The Randox Grand National is more than a race. Not only does it stop the nation, but it brings family’s, friends and colleagues together, all united in their desire to land a winner in ‘the big one’. Bragging rights, euphoria, heartbreak, elation, jubilation, despair, the endless whirlpool of household emotions are reflected in that of the jockeys on board their lauded thoroughbreds, who seek to cement themselves in the most prestigious fabric of racing’s cloth there is.
Leading Market Contenders
Stumptown
Gavin Cromwell’s charge has been well supported to the fore of the market of late, having taken to the cross country discipline with aplomb. After heartbreak in the 2023 Kim Muir, Stumptown rewarded favourite backers in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase with a calm, composed Keith Donoghue ride. That came off the back of three previous wins over the banks with two at Punchestown, and the manner in which he stretched away off top-weight last time out at Cheltenham suggested this trip is well within reach. He bids to emulate the tenacious Tiger Roll in following up his Cross Country success in the National, and his somewhat lazy style of racing mightn’t be all that much of a negative, as the Grand National can often lend itself to one who saves a bit for themselves throughout the contest.
Hewick
The Grand National is synonymous with fairytales, and it would be some feat if the £800 buy Hewick could reap the illustrious rewards for Shark Hanlon. The American Grand National winner posted an RPR of 167 in the 2023 Cheltenham Gold Cup, proving his rise to the top was no uke. Gavin Sheehan gave him an admirable last gasp ride to get up late in the King George last season, and while he wasn’t disgraced thereafter, he was only just back in the winners enclosure three weeks ago when landing the Jimmy Neville Memorial Hurdle at Thurles. Prepping over hurdles has been a successful route to the Grand National, and while his stamina has to be taken on trust, he’ll be suited to a better surface more than most.
I Am Maximus
Last year’s devastating winner I Am Maximus bids to emulate only Red Rum and Tiger Roll in winning back to back Grand Nationals, and with the race increasingly favouring the classier types, it’s far from out of the realms of possibility. The 2023 Irish Grand National winner took advantage of a glitch in the rule book when beginning last season with a win in the G1 Drinmore Novice Chase, before minding his mark in both the Saville and the Irish Gold Cup. Once the weights were set, he bounced back to form at Fairyhouse in the Bobbyjo Chase with a fourteen lengths defeat of Vanillier, and while his jumping still left something to be desired, his natural class saw him power through the line at Aintree. All of the last eleven winners had at least three runs in the season prior to winning the Grand National, which wouldn’t bode entirely well for I Am Maximus, but his season has been tailored around this all year and if he can win the Aintree spectacle off top weight, he’d be ingrained as one of the most classiest stayers in the modern era.
Iroko
Hiding in plain sight is one way to describe Iroko’s season, who was reportedly earmarked for the Grand National by JP McManus immediately after his four lengths second to Inothewayurthinkin in the Mildmay at Aintree last season. The winner won the Gold Cup last time out now rated 175, the third was second in the Ryanair last time out now rated 160, the fourth was first and third in competitive G3 handicaps off top weight now rated 157, and the distant fifth has since come out and finished a length second in the Coral Gold Cup. The form is remarkably strong, and this season has been all about minding his mark. The handicapper hasn’t shifted him from 152, but that’s less of an issue based on his overall prole than it is the trip/jumping, as he’s yet to truly inspire confidence that this test is what he’ll relish.
Vanillier
The galloping grey documented his abundance of stamina when landing the Albert Bartlett in 2021, and he was an eye-catching second to Corach Rambler in the Grand National off 3lbs higher in 2023. Vanillier went off the boil all last season and for the most of this. The addition of blinkers have sparked life back in to the old dog yet though, having bolted up eighteen lengths in a banks contest at Punchestown, and he was a huge eye-catcher behind stablemate Stumptown when losing his position having almost chartered the wrong course, before flying home late to be beaten eight lengths. With stamina assured and form here, he’s not one to write off.
Intense Raffles
Another grey in the form of Intense Raffles, who bids to emulate I Am Maximus in winning the Irish National prior to the Aintree equivalent. His French back form saw him defeat Iroko in an Auteuil 3yo Hurdle, and he made rapid waves over in Ireland for Thomas Gibney and the Double Green consortium last season. The Grand National has been the plan ever since and they’ve nailed his prep to a tee, with two quiet runs over hurdles before a game eort to finish second in the Bobbyjo to Nick Rockett, who was 13lbs better off at the weights. Intense Raffles is 6lbs well in here on the back of that, and while he has to be one of the leading contenders, he might want the ground a bit softer.
Each Way Angles
Kandoo Kid
Kandoo Kid is the mount of Harry Cobden and having given a credible account of himself over the National fences in the Topham last season, Paul Nicholls’ Kapgarde charge is a strong contender for frame possibilities. He posted a career best first time out this season when a convincing winner of the Coral Gold Cup, a race successfully used by Corach Rambler in preparation for the Grand National. This has been the plan all season and he had a lung stretcher back down in trip at Newbury at the beginning of last month to put him spot on for this. Like many of these, he steps into the unknown stamina wise but there’s little issue in either the jumping/ground department, and he looks to be on a fair mark of 152.
