Thirty four runners will be contesting the 2025 Grand National at Aintree on Saturday (4pm on ITV) and the vast majority of them are trained in Ireland. The eight-year-old cross-country race specialist, Stumptown, deserves his place close to the top of the 2025 Grand National betting at 8/1.
He is trained by the extremely capable Gavin Cromwell who saddled his first Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, JP McManus’ Inothewayurthinkin this year. He was the clear National favourite before the decision was taken not to run him.
Stumptown is an outstanding second string, coming into the race having won his last four starts. The most recent one was at the Cheltenham Festival in the three mile, five furlong cross-country race. He started favourite and won convincingly, wearing cheekpieces for the first time under Keith Donoghue. Stumptown is a class act who has never fallen and has proven stamina. The downside is that the handicapper has noted his achievements and he will shoulder 11 stone 2lb. Having Donoghue on board for his debut at Aintree will help his chances.
Based at Navan, Co Meath, Cromwell also saddles the popular grey Vanillier (10/1), the runner-up in the 2023 Grand National, beaten two lengths by Corach Rambler. In February 2024 he filled the same position in the Irish Grand National beaten 14 lengths by I Am Maximus. In this race last year he found his higher handicap mark and the soft going too much and was beaten more than 40 lengths.
After three lacklustre efforts this season he won a low grade cross-country chase at Punchestown in February impressively in first time blinkers under Donoghue. At Cheltenham in March, Vanillier did better than the bare result of third place, eight lengths behind Stumptown suggests. His jockey Sean Flanagan nearly took the wrong course, losing a lot of ground.
Now a ten-year-old, this son of Martaline will be helped by decent ground and the lighter load of 10 stone 6lb this time. His supporters should get a good run for their money but he looks far more likely to place than win under Flanagan and is unattractive each-way at his current price.
Cromwell also saddles the French-bred Perceval Legallois (12/1) for McManus. This eight-year-old is potentially progressive, winning his last two starts. In December he scored in a valuable, listed handicap chase over three miles at Leopardstown under Mark Walsh. The manner of that victory suggested that he would benefit from a longer trip.
Perceval Legallois most recently won a listed three mile handicap hurdle at Leopardstown in early February. The switch to smaller obstacles suggests connections were minding his chase handicap mark with this target in mind. Rated 153, he has the necessary class to win but he is untested beyond three miles. There is no influence for stamina on his dam’s side and he would be the first son of Ballingarry to succeed at a marathon distance. He seems ungenerously priced for a horse whose stamina has yet to be tested.
McManus also owns Iroko (8/1) who found only Inothewayurthinkin too good at Aintree in the grade one Mildmay Novices’ Chase a year ago. Run over three miles and a furlong, he stayed on well but couldn’t reach the winner. It was his first run over that trip.
Trained in Cheshire by Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, this season he has been campaigned over shorter distances. He was a narrowly beaten favourite on his seasonal debut in a chase at Haydock in November but fell after being hampered at the first fence next time out at Ascot in December. His confidence was knocked and he subsequently jumped erratically in a valuable handicap chase at Cheltenham in January, finishing fourth.
Ridden as usual by Jonjo O’Neill Jr, he reappeared on March 1 at Kelso and was a creditable second, jumping well. This French-bred, seven-year-old son of Cokoriko out of a Martaline dam has stamina on both sides of his pedigree but he is untried beyond three and a quarter miles. Only one seven-year-old has won the National since World War II, Emmet Mullins’ Noble Yeats in 2022. Iroko has only recently regained his confidence and his chances may be compromised if he experiences traffic problems.
The double green colours of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede will be carried by their home-bred, seven-year-old grey son of Martaline, Intense Raffles (11/1). Trained by Thomas Gibney in Trim, Co Meath, he deserves to be prominent in the 2025 Grand National betting after his win in the Irish National at Fairyhouse last year. He came into the race having won both his starts for Gibney after losing his form when trained in France.
There were a couple of runs at Navan this season before he proved his well-being by finishing a close second in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse on 22 February under J J Slevin. If saddled by a big name trainer he would probably be a shorter price. He has class, proven stamina and will be fresher than many of his rivals but his age and the fastest ground he has encountered are a concern.
The current titleholder, JP McManus’ I Am Maximus trained by Willie Mullins, became the 13/2 favourite in the UK bookies’ National odds after Mullins scored in the first four races here on Thursday. I Am Maximus has been seen twice since his triumph and not lived up to his name. In December he pulled up in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown. In February he was beaten 17 lengths in the Irish Gold Cup at the same track.
Last year I Am Maximus came into the National after a win in the Bobbyjo. His form this time is a concern and he has to shoulder top weight. Fortunately the nine-year-old I Am Maximus is of gladiatorial proportions and Paul Townend, Mullins top stable jockey, has chosen to partner him. Townend usually picks the best horse and the stable is in great form.
