I Am Maximus, the 2024 winner, heads the field for Saturday’s Grand National at Aintree, with last year’s champion Nick Rockett declared a non-runner on Thursday.
I Am Maximus, owned by JP McManus, triumphed by seven-and-a-half lengths two years ago then finished two-and-a-half lengths behind Nick Rockett – trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by his son Patrick – in 2025.
Jockey Paul Townend has stuck with I Am Maximus for the third successive year, while Patrick Mullins had already decided to take the ride on Grangclare West rather than Nick Rockett.
Tom Bellamy, who picked up his first Cheltenham Festival winner last month, had been booked to ride Nick Rockett.
His place in the field has been taken by the Gordon Elliott-trained Pied Piper, who was first reserve.
The remaining reserves are Imperial Saint, Amirite, Ain’t That A Shame, Deep Cave and Buddy One – they will get runs if there are any further non-runners before 13:00 BST on Friday.
Who are the Grand National favourites?
The field is again dominated by Irish trainer Mullins, with the three-time winner having eight horses in the field.
Joining I Am Maximus are last year’s third-placed Grangeclare West, Spanish Harlem, Lecky Watson, Champ Kiely, High Class Hero, Captain Cody and Quai De Bourbon.
McManus is seeking a record fourth victory in the race and has leading hopefuls Iroko and Jagwar – both trained by Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero.
Johnnywho is another runner for McManus, alongside Spillane’s Tower, who also holds an entry for the Aintree Bowl on Thursday so may yet drop out of the National.
Oscars Brother and Perceval Legallois, who will be ridden by Harry Cobden after falling last year, are also representing McManus.
I Am Maximus is bidding to become the first horse to carry top weight to victory since triple winner Red Rum in the 1970s.
Gordon Elliott, who has also trained three National winners, has six runners with Gerri Colombe, Firefox and Favori De Champdou – the beaten favourite in the Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival – towards the top of the weights.
Approximate odds: 7-1 I Am Maximus, 10-1 Grangeclare West, 12-1 Panic Attack, 14-1 Iroko, Johnnywho, Jagwar
What time is the Grand National?
The big race is due off at 16:00 BST, with runners and riders negotiating 30 fences – including Becher’s Brook, The Chair and Canal Turn – over four and a quarter miles.
Henry de Bromhead, who won the race in 2021 with Rachael Blackmore and Minella Times, trains Monty’s Star and Gorgeous Tom.
Gavin Cromwell has Perceval Legallois and Cheltenham Festival winner Final Orders.
Dan Skelton will be represented by mare Panic Attack as he closes in on the British trainers’ championship for the first time.
The Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies-trained Beauport will carry the colours of Bryan and Philippa Burrough, for whom Corbiere won in 1983 as Jenny Pitman became the first female trainer to triumph.
Nigel is a two-time winner of the race in 1998 and 2022 and the stable are also set to saddle Top of the Bill, who moved into the top 34 with Monday’s withdrawals.
The Ben Pauling-trained Twig is the final guaranteed runner.
Fourteen-time British champion trainer Paul Nicholls has no entries.
How the Grand National has changed
Organisers introduced a series of new safety measures in 2024 for the Grand National.
As well as reducing the line-up, there is a shorter run to the first fence to slow horses down and a reduction in height to one of the fences. A standing start was reintroduced along with further veterinary checks.
The National time was brought forward an hour and 15 minutes to reduce the build-up and provide safer ground for runners in case of drying conditions.
In 2024 there were no fallers and 21 horses completed the race – the highest number across the finish line since 1992 – with four horses unseating their riders and seven pulled up.
Last year saw 16 finishers, three fallers, 13 pulled up, one horse was brought down and one unseated their rider.