Three Card Brag
Half-brother to a Hexham National winner over four miles, this stamina laden trip could bring out the best in Three Card Brag who has a strong prole for a race of this calibre. The son of Jet Away was beaten five lengths in the Albert Bartlett in 2023, and his novice chases form stacks up strongly having finished 3/4L behind Corbetts Cross on chase debut at Fairyhouse with Monty’s Star and Nick Rockett in behind, and while he was a beaten 4/11F behind Monty’s Star next time out, it was far from a poor performance having jumped poorly throughout. The cheekpieces sparked some improvement when again behind Monty’s Star in the Champion Novice Chase, but the winner, Spillane’s Tower, is also a classy chaser having showed up well in the John Durkan this season. The Grand National appears to have been the plan for Three Card Brag this season and he’s built up to it nicely, with a spin over hurdles before trading short in running in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown in a race that often used as a stepping stone for a National. He got back to winning ways when beating Kinturk Kalanisi at Navan, and his four length third to Better Days Ahead and Stellar Story reads well. I’d be shocked if he isn’t better than 145 in time, and this test could be the making of him.
Minella Cocooner
By Flemensrth out of an Old Vic mare, Minella Cocooner is bred to stay longer than the in-laws and has seen plenty of market support at a price. He was a smart novice, winning the Nathaniel Lacy before finishing second twice to The Nice Guy in the Albert Bartlett and the Punchestown equivalent. Staying trips over fences have brought the best out of him, with a four length second to Intense Raffles in the Irish Grand National and he receives a 2lbs swing in the weights. He landed the Bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown on good ground off 6lbs lower last season with Nick Rockett in behind, and that suggested the Grand National trip is well within reach. The Mullins camp have campaigned him in Grade One’s this season to protect his mark, and his rallying fourth in the Bobbyjo will have put him spot on for this.
Senior Chief
Though Rachael Blackmore jumps ship to ride Minella Indo, Darragh O’Keeffe is a more than adequate replacement aboard Senior Chief and the eight year old son of Gentlewave can relish this ground. The former P2P winner was another smart novice over hurdles, and has quietly improved over fences of late despite a blip on heavy ground when 10/1 for the Irish National. The addition of cheekpiece saw him beat subsequent Coral Gold Cup winner Broadway Boy by twelve lengths early on in the season over 3m1f at Cheltenham, and he caught the eye staying on when perhaps not best positioned in the Coral Gold Cup. It was surprising to see him in a Pertemps Qualifier at Naas in deplorable ground, but there was little intention of victory there and he might be one going under the radar especially on this ground.
Monbeg Genius
There’s something Mon Mome-esque about Monbeg Genius, who had smacked of a Grand National horse after his staying on fourth in the 2007 Ultima. Though well beaten in the National in 2008, he blew the race wide open in 2009 with a historic 100/1 win the year after. Monbeg Genius was progressive over staying trips as a novice, culminating with a two length third in the 2023 Ultima behind subsequent Grand National winner Corach Rambler and dual Punchestown Gold Cup winner Fastorslow. It doesn’t take a genius to suggest he’s thrown in off this mark of 147, but it does require a leap of faith to be of the opinion he can maintain his recent resurgence of form. He wasn’t disgraced in the Welsh National, and he posted a career best RPR of 152 when taking a Uttoxeter handicap off top-weight in February. He’s still only a nine year old, and while he is arguably the best handicapped horse in this contest, we’re banking not only that he can back that earlier form up, but he’ll stay the National distance.
GG Jumps Journal – The Grand National Pinstickers’ Guide
So rude of me to typecast you as knowing nothing about racing. The good news is, neither do I, so with that in mind, here’s my rundown of the 2025 Grand National field. Has seemingly had his vengeance in this life, having won this a year ago, so hopefully won’t need too much in the…
Thu 03 Apr 2025Verdict – I Am Maximus 8/1 WIN – Minella Cocooner 14/1 EW
I AM MAXIMUS beat a trio of formerly respected Grade One winners last season, including the Gold Cup 1st/2nd Minella Indo, and while he is 8lbs higher this time around, it’s hard to envisage that could stop him once more. He has the almighty feat of winning off top-weight, the first since Red Rum, but there’s the sense that this is a Gold Cup horse in an extended handicap version. The race will still take some winning, but it’s scarcely the gruelling contest it has been in the years gone by and now he’s another year wiser, I think he’ll prove an incredibly tough nut to crack despite his lack of runs this season.
If the weight is all too much for I Am Maximus, then Willie Mullins can have the winner in the form of Minella Cocooner. He’s long threatened to score over a trip of this nature and his Irish National third, along with the Sandown Gold Cup win, bode extremely well in that respect. I like the angle of protecting his mark by holding him up in G1 races he simply can’t win, and the manner within which he stayed on in the Bobbyjo Chase suggested he’s going to be primed for the nature of the Grand National.
