Grand National runners, favourites and odds for 2026: Key horses to note

I Am Maximus has been installed as one of the favourites - PA/Nigel French A maximum field of 34 horses will eventually line up at Aintree for the Grand National on Saturday, April 11 . The current list of entries stands at 55 after being reduced from the initial list of 78. Names will be scratched again on Monday, April 6, before final declarations on Wednesday, April 8, three days before the race itself.

Previously, the final field was declared 48 hours before the race. As this change from 48 to 72 hours increases the likelihood of non-runners, the number of reserve runners is increasing from four to six. Reserves can be brought into the race up until 1pm the day before it is run.

Trainer Willie Mullins dominates the current line-up with 10 horses entered, including 2024 winner I Am Maximus, who is top weight at 11st 12lb. JP McManus-owned Iroko, fourth in the 2025 Grand National, is also heavily fancied and will be carrying 10lb fewer than last year’s winner Nick Rockett. The current entries are listed below in bet365 best-odds order.

These will be whittled down further during the jump-racing season. Grand National 2026: Full list of entries 2. I Am Maximus The winner in 2024 and a gallant second under a big weight last year – Mullins put defeat down to not having had three starts – which makes him a bit of an Aintree legend in my book.