Grand National 2025 review

Father and son winners of the 2025 Grand National

Grand National 2025: Race review

The 2025 Grand National got underway with a full field of thirty-four horses taking their chance, all being cheered on by a huge crowd at Aintree who were basking in unseasonably warm weather.

Last year’s winner I Am Maximus was back to defend his crown, being one of a battalion of six runners from the Closutton base of Willie Mullins. Three-time Grand National winning trainer Gordon Elliott fielded five runners, the same number as one of Britain’s top trainers, Paul Nicholls.

Despite the Irish runners outnumbering their British counterparts eighteen runners to sixteen, a British horse was sent off favourite in the shape of Iroko, for the training partnership of Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, although the horse is owned by Irishman, JP McManus. Iroko was sent off as the 13/2 favourite, just ahead of last year’s winner I Am Maximus at 7/1, who was in turn just ahead of two runners at 10/1 who had both come in for significant support in the run-up to the race, Stumptown and Percival Legallois.

The race itself managed to avoid the false start problems of the past few years and a first-time start was achieved much to the delight of the enthusiastic crowd. Recent changes to the set-up of the Grand National had focused on the habit of the field racing too quickly towards the first fence but there appeared to be a more measured pace on down to that obstacle this year and this was reflected with the full field successfully negotiating the opening fence safely.

The first horse over the fence was Broadway Boy for the Grand National winning trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies and jockey Tom Bellamy, just ahead of former American Grand National winner Hewick, and the wide running Threeunderthrufive.

At the second fence the well-fancied Stumptown made a mistake and Coko Beach, who was having his fourth attempt at the race, was at the back of the field. At the next fence, Duffle Coat unseated his rider.

Going over the fourth and fifth fences, Broadway Boy had extended his lead to a couple of lengths over Hewick, Threeunderthrufive and Three Card Brag.

The next fence, the sixth, is Becher’s Brook and Broadway Boy cleared the fence spectacularly with the whole of the remaining field making it over this famous fence safely.

There were no fallers at the next two fences, Foinavon and the Canal Turn, but Perceval Legallois fell at the ninth fence (Valentines Brook). Over the tenth fence, Broadway Boy continued towing the field along, with Three Card Brag, Hewick and Bravemansgame in close attendance.

There were no casualties over the next few fences but the field was starting to get well spread out with the likes of Coko Beach, Appreciate It, Intense Raffles and Monbeg Genius all appearing to be struggling.

On the run to the thirteenth fence, Broadway Boy was still at the head of affairs but a new challenger in Beauport had moved up into second place.

The fifteenth fence (The Chair) is the largest on the course but there were no fallers here but Coko Beach was pulled up before the fence. 

No fallers at the next fence, the Water Jump, and Broadway Boy, Three Card Brag, Hewick and Beauport filled the first four places as the field headed down to the seventeenth fence before which Royall Pagaille and Intense Raffles were pulled up. 

Very little change in the leaders over the next few fences but last year’s winner, I Am Maximus, was noted making a mistake at the nineteenth fence.

No fallers or unseats at the twentieth fence but Kandoo Kid fell at the twenty-first and brought down Appreicate It.

Bechers Brook was the twenty-second fence which saw Stay Away Fay and Threeunderthrufive declining to jump this fence and pulling up. All the remaining runners made it safely over Bechers and also the next fence, Foinavon.

American Grand National hero, Hewick, made a bad mistake at the tricky Canal Turn and long-time leader, Broadway Boy took a heavy fall at the twenty-fifth fence, Valentines.

Broadway Boy’s fall meant that the leaders approaching the twenty-sixth fence were now Beauport, Celebre d’Allen and Three Card Brag, just ahead of Bravemansgame and Grangeclare West. Hewick made another bad mistake at this fence and at the back of the field Hitman was pulled up.

The twenty-seventh fence was the last open ditch and here a number of horses including Senior Chief, Minella Cocooner and Nick Rockett were noted making ground on the leaders.

The twenty-eighth fence is the third from home and leader Beauport made a mistake here and was overtaken by Celebre d’Allen. Monbeg Genius, Stumptown, Fil Dor, Hyland and Ida’s Boy were all pulled up after this fence.

On the run down to the second last, as many as thirteen horses were within a couple of lengths of the leader, who, as they jumped the fence, was just Grangeclare West. A number of horses appeared to have timed their run to the leaders perfectly with a first call for Iroko, Meetingofthewaters together with the menacing presence of I Am Maximus. Between the last two fences four horses were duelling for the lead and they were all trained by Willie Mullins! Nick Rockett appeared to be going well under Patrick Mullins and just nosed ahead of Grangeclare West, Minella Cocooner and I Am Maximus. 

Conflated was pulled up at this point and Celebre d’Allen was also pulled up shortly afterwards.

Nick Rockett led over the last but was being challenged by I Am Maximus and Paul Townend but Grangeclare West made a shuddering blunder at this crucial phase of the race. Nick Rockett was a half a length ahead of I Am Maximus at the elbow with another Mullins runner, Meetingofthewaters, trying to make ground on his stable companions.

A great battle ensued up the run-in with Nick Rockett just getting the better of I Am Maximus for a two-and-a-half-length victory. Finishing best of all was Grangeclare West who could be considered unfortunate considering all the impetus he lost with his mistake at the last fence. Iroko got up for fourth place, outstaying Meetingofthewaters who finished fifth for the second consecutive year.

Willie Mullins appeared to have a very strong hand before the race and so it was with his horses finishing 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 7th! This was Mullins’ third Grand National win and probably the sweetest of the three as the winner was ridden by his son, Patrick. Ultimately Mullins’ clean sweep of the top three places in the Grand National eventually led to him winning the UK’s Trainer Championship for the second consecutive year.

Sixteen horses completed the course in the 2025 Grand National with eight of the first nine home trained in Ireland.

The first three home carried 11-8, 11-12 and 11-8 underlining the fact that the Grand National is becoming dominated by the classier type of horse with all three already having won a Graded race over fences.

Willie Mullins has completely dominated the Grand National over the last two seasons and it would be a brave man who would bet against a Mullins hat-trick in 2026.

Grand National 2025: Full Result