The Randox Grand National is edging ever closer, and with yesterday’s latest confirmation stage done and dusted, the final field is starting to take shape.
On Saturday, April 11th at 4pm, 34 chasers will set off in the 2026 Grand National over 4m2½f and 30 fences, but as of today 49 horses are still officially in the mix.
For some, that means dreams of National glory remain very much alive; for others, those hopes have just been parked for at least another year.
The five‑day confirmation stage, held yesterday (April 6th), has trimmed the field from 55 to 49, with six horses taken out of contention.
With the 72‑hour declaration deadline landing on Wednesday 8th April, connections hovering around the cut line are staring down a nervy couple of days, calculators out and weather apps checked, hoping that just enough rivals drop out for their own horse to sneak in.
As ever in the modern era, only 34 will make the final line‑up, the field size having been reduced in recent years in the name of safety.
The Six Who Step Aside
Yesterday’s scratchings list wasn’t long, but it was certainly significant. Now Is The Hour, French Dynamite, Blaze The Way, Harry Des Ongrais, L’Homme Presse and Monbeg Genius were all removed at this latest stage, thinning out the quality rather than the quantity at the top level.
It is a reminder that the Grand National is as much about careful campaigning and timing as raw ability; getting a horse to Aintree in one piece is an achievement in itself.
L’Homme Presse is the most notable absentee, ruled out through injury just days before final declarations. A high‑class chaser with Grade 1 form on his CV, his presence would have added a touch more star quality to the top of the weights, but connections have rightly erred on the side of caution.
Monbeg Genius, meanwhile, isn’t injured – he was simply rerouted. Connections opted to roll the dice in the Irish Grand National instead, a more conventional trip that suited his profile a little better at this stage of his career.
The other four – Now Is The Hour, French Dynamite, Blaze The Way and Harry Des Ongrais – depart more quietly, but their absence still reshuffles the pack for those hovering closer to the foot of the weights.
Now Is The Hour, in particular, had shown enough staying promise to suggest he could have gone well around Aintree, but his spring will now take a different turn.
Full List Of Horses Still In The 2026 Grand National
| No. | Horse | Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I Am Maximus | W P Mullins | 7/1 |
| 2 | Nick Rockett | W P Mullins | 20/1 |
| 3 | Banbridge | Joseph Patrick O’Brien | 50/1 |
| 4 | Grangeclare West | W P Mullins | 9/1 |
| 5 | Gerri Colombe | Gordon Elliott | 25/1 |
| 6 | Haiti Couleurs | Rebecca Curtis | 18/1 |
| 7 | Spillane’s Tower | James Joseph Mangan | 25/1 |
| 8 | Firefox | Gordon Elliott | 40/1 |
| 9 | Monty’s Star | Henry De Bromhead | 16/1 |
| 10 | Spanish Harlem | W P Mullins | 50/1 |
| 11 | Lecky Watson | W P Mullins | 40/1 |
| 12 | Champ Kiely | W P Mullins | 50/1 |
| 13 | Iroko | Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero | 11/1 |
| 14 | Favori De Champdou | Gordon Elliott | 25/1 |
| 15 | Three Card Brag | Gordon Elliott | 40/1 |
| 16 | Oscars Brother | Connor King | 14/1 |
| 17 | Mr Vango | Mrs Sara V Bradstock | 50/1 |
| 18 | High Class Hero | W P Mullins | 50/1 |
| 19 | Stellar Story | Gordon Elliott | 28/1 |
| 20 | Beauport | Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies | 66/1 |
| 21 | Captain Cody | W P Mullins | 16/1 |
| 22 | Jagwar | Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero | 11/1 |
| 23 | Perceval Legallois | Gavin Cromwell | 40/1 |
| 24 | Gorgeous Tom | Henry De Bromhead | 25/1 |
| 25 | The Real Whacker | Patrick Neville | 50/1 |
| 26 | Quai De Bourbon | W P Mullins | 40/1 |
| 27 | Answer To Kayf | Terence O’Brien | 40/1 |
| 28 | Jordans | Joseph Patrick O’Brien | 20/1 |
| 29 | Final Orders | Gavin Cromwell | 33/1 |
| 30 | Marble Sands | David Killahena & Graeme McPherson | 80/1 |
| 31 | Panic Attack | Dan Skelton | 16/1 |
| 32 | Top Of The Bill | Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies | 100/1 |
| 33 | Johnnywho | Jonjo & A J O’Neill | 16/1 |
| 34 | Twig | Ben Pauling | 50/1 |
| 35 | Pied Piper | Gordon Elliott | 66/1 |
| 36 | Imperial Saint | Philip Hobbs & Johnson White | 100/1 |
| 37 | Amirite | Henry De Bromhead | 66/1 |
| 38 | Ain’t That A Shame | T Ellis | 150/1 |
| 39 | Yeah Man | Gavin Cromwell | 66/1 |
| 40 | Soul Icon | Keiran Burke | 125/1 |
| 41 | Hyland | Nicky Henderson | 80/1 |
| 42 | Deep Cave | Christian Williams | 50/1 |
| 43 | Buddy One | Paul John Gilligan | 125/1 |
| 44 | Anyway | David Kenneth Budds | 125/1 |
| 45 | The Short Go | Henry De Bromhead | 100/1 |
| 46 | Weveallbeencaught | E McNamara | 125/1 |
| 47 | Shanbally Kid | W P Mullins | 100/1 |
| 48 | Will Do | Gordon Elliott | 66/1 |
| 49 | In d’Or | Fergal O’Brien | 125/1 |
Horses That Now Make The Cut
While six horses have waved goodbye to Aintree, others have effectively just been handed their golden ticket.
