RANDOX GRAND NATIONAL - RUNNERS AND RIDERS - CJRFANTASY

Thursday, 3rd April - The city of Liverpool, and more specifically Aintree Racecourse, takes centre stage this weekend as all eyes turn towards the world’s most unique and breathtaking race: The Randox Grand National. First run in 1839, the stamina-sapping marathon steeplechase covers four-and-a-quarter miles with 34 horses jumping 30 fences over two laps, and is commonly referred to as ‘the ultimate test of horse and rider’. As the most valuable jump race in Europe with a prize fund of £1 million, it attracts some of the best staying chasers around, with this year’s renewal including the 2024 victor (I Am Maximus), 2023 King George winner (Hewick) and the 2021 Gold Cup winner (Minella Indo), amongst a host of other proven graded horses. Tune in wherever you are in the world at 15.00 GMT on Saturday 5^th April to witness another year of thrills, spills and equine greatness.

In order of XP:

·       I Am Maximus (35 XP) – Won this contest last year with ease, but two runs behind Galopin Des Champs this season and a missed engagement in the Bobbyjo with a respiratory infection tempers enthusiasm, as does the record of horses going back-to-back. Certainly not ruled out though for Champion Trainer Willie Mullins.

·       Stumptown (35 XP) – Appears to have really found his niche as a cross-country horse winning his last four including with top-weight at the Cheltenham Festival. Plenty of precedent for that type of horse enjoying the cut and thrust of the Grand National and the further he goes the better. Might be the pick of Gavin Cromwell's bunch, who comes into this off the back of a Cheltenham Gold Cup victory with Inothewayurthinkin.

·       Iroko (35 XP) – Won the Martin Pipe at the 2023 Cheltenham Festival and was undercooked back there in 2024, but caught the eye when fourth on Trials Day at the end of January over a trip short of best - one of the favourites on the back of that. Nice warm up at Kelso, should relish the marathon trip and he’s highly unexposed.

·       Hewick (40 XP) – The £800 horse who won the 2023 King George, as well as a US Grand National, Bet365 Gold Cup and Galway Plate. Snuck off to Thurles the day after Cheltenham to win a hurdle so in good form. Not the biggest, and he likes decent ground. Would be a hell of a story were he to come out on top here, but that’s entirely possible.

·       Intense Raffles (40 XP) – Came over from France as a novice chaser last season and amounted an impressive 100% strike rate, but hasn't been able to reproduce that level of performance this term. A decent second in a solid contest at Fairyhouse last time out is a positive sign, and they have been running him in hurdles this season to protect his mark. Could be well-handicapped.

·       Vanillier (40 XP) – Runner-up in the 2023 National but only 14^th last year. Might have gone very close to Stumptown at Cheltenham the last day had his jockey not taken a wrong turn after the third. One was beginning to feel his golden chance came and went two seasons ago but he’s back on the same mark and arguably comes into the race in better form.

·       Perceval Legallois (50 XP) – Good profile. Winner of his last two at Leopardstown, including a big handicap chase at Christmas and a handicap hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival as connections sought to protect his chase mark. Unexposed at the distance with stamina seemingly a strength, so one for the shortlist.

·       Minella Cocooner (60 XP) – Third in last year's Irish National but a winner of the Bet365 Gold Cup, so distance should be no problem. Last three starts have been in at the deep end against Galopin Des Champs but he’s interesting back up in trip, and one to keep an eye on.

·       Kandoo Kid (70 XP) – Lightly-raced comfortable winner of the Coral Gold Trophy in November who was also a staying on third in last season's Topham over too short a trip. Good weight, had a prep run and trainer Paul Nicholls likes him, so there’s plenty in his favour.

·       Beauport (80 XP) – Carries the same colours as those carried to victory by Corbiere in the 1983 National, and possibly the best of the British contenders. A Midlands National winner last year, he switched to hurdles after a smart Ascot win and nearly won the G1 Long Walk Hurdle and Rendlesham at Haydock. No stamina issues and should be there or thereabouts at the finish.

·       Hyland (80 XP) – A grey who loves good ground, which he should get barring excessive watering. Squeezes into the handicap and, though still a novice, this may be the time to catch him as the race is more often being won by horses on the up, as he showed when chasing home The Jukebox Man at Christmas. Not a bad second at Kempton in what is often a good trial when overnight rain probably compromised his winning chance.

·       Nick Rockett (100 XP) – Beaten favourite in last season's Irish National, close third in the bet365 gold Cup and a good winner of the Thyestes Chase. Jumped right that day which is not ideal for the left-handed Aintree but otherwise going the right way as he proved when beating Intense Raffles narrowly in the Bobbyjo. An improving sort with a solid chance.

·       Grangeclare West (100 XP) – A good novice last season who ran an absolute stormer when second to stable companion Galopin Des Champs in the 2025 Irish Gold Cup, but was subsequently disappointing when fifth of five over two and a half miles last time out. Nevertheless, a marathon distance should suit, and any form behind Galopin Des Champs must be respected.

·       Senior Chief (100 XP) – Relatively inexperienced chaser but won at Cheltenham in the autumn and was a respectable sixth in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury. Pulled up late on in last season's Irish National which raises stamina doubts, but he’s from the stable of Minella Times who won the 2021 edition of this race, so trainer Henry De Bromhead knows how to get one ready.

·       Meetingofthewaters (100 XP) – Ran in last year's race, jumping the final fence in in fourth but faded late on to finish seventh, which raises a slight question about the trip. A run over hurdles suggests they might be protecting his mark, but he didn't show a whole lot on his last start back over fences. Can’t be ruled out for the powerful McManus – Mullins combination.

