The Grand National is back. Britain’s most famous race, and one of the biggest on the planet. There’s nothing quite like this – 34 runners, 30 fences, four and a quarter miles. It’s chaos, theatre, and tradition rolled into one. Iconic stuff. I have my Grand National 2026 predictions for you below.
2026 Grand National Tips: What I’m Backing in the Aintree Spectacular
Yeah, it’s a horse race, that’s why I’m charged with handicapping it, but the National goes way beyond that. This isn’t just for pro punters or racing diehards – it’s got mainstream pull. Once a year, everyone has a bet. This is the people’s race. Even your granny wants to have a go.
I’ve been firmly in Flat racing mode lately – the sunshine does that to me – but figuring out my Grand National betting tips has been on my mind for weeks. It’s the biggest yearly betting event in Britain. Sitting it out just isn’t an option.
This isn’t a race I’d place serious stakes on. The field’s smaller now, and the fences a touch more forgiving, but it’s still wonderfully unpredictable, and they haven’t sucked all the fun out of it yet. Big-priced winners still land, and that’s the charm.
I’ve gone into more detail below about my thinking on how to pick a Grand National winner. For now, these are my three against the field, with prices supplied by bet365, one of the best bookies around.
| Grand National Horse | Bet Type | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Grangeclare West | Each-Way (5 Places) | 9/1 |
| Iroko | Each-Way (5 Places) | 12/1 |
| Stellar Story | Each-Way (5 Places) | 25/1 |
Odds correct at 13:00 GMT on 08/04/26. Odds subject to change.
Grand National Runners 2026: Narrowing the Field
Even with “just” the 34 runners these days, the Grand National is a nightmare to solve. You can’t approach this like a normal race – you have to simplify it. For me, that means starting with a process of elimination. Strip the race back, then rebuild.
When the final field dropped, I knew I had to lean initially on some trends. Not usually my thing, but in a race like this, you take every edge you can get. The data points me towards removing horses who:
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Haven’t won or placed over three miles +
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Have run in fewer than six steeplechases
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Haven’t run in the last 70 days (fitness is an issue)
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Carry less than 10st 7lbs (median figure for winners in the last decade is 10-12)
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Aren’t aged 8-10 (8-9 favoured)
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Have fallen or unseated three or more times
Building the Case for the Right Horses
That’s 15 of the field gone then, with 19 left. Already, patterns are emerging. We have some rock-solid jumpers, others with a habit of not finishing. In this race, that matters. This is certainly a lot different from how my Saturday horse racing selections are made.
From there, it’s about building the case back up. I need to be confident I’ve removed the “wrong” horses for the National, not the right ones. Now it’s time to focus on what’s left.
I dug into my Grand National handicap analysis including form, progression, and handicap marks to rank the remaining contenders. It’s all about answering the key questions – will they stay? Will they jump? Are they in form?
That left me with this shortlist, including my weight-adjusted ratings:
180 – Stellar Story: improving, perfectly campaigned, ideal age/profile, crying out for this trip, well weighted.
176 – Grangeclare West: placed last year off this mark, stronger form now, excellent prep (age a slight concern).
176 – Iroko: placed last year when badly positioned, too young when favourite in 2025, still improving, well weighted.
173 – Nick Rockett: 2025 winner, ultra-reliable jumper, but higher handicap mark now.
173 – Monty’s Star: progressive over fences, should relish this trip.
173 – Gorgeous Tom: improving 8-year-old, nicely weighted, one fall a minor concern.
Taking three each-way bets from my Grand National shortlist felt like the sweet spot here. So, I looked to tighten things up further with a few key positives:
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Cheltenham Festival runners have a strong recent record (Iroko)
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Many winners carry under 11st (Stellar Story, Gorgeous Tom)
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Winning last time out is a plus (Grangeclare West)
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Previous ‘National’ form (Aintree, Welsh, Irish) is a big tick (Nick Rockett, Grangeclare West, Iroko)
Iroko stands out. Joint-second on my ratings, placed last year when too young, and likely to race more prominently this time. He went off favourite in 2025 for a reason, and he is definitely well handicapped.
Stellar Story is impossible to ignore. Top-rated, well treated, and shaped all season like this trip is exactly what he needs. He makes himself very hard to leave out.
Grangeclare West remains of great interest to me. Yes, he’s 10, but he ticks almost every other box. It’s worth noting that jockey Paul Townend passed him over to ride I Am Maximus. That might not age well. You have to go back to Red Rum to find a winner off top weight, and if Townend had ridden Grangeclare West, he’d be favourite now.
My Grand National Each Way Tips
If Top Of The Bill hacks up at 125/1, feel free to come back and remind me. But based on everything I can find – form, data, and proper race reading – this is where I’ve landed:
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Grangeclare West – 9/1
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Iroko – 12/1
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Stellar Story – 25/1
I see these as proper Grand National value bets, with each capable of giving you a run for your money. I backed them all with bet365, but you can look at the deals from some of our best horse racing bookies. Make sure to get at least five places, as I did. Good luck!
