In a year that saw four entries fewer than in 2024, 81 Grand National runners remain in contention for the big race on Saturday, April 5th, 2025.
Of the 90 official entries, which ended up being just 87 by the time the weights were announced, six more potential runners have been withdrawn.
That means there are 81 potential 2025 Grand National runners left in the running for one of the 34 available spots.
So who are they, and were there any surprises at the first scratching stage?
2025 Grand National Withdrawals at First Scratching Stage
The first scratching stage is generally uneventful. It has only been two weeks since the weights came out, and while some connections have decided to take their chances elsewhere, others are still weighing up their options.
At this stage, the Cheltenham Festival is also on the horizon, and there are quite a few with entries to both meetings.
How they perform at Prestbury Park will play a large hand in determining if they head to or swerve Aintree.
Sadly, Delta Work was automatically removed following the announcement that last year’s runner-up died on February 20th after a bout of colic.
Obviously, connections are devastated with trainer Gordon Elliott saying: “Everyone here is gutted by this news. He was such a huge favourite of the yard, and he gave us so many memorable days over so many seasons.
“As a five-time Grade 1 winner and a triple Cheltenham Festival winner, he was everything you could hope for in a racehorse.
“It was an honour and privilege to train him for Michael and Anita O’Leary and we will be lucky to come across a horse of such class, versatility and longevity again.”
Five others were also taken out of contention.
For the first scratching stage in 2025, 6 horses were withdrawn:
- Delta Work
- Fakir d’Oudairies
- Bronn
- Gevrey
- The Goffer
- Copperhead
Only two of the six runners above were guaranteed a spot, which means that French Dynamite and Coko Beach have now made the cut.
Remaining 2025 Grand National Contenders
With 81 horses still left, the numbering has changed slightly, mainly because the BHA Handicapper also had a shuffle of the rankings, so here are all the remaining contenders in their new numerical order:
- 1 I Am Maximus – 11-12 – W P Mullins
- 2 Royale Pagaille – 11-9 – Venetia Williams
- 3 Nick Rockett – 11-8 – W P Mullins
- 4 L’Homme Presse – 11-8 – Venetia Williams
- 5 Envoi Allen – 11-8 – Henry De Bromhead
- 6 Grangeclare West – 11-8 – W P Mullins
- 7 Hewick – 11-7 – Miss Tara Lee Cogan
- 8 Inothewayurthinkin – 11-5 – Gavin Cromwell
- 9 Gentlemansgame – 11-5 – M F Morris
- 10 Monty’s Star – 11-5 – Henry De Bromhead
- 11 The Real Whacker – 11-4 – Patrick Neville
- 12 Minella Indo – 11-3 – Henry De Bromhead
- 13 Appreciate It – 11-2 – W P Mullins
- 14 Capodanno – 11-2 – W P Mullins
- 15 Minella Cocooner – 11-2 – W P Mullins
- 16 Conflated – 11-2 – Gordon Elliott
- 17 Stumptown – 11-2 – Gavin Cromwell
- 18 Hitman – 11-1 – Paul Nicholls
- 19 Beauport – 11-1 – Nigel Twiston-Davies
- 20 Bravemansgame – 11-0 – Paul Nicholls
- 21 Chantry House – 10-13 – Nicky Henderson
- 22 Galvin – 10-13 – Gordon Elliott
- 23 Threeunderthrufive – 10-12 – Paul Nicholls
- 24 Perceval Legallois – 10-12 – Gavin Cromwell
- 25 Kandoo Kid – 10-11 – Paul Nicholls
- 26 Iroko – 10-11 – Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero
- 27 Trelawne – 10-11 – Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls
- 28 Limerick Lace – 10-10 – Gavin Cromwell
- 29 Intense Raffles – 10-10 – Thomas Gibney
- 30 Senior Chief – 10-10 – Henry De Bromhead
- 31 Idas Boy – 10-10 – Richard Phillips
- 32 French Dynamite – 10-9 – M F Morris
- 33 Coko Beach – 10-9 – Gordon Elliott
- 34 Broadway Boy – 10-9 – Nigel Twiston-Davies
- 35 Mr Incredible – 10-9 – Sandy Thomson
- 36 Farouk d’Alene – 10-9 – Gary Brown
- 37 Zanahiyr – 10-9 – Gordon Elliott