·       Monbeg Genius (100 XP) – Coral Gold Cup placed and fourth in the Welsh National this season. Has always looked like he might have a decent staying handicap chase in him but the National is a big ask.

·       Three Card Brag (100 XP) – Useful staying novice hurdler who booked his ticket to Aintree when finally getting off the mark over fences at Navan in January. Has had problems in the past but three-time National-winning trainer Gordon Elliot has had him targeted at this race for some time.

·       Minella Indo (125 XP) – 2021 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner who is bidding to join Golden Miller and L'Escargot as the only winners of both races. Ran a cracker to finish third in the contest last year but that may have been his golden chance. Another year older now and probably hasn’t come down enough in the handicap, but he’s a class act.

·       Bravemansgame (125 XP) – 2022 King George winner and second in the 2023 Cheltenham Gold Cup behind Galopin Des Champs. Has not won for over two years but his mark has dropped as a result, and he could be an interesting proposition back in handicap. That said, even at his best, three-and-a-quarter miles looked a stretch for his stamina.

·       Appreciate It (250 XP) – 2021 Supreme Novice Hurdle winner who has finished within hailing distance of Fastorslow a couple of times over two and a half miles but is yet to win over three miles. But good ground? He'd appreciate it.

·       Conflated (250 XP) – Third to Galopin Des Champs in the 2023 Gold Cup but hasn’t won since 2022. Didn’t run too badly last time out in the Plate at the Cheltenham Festival and he continues to drop down the weights, but this race now seems largely in favour of horses on the way up, not down.

·       Hitman (250 XP) – Winner of three of 22 starts over fences but second nine times and not often out of the money. Almost exclusively campaigned over shorter distances than three miles though, so a marathon trip doesn’t look sure to suit.

·       Chantry House (250 XP) – Veteran who switched back to fences after two seasons hurdling with a win at Cheltenham on New Year's Day, scuppering a plan to go hunter chasing. A lovely horse with plenty of class back in the day, but this is likely beyond him.

·       Threeunderthrufive (250 XP) – Skipped the race last year, instead opting for the Bet365 Gold Cup, but that plan did not come off so he is back in the fray this time. Good old sort who probably pays his way and has run well at Ascot on two starts this season, but he is probably not the Nicholls first choice and the trainer seems lukewarm about his chances in the National.

·       Idas Boy (250 XP) – An Irish Mullingar Midlands National winner on his first start over three miles plus. Might have been run over the wrong trip in Ireland in an attempt to avoid Gigginstown's legion of three milers, but he’s had a prep run over hurdles and could outrun his XP.

·       Fil Dor (250 XP) – Runner-up to Vauban in the 2022 Triumph Hurdle. Third in a race at Fairyhouse in early February but does not smack you in the face as a ready-made National winner at this stage.

·       Broadway Boy (250 XP) – Consistent sort who likes Cheltenham and was runner up in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury in November. There is a big handicap in him one day but the National is usually won by a well-handicapped horse, and this mark may be beyond him in a contest of this nature.

·       Stay Away Fay (250 XP) – Won the 2023 Albert Bartlett but has pulled up on three of his last four starts, including behind Fact To File in the 2024 Brown Advisory when well-fancied, the 2024 Scottish National, and again over hurdles on his reappearance at Wincanton over Christmas. Appears to have lost his way a bit.

·       Duffle Coat (250 XP) – A one-time Mayo National winner who was runner-up in last season's Galway Plate behind Pinkerton. Comes in off a featherweight but that’s reflective of his rating, which is vastly inferior to many in this contest.

·       Royal Pagaille (330 XP) – Haydock soft/heavy ground specialist where he has won two Betfair Chases. A class act on his day but not getting any younger and produced two below-par displays in 2025. Two falls in his last seven runs and tailed off in the Gold Cup means he’s far from a certainty to get round.

·       Coko Beach (330 XP) – Has run in three Nationals so far and not getting any closer. 33 lengths behind I Am Maximus last year - stamina looks the problem.

·       Twig (330 XP) – Ran the race of his life to chase home Chianti Classico in the Ultima at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, a race which flagged up Corach Rambler's National credentials. Has been hurdling since with mixed results and looks up against it here.

·       Horantzau D’airy (500 XP) – Runner up in a Munster and Kerry National before being dropped back in trip last time out, possibly to protect his handicap mark. Unlikely to win but could sneak into a place if the market speaks positively and others falter.

·       Celebre D’Allen (500 XP) – Has jumped round Aintree three times in shorter races so jumping not an issue but, despite the resurgence of his stable this season, he is a bit long in the tooth now.

Trends:

·       Season Form – All of the last 11 winners had at least 3 previous runs that season,

·       Age – 9 of the last 11 winners were aged between 7 and 9.

·       Weights – 9 of the last 11 winners carried between 10st 3lbs and 11st 5lbs.

·       Rating – 9 of the last 11 winners were rated between 146 and 160.

·       Course Form – 7 of the last 11 winners had at least 1 previous run at Aintree, 

·       Cheltenham Festival – 6 of the last 11 winners had run at the Cheltenham Festival last time out.

·       Untrustworthy Favourites – Only 3 of the last 11 winners were favourites, with 7 having an XP of 60+.

CJRF Tip:

1^st – Perceval Legallois                   

2^nd – Minella Cocooner

3^rd – Beauport