A full field of 30 runners have been declared for the 2025 Irish Grand National. Held at Fairyhouse, the showpiece staying contest of the season in Ireland sits in its traditional Easter Monday slot on the 21st April.
Despite their dominance of the training ranks, it is the Rebecca Curtis-trained Haiti Couleurs who is favourite. Based in Wales, Curtis’ charge won the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in good style and would run off a mark just 6lb higher at Fairyhouse.
A faller in that contest was the lightly-raced Now Is The Hour. Still in contention when coming down at the second last, he is handled by Gavin Cromwell, who otherwise had such a successful Festival, and the eight-year-old could easily still be improving even though he is up a further 2lb in the handicap.
With his focus on the British Trainers’ title, Willie Mullins’ team is unusually light by his standards, though he still sends two hopefuls in novices Quai De Bourbon and Sa Majeste.
Although defending champion Intense Raffles is not in the race, his trainer Thomas Gibney could still run Kinturk Kalanisi, who is another to have made a promising beginning to his chase career. Meanwhile, further British interest may be inspired by Johnnywho, who was second in the Kim Muir having travelled so well at Cheltenham for the O’Neill team. HIs conqueror, Daily Present, is also confirmed here.
Top-weight is currently the Grade 2-winning novice Better Days Ahead for Gordon Elliott, while last in at number 30 is another Cromwell runner in Noble Birth. Among the three reserves is the JP McManus runner Canal End, though his Hasthing has made the line-up as another runner for the O’Neills. McManus could also still own an emotional winner, with the 13-year-old Any Second Now, a former runner-up of both this race and the Aintree Grand National, guaranteed a run.
2025 Irish Grand National Runners
| Number | Horse | Trainer |
| 1 | Better Days Ahead | Gordon Elliott |
| 2 | Quai De Bourbon | Willie Mullins |
| 3 | Johnnywho | Jonjo & A J O’Neill |
| 4 | Bioluminsecence | Gavin Cromwell |
| 5 | Harry Des Ongrais | Henry De Bromead |
| 6 | Duffle Coat | Gordon Elliott |
| 7 | Favori De Champdou | Gordon Elliott |
| 8 | Search For Glory | Gordon Elliott |
| 9 | Sequestered | Paul John Gilligan |
| 10 | Desertmore House | Martin Brassil |
| 11 | Malina Girl | Gavin Cromwell |
| 12 | Panda Boy | Martin Brassil |
| 13 | Yeah Man | Gavin Cromwell |
| 14 | Haiti Couleurs | Rebecca Curtis |
| 15 | Now Is The Hour | Gavin Cromwell |
| 16 | Shecouldbeanything | Gordon Elliott |
| 17 | Sa Majeste | Willie Mullins |
| 18 | Any Second Now | Ted Walsh |
| 19 | Lord Lariat | Dermot McLoughlin |
| 20 | Stuzzikini | Gordon Elliott |
| 21 | Tullybeg | Gordon Elliott |
| 22 | Daily Present | Paul Nolan |
| 23 | Mint Boy | Gavin Cromwell |
| 24 | Dunboyne | Ian Patrick Donoghue |
| 25 | Final Orders | Gavin Cromwell |
| 26 | Kinturk Kalanisi | Thomas Gibney |
| 27 | Bushmans Pass | Oliver McKiernan |
| 28 | Moonovercloon | Matthew Smith |
| 29 | Hasthing | Jonjo & A J O’Neill |
| 30 | Noble Birth | Gavin Cromwell |
| R31 | Another Choice | Matthew Smith |
| R32 | Will Do | Gordon Elliott |
| R33 | Canal End | Peter Fahey |