- 38 Stay Away Fay – 10-9 – Paul Nicholls
- 39 Fil Dor – 10-9 – Gordon Elliott
- 40 Pinkerton – 10-8 – Noel Meade
- 41 Meetingofthewaters – 10-7 – W P Mullins
- 42 Velvet Elvis – 10-7 – Gavin Cromwell
- 43 Minella Drama – 10-7 – Donald McCain
- 44 Monbeg Genius – 10-6 – Jonjo & A J O’Neill
- 45 Vanillier – 10-6 – Gavin Cromwell
- 46 Horantzau d’Airy – 10-6 – W P Mullins
- 47 Hyland – 10-6 – Nicky Henderson
- 48 Celebre d’Allen – 10-6 – Philip Hobbs & Johnson White
- 49 Fontaine Collonges – 10-6 – Venetia Williams
- 50 Three Card Brag – 10-5 – Gordon Elliott
- 51 Twig – 10-5 – Ben Pauling
- 52 Quick Wave – 10-5 – Venetia Williams
- 53 Minella Crooner – 10-5 – Gordon Elliott
- 54 Shakem Up’arry – 10-4 – Ben Pauling
- 55 Duffle Coat – 10-4 – Gordon Elliott
- 56 Roi Mage – 10-4 – Patrick Griffin
- 57 Fantastic Lady – 10-3 – Nicky Henderson
- 58 Yeah Man – 10-3 – Gavin Cromwell
- 59 Favori De Champdou – 10-3 – Gordon Elliott
- 60 Mister Coffey – 10-2 – Nicky Henderson
- 61 Chemical Energy – 10-2 – Gordon Elliott
- 62 Mr Vango – 10-2 – Mrs Sara V Bradstock
- 63 Macdermott – 10-2 – W P Mullins
- 64 Desertmore House – 10-1 – Martin Brassil
- 65 Richmond Lake – 10-1 – Donald McCain
- 66 Malina Girl – 10-1 – Gavin Cromwell
- 67 La Renommee – 10-0 – Dr Richard Newland & Jamie Insole
- 68 Stuzzikini – 9-13 – Gordon Elliott
- 69 King Turgeon – 9-13 – David Pipe
- 70 Surrey Quest – 9-12 – Toby Lawes
- 71 Cruz Control – 9-12 – Tom Lacey
- 72 Apple Away – 9-11 – Lucinda Russell
- 73 Busselton – 9-11 – Joseph Patrick O’Brien
- 74 Spanish Harlem – 9-11 – W P Mullins
- 75 Famous Bridge – 9-9 – Nicky Richards
- 76 Escaria Ten – 9-7 – Martin Keighley
- 77 Where It All Began – 9-7 – Gordon Elliott
- 78 Git Maker – 9-6 – Jamie Snowden
- 79 Gericault Roque – 9-4 – David Pipe
- 80 Pats Fancy – 9-3 – Rebecca Curtis
- 81 Placenet – 9-3 – D Cottin
Movement On The Betting Markets
Interestingly enough, this year, there was no fanfare over the first round of scratchings.
There was no announcement and zero coverage. Any indication that some horses have been withdrawn comes only from the fact that the official race card has been updated.
As you can imagine, that means almost nothing has changed since the 2025 Grand National were revealed.
Connections have been free to race their horses wherever they like without fear that a great run will impact their rating.
To be fair, not a lot of connections have done that, especially those with Cheltenham entries. But there has been some movement at the top of the market.
Inothewayurthinkin has now become the antepost race favourite after a solid fourth-place finish in the Irish Gold Cup on February 1st.
Following his top weight allocation of 11-12, I Am Maximus has dropped back in the odds and is now around 11/1 to retain his crown.
That still makes him the second favourite, but Iroko is creeping up on him, and given that he will be swerving Cheltenham, it looks like trainer Gavin Cromwell has his sights firmly set on Aintree.
Incidentally, all three at the top of the betting are JP McManus horses, who is bidding for his fourth win in the race as an owner.
He previously won with Don’t Push It (2010), Minella Times (2021), and I Am Maximus (2024). Can he do it again?
Nick Rockett has seen his odds slashed to as little as 14/1 since winning the Bobbyjo Chase on February 22nd, and though his weight hasn’t changed, the Handicapper has bumped him further up the list as number 3, ahead of Envoi Allen and Grangeclare West, with all of them on 11-08.
Otherwise, as expected, with so few horses withdrawn at the first scratching stage, very little has happened on the betting markets.
That, and the Grand National tends to get a little bit ignored before the Cheltenham Festival!
The next stage is March 18th, after all the excitement at Prestbury Park is over for another year.
BETFRED
