Grab your lucky hat – the Irish Grand National is thundering towards us. The big race is due off on Monday, April 6, and we have the trends, odds, best bookies, and of course, our Irish Grand National tips. Our guide cuts through the noise and the hype, helping you to bet smarter.
- 1 Irish Grand National Betting Tips
- 2 Irish Grand National Betting Odds
- 3 How We Select Our Irish Grand National Tips
- 4 Best Irish Grand National Betting Sites
- 5 Most Popular Irish Grand National Betting Markets
- 6 Irish Grand National Racecard
- 7 Irish Grand National Racing Trends & Stats
- 8 Fairyhouse Racecourse Tips
- 9 Upcoming Horse Racing Events
- 10 ThePuntersPage Final Say
- 11 Irish Grand National FAQs
Irish Grand National Betting Tips
At this stage, we don’t know of any runners for the rest of Fairyhouse’s Easter schedule. We’ll have that information for you when it’s available. There are some intended runners for the big race, however, meaning we can give you more than just a beginner’s guide. These are early, well evaluated selections.
Cody to Captain the Grand National Ship?
One of our tips for Irish Grand National success is Captain Cody, trained by the master Willie Mullins. He’s an eight-year-old who is improving fast. A Scottish Grand National winner over four miles, he has run in eight chases now, meeting some of the trends and attributes that aren’t essential, but as you’ll see later, are desirable.
Red Carpet for Brother at Fairyhouse?
Oscars Brother, a recent purchase by top owner JP McManus, is another eight-year-old who is moving up the ranks. He’s a three-mile winner and certainly one for the future.
Spanish Harlem Can Hit the Right Note
Another Willie Mullins contender is three-mile Kerry National winner Spanish Harlem. Again, eight years old, he’s in the right place after 14 chase races to be competitive.
Irish Grand National Betting Odds
As there are no official entries yet, Irish Grand National odds are restricted to the one bookmaker willing to take a punt on the field – Unibet.
| Horse | Ante-Post Odds | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Now Is The Hour | 10/1 | Unibet |
| Resplendent Grey | 14/1 | Unibet |
| Quai De Bourbon | 14/1 | Unibet |
| Oscars Brother | 16/1 | Unibet |
| Captain Cody | 16/1 | Unibet |
| Search For Glory | 20/1 | Unibet |
| Better Times Ahead | 20/1 | Unibet |
| Spindleberry | 20/1 | Unibet |
| High Class Hero | 20/1 | Unibet |
| Spanish Harlem | 33/1 | Unibet |
How We Select Our Irish Grand National Tips
We rely on a classic combo of deep racing knowledge and data analysis to come up with our Irish Grand National tips. Here is what we look for in Irish Grand National runners.
We want to find the best horse possible, in the given conditions. Horses are assigned an official rating, helping us to see where they stand.
Those looking at tips for the Irish Grand National will need to consider that it’s a handicap. So, we do like to know how good the horse is, but we also need to compare that to the weight they carry. A well handicapped horse isn’t always the best, but is furthest ahead of the handicapper.
The overall profile of a horse tells us what we need to know. We look at past and recent form, age, pedigree, and past injuries.
We know the horse’s form, rating and weight, but are they improving? Some horses are still getting better, while others are consistent, and some are going backwards.
The human element is important. The final piece of the Irish Grand National betting tips puzzle is making sure trainers and jockeys are of a high standard.
Even when we find a well handicapped type, we may judge them to be unlikely to run to their peak form over the three-mile, five-furlong distance of the Irish Grand National.
You’ve head of “Horses for courses”, we’re sure. Some run well on tight tracks, others prefer a wide, galloping course. Handling Fairyhouse is a key metric.
Ground conditions are important. Some horses run well on anything, while others prefer it very soft, or perhaps on the quicker side.
Best Irish Grand National Betting Sites
In time, Irish Grand National betting will be available with all our best betting sites for horse racing. These are the bookies we consider having the best Irish Grand National betting odds and features.
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bet365 remains the leader for big races
Gary Christie: The industry’s biggest player comes out on top for major horse racing again. Odds are always competitive, Best Odds Guaranteed is offered, there are bonuses and livestreaming of all UK and Irish races, including the Irish Grand National.
Most Popular Irish Grand National Betting Markets
Looking for the best market types for Irish Grand National betting odds? We’ve always got you covered. These are some of the most interesting markets introduced by the best online bookies in the country.
Odds are at their best in the ante-post phase. Ante-post invites you to take a chance, as if your horse doesn’t run, you don’t get your money back unless you have a non-runner, no beat deal.
Horse racing isn’t so much about things like spread betting, but mostly betting on the nose. Just back your horse to win, or ‘each-way’ which means backing the ‘win’ and the ‘place’. Placing in the Irish Grand National will involve at lease the first four horses home, and more if your bookie offers ‘extra places’.
