All eyes will be on the Grand National today with the 178th running of the iconic steeplechase taking place at Aintree.
There will be no repeat of last year’s result, however, with the 2025 winner Nick Rockett dramatically declared a non-runner on Thursday morning after being found with a cough.
But despite the blow to trainer Willie Mullins, who completed a 1-2-3 in the race 12 months ago, the legendary Irish trainer still dominates the field with eight horses taking to the start line for the three-time winner.
Here is your complete guide to the Grand National 2026, including what time it starts, what TV channel viewers can watch it on and those all-important odds.
Guide overview
Start time
The Grand National will start at 4pm today.
The three-day Grand National meeting got underway on Thursday, with Ladies Day taking place on Friday.
How to watch on TV
The race, as well as the entire festival, is being shown live on ITV1 and Racing TV.
Viewers will also be able to live stream the action on ITVX.
Runners and riders
A total of 34 horses will compete in Saturday’s showdown.
Last year’s winning jockey, Patrick Mullins, has switched to the 2025 third-placed horse, Grangeclare West, whilst Paul Townend will once again be in the saddle of I Am Maximus.
The size of the Grand National field was reduced from 40 to 34 runners in 2024 in an attempt to improve horse safety by reducing congestion at fences.
Grand National entry list
1. I Am Maximus
Jockey: Paul Townend
Trainer: Willie Mullins
2. Imperial Saint
Jockey: Callum Pritchard
Trainer: Philip Hobbs and Johnson White
3. Banbridge
Jockey: JJ Slevin
Trainer: Joseph O’Brien
4. Grangeclare West
Jockey: Patrick Mullins
Trainer: Willie Mullins
5. Gerri Colombe
Jockey: Jack Kennedy
Trainer: Gordon Elliott
6. Haiti Couleurs
Jockey: Sean Bowen
Trainer: Rebecca Curtis
7. Amirite
Jockey: Phillip Enright
Trainer: Henry de Bromhead
8. Firefox
Jockey: Keith Donoghue
Trainer: Gordon Elliott
9. Monty’s Star
Jockey: Darragh O’Keeffe
Trainer: Henry de Bromhead
10. Spanish Harlem
Jockey: Brian Hayes
Trainer: Willie Mullins
11. Lecky Watson
Jockey: Sean O’Keeffe
Trainer: Willie Mullins
12. Champ Kiely
Jockey: Danny Mullins
Trainer: Willie Mullins
13. Iroko
Jockey: Jonjo O’Neill Jr
Trainer: Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero
14. Favori de Champdou
Jockey: Danny Gillgan
Trainer: Gordon Elliott
15. Three Card Brag
Jockey: Jordan Gainford
Trainer: Gordon Elliott
16. Oscars Brother
Jockey: Daniel King
Trainer: Connor King
17. Mr Vango
Jockey: Jack Tudor
Trainer: Sara Bradstock
18. High Class Hero
Jockey: James Bowen
Trainer: Willie Mullins
19. Stellar Story
Jockey: Robbie Dunne
Trainer: Gordon Elliott
20. Beauport
Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies
Trainer: Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies
21. Captain Cody
Jockey: Jonathan Burke
Trainer: Willie Mullins
22. Jagwar
Jockey: Mark Walsh
Trainer: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero
23. Perceval Legallois
Jockey: Harry Cobden
Trainer: Gavin Cromwell
24. Gorgeous Tom
Jockey: Sean Flanagan
Trainer: Henry de Bromhead
25. The Real Whacker
Jockey: Gavin Sheehan
Trainer: Patrick Neville
26. Quai de Bourbon
Jockey: Donagh Meyler
Trainer: Willie Mullins
27. Answer To Kayf
Jockey: John Shinnick
Trainer: Terence O’Brien
28. Jordans
Jockey: Ben Jones
Trainer: Joseph O’Brien
29. Final Orders
Jockey: Conor Stone-Walsh
Trainer: Gavin Cromwell
30. Marble Sands
Jockey: Kielan Woods
Trainer: David Killahena and Graeme McPherson
31. Panic Attack
Jockey: Harry Skelton
Trainer: Dan Skelton
32. Top Of The Bill
Jockey: Toby McCain-Mitchell
Trainer: Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies
33. Johnnywho
Jockey: Richie McLernon
Trainer: Jonjo and AJ O’Neill
34. Twig
Jockey: Beau Morgan
Trainer: Ben Pauling
Race distance and number of fences
The race will be held over two laps of the Aintree course, giving a total race distance of four miles and two-and-a-half furlongs.
The horses and jockeys must navigate over 30 fences in total; 16 are jumped in the first lap and 14 are jumped in the second.
Several changes to the course have been introduced over the years to aid with horse welfare, including reprofiling landing areas, lowering the height of certain fences and softening the structure of others.
The average winning time in the Grand National is 9m 10s. The only horse to complete the famous course in under nine minutes is Mr Frisk, ridden by Marcus Armytage, on firm ground in 1990.
Odds
The 2024 winner, I Am Maximus, is the favourite at 7/1.
The 10-year-old bay gelding tops the list ahead of the likes of Grangeclare West (9/1), Panic Attack (9/1) and Jagwar (10/1).
Grand National odds
- I Am Maximus – 7/1
- Grangeclare West – 9/1
- Panic Attack – 9/1
- Jagwar – 10/1
- Iroko – 11/1
- Haiti Couleurs – 12/1
- Johnnywho – 12/1
- Oscars Brother – 14/1
- Montys Star – 16/1
- Captain Cody – 16/1
For full odds visit Paddy Power
Prize money
A prize pot of £1m will be split between the top ten finishers with the winner taking home £500,000.
Racehorse owners receive around 80% of the money with the remainder shared between trainers, jockeys and stable staff.
Grand National prize money
- 1st – £500,000
- 2nd – £200,000
- 3rd – £100,000
- 4th – £65,000
- 5th – £40,000
- 6th – £30,000
- 7th – £20,000
- 8th – £15,000
- 9th – £10,000
- 10th – £5,000