perfectly for Aintree this season, having two starts over hurdles and running a cracker back over fences in the Bobbyjo Chase last month. That race didn’t bring his proven stamina into play, but he did good work in the latter stages, shaping like a horse who will relish the Grand National trip. A mark of 151 looks attractive and, granted a clear round, it’s hard not to see him play a leading part in the finish.

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Can I Am Maximus go back-to-back, and is he the pick of the Mullins team?

Tony McFadden: He was so impressive last year, when storming seven and a half lengths clear with the tank seemingly not empty, that it would be difficult to rule out another bold bid.

However, an 8 lb higher mark will make life trickier this year, while he's not had an ideal preparation as he was a late withdrawal from the Bobbyjo - the race he had won so impressively last year - and then connections must have felt there wasn't time to squeeze in an alternative option. That missed prep run probably isn't a major issue given the powerhouse yard he hails from, and he looks the pick of the Mullins team, but he's not right at the top of my shortlist.

Matt Brocklebank: I’ll go with ‘no’ and the same again for those two particular posers. Granted, he bolted up last year but I’m convinced there will be too many better-treated rivals further down the weights than returning hero I Am Maximus. I’d have him third in among the Mullins brigade as I like Bobbyjo winner Nick Rockett, who possibly had a bit more in hand than some have given him credit for, as well as the year-older Minella Cocooner, who would surely be a much shorter price were he owned by – say – JP McManus. He’s run in just about all the top chases in Ireland this season, namely the John Durkan, Savills, Irish Gold Cup and Bobbyjo, and while he’s been well held, his mark has been creeping down all the while and I did see some glimmers of light at Fairyhouse last month on reflection. Running off 157, he’s only 6lb higher than when successful in the bet365 Gold Cup last April and perhaps the spring has been his target again all along.

John Ingles: It’s hard to warm to his chances off top weight this time and while he’s had a similar prep to Intense Raffles, he missed a run in the Bobbyjo (that he won last year) and with it the chance to show something a bit more encouraging. He's another whose claims would have improved for some rain, too. The latest Bobbyjo winner Nick Rockett is in the best form of the Mullins team this time.

Andrew Asquith: It will be a tough ask racing from a mark 8lb higher than last year, but he has no doubt been campaigned with the Grand National in mind, still looking rusty in the Irish version last month on what was just his second start of the season. He arrived last year on the back of an emphatic success in the Bobbyjo Chase, so he does need to prove better than ever to regain his crown, but it is worth remembering he produced a performance right up there with the best in recent years 12 months ago. I personally wouldn’t be a backer even at a top price 10/1, but he represents a trainer who continues to advertise his genius, and it would be folly to ignore his claims. Mullins also has claims with Nick Rockett, too. Intense Raffles finished runner-up to him last time, but was conceding 3lb, and will meet Nick Rockett on much better terms at Aintree. Nick Rockett is clearly on an upward curve, but you would have to say I Am Maximus is the leading contender for Mullins based on last season's form.

The best of Gavin Cromwell’s party is...?

Matt Brocklebank: Good question… and possibly the question when it comes to the 2025 Grand National, seeing as he was content to remove the well-in Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin from the race. Stumptown has been my Cromwell number one since around Christmas and if he truly stays four and a quarter miles then he’s got to be thereabouts. He looked a little bit quirky in the past and was suffering from jumping issues but just appears to have been turned inside out in nearly every respect and couldn’t be in better heart heading into the race. First-time cheekpieces worked well at Cheltenham recently and I wonder if they’ll stick or go back to the blinkers as he also won when they were first applied on New Year’s Day, 2024.

John Ingles: I'm sure Gavin Cromwell will win a Grand National sooner or later and this could well be his year given he has three leading contenders. I wouldn’t be surprised if any of them was to be the one. Stumptown is clearly on a roll over cross-country fences and Perceval Legallois is in fine form too, but if Vanillier’s satnav is working this time, which it wasn’t at Cheltenham, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him go very close again like he did in a good-ground renewal two years ago.

Andrew Asquith: The market suggests Stumptown is the one, which is hard to argue with given what he’s done on the banks this season, producing a big career best when completing a four-timer at the Cheltenham Festival. However, his stablemate Vanillier was a big eye-catcher when third to him that day, and has experience of the National fences. If he gets a run, he must be considered, but Cromwell also has another interesting contender in Perceval Legallois. He had been shaping up well and finally put it all together in a strong handicap at Leopardstown over Christmas, doing all of his best work at the finish to win going away, and that form has been well advertised since by the likes of Nick Rockett. Perceval Legallois has since won again over hurdles and strikes as the type who will relish the demands of a Grand National and he’s certainly not one to underestimate. He’s the one for me from the Cromwell yard.

