The Grand National lives up to its name for a whole bunch of reasons. As it is a National Hunt type of racing, horses have to overcome a number of obstacles but in Grand National they are much larger than it is common for other similar races. The competition purse is £1 million.
But above all, the Grand National is not just a race, it is a cultural event in the life of Great Britain that attracts even those who don’t normally engage in equestrian sports.
National Hunt races, to which the Grand National belongs, are one of the most popular types in Great Britain and Ireland. Horses have to jump over various obstacles, like fences and ditches, while racing from the starting to the finishing point.
In addition to that, Grand National is a handicap race, which means that horses are allocated different weights to carry during the race to disadvantage them against slower horses.
In 2024, a total of 34 horses took part in the Grand National. The winner was an 8 year old bay gelding I Am Maximus from France.
Grand National Runners 2025: What We Currently Know
While there is still quite some time before the Grand National 2025 begins, the preparations are already in full swing. As per tradition, the race will take place at the iconic Aintree Racecourse in Aintree, Merseyside. The accompanying festival will start on Thursday, 3 April, while the race will be held on Saturday, 5 April.
The official distance of the course is 4 miles and 2 1⁄2 furlongs (4 miles 514 yards or 6.907 km), and the horses have to jump over 30 obstacles in two laps.
The list of runners in the Grand National is typically released in the days leading to the event, however certain assumptions and potential lists start circulating in the equestrian community much earlier (more on this below). Possible Grand National picks are named based on the horses’ performance in the previous event and overall physical condition.
2025 Grand National Non-Runners
The term “non-runners” refers to horses that have been selected to participate in the race but backed out. As the 2025 Grand National horse list is still unavailable, it is impossible to say whether there will be any non-runners.
In 2024, as Run Wild Fred and Chambard were declared non-runners, the Grand National continued with only 32 participants instead of the initially announced 34.
Potential List of Grand National 2025 Runners
Below you will find some of the Grand National horses that are expected to participate in the 2025 race. Please keep in mind that this is not the final official list. We will keep you updated as more information becomes available.
- I Am Maximus (France)
- Bay Gelding
- Age: 8 years
- Trainer: Willie Mullins
- Minella Cocooner (Ireland)
- Bay Gelding
- Age: 8 years
- Trainer: Willie Mullins
- Corbetts Cross (Ireland)
- Chestnut Gelding
- Age: 7 years
- Trainer: Emmet Mullins
- Monty’s Star (Ireland)
- Bay Gelding
- Age: 7 years
- Trainer: Henry de Bromhead
- Intense Raffles (France)
- Grey Gelding
- Age: 6 years
- Trainer: Thomas Gibney
- Kitty’s Light (Great Britain)
- Bay Gelding
- Age: 8 years
- Trainer: Christian Williams
- Minella Indo (Ireland)
- Bay Gelding
- Age: 11 years
- Trainer: Henry de Bromhead
- Delta Work (France)
- Brown Gelding
- Age: 11 years
- Trainer: Gordon Elliott
- Macdermott (France)
- Bay Gelding
- Age: 6 years
- Trainer: Willie Mullins
- Chianti Classico (Ireland)
- Bay Gelding
- Age: 7 years
- Trainer: Kim Bailey
- INoTheWayUrThinkin (Ireland)
- Bay Gelding
- Age: 6 years
- Trainer: Gordon Elliott
- Galvin (Ireland)
- Bay Gelding
- Age: 10 years
- Trainer: Gordon Elliott
- Gaillard Du Mesnil (France)
- Grey Gelding
- Age: 8 years
- Trainer: Willie Mullins
Grand National Runners 2025 Frequently Asked Questions
How many horses will participate in the 2025 Grand National?
For many years, the Grand National race card included 40 horses. However, before the start of the 2024 race, this number was brought down to 34. The same number is expected to run in 2025.
Where can I find a list of Grand National runners?
It is still impossible to say anything definitive on the Grand National horses running today. The official list will be released shortly before the start of the event (3 April, 2025). We will keep you posted on the developments.
Who decides on the list of participants in the Grand National?
As Grand National is a handicap race, the British Horseracing Authority’s head of handicapping releases the determined weights per horse in February 2025. This is an important factor in who will remain on the final list of the Grand National 2025 runners.
Betting is only available to participants above 18 years. Please bet responsibly. BeGambleAware.org