Recent winners at Aintree share traits like proven stamina over long distances and the ability to handle the unique fences.
Horses such as Nick Rockett in 2025 and I Am Maximus in 2024 came from Irish yards with strong chasing form.
Their jockeys timed runs perfectly amid the chaos of 30 runners. Let’s take a closer look at these previous winners and what the new contenders for 2026 may be.
Winners’ Common Traits
Winners usually have top-level wins or close calls in big races like the Gold Cup or Irish Nationals.
Horses from Willie Mullins, such as I Am Maximus, kept a good speed to take over late, after jumping the fences clean at the start.
Jockeys like Paul Townend hung back from the fast early pace, then made their move when other horses got tired on the second lap.
Overall, most winners fit this mould: eight- to ten-year-olds with strong stamina. Trainer patterns hold firm, too. Mullins and Gordon Elliott keep dominating, with horses rated 155-165 by the British Horseracing Authority.
Just like players in casino games who study the table before going all-in, as laid out in the Pokerology casino guide, it requires a bit of reading into each contender this year.
It is because these horses and their teams hide any weaknesses until the run for home. Owners play the long game, keeping their horses fresh instead of letting them run too often before the big event.
Defending Champion
Nick Rockett leads the betting at 25/1 after winning the 2025 race under Patrick Mullins. Willie Mullins trains this nine-year-old horse, who found extra energy and fought hard starting from the third-to-last jump to beat I Am Maximus by a length.
He came into the race with good recent results, like the Irish Gold Cup, and was well rested for April.
Mullins will aim high again with him; he jumps fences cleanly and moves smoothly on wet, soft ground.
Patrick Mullins knows how to place him just right during the race, like he has done with the winning horses before.
With a mark of 162, Nick Rockett stands a real chance to become a back-to-back champion if he stays clear of trouble early.
Repeating Acts
I Am Maximus returns at 20/1, runner-up in 2025 after winning in 2024. Willie Mullins’ ten-year-old horse runs his best on very wet and muddy ground, just like Corach Rambler did when he won.
He picks longer races where he can control the pace, which fits Aintree perfectly.
Grangeclare West finished third in 2025 and now trades at longer odds. Another from Mullins’ yard, this horse keeps going strong to the end, thanks to his strong handicap form.
Nine years old with light weight and clean jumping, he’s the one to watch.
Fresh Contenders
Haiti Couleurs tops the market at 14/1, a nine-year-old from Rebecca Curtis. He has blossomed into the yard’s flagbearer, racking up major staying chase wins at Cheltenham, Fairyhouse and Chepstow.
Winner in the National Hunt Challenge Cup, heroic in the Irish Grand National, then ruthless in the Welsh National, he now has options at both Cheltenham’s Gold Cup and the Aintree Grand National in 2026 – which road will he take?
Captain Cody, an eight-year-old from Mullins at 20/1, brings some youth to the mix. He won the 2024 Scottish National at Ayr over four miles, outlasting all other contenders.
Depending on how the Handicapper views that win last season, he may have more weight to contend with but is still in with a great shout.
Breaking the Pattern
Iroko finished fourth in 2025 as the favourite, now priced at 20/1. Trained by Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, he beat Mullins’ horses in other races.
At eight years old, he moved from top hurdle races to jumping fences and brought more speed than the usual horses that just rely on grinding stamina.
Grey Dawning is a solid chance for trainer Dan Skelton to do well this year, being the winner in 2024’s Turners Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham.
The grey horse jumps big and bold, and at nine years old, he breaks away from the typical winners. Keep a close eye on the race guide as the big day draws nearer, as the runners will get whittled down, the odds will change, and it’ll be all to play for.
Ground Factor
The going at Aintree is crucial because the Grand National trip and fences severely test stamina and jumping, so ground conditions shape the whole race.
Softer going turns it into a war of attrition, while better ground can favour speedier, handier types and change riding tactics.
As the 2026 Grand National looms, the old guard, like Nick Rockett, holds firm, but fresh faces such as Haiti Couleurs promise a proper race.
Aintree’s fences will sort the bold from the bashful come April, with every yard chasing that elusive prize under the Mersey skies.
