The world's most famous steeplechase is back. The 2026 Randox Grand National takes place on Saturday 11 April at 4:00 PM BST at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, 34 runners, 30 fences, 4 miles of the most dramatic racing on the planet. A global audience of 600 million from 140 countries, a crowd of over 70,000 spectators at Aintree, and £1 million in prize money are all on the line.
Before we get into the runners for horse racing betting, the key trends, and our picks, there's an exclusive promotion running on Duelbits across all three days of the festival that you need to know about.
Duelbits is running Top Two Payout for the entire 2026 Grand National Festival. Back your horse in the Win market, and if it finishes 1st or 2nd, you'll be paid out as a winner, real cash, no limits.
How it works:
Place a $5+ pre-race bet on the Win single market for the first qualifying race of each festival day:
That means up to three separate race opportunities to back a horse and get paid if it runs first or second. Stream every race live on Duelbits throughout the festival.
Claim Top Two Payout on Duelbits
Minimum $5 pre-race Win single. Applies to the first qualifying bet per eligible race. Cash credited within 24 hours of settlement. Live bets, Odds Boosts, and Predict do not qualify. Full T&Cs apply.
The Grand National is a handicap steeplechase run over 4 miles, 2 furlongs and 74 yards, one of the longest races on the calendar. Horses must jump 30 fences (16 on the first circuit, 14 on the second), including legendary obstacles like Becher's Brook, The Chair, and the Canal Turn.
A maximum of 34 runners go to post. The weight each horse carries is set by the BHA Handicapper in February, and navigating those weights, finding the horses who are best treated by the handicap, is the primary analytical challenge of the race.
The average odds of a winning Grand National horse are around 20-1. Six of the last ten winners had at least four seasonal runs before going on to win the Aintree spectacular. This is not a race where the result is straightforward to call, and that unpredictability is exactly what makes it one of the most bet-on sporting events of the year.
Understanding the historical patterns of the Grand National is the best starting point for any serious betting approach. Here's what the numbers consistently show:
Horses aged under ten have won the last ten runnings of the Grand National, a period more or less timed in line with the safety modifications to the course. Corach Rambler (2023), I Am Maximus (2024), and Nick Rockett (2025) were aged nine, eight, and eight respectively. Noble Yeats became the first seven-year-old winner since 1940 in 2022. For 2026, no teenager has won since Sergeant Murphy in 1923, and only Vics Canvas aged 13+ has placed since Rondetto in 1969. Any horse aged ten or over faces a significant historical headwind.
Seven of the last 18 winners were officially 'well in', having improved since the weights were unveiled in mid-February, six of them by 5lb or more. Both I Am Maximus (2024) and Nick Rockett (2025) were well-in horses who had won the Bobbyjo Chase in their prep race, a stepping stone that has now produced back-to-back Grand National winners.
The 2024 1-2-3-4 all carried over 11st, and the 2025 1-2-3 all carried 11st 8lbs or more. The days of opposing higher-weighted horses appear firmly over in the modern Grand National.
Willie Mullins sent out the first three home and five of the first seven in the 2025 Grand National. Irish-trained horses have dominated for several years running, and Mullins, now chasing a fourth Grand National victory, remains the trainer whose entries must be at the top of every shortlist.
First and second-season chasers have won eight of the last ten runnings. The trend toward younger, relatively lightly-raced horses is one of the defining features of the modern Grand National. When Corach Rambler won in 2023, he led home a 1-2-3-4 of second-season chasers. Nick Rockett was having just his eighth chase run when he won in 2025.
There have been seven winning favourites or joint-favourites since 1996, with Tiger Roll the shortest-priced winner in the modern era at 4-1. However, eight of the last 17 winners were sent off at odds of 25-1 or bigger. The BHA Handicapper has done his job well, this remains one of the most genuinely competitive handicaps in racing.
The 2024 winner returns as the clear market leader. I Am Maximus followed up his 2024 Grand National win with an impressive second place finish carrying top weight in 2025, chasing home stablemate Nick Rockett. He heads to Aintree in better form than 12 months ago, a blip-free preparation has settled his connections' nerves, and the form figures of a Grand National winner and runner-up are about as solid as they come. The question is whether he can carry top weight to victory: he is the officially highest-rated horse in the race. Willie Mullins and Donagh Meyler team up again.
Verdict: The deserving favourite. Proven at the track and the distance, arrives in better shape than last year. Hard to oppose at any price.
Third in last year's Grand National and won his most recent outing in February's Bobbyjo Chase, the same stepping stone used by both I Am Maximus and Nick Rockett before their Grand National triumphs. He coped well with the new challenge of Aintree in 2025 but lost momentum at the last, which may have cost him second place at the least. He rallied well and finished best of the beaten horses, catching the eye, and is only 3lb higher with the benefit of experience this time around.
