Saturday, 5 April is Grand National day in 2025 at Aintree with the world’s greatest steeplechasing taking place on Merseyside. It’s an earlier date than normal, because of how late Easter falls in the calendar this year.
For many casual punters, “the National” is the one race they have a flutter on annually. The Liverpool track, synonymous with the showpiece event, has a full card on this date, however.
Besides seeing horses jump iconic fences like Becher’s Brook, The Canal Turn and The Chair from 4pm BST, there are six more races on the Mildmay Course. Chief among these are three Grade 1s headed by the Liverpool Hurdle.
Supporting races on Grand National day 2025 also include the Turners Mersey Novices’ Hurdle and Maghull Novices’ Chase. There are other handicaps on the card with the Freebooter over fences and a staying Premier Handicap Hurdle.
All the action on Merseyside rounds off with the Aintree Bumper. This is one day when the leading horse racing betting sites in the UK and Ireland expect to do a lot of business.
We celebrate the magic of “the National” with race-by-race analysis of the card. Our horse racing experts have been studying the big race for some time, and you’ll find their not so shortlist for it below, in amongst the rest of everything happening at the Liverpool venue.
Grand National Day 2025 Preview
1:20 – 3m 149y William Hill Top Price Guarantee Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap)
✅ Wodhooh wins the Martin Pipe
Gordon Elliott on the scoresheet in the 28th & final race
🇮🇪 Seven races on Gold Cup day all won by the Irish pic.twitter.com/AxEPg1OODj
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 14, 2025
Conditionals cannot use their claim in the Martin Pipe, so it’s a big help to Act Of Authority. Never nearer in sixth in that race was Push The Button, who should appreciate the longer trip for Nigel Twiston-Davies with son Sam now back in the saddle.
Off better terms than their meeting in the Pertemps, Catch Him Derry may be able to turn the tables on Jeriko Du Reponet, who sits towards the top of the handicap. Also high in the weights is Irish raider Rushmount, who could go well under Brian Hughes.
Jipcot may be worth another go if returning to the form of his staying on Windsor third over this trip. He had Deep Cave in-behind on that occasion. Timmy Tuesday is completely unexposed at this distance for Gordon Elliott, meanwhile.
1:55 – 2m 4f Grade 1 Turners Mersey Novices’ Hurdle
Koktail Divin heads an Irish challenge in the Minella Indo silks. Others from the Emerald Isle to note include Honesty Policy for JP McManus and two Cheltenham Grade 1 also rans for Willie Mullins.
Two that appeal to run well at bigger prices for the home team are GOOD AND CLEVER and Fingle Bridge. Although the former finished third to re-opposing rival Horaces Pearl in the bumper on this card 12 months ago, Warren Greatrex’s runner has hit the frame in Grade 1 company before before here and during the Dublin Racing Festival.
Miami Magic and Regents Stroll both finished in front of Good And Clever earlier in the season, but haven’t shaped like stayers in quite the same way. The latter suffered defeat in Listed company to Murphy’s Fingle Bridge around Exeter, so must improve.
2:30 – 3m 1f Freebooter Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap)
When in the care of Henderson, he was adamant Peaky Boy wanted three miles, and the form of his Cheltenham third where he split Haiti Couleurs and Moon D’Orange isn’t too shabby. Beloved veteran Sam Brown isn’t out of this, meanwhile, despite topweight with Chad Bament taking 7lb off with his claim.
Anthony Honeyball’s 13-year-old landed this three seasons ago and chased home Cruz Control last term. That rival isn’t in the same form, whereas Sam Brown landed a Newbury veterans’ race last time. Course specialist Imperial Saint has won all three starts here this campaign, but has stamina question marks.
Impressive Ultima hero Myretown has a 15lb hike to overcome, but was obviously a handicap blot for Cheltenham. That massive rise demands more from Lucinda Russell’s Scottish raider, but he could well find more improvement.
Lower down the weights, Docpickedme again has a featherweight for Richard Hobson. That is due to Charlie Maggs taking 5lb off the back of the Great Yorkshire Chase winner with his claim again. Kim Muir fourth Weveallbeencaught could go well at bigger odds too.