Many punters try to up their winnings significantly by betting on the first two or three horses past the line. It’s a hard one to get right.
You can bet on the Irish Grand National live. In such a long race, it’s good to let the field start and clear the first fence or two before you have a bet. With the right bookie, you can back this up with livestreaming.
Irish Grand National Racecard
Full racecards for the day haven’t been announced by Fairyhouse or Horse Racing Ireland yet. We expect the first race to be around 2pm, with the Irish Grand National going off at approximately 5pm. In 2025, there were eight races on the card from 2:05pm to 6:10pm.
Irish Grand National Racing Trends & Stats
A lot of Irish Grand National tips will be formed using previous trends. While not completely reliable, some of the stats we’ve put together regarding the last ten winners of this race do make fascinating reading.
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9 of the last 10 Irish Grand National winners (90%) carried more than 10st 5lbs.
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9 of the last 10 (90%) had previously won over a distance of at least three miles.
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8 of the last 10 (80%) were aged 7-9 (two 6yo’s, median winning age of 7yo).
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7 of the last 10 (70%) carried less than 11st to victory (average 10-10, median 10-8).
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7 of the last 10 (70%) ran in at least five chase races previously.
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6 of the last 10 (60%) were priced at 16/1 or over (average SP 28/1, median figure 12/1).
The sweet spot for weight-carrying is 10st 5lbs to 10st 10lbs. Those carrying very low weights are perhaps not good enough, while those carrying extreme weights will be burdened, and perhaps not well handicapped.
Though the average starting price is high, there has been more of a trend for shorter odds over the last few years, allied with horses carrying larger weights. The higher-class stables and horses are now coming to the fore.
The one horse from our stats who didn’t previously win over three miles or over, also ran in only four chases, skewing both stats. He did, however, go on to finish first and second in the 2024 and 2025 Grand Nationals at Aintree.
Fairyhouse Racecourse Tips
Our top expert for horse racing tips Irish Grand National runners based partly on how well they can handle Fairyhouse Racecourse. A lovely venue, Fairyhouse is a large, galloping, right-handed track, featuring a steady climb on the side of the course, moving away from the stands.
The horses descend the back straight, before moving uphill again towards the finish. For jockeys, it’s thought of as a simple track to ride with few bad luck stories, though the fences can be very stiff, meaning they’re no good for a novice, or a bad jumper. If our horses can jump well and see out the full three-mile, five-furlong trip, we’ll be happy.
Recent Irish Grand National Results
Irish Grand National winners tend to come in at big prices, as you’ll see. The last ten Irish Grand National results may give you an idea of the task at hand.
| Year | Winning Horse | Odds | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Haiti Couleurs | 13/2 | Sean Bowen | Rebecca Curtis |
| 2024 | Intense Raffles | 13/2 | JJ Slevin | Thomas Gibney |
| 2023 | I Am Maximus | 8/1 | Paul Townend | Willie Mullins |
| 2022 | Lord Lariat | 40/1 | Paddy O’Hanlon | Dermot McLoughlin |
| 2021 | Freewheelin Dylan | 150/1 | Ricky Doyle | Dermot McLoughlin |
| 2020 | Cancelled | |||
| 2019 | Burrows Saint | 6/1F | Ruby Walsh | Willie Mullins |
| 2018 | General Principle | 20/1 | JJ Slevin | Gordon Elliott |
| 2017 | Our Duke | 9/2F | Robbie Power | Jessica Harrington |
| 2016 | Rogue Angel | 16/1 | Ger Fox | Mouse Morris |
| 2015 | Thunder And Roses | 20/1 | Katie Walsh | Sandra Hughes |
Upcoming Horse Racing Events
No upcoming events.
ThePuntersPage Final Say
Stay tuned for our top tips for Irish Grand National contenders and check out our preferred bookmakers for any free bet offers available. Keep in mind the form trends for this race, and what it takes for a horse to win around Fairyhouse. Finally, bookmark our page and come back to find out all the latest information ahead of the 2026 Irish Grand National.
Irish Grand National FAQs
Unibet has the earliest Irish Grand National best odds. bet365, William Hill and Ladbrokes will also be strong brands for betting on this race.
We have the Irish Grand National betting odds from Unibet. More will be added when horses are officially entered.
Come to us for detailed Irish Grand National tips. Alternatively, remember past trends and look for a horse who can stay the distance and is well handicapped.
Yes, if your bookmaker doesn’t specifically prohibit them. Free ‘sports bets’ can be used on horse racing, including the Irish Grand National.
Irish Grand National festival betting odds are available with only one bookmaker – Unibet. More odds will follow when the official entries are known in early March.
The 2026 Irish Grand National is run on Monday, April 6, as part of the Easter Festival at Fairyhouse.
The Irish Grand National is planned for 5pm (TBC).
Haiti Couleurs won the Irish Grand National, before going on to win the Welsh version.