The 2025 Cheltenham Festival has come and gone which means the attention of the horse racing world now turns to Aintree for the next staging of the iconic Grand National.
It is the most famous race in horse racing and this year we look set for a classic renewal with a very competitive picture at the top of the betting.
The field will be without Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin after connections decided to pull him out of the race. Prior to this decision he had been the 3/1 favourite and looked to be in with a very good chance of repeating Golden Miller’s Gold Cup and Grand National double.
Aintree Grand National Odds
Horse | Odds | Chance |
|---|---|---|
Intense Raffles | 6/1 | 14.3% |
Iroko | 7/1 | 12.5% |
I A Maximus | 8/1 | 11.1% |
Stumptown | 10/1 | 9.1% |
Vanillier | 12/1 | 7.7% |
Perceval Legallois | 12/1 | 7.7% |
Nick Rockett | 14/1 | 6.7% |
Hewick | 20/1 | 4.8% |
Kandoo Kid | 20/1 | 4.8% |
Meetingofthewaters | 20/1 | 4.8% |
Grangeclare West | 20/1 | 4.8% |
Bar | 25/1 | 3.8% |
Aintree Grand National Betting
Intense Raffles – Grand National Favourite
The current favourite for the 2025 Grand National is Intense Raffles , priced at 6/1 . Trained by Thomas Gibney , this highly regarded runner has shown remarkable consistency over fences. In his nine runs , he has secured three wins, three second-place finishes, and one third-place finish .
His form this season has been mixed, with three runs under his belt. He started with a 9th-place finish at Navan over 3m1f, followed by a 14th-place finish at the same track over a shorter 2m4f distance. Most recently, he produced an improved 2nd-place finish to Nick Rockett at Fairyhouse in February , suggesting he is finding form at the right time.
Grand National Contenders
Iroko – 7/1
The second favourite in the betting is Iroko , trained by Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero and running in the famous green and gold silks of JP McManus . While his record over fences includes just one win from seven runs , he has frequently gone close, registering three second-place finishes .
This season, Iroko has made four appearances. His two best results were runner-up finishes , including his latest at Kelso in early March. However, he has also endured setbacks, falling at Ascot in December and finishing fourth at Cheltenham in January over 2m4½f. If he maintains his consistency, he could be a major player at Aintree.
I Am Maximus – 8/1
A horse with proven big-race credentials, I Am Maximus heads to Aintree as an 8/1 contender . He already has two major National wins to his name, having triumphed in the 2023 BoyleSports Irish Grand National and the 2024 Aintree Grand National .
However, his form this season raises questions. Since last year’s Grand National success, he has been seen just twice, both times at Leopardstown, where he was pulled up on his season debut and later finished 8th in a 10-runner field in February. The key question is whether he can rediscover his peak form in time to defend his title.
Other Notable Contenders
Beyond the top three in the betting, several other strong contenders are set to line up:
- Stumptown (10/1) – A consistent performer with solid staying form.
- Vanillier (12/1) – A past Grand National runner-up looking to go one better.
- Perceval Legallois (12/1) – Progressive type with stamina credentials.
- Nick Rockett (14/1) – Defeated Intense Raffles in February and could be an improving contender.
- Hewick (20/1) – Trained by John ‘Shark’ Hanlon, this experienced chaser has the class to feature prominently.
Bet on Horse Racing Odds at BoyleSports
*Prices are subject to fluctuation.
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