3:05 – 3m 149y Grade 1 Liverpool Hurdle
Olly Murphy’s runner hasn’t really kicked on from that performance, but back on this sharper course may confirm his status as a flat track bully. HIDDENVALLEY LAKE went to close to Long Walk glory at Ascot on decent ground in December, however, and looks an each-way alternative for the same owners as Teahupoo.
Although only third at Aintree last year, Henry De Bromhead’s charge hit two out and found himself short of room at the final flight. With a clear run, Hiddenvalley Lake definitely has a race in him. Splitting the pair 12 months ago was Buddy One, but he doesn’t seem to be in the same form now.
Kitzbuhel steps markedly up in trip, but this may be a fact-finding mission with him. Home By The Lee was unlucky to unseat in the Stayers’ Hurdle, while The Wallpark needs to prove his class for this level.
Last year’s impressive staying Premier handicap hurdle winner Gwennie May Boy took his form a new level with Grade 2 success at Haydock, so could have a say in proceedings. At bigger odds, the mare Jetara looks all stamina and could outrun her price getting weight all-round.
4:00 – 4m 2f 74y Grand National (Premier Handicap Chase)
Defending his title under that welter burden won’t be easy. Preference from the half-dozen Mullins mounts is for Minella Cocooner, who landed the bet365 Gold Cup around Sandown on a sound surface last spring. Nick Rockett has improved plenty this term, but on much more testing ground. Meetingofthewaters, seventh in 2024, tries the famous fences again.
Grangeclare West ran an eye-catching second in the Irish Gold Cup on his penultimate outing too. Gavin Cromwell has three credible contenders, meanwhile, in Cross Country specialist Stumptown, 2023 runner-up Vanillier and Paddy Power Chase hero Perceval Legallois. All of those have claims.
Irish veterans Hewick and Minella Indo, third last year, aren’t out of it either. Seven-year-old duo Iroko and Intense Raffles have always been prominent in the betting, meanwhile. Beauport has had his whole campaign geared around the National by Twiston-Davies too.
Lower down the weights, Monbeg Genius could also go well for Jonjo O’Neill. The one that appeals most, however, is last term’s staying on Topham Chase third and this season’s Coral Gold Cup winner KANDOO KID. Paul Nicholls has four other runners, but this one is the clear pick of the Ditcheat quintet on those runs.
5:00 – 2m Grade 1 Maghull Novices’ Chase
The drop back in trip and return to a sounder surface for L’Eau Du Sud owner companion Kalif Du Berlais means he may pose a bigger threat to Only By Night. His third at this meeting behind Sir Gino and Kargese looks a very smart piece of form.
As Kalif Du Berlais is still a young horse, it makes sense if Nicholls campaigns him over the minimum trip and fences for now. Touch Me Not, put in his place by the market principals the last day, looks the best of a mediocre rest. Special Cadeau is very light on steeplechasing experience to go straight in at the deep end.
5:35 – 2m 1f Grade 2 Aintree Bumper
Cheltenham Champion Bumper fifth El Cairos brings leading form claims into the concluding race of Grand National day 2025. He may have been unlucky not to finish in the frame after finding himself short of room at a key stage.
Other appeal more at bigger prices, however, with SCOPE TO IMPROVE a bit of each-way value. De Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore combine with an Irish Point and Naas bumper winner who has done nothing wrong so far.
Other big Irish stables keep their powder largely dry for Punchestown presumably. Green Splendour comes over for Mullins and Koktail Brut represents Elliott and Gigginstown House Stud. Joseph O’Brien runs Le Labo.
Despite the poor record of four-year-olds in the Aintree Bumper, it’d be foolish to ignore the claims of Pauling’s Kempton winner Our Boy Stan, who finished ahead of the horse home in front of El Cairos at the Festival at an early Cheltenham meeting.
Also at massive odds, last year’s winning trainer Fergal O’Brien saddles Frontier Prince. That one’s winning form received a huge boost when the runner-up came out and landed a valuable Newbury bumper last month.