Verdict: Very strong each-way play. The Bobbyjo form is rock solid, the experience of Aintree now banked, and the weight looks fair. Could be the one.
Has been well supported for Dan Skelton and arrives with momentum behind her. British-trained horses have been starved of success in recent years but Skelton is one of the most progressive trainers in the country and will have prepared this runner meticulously for the unique demands of Aintree.
Verdict: Interesting British contender at a solid each-way price. Worth a look.
Among the favourites thanks mainly to his exploits at Cheltenham. Trained by Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero and carrying the JP McManus colours, Jagwar is a strong traveller with a sharp finishing kick. The problem is the jumping, whether he'll be able to find a rhythm over the fences that will keep him in touch. His Aintree jumping technique on the day will be the critical factor.
Verdict: Has the class to win but jumping must be confirmed. Interesting at the each-way terms.
A JP McManus runner trained by Gordon Elliott. Gordon Elliott's charge arrives right at the top of his game after springing a big surprise at Leopardstown over Christmas before backing it up. If able to bounce back from his latest run, the nine-year-old could improve on last year's 11th-place effort, he's 10lb higher but showed enough improvement during the first half of this campaign to suggest he may have progressed.
Verdict: Needs to bounce back from his most recent outing. On his best form, he's a contender.
Second to Grangeclare West in the Bobbyjo Chase before taking a step forward at Down Royal when last seen, beating the returning Nick Rockett in the process. He's another classy performer on his day having landed Grade One honours at Aintree, among other tracks, in the past.
Verdict: Class performer with a course win already to his name. At 33-1, he's one of the most interesting longer-priced plays on the card.
Eight-year-old gelding who is three from six over fences, having recorded a hat-trick of wins including a Grade Two at Navan in February, before finishing fourth in Grade One company at the Cheltenham Festival. The Connor King-trained contender faces a stiff task as a novice, but is rapidly improving and remains unexposed.
Verdict: Fascinating progressive novice. Big ask for a chaser this lightly-raced but youth and improvement are the hallmarks of recent Grand National winners.
Win: Grangeclare West - The Bobbyjo-Aintree connection has now produced back-to-back winners. He arrives with a prep race win, 3lb more experience from last year's race, and a genuine tactical chance if he can avoid trouble early.
Each-Way Value: Gerri Colombe (33-1) - A Grade One winner at Aintree who ran well behind the Bobbyjo winner last time and then beat Nick Rockett on his latest start. The price is generous for a horse of this quality.
Longshot: Oscars Brother - Progressive novice for Connor King who is rapidly improving. Youth and forward momentum have defined this era of Grand National winners.
The full three-day Aintree Festival will be shown on ITV1 and ITVX, with the Grand National race at 4:00 PM BST on Saturday broadcast live on ITV1. You can also stream every race across all three days live on Duelbits, no subscription required, just an active account.
Duelbits Sportsbook carries full markets on the Grand National and every race at the Aintree Festival across all three days. Don't forget the Top Two Payout promotion, available for the first qualifying race on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Back your horse in the Win market and get paid if it finishes first or second.
Odds correct at time of writing and subject to change. Always check Duelbits Sportsbook for the latest prices.
When is the 2026 Grand National? The 2026 Randox Grand National takes place on Saturday 11 April at 4:00 PM BST at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool. The three-day Aintree Festival runs from Thursday 9 April to Saturday 11 April.
Who is the favourite for the 2026 Grand National? I Am Maximus is the current favourite at around 7-1 to 8-1. The 2024 winner was a valiant second in 2025 and heads to Aintree in better form than 12 months ago. Grangeclare West and Jagwar are next in the market at around 10-1.
How many runners are in the 2026 Grand National? The 2026 Grand National has a field of 34 declared runners, run over 4 miles, 2 furlongs and 74 yards at Aintree, with 30 fences to be jumped.
What is the Top Two Payout offer on Duelbits for the Grand National? Place a $5+ pre-race bet on the Win single market for the first qualifying race of each festival day. If your horse finishes 1st or 2nd, you will be paid out as a winner, real cash, no limits. The promotion covers three races across Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
Who trained the last Grand National winner? The 2025 Grand National was won by Nick Rockett, trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Patrick Mullins at 33-1. Mullins sent out the first three home in the race and is now chasing a fourth National victory in 2026.
What age of horse typically wins the Grand National? Horses aged under ten have won the last ten Grand Nationals. Eight and nine-year-olds have dominated recent years. No horse aged ten or older has won since the modern safety modifications were introduced.
Can I watch the Grand National live on Duelbits? Yes. Stream every race live on Duelbits throughout the Grand National Festival, including the main Grand National race on Saturday 11 April.
What is an each-way bet on the Grand National? An each-way bet is two bets in one, one part of your stake goes on your horse to win, the other on it to place (typically top five or six in a race of this size). Note: Duelbits' Top Two Payout promotion applies to Win single bets only, not each-way bets.
