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Grand National runners 2026: which horses are entered for Aintree’s historic race?

Jennifer Donald Jennifer Donald

    • The Grand National runners and riders for 2026 are looking ahead to what is billed as the world’s greatest steeplechase. The £1m Randox Grand National takes place every April at Aintree Racecourse in Merseyside.

    The historic race was first run in 1839, when the aptly named Lottery was crowned the first-ever Grand National winner and legendary horses, trainers and jockeys have been making sporting history in the 4m 2f contest ever since.

    Grand National runners 2026

    In early February, a longlist of 78 Grand National entries – 49 of whom are Irish-trained – was revealed by The Jockey Club. The all-important weights (how much each horse has to carry in the race according to their handicap rating) were announced on 17 February and are listed below.

    A maximum field of 34 horses – reduced from 40 in 2024 for safety reasons – can run in the Grand National, so this field of 78 will be gradually reduced over the coming months until we have a final list of Grand National runners for the Aintree showpiece on Saturday 11 April at 4pm.

    Both the 2025 Grand National victor Nick Rockett and his stablemate I Am Maximus, winner of the 2024 Grand National and runner-up last year, are among this year’s entries for trainer Willie Mullins, who has 15 potential runners. Gordon Elliott is also well represented with 11 Grand National entries at this early stage.

    The biggest British hope is Iroko, trained in Cheshire by Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero and owned by JP McManus. The eight-year-old gelding and jockey Jonjo O’Neill Jr finished fourth in last year’s Grand National.

    Dan Skelton hasn’t had a runner in the valuable 4m2f contest since 2024, but the Warwickshire trainer has three horses entered this year – Grey Dawning, Deafening Silence and the sole mare among the entries, Panic Attack.

    Welsh trainer Rebecca Curtis will be hoping her Welsh and Irish Grand National winner Haiti Couleurs, ridden by champion jockey Sean Bowen, can complete the hat-trick in the Aintree race, while last year’s Midlands Grand National winner Mr Vango has had Aintree has his long-term target for trainer Sara Bradstock. He will need plenty of rain before April however, as the gelding definitely favours softer going.

    Irish trainer Henry de Bromhead made history with Minella Times in 2021 when jockey Rachael Blackmore became the first female jockey to win the Grand National and the nine-year-old Monty’s Star appears to be the best of his five Grand National entries in 2026.

    Seven-year-old Noble Yeats became a notably young Grand National winner four years ago and seven horses of the same age are entered this year. The two oldest potential contenders are 12-year-old Appreciate It for Willie Mullins and Ain’t That A Shame for Tom Ellis.

    Anyone who loves a grey can side with Gentlemansgame, saddled by Irish trainer Mouse Morris, as well as Hyland, Intense Raffles, Marble Sands, Grey Dawning, Harry Des Ongrais, Resplendent Grey or the Georgie Nicholls-trained Stolen Silver.

    What are the odds for the 2026 Grand National?

    Iroko heads the ante-post market for the 2026 Randox Grand National, followed by I Am Maximus and Haiti Couleurs. Close behind in the betting are Grangeclare West, Nick Rockett, Panic Attack, Lecky Watson, Captain Cody and Monty’s Star.

    The biggest-priced Grand National winner in recent times was 100/1 shot Mon Mome in 2009.

    2026 Randox Grand National entries and weights

    Here are the entries for this year’s Grand National, including the weights, which were announced on 17 February and provide further insight as to which horses will make the cut for the Aintree showpiece on Saturday 11 April.

    Horse, weight, rating (trainer)

