Grand National 2025 LIVE: Runners, horses and riders announced for Aintree

Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin appeared set to attempt a famous double at Aintree, but he was one of 11 horses taken out at the second round of scratches while a number of others withdrew at the five-day confirmation point, boosting hopes of an audacious repeat for I Am Maximus after glory in 2024 with jockey Paul Townend.

Inothewayurthinkin, who was the 3/1 favourite on betting sites after downing Galopin des Champs at Cheltenham, was attempting to become just the second horse after Golden Miller in 1934 to win both iconic races in the same season.

Ground conditions for Day One of the Grand National meeting:

Mildmay & Hurdle Courses: Good to Soft, Good in places

Grand National Course: Good to Soft

There was 17.5mm of rain in March. Temperatures reached 18C on Monday, 16.5C on Tuesday and 18C on Wednesday. Watering commenced the week commencing 17th March, with an average of 60-70mm applied.

It is a dry, sunny forecast today with temperatures of 19C

The latest ground report at Aintree has the official going as Good to Soft, Good (in places) on the Mildmay Course and Good to Soft on the Grand National Course.

This Saturday’s Randox Grand National at Aintree will receive worldwide TV exposure with more than 30 broadcasters showcasing live the world’s most famous Jumps race to around 170 countries.

Working with The Jockey Club, which owns and operates Aintree Racecourse, Racecourse Media Group (RMG) and HBA Media have secured a wide range of broadcasters for the iconic race, which will see 34 runners and riders take on 30 unique fences over four-and-a-quarter miles.

Leading broadcasters such as SuperSport (Africa), ESPN (LATAM and Caribbean), Fanduel (US), Viaplay and Setanta (Europe) have signed up, while those showing the race for the first time include FanCode (160m users in India), Sportsnet (Canada), D-Smart (Turkey) and Charlton (Israel).

Fox Sports will include highlights on its American network for the first time.

1:45pm: Manifesto Novices’ Chase (Grade 1)

2:20pm: Anniversary Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 1)

2:55pm: Aintree Bowl (Grade 1)

3:30pm: Aintree Hurdle (Grade 1)

4:05pm: Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase

4:40pm: Red Rum Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap)

5:15pm: Nickel Coin Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (Grade 2)

Merseyrail have cancelled several trains this morning as fans look to arrive at Aintree Racecourse for the opening day of the festival.

The explanation is due to a train fault earlier this morning and the train operator said the issues are impacting the Ellesmere Port line, Southport and Hunts Cross line, Ormskirk line and Headbolt Lane via Kirkby line.

1. Stumptown 9/1
2. Iroko 10/1
3. I Am Maximus 11/1
4. Vanillier 11/1
5. Hewick 11/1
6. Perceval Legallois 12/1
7. Intense Raffles 14/1
8. Minella Cocooner 16/1
9. Kandoo Kid 20/1
10. Meetingofthewaters 22/1
11. Hyland 22/1
12. Three Card Brag 25/1
13. Grangeclare West 25/1
14. Nick Rockett 28/1
15. Beauport 28/1
16. Senior Chief 28/1
17. Monbeg Genius 33/1
18. Minella Indo 33/1
19. Bravemansgame 50/1
20. Duffle Coat 66/1
21. Threeunderthrufive 66/1
22. Appreciate It 80/1
23. Twig 80/1
24. Broadway Boy 80/1
25. Fil Dor 80/1
26. Stay Away Fay 100/1
27. Chantry House 100/1
28. Coko Beach 100/1
29. Conflated 100/1
30. Hitman 100/1
31. Idas Boy 125/1
32. Horantzau D’Airy 150/1
33. Royale Pagaille 150/1
34. Celebre D’Allen 150/1

Coral are another bookmaker bracing themselves for a frantic Grand National weekend with spokesman Dave Stevens worried about a ‘shark’ attack.

Colourful handler John ‘Shark’ Hanlon trains 2023 King George winner Hewick – purchased for just £800 in case you hadn’t heard the story – and victory for the classy 10-year-old would represent a nightmare result for the Barking firm.

Stevens said: “Without doubt, Hewick is our worst worst result, as we have laid him at 50/1 for the National at the start of the jump season.

“Shark Hanlon has already pulled off a couple of major results with his bargain buy and a Grand National win with Hewick would be an incredible story.

“We estimate that a third of the adult population in Britain will have a flutter on Saturday and we expect to see six times the trade that we would see for the Cheltenham Gold Cup.”

Here are the 34 runners for Saturday’s Grand National:

1. I Am Maximus
2. Royale Pagaille
3. Nick Rockett
4. Grangeclare West
5. Hewick
6. Minella Indo
7. Appreciate It
8. Minella Cocooner
9. Conflated
10. Stumptown
11. Hitman
12. Beauport
13. Bravemansgame
14. Chantry House
15. Threeunderthrufive
16. Perceval Legallois
17. Kandoo Kid
18. Iroko
19. Intense Raffles
20. Senior Chief
21. Idas Boy
22. Fil Dor
23. Broadway Boy
24. Coko Beach
25. Stay Away Fay
26. Meetingofthewaters
27. Monbeg Genius
28. Vanillier
29. Horantzau D’airy
30. Hyland
31. Celebre D’allen
32. Three Card Brag
33. Twig
34. Duffle Coat

The final declarations for Saturday’s Grand National are expected shortly.

Runners will need to be declared for the 34-horse field by 10am today there’ll be four horses held in reserve.

We’re not expecting any surprising entries with I Am Maximus leading the charge to defend his crown from last year.