If you only back one race a year, it’s usually this one – and it’s usually chaos. The Grand National is a four‑mile marathon over those famous Aintree fences, with 30 jumps, 34 runners, and more plot twists than a Sunday night drama.
Favourite backers do win sometimes, but this is a race where double‑figure odds horses regularly crash the each‑way places and make a lot of casual punters very happy.
Look back through recent renewals, and you’ll find plenty of 20/1, 25/1, and even bigger prices sneaking into the frame, even when the market leaders run well.
So the aim here isn’t to find four absolute certainties – those don’t really exist in this race – but four runners who make sense on what they’ve done, how they’re likely to be ridden, and how they fit the unique test of the National.
You don’t need to know your official ratings from your elbow; think of this as a simple guide to four tips for 2026, runners who’ve already shown they can cope with big fields, long trips, and serious pressure on a big day.
Grangeclare West – Classy National Regular
Grangeclare West is the solid, sensible option for anyone who wants a horse with “done it before” written all over his Aintree credentials.
He was third in last year’s Grand National, staying on into the places after jumping soundly all the way round, and he comes back now a year older, stronger, and with connections clearly thinking this is his race.
Since then, he’s added the Bobbyjo Chase in February to his CV, a recognised trial that tells you he’s still in love with the game and stays very well.
He’s trained by Willie Mullins, who has turned winning big staying races into a habit, and he has Patrick Mullins doing the steering, the same family team who know him inside out.
The angle with Grangeclare West is simple: proven Aintree form, rock‑solid stamina, and a top stable targeting this race again.
If you like a horse who feels more “reliable” than “romantic longshot”, he’s your guy.
Haiti Couleurs – The National Specialist
If Grangeclare West is the proven Aintree horse, Haiti Couleurs is the self‑appointed National specialist.
He already has wins in the Irish Grand National in 2025 and the Welsh Grand National in December on his record, which is basically the staying chaser’s equivalent of doing the double in two of the toughest marathons around.
That tells you two key things: he stays forever, and he thrives when the test gets properly gruelling.
He’s used to big fields, long distances, and hurly‑burly early stages, and he has the engine to keep going when others start to feel the pinch.
Sean Bowen has been booked to ride, and he’s no stranger to riding winners, which is another little plus in a race where experience really helps.
If you like the idea of backing a horse who treats these marathon chases like his natural habitat, Haiti Couleurs is the one.
Final Orders – The Momentum Horse
The next of our tips for 2026 is Final Orders who arrives at Aintree with the sort of “hot horse” profile that a lot of punters love: he’s bang in form, and he keeps winning the sort of races that suggest confidence is sky high.
He comes here after landing the Glenfarclas Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, having also won the same race there in December, so he’s clearly thriving and handling these big‑day atmospheres with zero fuss.
The Glenfarclas is a very different test in terms of track layout, but it still asks for concentration, stamina, and bravery, and Final Orders has ticked all of those boxes twice in the last few months.
Conor Stone‑Walsh keeps the ride, and there’s a sense that this is a horse very much on the up, stepping into the National at exactly the right time in his career.
If you want one who brings proper winning momentum to the party, Final Orders fits nicely.
Mr Vango – The Marathon Grinder
Every National shortlist needs at least one proper grinder, the type who might not do anything flashy but just keeps rolling and rolling when others have cried enough. Mr Vango is that horse.
He’s already won the London National Handicap, the Peter Marsh Handicap, and the Midlands Grand National, three races that all put a huge emphasis on stamina and attitude. He has basically been touring Britain, hoovering up long‑distance chases for fun.
He also has valuable experience over these unique fences, having finished second in the Becher Chase here in December, which is run over the same obstacles as the National but over a shorter trip.
That run showed he jumps Aintree’s tests well and enjoys the place, and it gives his small but shrewd yard another crack at the big one with a horse who looks tailor‑made for a slog.
Trained by Sara Bradstock, if you want one at a price who could keep plugging on into the frame, Mr Vango is very easy to make a case for.
Who The Experts Are Tipping
If you like a bit of company for your selections, you’re in good hands this year.
Legendary jockey Ruby Walsh has nailed his colours to Grangeclare West as his idea of the 2026 Grand National winner, with Monty’s Star, I Am Maximus, and Gorgeous Tom filling his 2‑3‑4 slots.
That’s a nice confidence boost if you’re already half‑in love with Grangeclare West and wondering whether to commit.
Paddy Brennan has gone in a slightly different direction, siding with Captain Cody for the win with Final Orders, I Am Maximus, and Champ Kiely filling second, third, and fourth spots.
Matt Chapman, never shy of an opinion, is also singing from a similar hymn sheet, though he is backing Iroko for the win with I Am Maximus, Grangeclare West, and Final Orders, rounding out his four against the field.
In other words, there’s a decent overlap between the short‑lists from some very sharp racing minds, which is always reassuring when you’re handing over hard‑earned cash.
Before You Bet
You don’t need to know every stat in the book to enjoy a punt on the Grand National. Picking one or two horses you like the look of – maybe a “sensible” one like Grangeclare West, plus a couple of bigger‑priced sloggers like Haiti Couleurs or Mr Vango – is a perfectly reasonable strategy.
Final Orders gives you that in‑form angle that’s always fun to cheer, especially if he’s travelling well turning for home.
However you play it, and whether or not you choose any of our tips for 2026, keep the stakes small, treat it as entertainment rather than an investment, and enjoy the spectacle more than anything else.
With 34 runners and four miles to cover, you’ll get a proper run for your money, and if one of these four is still in the mix jumping the last, you’ll suddenly feel like you’ve known everything about staying chasers all along.
BETFRED