    1. I Am Maximus 11st 12lb, 168 (Willie Mullins)
    2. Banbridge 11st 11lb, 167 (Joseph O’Brien)
    3. Nick Rockett 11st 11lb, 167 (Willie Mullins)
    4. Gerri Colombe 11st 10lb, 166 (Gordon Elliott)
    5. Grangeclare West 11st 10lb, 166 (Willie Mullins)
    6. Grey Dawning 11st 10lb, 166 (Dan Skelton)
    7. Haiti Couleurs 11st 10lb, 166 (Rebecca Curtis)
    8. L’Homme Presse 11st 8lb, 164 (Venetia Williams)
    9. Spillane’s Tower 11st 8lb, 164 (Jimmy Mangan)
    10. Impaire Et Passe 11st 5lb, 161 (Willie Mullins)
    11. Appreciate It 11st 4lb, 160 (Willie Mullins)
    12. Firefox 11st 4lb, 160 (Gordon Elliott)
    13. Gentlemansgame 11st 3lb, 159 (Mouse Morris)
    14. Monty’s Star 11st 3lb, 159 (Henry de Bromhead)
    15. Spanish Harlem 11st 3lb, 159 (Willie Mullins)
    16. Lecky Watson 11st 2lb, 158 (Willie Mullins)
    17. Champ Kiely 11st 1lb, 157 (Willie Mullins)
    18. Favori De Champdou 11st 1lb, 157 (Gordon Elliott)
    19. Flooring Porter 11st 1lb, 157 (Gavin Cromwell)
    20. Iroko 11st 1lb, 157 (Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero)
    21. Western Fold 11st 1lb, 157 (Gordon Elliott)
    22. Three Card Brag 11st, 156 (Gordon Elliott)
    23. Handstands 10st 13lb, 155 (Ben Pauling)
    24. Oscars Brother 10st 13lb, 155 (Connor King)
    25. Mr Vango 10st 12lb, 154 (Sara Bradstock)
    26. Beauport 10st 11lb, 153 (Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies)
    27. Better Days Ahead 10st 11lb, 153 (Gordon Elliott)
    28. High Class Hero 10st 11lb, 153 (Willie Mullins)
    29. Ile Atlantique 10st 11lb, 153 (Willie Mullins)
    30. Resplendent Grey 10st 11lb, 153 (Olly Murphy)
    31. Stellar Story 10st 11lb, 153 (Gordon Elliott)
    32. Captain Cody 10st 10lb, 152 (Willie Mullins)
    33. French Dynamite 10st 10lb, 152 (Eric McNamara)
    34. Jagwar 10st 10lb, 152 (Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero)
    35. Gorgeous Tom 10st 9lb, 151 (Henry de Bromhead)
    36. Perceval Legallois 10st 9lb, 151 (Gavin Cromwell)
    37. Quai de Bourbon 10st 9lb, 151 (Willie Mullins)
    38. The Real Whacker 10st 9lb, 151 (Patrick Neville)
    39. Answer To Kayf 10st 8lb, 150 (Terence O’Brien)
    40. Croke Park 10st 8lb, 150 (Gordon Elliott)
    41. Jordans 10st 8lb, 150 (Joseph O’Brien)
    42. Blizzard of Oz 10st 7lb, 149 (Willie Mullins)
    43. Now Is The Hour 10st 7lb, 149 (Gavin Cromwell)
    44. Intense Raffles 10st 6lb, 148 (Tom Gibney)
    45. Final Orders 10st 5lb, 147 (Gavin Cromwell)
    46. Marble Sands 10st 5lb, 147 (David Killahena & Graeme McPherson)
    47. Panic Attack 10st 5lb, 147 (Dan Skelton)
    48. Top Of The Bill 10st 5lb, 147 (Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies)
    49. Blaze The Way 10st 4lb, 146 (Margaret Mullins)
    50. Johnnywho 10st 4lb, 146 (Jonjo & AJ O’Neill)
    51. Leave of Absence 10st 4lb, 146 (Anthony Honeyball)
    52. Twig 10st 4lb, 146 (Ben Pauling)
    53. Pied Piper 10st 3lb, 145 (Gordon Elliott)
    54. Search For Glory 10st 3lb, 145 (Gordon Elliott)
    55. Stolen Silver 10st 3lb, 145 (Georgie Nicholls)
    56. Ain’t That A Shame 10st 2lb, 144 (Tom Ellis)
    57. Amirite 10st 2lb, 144 (Henry de Bromhead)
    58. Imperial Saint 10st 2lb, 144 (Philip Hobbs & Johnson White)
    59. Harry Des Ongrais 10st 1lb, 143 (Henry de Bromhead)
    60. Hyland 10st 1lb, 143 (Nicky Henderson)
    61. Soul Icon 10st 1lb, 143 (Keiran Burke)
    62. Yeah Man 10st 1lb, 143 (Gavin Cromwell)
    63. Myretown 10st, 142 (Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore)
    64. Deep Cave 9st 13lb, 141 (Christian Williams)
    65. Monbeg Genius 9st 13lb, 141 (Jonjo & AJ O’Neill)
    66. O’Moore Park 9st 13lb, 141 (Willie Mullins)
    67. Pic Roc 9st 13lb, 141 (Ben Pauling)
    68. Buddy One 9st 12lb, 140 (Paul Gilligan)
    69. Mister Coffey 9st 12lb, 140 (Nicky Henderson)
    70. Anyway 9st 11lb, 139 (David Budds)
    71. The Short Go 9st 10lb, 138 (Henry de Bromhead)
    72. Shanbally Kid 9st 9lb, 137 (Willie Mullins)
    73. Weveallbeencaught 9st 9lb, 137 (Eric McNamara)
    74. Will Do 9st 9lb, 137 (Gordon Elliott)
    75. In D’Or 9st 7lb, 135 (Fergal O’Brien)
    76. Deafening Silence 9st 6lb, 134 (Dan Skelton)

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    Jennifer Donald
    Jennifer Donald

    H&H showjumping editor
    Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her role as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her around the world reporting from shows and interviewing riders, connections and those involved behind the scenes. Since joining H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on every subject across the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to stable management — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She also has first-hand experience of working in the equestrian industry as a riding instructor and yard manager.
    Jennifer Donald

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