The 2026 Grand National: Andy Stephens has a 66-1 tip

The Grand National may look the same and is still a fabulous spectacle, but it’s nowhere near the formidable test it once was. The fences are more forgiving; the drop landings have gone and the race has been shortened; plus only 34 runners are now allowed to take part. 

A race that once favoured experienced, older horses who could be hunted around for the first circuit has been turned on its head. In recent years, younger runners with the speed to race somewhere near the pace have thrived. And while accurate jumping is helpful, it is no longer essential. 

Prize-money being boosted to £1 million has also drawn better quality runners, as again reflected by the weights reveal on Tuesday. None of the top 41 horses are rated lower than 150, and those in the mid 140s will need a bit of good fortune (or others misfortune) to make the cut. 

You’ve only got to look at events in the past decade to see how the landscape has dramatically changed. During that time, a horse who had never previously won over fences (Rule The World) has managed to hit the jackpot, while a seven-year-old (Noble Yeats) has won for the first time since 1940. 

All the winners since 2016, when the race distance was shortened by a couple of furlongs, have been aged between seven and nine years of age, with none of the past five victors having had more ten runs over fences. 

It's still a relatively small pool to be making firm conclusions, but the evidence is mounting that, in common with many orthodox races, more exposed horses are proving vulnerable to younger, improving compatriots who the handicapper has not got a proper grip on. 

How else do you explain the 163 horses aged ten or older all being beaten in the past ten renewals? The first four home in two of the past three editions have all been aged nine or younger. 

Of course, that does not mean that we have seen the last older winner of the race, but the odds are stacking up against them. 

Six-year-olds are still not allowed to run in the race – they are deemed too young – but one wonders if that rule will be relaxed at some stage in the future. That’s a debate for another day. 

The weights for the great race are now set in stone. Any entries who win between now and April 11 will not have to carry a penalty. 

Oh, and keep that date in mind, too. This is one of those years where runners will have an extra week to recharge their batteries if they are in action at the Cheltenham Festival. And, creeping towards a mid-April slot means a greater likelihood of decent spring ground, although Aintree will, of course, be able to turn on the taps if required. 

Here is my early shortlist. 

Age: 8. Trainer: Henry De Bromhead. Official Rating: 151. Likely jockey: Darragh O’Keeffe. Odds: 66-1. 

He’s an amazing price given his hugely eye-catching fourth in the Coral Gold Trophy and stamina-laden pedigree. 

The Newbury race made headlines for its shambolic start and several horses being compromised. Gorgeous Tom was among the chief sufferers, losing maybe ten lengths or so and any chance of winning. 

Much to his credit, he kept on to make the frame, being beaten about the same distance of ground he lost at the beginning. It was a rock-solid effort in a 24-runner renewal that looked a good old-fashioned “Hennessy”, a race that has so often yielded Aintree clues. And he will run off the same mark of 151. 

Gorgeous Tom had also run well on his return when trying to concede weight to Firefox over an extended 2m 3f at Down Royal, having been among the best of last season’s novice, finishing a close fourth in Drinmore before filling the same position in the Brown Advisory. Those Grade One contests, in addition to the Newbury race, will not be lost on him come mid-April. 

His pedigree also offers encouragement he will get the trip. His unraced dam is a half-sister to Cappa Bleu, who was fourth in the 2012 National and runner-up a year later. And his grandsire is Oscar, whose offspring have included a National hero in Minella Times (also trained by De Bromhead and previously untested beyond 3m), plus an Irish National victor in Our Duke, not to mention such as Lord Windermere and Paisley Park. 

Gorgeous Tom has not run since Newbury, which I’m hoping is a deliberate ploy to avoid some of the desperate underfoot conditions this winter and keep him fresh for the spring. He acts well on decent ground but has won in mud too. 

His jumping has looked sound enough and I’m not worried that he has no previous Aintree experience, as only two of the past ten winners have previously run over the National fences, with one of them being two-time winner of the race Tiger Roll. Moreover, his trainer has few peers when it comes to lining one up for a big race. 

Age: 10. Trainer: Dan Skelton. Official Rating: 147. Likely jockey: Harry Skelton. Odds: 20-1. 

Thirteen mares have won the National, but none have prevailed since Nickel Coin in 1951, although Magic Of Light hit the post in 2019 when having the misfortune to bump into Tiger Roll. 

Panic Attack looks well qualified to give it a good go, having been a revelation this season. She is a ten-year-old, which I’ve outlined as a slight negative these days, but she’s not typical of her age, having had only eight runs over fences. 

Up until this time three years ago, she looked a useful performer but nothing more, but after 22 months off the course and being switched to the yard of Dan Skelton, she’s been transformed, especially this campaign when winning the Paddy Power Gold Cup and Coral Gold Trophy in November. 

Plundering two of the season’s biggest handicaps in a fortnight, the latter over six furlongs further, is a rarity, but Panic Attack did it with a swagger. In the latter, she showed the blend of speed and stamina required for a modern-day National, with her accurate jumping a sight for sore eyes. 

The Skeltons then hit the pause button before Panic Attack resurfaced back at Newbury in the middle of last month, when making short work of four rivals in a Listed Mares’ event over the best part of 3m. She won as she was entitled too, making it 4/4 for the Skeltons over fences, but she never touched a twig and Harry Skelton suggested afterwards that she could have gone round again. 

Panic Attack must cope with an 8lb higher mark than in the Coral Gold Trophy, but she’s earned it. And even with her new rating, she will still be among those near the foot of the weights. As things stand, she is 

The next stop for her is likely to be the Mares’ Chase at Cheltenham next month, where higher-rated rivals such as Dinoblue and Spindleberry will be waiting for her, but I would not discount her upstaging them. 

On pedigree, you would not give her a second glance as her sire was Canford Cliffs, the brilliant 2009 Coventry winner who went on to become a star miler. However, her dam, a daughter of Galileo, was a lightly raced point and bumper winner, and that’s clearly where she has inherited her staying power. 

Age: 8. Trainer: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero. Official Rating: 157. Likely jockey: Jonjo O’Neill. Odds: 7-1. 

The first four home from last year’s National could all meet again, with Iroko, who was a staying-on fourth, making most appeal. 

His performance in a strong edition 12 months ago needs marking up as he was held up in rear and came from much further back than the trio who finished in front of him. That looked a tactical decision on the then seven-year-old, rather than him lacking for pace. 

Iroko had a breathing operation before the start of this season and has had an ideal prep up to now, chasing home The Jukebox Man in a small field on his return at Haydock over 2m 5f before putting Firefox in his place in another small field over the same trip at Ascot. 

We know that trip is a bare minimum for him and both pieces of form have been franked: The Jukebox Man went on to land the King George VI Chase, while Firefox was a fine fourth in the Irish Gold Cup. 

He’s a bit higher in the weights than 12 months ago, but you can balance that against him being a stronger individual, in good heart with more experience to call upon. The one negative is his price, but at this stage he’s an obvious favourite.