With the latest round of defections complete, three names in particular can breathe a lot more easily: Top Of The Bill, Johnnywho and Twig, all of whom now sit inside the all‑important top 34.
Top Of The Bill, trained by the father‑and‑son partnership of Nigel & Willy Twiston‑Davies, edges into the picture with 10st 5lb on his back and a recent form line that suggests there might still be a bit more improvement to come over marathon trips.
Johnnywho, from the Jonjo & A J O’Neill yard, is another who has quietly manoeuvred himself into a National‑shaped spot in the calendar.
With 10st 4lb allotted and a recent win on his card, he enters the frame as the one watch on the back of a huge win in the Ultima at Cheltenham last month.
Then there is Twig, an 11‑year‑old for Ben Pauling who has earned his place the hard way, by turning up and running creditably in plenty of deep staying races.
He ran in last year’s race and even though he finished a long way off the winner, he did himself credit, getting around in 10th place. That might not seem a lot, but even 10th place goes home with £5000!
For this trio, the tone around the yard changes overnight. Instead of talking about “if” they’ll get in, the conversation shifts to jockey bookings and schooling sessions over National‑style fences.
Waiting In The Wings
Not everyone can relax just yet. Lurking just outside the cut and very much at the mercy of others are Pied Piper, Imperial Saint and Amirite, three horses who may find themselves listed as reserves if there are no further withdrawals at the 72‑hour stage.
Pied Piper, from Gordon Elliott’s powerful team, is already well known to many punters from his exploits over hurdles, but he is now trying to carve out a staying chase career.
Imperial Saint, representing the Philip Hobbs & Johnson White partnership, is in a similar boat: good enough to be part of the conversation, not yet guaranteed to be invited to the party.
Amirite, trained by Henry de Bromhead, completes the nervy trio. Backers of the 10‑year‑old will argue he has the experience and staying power to make some sort of impact if he gets a run, but right now he is the textbook definition of “waiting in the wings”.
For all three, the 72‑hour declaration stage on Wednesday 8th April looms like exam results day. By mid‑morning they will know whether they are heading to the National proper, lining up as an emergency substitute, or shelving their Aintree ambitions for another year.
The Countdown to Aintree
So if you want to know which horses are still in the 2026 Grand National, the picture looks like this…
We currently have 49 left standing, with 34 places available, and just a few days for plans to be finalised and dreams to solidify.
At the top of the handicap sit familiar names and proven stars like I Am Maximus and Nick Rockett, both previous National winners and both shouldering hefty weights in their bid for more Aintree glory.
Below them, a cast of seasoned handicappers, up‑and‑coming stayers and romantic long shots prepare for the ultimate test over 4m2½f.
The 72‑hour declaration stage will rubber‑stamp this year’s final field on Wednesday, lining up 34 horses for the 4pm off on Saturday, April 11th in the 2026 Randox Grand National Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) for seven‑year‑olds and upwards.
For a lucky few, the next week will deliver the chance of a lifetime; for others, it will be a reminder that in the Grand National, even getting to the start can be as demanding as the race itself.
BETFRED