Tony McFadden: Possibly Perceval Legallois at the prices, though I can understand why Stumptown and Vanillier have been so popular after powering up the hill in the Cross Country to finish first and third respectively.

It's a strong team for the Gold Cup-winning trainer but Perceval Legallois strikes as the one with the potential to raise his game another notch given his strength in the finish when comfortably winning the valuable Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas. Perceval Legallois backed that up by winning a big-field handicap hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival and looks to be thriving.

Is there another chapter in the Hewick fairytale?

Matt Brocklebank: Not a lot would shock me with this horse. I certainly enjoyed Shark Hanlon’s comments about the owners being on at 66/1 a few weeks back. “When you're running in the National it's good to have a bit of value,” he added. Hear hear, Shark! He’s probably just a year or so beyond his peak now and it’s very hard for such horses to win a modern-day National, but those owners who got on each-way at the wild prices should get a run for their money with Gavin Sheehan back on board for the first time since the pair of them won the King George.

John Ingles: A grandson of Nunthorpe winner Pivotal winning the National? Hewick already has enough achievements on his CV to make that unlikely pedigree an irrelevance now, and he’s one for whom the dry forecast is very welcome. A successful prep run over hurdles the other day instils a bit more confidence, so it’s far from out of the question.

Tony McFadden: He's a Grade 1-winning chaser, has bags of stamina, a tough attitude, a forward-going style and has shown his wellbeing of late by making the most of a good opportunity over hurdles, so he certainly has some things going for him. It does rather feel like I've missed the boat with him, however, as he was still a general 25/1 shot a few days after his win over hurdles at Thurles but is now available at less than half those odds. I prefer the claims of a rival who is a similar price.

Andrew Asquith: You would love to see it, wouldn’t you? It would be excellent for Shark Hanlon following a less-than-ideal last eight months or so and he warmed up for the National with a comfortable success over hurdles at Thurles recently. He was entitled to win that race as he did, though, and the one niggling doubt for me is that he isn’t the biggest. The National fences aren’t what they once were, of course, but he has been prone to a mistake or two in the past. The form of his runner-up effort to Envoi Allen in a Grade 1 at Downpatrick earlier in the season gives him claims from his current mark, but I personally couldn’t back him at the prices.

Click here for David Ord's in-depth guide to the full Grand National field

Thoughts on Iroko and the rest of the British team please?

Tony McFadden: Iroko looked like the type who would win a big staying handicap when staying on into second behind Inothewayurthinkin in the Grade 1 Mildmay Novices' Chase at Aintree last season and perhaps that success will come in the biggest handicap of them all?

The form of that Aintree effort certainly looks good following the recent Cheltenham Festival given Inothewayurthinkin won the Gold Cup and Heart Wood finished runner-up in the Ryanair Chase. It's also worth remembering that Iroko was making only his third start over fences at Aintree after he had encountered a setback and had to be rushed back for the Cheltenham Festival where he looked rusty when finishing fifth in the Turners. Iroko has not won from four starts this season but he's shown lots of promise on all three completed outings and he strikes as a potential Grade 1-calibre chaser running off a lenient BHA mark of 152.

Matt Brocklebank: I’ve a couple of small question marks over Iroko seeing out the trip as well as some of his rivals. I suppose he could have reserves of stamina yet to be shown on course and it has been argued – by those closest to the horse anyway - that he 'shapes' like he might stay, but we don’t know for sure and at 8/1 or thereabouts then the microscope does linger over those question marks somewhat. I get the case for Hyland who is probably still progressing despite being unable to reel in the runaway winner at Kempton, while at even bigger prices my old pal Beauport will probably finish last or surprise everyone by going quite close. I’m undecided at this stage which outcome to expect but he hacked up on good ground earlier in the season which came as a surprise as I always thought he wanted it hock deep. The two subsequent runs over hurdles have been perfectly adequate too.

John Ingles: Iroko’s second to Inothewayurthinkin in the Mildmay Novices’ at the meeting a year ago is looking all the better now and his run behind Grey Dawning at Kelso last time was another good effort. There’d be stamina doubts given he’s a strong traveller who isn’t yet proven at much beyond three miles, but his half-brother was third in last month’s Devon National over a marathon trip, so that’s a bit of encouragement. Beauport’s colours bring back memories of Corbiere in 1983 and he’s brushed up his jumping since winning last year’s Midlands National win so would have each-way chances.