Willie’s son Patrick partners Nick Rockett, the recent Bobbyjo winner suggesting he is the yard’s second choice. Patrick admits that this eight-year-old son of Walk In The Park is an unlikely looking staying chaser. He is not the biggest but finished strongly to take third in a premier handicap chase at Sandown in April last year over three and a half miles. He is a very interesting each-way prospect at 25/1.
Mullins also saddled the winner of that chase at Sandown, Minella Cocooner (14/1). This nine-year-old son of Flemensfirth out of an Old Vic dam has the pedigree for a testing trip and has proved his proficiency beyond three miles. He was last seen finishing fourth in the Bobbyjo, rallying when it mattered.
Minella Cocooner has not won since Sandown but he has gradually improved this season. He will be ridden for the first time by Jonathan Burke who deserted Paul Nicholls’ Stay Away Fay (66/1) to partner him.
Mullins also saddles Meetingofthewaters (22/1) for McManus who was beaten 16 lengths into seventh place here last year, weakening 100 yards from the line. His form in three runs since has been disappointing. He was last seen getting beaten 17 lengths in a listed chase at Leopardstown in early March. His jockey Danny Mullins has often partnered Minella Cocooner but rode Meetingofthewaters here last year. He must be expecting a better effort now Meetingofthewaters is eight-years-old.
Completing the Mullins contingent are Cheveley Park’s Grangeclare West (22/1) and Appreciate It (80/1). They are both classy performers, especially Grangeclare West who outran his odds of 66/1 when finishing second to Galopin Des Champs in the Irish Gold Cup in February. Neither of them has been tried over a marathon trip.
Shark Hanlon’s ten-year-old stable star, Hewick (10/1), has valid claims and would be a fairytale winner from a relatively small yard. He was purchased for just €850 as a two-year-old by Hanlon’s partner and will probably be the smallest horse in the race. Fortunately he has the heart of a lion, winning more than £750,000.
He was the surprise winner of the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day 2023 under Gavin Sheehan. He was seriously outpaced but appeared from nowhere when it mattered, beating fancied horses from top trainers in England and Ireland. In November last year he was second in the grade one Champion Chase at Down Royal. He was last seen winning a hurdle race impressively in March.
Hewick enjoys decent ground and won over three miles five furlongs on it when taking the Durham National at Sedgefield in 2021. Smaller stables have regularly punched above their weight in this race and Sheehan has been booked to partner Hewick for the second time. It is not unreasonable to hope that he might retain his 100% success rate on him.
Is Iroko the only UK trained horse with hope?
No, Nigel Twiston-Davies has won the National twice and has a decent chance with the ten-year-old Beauport. He was the 18/1 winner of the four and a quarter mile Midlands Grand National in March last year on heavy ground, confirming his stamina. In November he won the Berkshire National over three miles five furlongs on good, proving that he can perform on a decent surface.
He has been campaigned over hurdles since to protect his chase handicap mark and was last seen finishing second at Haydock in February, confirming his well-being. At 28/1 he is appealing as an each-way prospect under Sam Twiston-Davies.
Paul Nicholls saddles the more popular Kandoo Kid (20/1) who finished third over the National fences in the Topham last year after losing a shoe. This nine-year-old, grey French-bred won a top class handicap chase at Newbury in November over three miles two furlongs. Unfortunately his mark went up 7lb as a result.
Nicholls won the National with the grey Neptune Collonges in 2012 and saddled a winner here on Thursday. The extra mile is unknown territory but Harry Cobden can be trusted to give him every chance of performing.
Nicholls also sends out Threeunderthrufive (50/1) who has form over four miles, finishing fourth in the Scottish National in 2023. This ten-year-old was last seen in February getting beaten by the narrowest of margins in a three mile handicap chase at Ascot, proving he can perform off his current mark. Harry Skelton, the brother of Paul’s former assistant and now top trainer Dan has been booked for the ride. Cobden prefers his stablemate but he is an interesting prospect for a small each-way bet at 50/1.
Nicky Henderson is yet to a win a National of any sort but has reason to hope with the eight-year-old Hyland (20/1). This grey French-bred is progressive, winning two novice chases at Cheltenham over three miles this season and finishing as the runner-up in his other two starts. He has never fallen, giving Nico de Boinville hope of a decent spin round.
Our 2025 Grand National Betting Tips Verdict
Willie Mullins is in flying form and I Am Maximus may prove a worthy favourite but 13/2 seems ungenerous for a horse yet to show his well-being this season. Cromwell’s Stumptown is on a winning streak and is more appealing at 8/1 each-way. The same sentiment applies to Hewick at 10/1.
This is the National and we have to look for better value. Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Beauport is very tempting each-way at 28/1 but Mullins’ NICK ROCKETT is preferred at 25/1, back him each-way with Bet365 who are paying out on six places in the 2025 Grand National.
Fiona Derek is our horse racing expert. She has been involved with horses since she was a child and is active in horse racing as both a rider and owner. She has also earned a living as a writer. Fiona tipped 2025 Grand National winner Nick Rockett (33/1) and followed up in 2026 with I Am Maximus (advised 7/1). Both recommended in her in-depth big-race previews here at Just Bookies.