One of the quiet truths about the Grand National is that you don’t have to find the winner to have a really good afternoon.
Big‑priced horses and long shots hit the frame year after year, and each‑way fans are often the ones grinning when the places are called out after that long run‑in at Aintree.
The race is chaotic, full of hard‑luck stories and heroic stayers, and the market leaders don’t always cope with the fences, the traffic, or the occasion.
If you’re the sort of person who likes a small stake and a big price, this is your time of year.
Each‑way bets on long shots can be great fun: your horse doesn’t have to win, they just have to hang in there long enough to nick a place, and suddenly that 66/1 or 100/1 doesn’t look so wild. Keeping an eye on horse racing odds as the market matures can also tell you a lot about where the smart money is moving.
With that in mind, here’s a look at four outsiders in the 50/1–100/1 bracket for the 2026 Grand National who are at least interesting if you’re hunting for value rather than following the crowd.
Top Of The Bill – Red Rum Family Ties
Let’s start with a horse who brings a great story to the race: Top Of The Bill will be ridden by Toby McCain‑Mitchell, grandson of the late Ginger McCain, the man who trained Red Rum to win three Nationals.
That family link to Aintree, and the fact that he will be carrying a lock of Red Rum’s hair in his glove, is a lovely narrative angle for anyone who likes a bit of history behind their bet.
In racing terms, Top Of The Bill is a proper staying chaser. He’s a ten‑year‑old who has been plying his trade in decent long‑distance handicap chases for Nigel and Willy Twiston‑Davies, and he has recent winning form over trips around three miles on testing ground at tracks like Haydock – including the Grand National Trial in February!
That tells you he stays well, handles a bit of cut in the ground, and has the toughness you need when the race turns into a slog late on.
He’s not a flashy type who wins by half the track, but he keeps finding under pressure, which is exactly the sort of attitude you want at Aintree.
From each way point of view, there’s a bit to like. You get that emotional pull of the McCain family name, plus a horse who is used to long distances and big fields.
At 66/1, you’re not betting on a certainty, but if he gets into a rhythm over the fences and settles behind the pace, he’s the sort who could still be running on when others are emptying.
Beauport – Seasoned Campaigner with Aintree Form
Beauport is the type of horse regular jumps fans know well, and casual Grand National players will probably warm to quickly once they hear his backstory.
Another ten‑year‑old from the Twiston‑Davies yard, he’s been a reliable, honest performer for years, mixing it in competitive staying races and usually giving his running.
Crucially, he’s already run well at Aintree, finishing 12th in this race last year. Over fences, he’s been contesting strong races too, including good efforts in staying chases where he has had to dig deep late on.
He might not have that one standout, headline‑grabbing victor, but his record is full of solid runs in smart company.
For each‑way players, that consistency is the attraction. His odds have bounced around all day – as low as 50/1 but as high as 100/1 – so you’re taking a punt that his experience, his toughness, and his familiarity with Aintree will help him creep into the frame if things fall right.
Punters who like to back a name they can pronounce and remember will also find “Beauport” easy to latch onto when the commentator starts to wind things up at the Canal Turn.
Mr Vango – Proven “National” Stayer
If you want a Grand National outsider who has already shown he can win these types of races, Mr Vango is your horse.
Trained by Sara Bradstock, he has turned himself into a bit of a marathon specialist, with wins in the London National at Sandown and the Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter on his CV, plus the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock for good measure.
He was also second in the Becher Chase here in December, carrying a whopping 12-00! Those are long, brutal races over testing ground, and they prove he has stamina in spades.
In the Midlands Grand National, he carried top weight, made much of the running and still had enough left to fend off his challengers in the home straight, which is the kind of effort that naturally gets people talking about Aintree the following spring.
Jack Tudor knows him well, and he’s already shown he can organise him and get him into a rhythm in races that last well over four miles.
At 66/1, Mr Vango looks a classic case of a horse priced up because the race is competitive rather than because he lacks credentials.
He already owns two “Nationals”, he stays extreme trips, and he’s trained by a yard that knows how to prepare a tough staying chaser for a big day. If it had rained more, his odds would be a lot shorter!
If you like the idea of an each‑way bet on a proper out‑and‑out stayer who will keep galloping, he’s very easy to make a case for.
Marble Sands – The Only Grey Runner
Marble Sands, the only grey runner in this year’s race, comes into the race at 66/1, which feels a touch disrespectful for a horse who has been a smart performer over fences in his own right.
He’s a ten‑year‑old too, trained by David Killahena and Graeme McPherson, and has been seen to good effect in graded and high‑class handicap chases, including a clear‑cut success at Cheltenham in November, where he put some decent rivals in their place.
He’s not been campaigned as an extreme‑distance specialist in the way Mr Vango has, but he stays three miles well enough and has the sort of neat, efficient jumping style that can be a real asset around Aintree if he takes to the bigger fences.
From a long shots each‑way perspective, he’s more of a “could outrun his odds if he stays” type than an obvious slogger, but that’s reflected in the price.
If he settles, jumps well early, and enjoys himself, he has enough ability to travel into the race longer than a 100/1 shot should, and that’s all you can really ask for if you’re backing something at cricket scores.
How to Approach These Long Shots
None of these four are likely to be at the top of many serious tipsters’ lists, and that’s fine.
The Grand National is one of the rare races where it’s perfectly reasonable to follow a story, a colour, or a name you like, as long as the horse has at least some staying form and a hint of class in the book.
Top Of The Bill gives you the McCain family link, Beauport offers experience and Aintree form, Mr Vango brings proper marathon‑race wins, and Marble Sands is the only grey chaser at a huge price.
If you’re playing each‑way, the key is to keep your stakes sensible, spread them around if you fancy more than one, and enjoy the ride.
With a bit of luck, one of these big‑priced runners will be in the mix crossing the Melling Road for the last time, and that’s when having a longshot on your side becomes a lot more fun than following the favourite.
BETFRED