Andrew Asquith: It appears that the Grand National has been the plan all along for Iroko and he remains a horse who is yet to show his true colours. He has caught the eye on more than one occasion this season, notably when hitting the frame in a competitive handicap at Cheltenham in January under a considerate ride – the stewards held an inquiry afterwards. Iroko also lost little in defeat when runner-up to a back-to-form Grey Dawning at Kelso last time, too, never looking like winning at the business end of that race but he stayed on well in the closing stages which was encouraging for a modern day National. Of the British contingent, Iroko would be at the very top of my shortlist, though I could also see Monbeg Genius running well, too.

Who tops your Aintree shortlist right now?

Matt Brocklebank: Twig was my 100/1 fancy when the weights were unveiled and, after creeping in at the bottom, I'll stand by him as an interesting outsider for the home team, but I much prefer classy performer Minella Cocooner and I'm also warming a little to Senior Chief for Henry De Bromhead. He's only had six starts over fences and is precisely the sort of horse who could still have considerable improvement in the locker. He also doesn't mind good ground which looks like it might be quite a major plus this time around.

Tony McFadden: Iroko, for the reasons outlined above. Stamina is the obvious query, but encouragement can be taken from how he's stuck to his task on both starts at trips around three miles over fences. I could also see Perceval Legallois going well. He really found his feet over the winter and the way he stormed clear in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown bodes well for his prospects.

John Ingles: I’ll stick with Gavin Cromwell to complete the Gold Cup-Grand National double that Henry de Bromhead achieved most recently. If I had to pick one, I’d go with Vanillier.

Andrew Asquith: It is a pretty boring answer, but it has to be Intense Raffles for me. There is plenty to like about him, a lightly-raced seven-year-old who has won three of his four starts over fences for these connections (he had plenty of experience in France) and he remains totally unexposed at marathon trips. He proved better than ever last time and this race has been his target since winning the Irish version last season. Intense Raffles remains well treated from a mark of 151 and he has all the attributes to run a big race in a National.

Who are the Grand National runners?

Randox Grand National Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) 4m 2f 74y

