Yellow Grand National Horses

Yeah Man just missed out on running in the Grand National last year and it could be the same scenario this time around as he will need nine horses to be withdrawn at the five-day declaration stage to make it into the race.

If he does make the race he will need to overturn a thirteen race losing run that stretches back over two years. 

The Gavin Cromwell trained gelding has only got his head in front twice in twenty-five starts and it’s difficult to imagine him being involved in the finish of the Grand National.

Answer To Kayf comes from a successful family with five of his siblings recording a win, including half-sister You Wear It Well who won the Mares’ Novice Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival three years ago.

Coming from a such a prolific family, many people were alerted to Answer To Kayf as a potential top-class performer from the beginning of his career and he managed to win twice over hurdles but his best effort was in defeat when finishing fourth in one of the top races for future chasing prospects; the Martin Pipe Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

The Terence O’Brien trained gelding struggled to find his preferred soft ground through his novice chase season, winning once on the only occasion he encountered ground with no good in it. That though left him attractively handicapped for this season and so it proved when winning the Grade Three 59k Troytown Chase after a break of over six months. Conditions were heavy that day and Answer To Kayf relished the difficult conditions, staying on for a comfortable looking two-and-a-quarter length success. Understandably the handicapper took a dim view of this big win and raised this son of Kayf Tara nine pounds. The rating increase proved beyond him when fourth to Now IsThe Hour in the Thyestes at Gowran Park and it could be that his handicap peak has been achieved.

Since Gowran Park he has run respectably when fourth in the Bobbyjo when the conditions of the weights were not in his favour and he looks to have been freshened up for a crack at one of the Nationals. Soft ground appears to be a definite prerequisite for this horse and with those underfoot conditions more likely to be found in Fairyhouse than Aintree he could be a lively proposition for the Irish National if the ground stays wet.

A fascinating outsider in this year’s renewal is Amirite, the 10-year-old gelding trained by Henry de Bromhead, a handler who knows exactly what it takes to ready one for the unique demands of Aintree. 

Amirite comes into the race with a mixed but intriguing profile. He has 2 wins from 17 chase starts, the latest victory coming in the 50k Mullingar Midlands National at Kilbeggan in July 2025 (he was runner up in this in 2024). A very good 4th of 22 followed in the valuable Galway Plate Handicap Chase.

Not every runner takes to Aintree, but Amirite already has strong course form having finished 4th of 30 in the Topham Chase over the National fences last year which is a major tick for his prospects.

With winning form around 3 miles+ he shapes like a horse who could improve again for the 4m2½f marathon trip and a very interesting each way proposition if the race turns into a test of stamina and jumping.