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Aintree Grand National 2025: Adrian Wall’s preview, best bet, longshots and trends tips
We have to wait no longer as the Aintree Grand National is upon us and with that comes the most eagerly anticipated race in the world as 34 runners are set to go to post for what is always a complete war of attrition! Read on for our preview, best bet, longshot pick and trends selection.
Grand National Preview
Last year’s winner I Am Maximus bids to repeat the feat for a bang in-form Willie Mullins who won the first four races at Aintree on Thursday. He has a tougher mark to contend with this year but he is the current favourite and who could ignore Mullins at this moment in time.
Gavin Cromwell’s Stumptown could be lurking off a nice enough weight off the back of a nice win in the Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham last month, while the JP McManus-owned Iroko has seen sustained support in the betting over the last number of weeks. If he stays, he will be very dangerous.
Those who grabbed the 66/1 about the people’s horse, Hewick, will be on a nice sweat now as he is near the head of the market. Shark Hanlon’s stable star is a King George winner who stays all day and the ground will be ideal for him. He’s slight in stature though so the fences could cause him issues.
Another Cromwell horse who needs no introduction around here is Vanillier, who finished runner-up in this race two years ago and finished 14th last year, while McManus’s Perceval Legallois comes here in the form of his life after two big handicap wins at Leopardstown over hurdles and fences.
The shrewd Tom Gibney runs Irish National winner Intense Raffles, who has been minded for this ever since he won the big race at Fairyhouse last April. He prefers soft ground but the course will be watered and it should be fine for him, although JJ Slevin is on the cold list. That can change here, though! There are many other contenders but we have covered off the main few.
Grand National Best Bet
Intense Raffles has been drifting in the market on Friday morning but that is not going to deter us at all. As mentioned, JJ Slevin is on the cold list and hasn’t ridden a winner in quite some time, but we are tipping the great rider to bounce back to form with a bang and win the biggest races of them all.
This boy won the Irish National off 140 but he only has to carry 10-10 here off his mark of 151 which isn’t too bad at all. He went down narrowly to Nick Rockett in a Grade 3 at Fairyhouse last time when nowhere near 100 per cent, and he’s better off at the weights with that one here. A prominent racer, he should keep out of bother and he has a cracking chance.
Head over to our Grand National race card here for the runner-by-runner odds and tip.
Grand National Longshots
Gordon Elliott has won the Grand National three times, firstly with Silver Birch in 2007 and then with Tiger Roll winning back-to-back in 2018 and 2019. He has a solid each-way contender here in the shape of Three Card Brag. Sean Bowen will only have 10-5 to carry around here which is a very light weight and although he hasn’t gone beyond 3m1f yet, he has always looked a dour stayer in the making. He won a 3m beginners’ at Navan impressively in January and was put away after his Grade 3 third there a month later.
Find all of our free Aintree Grand National Festival tips on the website.
Grand National Trends Tip
What horse do the trends point to then? Here are the main things to factor in.
- Look for a horse aged 8 or 9
- Look for a horse weighted 10-3 to 10-13
- Look for an Irish-bred horse
- Look for an Irish-trained horse
- Odds of 50/1 or less
The trends land on Three Card Brag also…. Could the stars be aligning? Don’t rule out a big run from stablemate Duffle Coat.
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