Grand National Winners

Past and Present Winners of the Aintree Grand National

May 2026

General

John and Thady Gosden’s best chances at Royal Ascot

admin

John and Thady Gosden arrive at Royal Ascot in excellent fettle. The father-and-son training partnership were the meeting’s leading trainers in 2025, saddling five winners, including Trawlerman in the Gold Cup and Field Of Gold in the St James’s Palace Stakes, and they look well-equipped to defend that title this summer. For those looking to bet on horse racing at the Royal meeting, the Clarehaven team offer some of the most compelling options across the five days. Here are three of their leading ante-post entries.

 

Damysus: Queen Anne Stakes (5/1)

 

The Queen Anne Stakes is the traditional curtain-raiser on day one, and Damysus looks an exciting contender for the Gosdens in the opening Group 1 of the week. The Wathnan Racing-owned Frankel colt was placed in the Sandown Classic Trial and the Dante at York as a three-year-old, though a tilt at Derby glory proved a step too far as he finished last of 18 at Epsom. He showed his quality later in that campaign, however, dropping back from a mile and a half to win in Listed company in France before rounding off the season with victory over nine furlongs in the Darley Stakes in October.

 

He returned to action at the Craven meeting this spring, and he looks set to make his mark at the highest level, judged on a dominant comeback success in the Earl of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket. The Queen Anne is a step up in class and over a slightly shorter trip, but a horse with a Frankel pedigree operating at an official rating of 113 has every right to feature at 5/1, and connections clearly believe the straight mile at Ascot will play to his strengths.

 

Ombudsman: Prince of Wales’s Stakes (7/2)

 

If Damysus is the exciting prospect, Ombudsman is the proven commodity. The five-year-old Night of Thunder gelding won the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Ascot and the Juddmonte International at York in 2025, reaching an official rating of 128 and earning recognition as the world’s best racehorse. He found only Calandagan too good when bidding for a third Group 1 of the campaign in the Champion Stakes on Champions Day, but that was no disgrace against a horse in the form of his life.

 

He returned for his 2026 campaign in the Dubai Turf at Meydan, winning comfortably by a length and three-quarters, confirming that all is well heading into the summer. He holds entries for both the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh and the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, with the latter the obvious target given he is the defending champion.

 

Those browsing the Royal Ascot odds will note that 7/2 for the reigning winner of the race, who is arguably the best middle-distance horse in Europe, represents a fair rather than generous price, which tells you plenty about the quality of opposition he is likely to face. He remains the one to beat.

 

Trawlerman: Ascot Gold Cup (10/3)

 

The staying division belongs to Trawlerman. The Godolphin-owned eight-year-old made every yard of the running in the 2025 Gold Cup, drawing seven lengths clear of Illinois in an imperious display under William Buick, and he also won the British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot in October 2025, his second victory in that race having also landed the 2023 renewal.

 

After his Gold Cup victory, John Gosden confirmed that Trawlerman would not be over-raced, hinting that the Henry II Stakes at Sandown could be his spring prep before another tilt at the two-and-a-half-mile feature. At 10/3, he is not the favourite, with the O’Brien-trained Scandinavia heading the market, but Trawlerman has a course record, proven stamina, and the ideal front-running tactics that have served him so well at Ascot. He is a formidable defending champion and one of the most reliable stayers in Europe over the past three seasons.

 

 

 

 

General

2027 Grand National Preview – First Thoughts

admin

The 2027 Grand National is currently scheduled for Saturday, April 10th, 2017 at 16:00 BST. The weights for the world-famous steeplechase will not be published until February, but ante-post betting is already available and it is interesting to see what the leading bookmakers make of the second leg of the traditional ‘Spring Double’ at this early stage.

I Am Maximus, owned by John McManus and trained by Willie Mullins, has already won the Grand National twice, in 2024 and 2026, and finished runner-up to stable companion Nick Rockett in between times, so it is no surprise that the 10-year-old is the early ante-post favourite at a top-priced 12/1. I Am Maximus was already officially rated 168 for his second victory at Aintree, but the 5lb rise in the weights mooted by BHA handicapper Martin Greenwood hardly looks insurmountable and, granted an uninterrupted preparation, the Authorized gelding may yet make further history in 2027.

Next best in the current ante-post list, all at 16/1, come Iroko, Jordans and Soldier In Milan. The first-named is another owned by John McManus and has run creditably on both previous attempts in the Grand National, finishing fourth, when favourite, in 2025 and second, beaten two-and-a-half lengths, in 2026. All his wins, over hurdles and fences, have come at or around two-and-a-half miles, but joint-trainer Josh Guerriero expressed confidence in the eight-year-old, telling the ‘Racing Post’, “We’ll come back and win it next year.”

