Welcome to your unofficial guide to the Aintree Grand National.
The Grand National 2025 will take place on 5th April, at 4pm, and we’ll have everything you need in one place, with our Grand National guide, confirmed runners, betting odds, offers & free bets. Our site contains all you need to know about the English Grand National, including how and where to place your Grand National bets.
The 4½ mile steeplechase captures the imagination of 150,000 spectators at Aintree, plus an estimated worldwide TV audience of 600 million across over 140 countries, while tickets for the 2025 Grand National have been proving as popular as ever, with some sections sold out even at this early stage. Racing begins on Thursday 3rd April, followed by Ladies Day on Friday, before the year’s biggest race is scheduled to start at 4pm, as the centrepiece of Grand National Day on Saturday 5th April 2025.
Grand National betting
I Am Maximus had been hovering slightly behind the Grand National betting favourites in the weeks before the 2024 running, but the Irish runner drew support on race day and was at the head of the market when the race went off. I Am Maximus again features prominently on the Grand National favourites list for 2025, while new contenders including the Irish National winner Intense Raffles are also expected to challenge.
New safety measures were introduced during the most recent Grand National. There was a standing start, and the first fence was moved closer to the start. Both measures helped to slow the early pace. The Grand National runners limit was reduced from 40 to 34, although late withdrawals meant only 32 horses ultimately tackled the energy-sapping Aintree course.
The Grand National isn’t just a battle on the course though, as the best betting sites also tussle to try and attract the attention of the betting public. We’ve got the best Grand National offers and free bets, alongside details of place terms for your each-way bets.
Grand National odds
The Grand National weight and jockey announcements can provide massive insight into which runners you should back. The going at Aintree during the festival is another factor that influences the Grand National betting odds leading up to the race. Good, soft or heavy conditions will suit certain horses more than others. Horses that run well at the Cheltenham Festival tend to find their Grand National odds cut in the race build-up. Corach Rambler’s odds for the 2024 Grand National improved significantly after his impressive Cheltenham Gold Cup run.
Former Grand National winners are always popular with punters, meaning their odds can be shorter than they should be. However, there have been some repeat Grand National performers in recent years. Tiger Roll became a two-time champion in 2019, while Noble Yeats followed up his 2022 victory with a brave fourth place in 2023. Much attention will inevitably surround I Am Maximus if he does attempt to win the famous race for a second time in 2025, while Noble Yeats may also return to the scene of his most famous victory.
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Aintree Grand National course
For those wanting to see the English Grand National races live, we have all of the information you’ll need to make the most of your visit to Aintree, including information on getting to the racecourse, ticket details, and a summary of all of the enclosures and facilities, many of which have been significantly upgraded in recent seasons.
Grand National previous winners and past results
The Grand National invariably delivers a memorable story, and it did so again in 2024. Recall all the drama and the Grand National 2024 results with the link below.
Image via Alamy.com
Upcoming major horse racing events
The Grand National may be the most watched and wagered-on race in the UK annually, but around the world other races catch the public’s imagination similarly.
In Australia, the Melbourne Cup is known as the Race that Stops a Nation. For the second successive year, the race build-up centred around Willie Mullins’ attempt to add to his already lengthy honour roll. Again, Mullins sent Vauban and Absurde to take on the best horses from Australia. And again both came up short, as Knight’s Choice defied odds of 90/1 to win the race.
Races like the Welsh Grand National and the Irish Grand National significantly impact the Aintree Grand National betting odds. The victory of I Am Maximus in the Irish Grand National is a perfect example of how similar races can serve as excellent preparation for Aintree. It remains to be seen whether the most recent Irish Grand National winner, Intense Raffles, will justify his short Grand National betting odds at Aintree in 2025. The action at the Cheltenham Festival in March is also sure to affect the Grand National odds.
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