As I sit down to write about the Grand National, I have to admit that I’m not a professional racing expert but I love this race and the horse names of some of the runners!
Like many of you, I often find myself drawn to a horse based on its name alone. Who wouldn’t want to back a horse called I Am Maximus or Intense Raffles?
It’s hard not to imagine these names galloping across the finish line first. But, let’s be honest, the allure of a catchy name can be a powerful thing.
Research has even shown that those of us, who like the odd flutter, are influenced by names that sound fast or impressive, even though they don’t necessarily reflect the horse’s actual performance.
So, as we look at the current lineup for the 2025 Grand National, let’s take a closer look at some of these intriguing horse names and see if they might just inspire us to place a bet.
Horse Names in 2025
We’ve still got a whopping 67 horses in the running, but here’s the kicker: only the top 34 will actually get to gallop their way into history at Aintree.
Each horse on the list below has been ranked, by the Handicapper. The horse he considers the best is ‘I Am Maximus’ so he is number one. The next best horse is number two and so on.
The potential runners below are in alphabetical order and I have put their number beside them. Those with numbers 1-34 are currently guaranteed a spot in the Grand National 2025.
Horse names numbered 35-67 are not BUT, they can still make it in, if any of the horses above them get withdrawn before the race.
The further down the list the runner is, the less chance they have of making the cut. So 35 has a good chance, 67 does not.
As an example: the first name on the list is Apple Away – number 61, and the second is Appreciate It – number 8. Apple Away has very little chance of lining up but Appreciate It is already guaranteed a run.
| Horse Name | Number |
|---|---|
| Apple Away | (61) |
| Appreciate It | (8) |
| Beauport | (14) |
| Bravemansgame | (15) |
| Broadway Boy | (26) |
| Busselton | (62) |
| Capodanno | (9) |
| Celebre d’Allen | (37) |
| Chantry House | (16) |
| Chemical Energy | (52) |
| Coko Beach | (27) |
| Conflated | (11) |
| Cruz Control | (60) |
| Desertmore House | (53) |
| Duffle Coat | (43) |
| Escaria Ten | (65) |
| Farouk d’Alene | (28) |
| Famous Bridge | (64) |
| Fantastic Lady | (47) |
| Favori De Champdou | (46) |
| Fil Dor | (25) |
| Fontaine Collonges | (38) |
| Grangeclare West | (5) |
| Hewick | (6) |
| Hitman | (13) |
| Horantzau d’Airy | (35) |
| Hyland | (36) |
| I Am Maximus | (1) |
| Idas Boy | (23) |
| Intense Raffles | (21) |
| Iroko | (20) |
| Kandoo Kid | (19) |
| King Turgeon | (58) |
| La Renommee | (56) |
| L’Homme Presse | (4) |
| Macdermott | (50) |
| Malina Girl | (54) |
| Meetingofthewaters | (32) |
| Minella Cocooner | (10) |
| Minella Crooner | (40) |
| Minella Drama | (31) |
| Minella Indo | (7) |
| Mister Coffey | (51) |
| Monbeg Genius | (33) |
| Mr Incredible | (24) |
| Mr Vango | (49) |
| Nick Rockett | (3) |
| Pats Fancy | (67) |
| Perceval Legallois | (18) |
| Quick Wave | (42) |
| Richmond Lake | (55) |
| Roi Mage | (45) |
| Royale Pagaille | (2) |
| Senior Chief | (22) |
| Shakem Up’arry | (44) |
| Spanish Harlem | (63) |
| Stay Away Fay | (29) |
| Stumptown | (12) |
| Stuzzikini | (57) |
| Surrey Quest | (59) |
| Three Card Brag | (39) |
| Threeunderthrufive | (17) |
| Twig | (41) |
| Vanillier | (34) |
| Velvet Elvis | (30) |
| Where It All Began | (66) |
| Yeah Man | (48) |
Fun Runner Names To Choose From
Alright, let’s have some fun with these horses! Here are three quirky reasons to place a bet on some of the top 34 contenders:
I Am Maximus (1): Who wouldn’t want to back a horse that sounds like it’s straight out of a Roman gladiator movie?
He won last year and with a name like that, you’d half expect this horse to be wearing a laurel wreath instead of a bridle.
Plus, being number one on the list might make you feel like you’re backing a champion before the race even starts!
Grangeclare West (5): This horse’s name sounds like a posh retirement village.
Imagine the excitement of yelling, “Come on, Grangeclare West!” as if you’re cheering for your grandma’s bingo team.
It’s the perfect pick for anyone who wants to feel like they’re supporting both a racehorse and a luxury senior living community.
Threeunderthrufive (17): This horse’s name sounds like a cryptic crossword clue or a secret agent’s code.
If you fancy yourself a bit of a puzzle solver or a wannabe James Bond, this could be your horse.
Plus, if it wins, you can pretend you cracked some hidden racing algorithm. “Ah yes, I knew ‘three under thru five’ was the key to victory all along!”
Remember, while these quirky reasons are fun, they’re not a guarantee of success.
In the unpredictable world of horse racing, sometimes a name is just a name – but it sure can make the race more entertaining!
Why The Numbers Matter
Let’s break down why those numbers are so important when it comes to placing a bet on the Grand National.
Horses numbered 1-34 are guaranteed a spot in the race, but those numbered 35-67 are essentially on standby, hoping for a spot to open up if any of the top 34 horses withdraw.
Now, when you place an “antepost” bet, you are wagering before the final lineup is confirmed.
This can be a bit risky, even with an each-way bet, because even if you’ve chosen a horse within the top 34, they could still be withdrawn due to injury or other reasons.
To reduce this risk, many bookmakers offer “Non Runner Money Back” odds closer to the race date. This means that if your horse doesn’t end up running, you’ll get your money back.
So, it might be wise to wait until these safer odds are available before placing your bet.
This way, you can enjoy the excitement of the Grand National without the worry of losing your stake if your chosen horse doesn’t make it to the starting line.
BETFRED