4.00pm, Saturday April 5

1 I Am Maximus (FR) 9 11 12 Mr John P. McManus W. P. Mullins Ireland

2 Royale Pagaille (FR) 11 11 9 Mrs S. Ricci Venetia Williams

3 Nick Rockett (IRE) 8 11 8 Stewart & Sadie Andrew W. P.Mullins Ireland

4 Grangeclare West (IRE) 9 11 8 Cheveley Park Stud W. P. Mullins Ireland

5 Hewick (IRE) 10 11 7 Mr T. J. McDonald John Joseph Hanlon Ireland

6 Minella Indo (IRE) 12 11 3 Mr Barry Maloney Henry de Bromhead Ireland

7 Appreciate It (IRE) 11 11 2 Miss M. A. Masterson W. P. Mullins Ireland

8 Minella Cocooner (IRE) 9 11 2 Mr David Bobbett W. P. Mullins Ireland

9 Conflated (IRE) 11 11 2 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland

10 Stumptown (IRE) 8 11 2 Furze Bush Syndicate Gavin Cromwell Ireland

11 Hitman (FR) 9 11 1 Mason, Hogarth, Ferguson & Done Paul Nicholls Freddie Gingell

12 Beauport (IRE) 9 11 1 Bryan & Philippa Burrough Nigel Twiston-Davies

13 Bravemansgame (FR) 10 11 0 Bryan Drew Paul Nicholls James Reveley

14 Chantry House (IRE) 11 10 13 Mr John P. McManus Nicky Henderson

15 Threeunderthrufive (IRE) 10 10 12 McNeill Family Paul Nicholls Harry Skelton

16 Perceval Legallois (FR) 8 10 12 Mr John P. McManus Gavin Cromwell Ireland

17 Kandoo Kid (FR) 9 10 11 Mr Michael Geoghegan Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden

18 Iroko (FR) 7 10 11 Mr John P. McManus Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

19 Intense Raffles (FR) 7 10 10 Mr Simon Munir/Mr Isaac Souede T. Gibney Ireland

20 Senior Chief 8 10 10 Lucky In Life Syndicate Henry de Bromhead Ireland

21 Idas Boy (IRE) 11 10 10 Dozen Dreamers Richard Phillips

22 Fil Dor (FR) 7 10 9 Robcour Gordon Elliott Ireland

23 Broadway Boy (IRE) 7 10 9 Mr D. M. Proos Nigel Twiston-Davies

24 Coko Beach (FR) 10 10 9 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland

25 Stay Away Fay (IRE) 8 10 9 Bell, Lyons, Hill Paul Nicholls Johnny Burke

26 Meetingofthewaters (IRE) 8 10 7 Mr John P. McManus W. P. Mullins Ireland

27 Monbeg Genius (IRE) 9 10 6 Martin Tedham & Wasdell Properties Ltd. Jonjo & A.J. O'Neill

28 Vanillier (FR) 10 10 6 Mrs H. M. Keaveney Gavin Cromwell Ireland

29 Horantzau d'Airy (FR) 8 10 6 Mr Jim Gill Michael Keady Ciaran Gethings

30 Hyland (FR) 8 10 6 The Ten From Seven Nicky Henderson

31 Celebre d'Allen (FR) 13 10 6 Mr Allan Stennett Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

32 Three Card Brag (IRE) 8 10 5 Patrick & Scott Bryceland,McNeill Family Gordon Elliott Ireland

33 Twig 10 10 5 Mrs G. Morgan Ben Pauling

34 Duffle Coat (IRE) 8 10 4 Mr Ray Stokes Gordon Elliott Ireland

35 Shakem Up'arry (IRE) 11 10 4 Mr Harry Redknapp Ben Pauling

36 Roi Mage (FR) 13 10 4 Pryde/Van Der Hoeven/McGladery/Beaumont Patrick Griffin Ireland

37 Favori de Champdou (FR) 10 10 3 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland

38 Fantastic Lady (FR) 10 10 3 Mr E. R. Hanbury Nicky Henderson

39 Yeah Man (IRE) 8 10 3 John J. Brennan/Martin Hannan Gavin Cromwell Ireland

40 Mr Vango (IRE) 9 10 2 Cracker and Smodge Partnership Sara Bradstock

41 Macdermott (FR) 7 10 2 Gallagher Bloodstock Limited W. P. Mullins Ireland

42 Mister Coffey (FR) 10 10 2 Lady Bamford & Alice Bamford Nicky Henderson

43 Chemical Energy (IRE) 9 10 2 Bective Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland

44 Desertmore House (IRE) 10 10 1 O. B. P. Carroll/Anthony Vaughan Martin Brassil Ireland

45 Malina Girl (IRE) 8 10 1 Mrs J. M. Russell Gavin Cromwell Ireland

46 Richmond Lake (IRE) 9 10 1 Hemmings Racing Donald McCain

47 Stuzzikini (IRE) 7 9 13 VCS Versatile Coating Specialist/F Foran Gordon Elliott Ireland

48 King Turgeon (FR) 7 9 13 Somerset Racing David Pipe

49 Surrey Quest (IRE) 8 9 12 Surrey Racing (SQ) Toby Lawes

50 Cruz Control (FR) 8 9 12 Mr F Green and Mr J Chinn Tom Lacey

51 Apple Away (IRE) 8 9 11 Old Gold Racing 14 Lucinda Russell

52 Busselton (FR) 8 9 11 Friendship Partnership Joseph Patrick O'Brien Ireland

53 Spanish Harlem (FR) 7 9 11 Dr S. P. Fitzgerald W. P. Mullins Ireland

54 Famous Bridge (IRE) 9 9 9 Hemmings Racing Nicky Richards

55 Escaria Ten (FR) 11 9 7 J B Property Investments (Midlands) Ltd Martin Keighley

56 Where It All Began (IRE) 9 9 7 McNeill Family/Patrick & Scott Bryceland Gordon Elliott Ireland

57 Pats Fancy (IRE) 10 9 3 Hydes,McDermott,Spencer,Frobisher & Lee Rebecca Curtis

57 confirmations

29 Irish-trained

Maximum field size 34, plus four reserves

What is the Going at Aintree?

Mildmay & Hurdle Courses: Good, Good to Soft in places

Grand National Course: Good to Soft

There has been 17.5mm of rain in March. It is a dry, sunny forecast through to racing with daytime temperatures of 16-18 degrees until Friday and 15 degrees on Saturday. Watering commenced the week beginning March 17 and is in progress to maintain/improve conditions.

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