Jordans, trained by Joseph Patrick O’Brien, made a bold bid to make his first attempt in the Grand National a winning one, taking a clear lead turning for home, but being chased down by the McManus-owned pair in the closing stages. He has just one win over fences to his name, but was twice runner-up in Grade 1 novice chases and, as a seven-year-old, has time on his side as far as the Grand National is concerned.

Soldier In Milan, trained by Emmett Mullins, in another inexperienced seven-year-old, who was, nevertheless, a runaway, 16-length winner of the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse in April 2026. His trainer clearly knows what is required to win the Grand National, having done so with the seven-year-old Noble Yeats in 2023, so his progress should be interesting to follow.

Questions

How the Grand National Differs From America’s Biggest Horse Races

admin

The Grand National is not just a longer race with bigger obstacles. It is a different racing code, built around jumping, stamina, and handicap weights. America’s biggest races usually sit inside the Triple Crown frame. They are flat dirt contests for younger horses.

That contrast matters in 2026 because both sides are changing in visible ways. I Am Maximus won the Grand National at Aintree on eleven April, while Golden Tempo won the Kentucky Derby on two May. The comparison starts with the ground under the horses.

Course Shape Changes Everything

Aintree asks horses to cover about four miles and two and a half furlongs. The race also includes 30 spruce-topped fences across two circuits, making rhythm as important as raw pace. American classics are much shorter, with the Kentucky Derby run over one and a quarter miles on dirt at Churchill Downs.

That single difference changes the whole read of a contender. When navigating horse race betting sites, fans will often see the Grand National framed around stamina, jumping record, and handicap weight. Meanwhile, American classics lean more on pace maps and dirt form. A Grand National runner must stay organised after repeated jumping efforts. A Derby horse must handle position, traffic, and a fast closing quarter without any fence breaking its stride.

Jumping Turns Form Into a Technical Exam

The Grand National is a steeplechase, so each fence becomes part of the race evidence. Becher’s Brook, The Chair, and Canal Turn test balance, timing, and recovery under pressure. A runner can have strong stamina and a fair weight, but weak fencing can quickly expose that profile.

American headline races remove that layer. The Kentucky Derby and Preakness are flat races, so the key data comes from pace shape, draw position, and late speed. Sectional strength is easier to compare on an uninterrupted track, while the Grand National keeps testing execution at every fence.

Handicaps Make the Field Read Differently

The Grand National is a handicap, so runners carry different weights set by the official handicapper. That system brings horses of different ratings closer together, rather than letting raw class decide everything. A stronger chaser may carry more weight, while a less exposed runner may get a lighter task. That makes the race more open because weight becomes part of the form puzzle.

The Derby works differently. It is limited to three-year-olds and uses prep races to shape the field. The main question is how well a young horse is developing compared to others from the same crop. That creates a cleaner age-based comparison, while the Grand National asks readers to judge older chase form through stamina, jumping reliability, and assigned weight.

Age and Race Type Split the Talent Pool

Aintree attracts experienced jumpers because the race is open to horses aged seven and above. That matters because a horse must already have proven chase experience before facing the National fences. The event rewards durability built across several seasons.

America’s major spring races focus on three-year-old Thoroughbreds. The Derby, Preakness, and Belmont are tied to one crop, which gives them a sharper developmental storyline. Golden Tempo’s Derby win underlined that pattern, especially after his team chose to skip the Preakness and aim for the Belmont.

The Calendar Creates Different Pressure

The Grand National stands as one huge target within the British jump season. Trainers can build a campaign around stamina, schooling, and handicap position months in advance. That gives the race a long lead-up, where preparation is shaped around one demanding day at Aintree.

The American Triple Crown is compressed by design. In 2026, the Preakness is scheduled for sixteen May at Laurel Park because Pimlico is under renovation. The Belmont follows on six June at Saratoga, so the top three-year-olds face a much tighter turnaround than Grand National runners. That schedule puts more focus on recovery, travel, and whether a horse can hold peak form across several major races.

Different Tracks, Different Truths

The Grand National shows what happens when stamina meets obstacles over an extreme trip. It asks for staying power, clean jumping, and the ability to keep form under constant interruption. That is why a previous Aintree winner like I Am Maximus could return with a profile that still mattered.

America’s biggest races reveal a different kind of class. They expose acceleration, tactical speed, and how a young horse handles a crowded dirt race. Neither model is softer, but each measures excellence with a different ruler.

The Real Split Is the Question Each Race Asks

The cleanest way to compare these races is not to rank them. The Grand National asks which horse can keep solving problems after the race has already become untidy. The American classics ask which young runner can produce class inside a fixed, high-speed frame.

