Anybody who has been following the 2025 Grand National Odds will know that up until yesterday it was a three way tie at the top of the betting markets.
Over the last week, I Am Maximus had been drifting in the odds and then trainer Willie Mullins won the first four races on Day One of the Aintree Festival and fans couldn’t get their bets on fast enough.
Within a couple of hours, he was as short as 11/2 but in a race where anything can happen, should you pay more attention to the long shots for better value?
Undoubtedly, Mullins’ yard is on fire but he has five other lively contenders ready to saddle up tomorrow, one or two that could be worth a second look, and at much more appealing odds.
Recent Long Shots
In the last 10 Grand Nationals alone, we have had three favourites and one 50/1 shot win the race.
Noble Yeats went off at 50/1 in 2022, though you could have backed him earlier in the day for as much as 80/1!
In total, four of the last 10 winners have gone off at starting odds of 25/1 or more. Taking that into account and looking at Betfred’s odds for the race today, 20 of the 2025 Grand National Runners are priced at 25/1 or more.
And with Betfred paying out each-way bets to seven places, if your horse doesn’t win but finishes in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th or 7th place, you will get some money back if you bet each-way.
Statistically, a few of the higher-priced horses will make it into the top five of the race. So which of them has the potential to do well on Saturday?
2025 Grand National Long Shots
I’ve gone through all of the runners, taking into account their odds, age, seasonal runs, weight, and form over the longer distances.
So with all of that, we are left with four National runners, on bigger prices, who could run a good race on Saturday:
- Bravemansgame 40/1
- Twig – 50/1
- Threeunderthrufive – 40/1
- Appreciate It – 40/1
Can any of them defy their odds and throw up a surprise? They may not be favourites but anything can happen in the Grand National!
BRAVEMANSGAME
BRAVEMANSGAMEBravemansgame isn’t just a great name, he’s got the stats to back it up. He’s tackled 18 chases and landed in the money 14 times, which is the racing version of showing up and doing the job, rain or shine.
And let’s talk cash – this lad has banked over £720,000, so he’s definitely not just making up the numbers.
He’s a former King George VI Chase winner, which means the class is there, even if the wins have dried up a bit lately.
But here’s the kicker: out of 26 runs under rules, he’s only missed the top 7 once. Yep – once.
So if your bookie’s offering extra places for the National, Bravemansgame could be the sneaky each-way pick that keeps your bet alive and your weekend interesting.
TWIG
TWIGTwig is the kind of horse that looks built for a Grand National plot twist.
He’s already proven he can tough it out over tricky courses, and while this season hasn’t exactly been full of fireworks, let’s cut him some slack, he’s been lumping around 11st 9lb in each of his last three races, all over three miles or more.
For the 2025 Grand National, he drops right down to 10st 5lb – the exact same weight Corach Rambler carried to victory in 2023. Coincidence? Maybe. Tempting? Definitely.
Add in the fact that Beau Morgan has been in the saddle for the past three years, and you’ve got a rider who knows every quirk and kick.
If Twig takes to those famous fences like we think he might, this could be one under-the-radar combo that causes a proper stir at Aintree.
THREEUNDERTHRUFIVE
THREEUNDERTHRUFIVEThreeunderthrufive might be a 40/1 shot, but don’t be too quick to write him off, especially in a race where chaos is part of the charm.
Trained by Paul Nicholls, he’s sneaking in with a nice racing weight of 10st 12lb and has already proven he can stay the trip, finishing a solid 4th in the 2023 Scottish National.
He’s the type that doesn’t shout for attention but quietly gets on with the job.
If he finds his rhythm early and tiptoes past the chaos at places like Becher’s Brook and The Chair, don’t be shocked if he’s still motoring when others have run out of puff.
He might just sneak into the mix when it matters most.
APPRECIATE IT
APPRECIATE ITThe Willie Mullins effect means that Appreciate It has seen his odds tumble from 66/1 to 40/1 over night and for good reason.
He is the kind of runner that makes you pause and think, “Hang on a minute…”
A Grade One winner back in his younger, flashier days, he’s trained by a man who practically collects trophies for fun.
Sure, there are some question marks over whether he’ll enjoy the full Aintree slog, but class like his doesn’t just vanish.
If Mullins has done what Mullins does best, and this fella finds a second wind late on, don’t be surprised if he starts sweeping past fading horses in the final furlong like he’s just joined in.
What Is A Long Shot?
Technically, a ‘long shot’ refers to something or someone that has a very low probability of succeeding or winning, usually in a competition or event.
It can be used to describe a team or player in a sports match, a contestant in a competition, or an investment with a high risk of failure but a potentially high payoff.
In general, a long shot is an outcome that is considered unlikely but not impossible. And if there’s one event that has a habit of throwing up the fairytale stories for the long shots, it is the Grand National.
Conclusion
Of course, this is the Grand National 2025, so you often throw statistics out the window and just pick one because you like the name!
Or you can look at how some of them have done over the Grand National fences in the past.
Delta Work (25/1), Minella Indo (28/1), Galvin (40/1), and Ain’t That A Shame (40/1) all finished in the top SIX last year.
In the Grand National, form can go out the window, favourites can fall, and it’s often the big-priced runners that sneak through the chaos – so never rule out the long shots!
BETFRED
