The Aintree Bowl Chase 2026 is one of the standout Grade 1 contests of the opening day. It’s seen as a key race for horses coming out of the Cheltenham Festival, especially those who ran in the Gold Cup but didn’t quite get their day.
The race takes place on the opening day of the Grand National Festival, setting the stage for three days of top-level racing.
In this guide, we give you a full breakdown of the latest Aintree Bowl Chase runners, their form, and the official racecard to help you understand how the race might unfold.
What Is the Aintree Bowl Chase?
The Racing Welfare Bowl Steeple Chase (Class 1) (Grade 1) (GBB Race), popularly known as the Aintree Bowl, is run on the first day of the Grand National Festival.
Runners for the Aintree Bowl Chase cover a distance of about 3 miles and 1 furlong (3m 210y) on Aintree’s Mildmay course. It’s a chase, so horses have to jump 19 fences.
Aintree Bowl Chase Date and Race Details
- Date: Thursday, 9th April, 2026
- Race time: 2:55 pm BST
- Age: 5 years and above
- Distance: 3m 1f
- Location: Aintree Racecourse
- Status: Grade 1
- Prize Money: £140,325
- Going: Good
- Number of Fences: 19
- Runners: 11 (Max 18)
Aintree Bowl Chase 2026 Runners
The current full list of contenders and their career form in chase races is listed below. If you want to explore their form in detail, look at their form in important races like Cheltenham and Kempton. That often sets the stage for their performance at Aintree. Almost every horse on this list will have a win or place in these races. You won’t see many “hopeful” runners here. If a horse has made it to the final Aintree Bowl Chase racecard, it has stamina, clean jumping, and the ability to travel strongly on a flatter track like Aintree.
| Horse | Career Form in Chase Races |
| Banbridge (IRE) | 16 runs: 6 wins and 3 places |
| Jango Baie (FR) | 7 runs: 3 wins and 2 places |
| Grey Dawning (IRE) | 13 runs: 5 wins and 3 places |
| Spillaine’s Tower (IRE) | 11 runs: 5 wins and 1 place |
| Impaire Et Passe (FR) | 7 runs: 4 wins |
| Jonbon (FR) | 22 runs: 15 wins and 7 places |
| Protektorat (FR) | 26 runs: 9 wins and 6 places |
| Pic D’ohry (FR) | 25 runs: 11 wins and 4 places |
| Gerri Colombe (FR) | 13 runs: 7 wins and 4 places |
| Croke Park (IRE) | 9 runs: 3 wins and 1 place |
| Myre Town (IRE) | 9 runs: 3 wins |
Aintree Bowl Chase 2026 Runners and Racecard
Here’s the complete Aintree Bowl Chase racecard and odds for the 2026 Aintree Bowl. There are plenty of established Grade 1 performers here who arrive straight from Cheltenham.
The odds for each horse are marked as “SP” or starting price. This means the exact odds are revealed just before the start of the race. The SP odds are determined based on market opinion on each horse close to race time.
| Horse | Age / Weight | Official Rating | Jockey / Trainer | Odds |
| Jango Baie | 7 / 11-10 | 167 | T: Nicky Henderson | SP |
| Grey Dawning | 9 / 11-10 | 165 | T: Dan Skelton | SP |
| Spillaine’s Tower | 8 / 11-10 | 164 | T: James Joseph Mangan | SP |
| Impaire Et Passe | 8 / 11-10 | 160 | T: WP Mullins | SP |
| Jonbon | 10 / 11-10 | 165 | T: Nicky Henderson | SP |
| Protektorat | 11 / 11-10 | 165 | T: Dan Skelton | SP |
| Pic D’ohry | 11 / 11-10 | 162 | T: Paul Nicholls | SP |
| Banbridge | 10 / 11-10 | 167 | T: Joseph Patrick O’Brien | SP |
| Gerri Colombe | 10 / 11-10 | 161 | T: Gordon Elliott | SP |
| Croke Park | 8 / 11-10 | 150 | T: Gordon Elliott | SP |
| Myre Town | 9 / 11-10 | 140 | T: Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore | SP |
Trends & Key Stats for the Aintree Bowl Chase
You’ll hardly see a surprise winner in an elite Grade 1 race. It attracts horses with several past wins and experience with fences. Here are some trends to note before placing your wagers:
Typical Winner Profile
Last year’s winner, Gaelic Warrior (2025), went on to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2026. Before this, the 8-year-old horse won the John Durkan Memorial Chase (Punchestown, 2025) and the Arkle Challenge Trophy (2024). Unsurprisingly, Gaelic Warrior had the shortest odds for the Aintree Bowl last year.
Previous winners had a similar stellar record. Gerri Colombe (2024) won multiple graded novice chases and placed second in the 2024 Cheltenham Gold Cup. Shishkin (2023) won back-to-back chases: the Ascot Chase in 2023, the Clarence House Chase in 2022, and the Arkle Challenge Trophy in 2021.
Age Trends
The race is open to horses aged five years and over. However, since this is a Grade 1 race, horses must prove their form in novice races to be considered for Aintree. So, you’ll hardly see a horse younger than 7 years in the racecard.
Moreover, older horses tend to win more because they accumulate more experience on the fences. Of the 11 Grade 1 Bowl Chase races held so far, four horses were 9 years old, three were 8 years old, 2 each were 10 and 11 years old.
Favourite Performance
Gaelic Warrior had a dramatic finish last year. It was trailing third behind Grey Dawning and Stage Star. But in the final few seconds, it dashed across the last fence and went on to win the race.
This year, Gaelic Warrior is not competing, but you can see several names in the racecard that have won or placed in their recent races. Use their form as a guide for your bet. If you see a horse near the top of the betting for the Bowl, it’s probably there on merit rather than hype.
Cheltenham Form
The level of competition at the Cheltenham Festival is as strong as it gets. If a horse runs well there (especially in the Cheltenham Gold Cup), you know it can handle elite opposition.
This year’s Cheltenham Festival wrapped up just a month ago. This means horses arriving from Cheltenham are already race-fit. Be on the lookout for not just the winners but also the horses that placed in the top three at Cheltenham races. They have proven ability, and often bounce back strongly at Aintree.
FAQs – Aintree Bowl Chase
When is the Aintree Bowl Chase 2026?
The Aintree Bowl Chase 2026 is scheduled for Thursday, 9 April 2026, the opening day of the Grand National Festival. This is a Grade 1 race, so you can expect top-class horses competing for the prize. They will be jumping 19 fences and running a distance of 3m 1f.
What time is the Aintree Bowl Chase?
The Aintree Bowl Chase 2026 has the mid-afternoon slot of 2:55 pm BST. Note that the final timings may vary slightly depending on the race schedule. Make sure to check the official racecard on the day of the festival for the exact time.
How many runners are in the Aintree Bowl Chase?
This race allows for 18 runners, but has only 11 runners in the racecard currently. However, this number is not final, and may drop if some horses are declared non-runners on race day.
Where can I see the racecard?
You can view the full racecard on 7bet’s blog page as well as its betting site. We provide detailed runner profiles and odds for all major races of the Grand National Festival.
Who is the favourite?
Since this is an elite race, it is hard to say who is the favourite currently. A good way to understand the race favourite is to examine the odds hours before the race. Horses that are given short odds, like say, 2/7 or 5/1, are considered the favourites. In comparison, horses with long odds like 30/1 or 15/1 are considered less likely to win.
Betting is only available to participants aged 18 years and over. Please bet responsibly. BeGambleAware.org