That difference is why form from one world does not translate neatly into the other. Aintree rewards the complete chase profile, while America’s spring races reward the sharpest classic profile. The best reading comes from treating them as separate tests, not rival versions of the same idea.

 

Years

2026 I Am Maximus

admin

The 2026 Grand National, run on good to soft going on April 11, 2026, proved to be a momentous occasion for the winner, I Am Maximus, his connections and the leading bookmakers. Owned by John Patrick ‘J.P.’ McManus, trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by his stable jockey, Paul Townend, I Am Maximus had already won the Grand National in 2024 and finished a creditable second, behind stable companion Nick Rockett, under 11st 12lb, in 2025.

Thus, in coming from off the pace to win his second Grand National in three years, I Am Maximus became the first horse to regain his crown since Red Rum recorded his unprecedented third win in 1977. Likewise, in shouldering the welter burden of 11st 12lb to victory, he put up the best weight-carrying performance since Red Rum won his second National, under 12st 0lb, in 1975.

I Am Maximus was also a record fourth Grand National winner for McManus – whose familiar green and gold silks were also carried by the second and fourth horses home, Iroko and Johnnywho – after Don’t Push It (2010), Minella Times (2021) and I Am Maximus himself (2024). Similarly, Mullins, with four winners, joined Fred Rimmell and Donald ‘Ginger’ McCain as the leading trainer in the history of the Grand National. He also became the first trainer since compatriot Vincent O’Brien, in 1955, to win the world-famous steeplechase three years running.

A renowned professional gambler, McManus confessed to having “little bit” on I Am Maximus, but the 10-year-old was the subject of a wholesale gamble before the ‘off’ – including a single bet of £100,000 at 8/1, on-course – forcing his starting price into 9/2 favourite. He thus became the shortest-priced winner since Tiger Roll won his second National in 2019. A spokesman for bookmaker William Hill said, “Him [I Am Maximus] winning was one of our worst-case scenarios, and with well-fancied horses such as Iroko and Johnnywho in the places, we’re facing up to a payout of north of £10 million in the race.”

Invariably modest, despite his unprecendented success, Mullins was full of praise for owner and jockey. He said, “It was a good call from J.P. [McManus], I’d been going down the Gold Cup route with him, but he said to stay in Aintree with him as he felt he was well handicapped. Paul [Townend] just executed it so well.

Years

2025 Nick Rockett

admin

Following victory in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse on February 22, 2025, 11 days after the announcement of the weights for the Grand National, Nick Rockett was promoted to 9/1 second-favourite for the world-famous steeplechase. The likes of Hedgehunter (2005) and I Am Maximus (2024) – both of whom were trained, like Nick Rockett, by Willie Mullins – won the Bobbyjo Chase en route to winning the Grand National, so the initial reaction of the bookmakers was, in some ways, justified. Immediately after the Bobbyjo Chase, Mullins said, “That was tough and this should leave him [Nick Rockett] spot on for Aintree.”

However, by the time Grand National Day, April 5, 2025, rolled around, Nick Tockett was actually sent off at 33/1 to emulate his illustrious stable companions. He was, perhaps understandably, foresaken by Mullins’ stable jockey Paul Townend, who had ridden him at Fairyhouse, but opted instead to ride defending champion I Am Maximus and faced Intense Raffles, whom he had beaten just three-quarters of a length in the Bobbyjo Chase, on 15lb worse terms.

Nevertheless, in the hands of leading amateur jockey Patrick Mullins, son of his trainer, Nick Rockett fared best of six entries from the famous Closutton Yard. Having travelled strongly, the stoutly-bred eight-year-old made headway four fences from home and took a narrow lead two out. On the run-in, he faced a strong challenge from the aforementioned I Am Maximus but, in receipt of 4lb, Nick Rockett, kept on well in closing stages to repel his stable companion and win by two-and-a-half lengths. Grangeclare West, also trained by Willie Mullins, finished third, a further half a length away, thereby giving the County Carlow handler a notable 1-2-3. Patrick Mullins, for his trouble, was referred to the Whip Review Committee by the raceday stewards and subsequently suspended for eight days, having been found to have used his whip once above the permitted level of seven from after the final fence.

An emotional Willie Mullins said afterwards, “Being the lucky day that can lead your son up on a Grand National winner. It must be like being the manager of a World Cup team and having your son score the winning goal.” In praise of his father, Patrick Mullins said, “You read of trainers retiring. I don’t see Willie retiring, I just see him dying at some stage, like my grandfather [Paddy, trainer of Dawn Run]; he trained until he died. It’s not a job, it’s what he is.”