Grand National horses from England - South West

The Jonjo O’Neill gelding was made favourite for the Grand National two years ago after finishing third to Corach Rambler in the Ultima Chase of 2023 but was later ruled out of the National that year due to injury.  He was then prominent again in the betting for Aintree after finishing third in the Coral Gold Cup of the 23/24 season. Two subsequent disappointing runs meant he didn’t head to Aintree that year either but all systems appear on course for the Grand National this year.  Monbeg Genius finished second on his reappearance at Haydock this season and then made a really good showing in the Welsh National when fourth on ground that was probably too soft for him. He followed that up with an excellent win at Uttoxeter where he was a comfortable five length victor from Famous Bridge, which was his first win for over two years. The Racing Post Ratings team were very impressed with his win at Uttoxeter and rated it his best run to date over fences. There could be a question mark about if he has the prerequisite fight in his belly in a tight finish but he certainly ticks a lot of boxes for the big race in that he goes there in good form, can perform on most ground conditions and has proven his stamina in a Welsh National. As well as that, his trainer, Jonjo O’Neill, has already won an Aintree Grand National with Don’t Push It in 2010. Monbeg Genius appeals as a good value each-way chance for the 2025 Grand National.

Paul Nicholls has talked down the chances of Threeunderthrufive in the Grand National as he believes the gelding is not that well handicapped. The figures don't really back that negative analysis up as Threeunderthrufive recently finished second, just beaten a nose, off the same mark he runs from in the Grand National. The son of Shantou also won a 57k handicap from just one pound lower a little over a year ago. Often with a potential selection in the Grand National the most difficult part of the equation is if the horse in question will see out the extreme distance but Threeunderthrufive has previously been a close-up in the four-mile Scottish National so he would appear to have a better chance than most of staying the trip at Aintree. The ten-year-old gelding's best form has come on good or good-to-soft ground so he should cope with the underfoot Aintree conditions better than most. Nicholls has drafted in Harry Skelton to ride Threeunderthrufive and the jockey has three wins in his last seven rides for the stable and famously teamed up with Nicholls to win the Champion Chase on Politologue. Threeunderthrufive ticks a lot of boxes for the Grand National and appeals as the sort of outsider who could be well backed as the race comes closer.

Shakem Up’Arry has won four times over fences but has yet to record a win over further than 2m 4f. Harry Redknapp’s eleven-year-old gelding has had two races over three miles or further, finishing fourth and sixth.  The Ben Pauling trained horse would need a number of withdrawals to make the final field with the Topham Chase being lined up as an alternative if he doesn’t make it to the National. 

Kandoo Kid appears to be the top choice from Paul Nicholls’ five runners as stable jockey Harry Cobden has elected to ride him.  The nine-year-old gelding has already proved himself over the National fences when third in the Topham Chase last April and that run can be marked up further as he lost a shoe during the race. That was Kandoo Kid’s last run of the season and Nicholls aimed him at the red-hot Coral Cup Handicap at Newbury for his first run back of 24/25 where he was well backed and ran out a good winner, collecting over £142,000.  It appears that Nicholls has been minding Kandoo Kid’s handicap mark since then with only one run over an inadequate 2m 5f trip where he returned well beaten.  This son of Kapgarde has run useful races on all manner of underfoot conditions from good to firm through to heavy so he should be adaptable to whatever going arrives at Aintree but his best run (Coral Gold Cup) was achieved on good to soft conditions.  Stamina for four miles plus would have to be taken on trust as the furthest he has run up to now is twenty-six furlongs but his half-sister Starlet Du Mesnil did finish placed in the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris which is run over 3m 6f so connections will be hopeful that stamina will not be an issue. Trainer Paul Nicholls won the Grand National with another grey, Neptune Collonges, in 2012 but his twenty-five runners since then have failed to make the frame. 

Beauport won last year's Midlands Grand National proving he has the stamina for the National test and looks to have been campaigned with this year's Aintree showpiece specifically in mind especially since winning a valuable Ascot Handicap Chase by over 30 lengths in November. He's had just two starts over hurdles since then, a path trodden by many National winners in the past who were protecting their handicap mark over fences.  His jumping has been more accomplished this season, he's won in ground conditions varying from good to soft to heavy and generally likes to race up with the pace which is a positive for the National. He has only had the three starts this season so is very fresh and is the right sort of age (9 years old) profile wise of previous National winners.  These famous silks were carried to victory in this race by Corbiere in 1983.

Broadway Boy is something of an enigma in that he has recorded some excellent performances but is also prone to throwing in some very poor efforts with connections not really able to explain why these bad runs occur.  The Nigel Twiston-Davies trained chaser has been impressive twice at Cheltenham but his highest rated performance over fences was in defeat when runner-up to Kandoo Kid in the prestigious Coral Gold Cup at Newbury. Those good runs have to be compared to his last two efforts at Cheltenham where he finished a distant fifth when odds-on favourite and then pulled up when his jumping absolutely fell apart.  A Broadway Boy on top form would be near the top of the betting for Aintree but it is hard to be positive about his Grand National chances based on his last two runs.

Bravemansgame has been a brilliant servant to his connections winning his owner over £725,000 in prizemoney and providing three wins at the very highest Grade One level. One of the top novices of his generation over hurdles, he was always expected to reach even loftier heights over fences and so it has proved with wins in a Kauto Star, a Charlie Hall and the King George in 2022.  Unfortunately that famous victory in the King George at Kempton was the last time Bravemansgame crossed the line in front but the ten-year-old gelding has finished second or third on a frustrating eight occasions since December 2022. That run of defeats has though been reflected in the rating the handicapper has attached to Bravemansgame for this Grand National. At his peak, the gelding was top-rated at 172 and he gets to run here from 155 so perhaps the handicapper has given the Paul Nicholls trained gelding a good chance of running a big race at Aintree.  Bravemansgame’s stamina must be taken on trust for a Grand National especially as in his attempts at the 26 furlong Cheltenham Gold Cup he appeared to struggle to see out that trip. Class horses have tended to do well in recent Grand Nationals so perhaps Bravemansgame will follow suit but stamina doubts and a run of eleven races without a win temper enthusiasm.

Paul Nicholls' Hitman has a reputation for finishing placed rather than getting his head in front and his record of three chase wins from twenty-six starts backs up that viewpoint. Added to that, two of those wins came when he was odds-on in uncompetitive races.  Stamina for the Grand National is also a major concern with the furthest distance he has won being two miles five furlongs.

Trainer Richard Phillips last had a runner in the Grand National way back in 2001 when Noble Lord was a faller in the race won by Red Marauder. Idas Boy's new connections will be hoping for a better run with their new purchase who was sold by Gigginstown House Stud after he finished tenth in last year's Galway Plate. The eleven-year-old gelding won four races for his former owners including the Irish version of the Midlands Grand National. That victory was worth 52k and Idas Boy came home at 40/1. That big win was in July 2024 but he has only had two runs since then so perhaps Idas Boy still retains plenty of ability.  He is rated five pounds higher in the Grand National than his last win so will have to be at the top of his game if he is to be competitive here.

Former Albert Bartlett Hurdle winner Stay Away Fay started his career over fences very promisingly when winning his first two races in that discipline, including at Grade Two level at Sandown.  The Paul Nicholls trained gelding built on those early wins when finishing third in last season's Cotswold Chase, when still a novice, but since then his form has tailed off badly. Stay Away Fay has been pulled up three times since then together with finishing in a distant eleventh place in the Ultima Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Trainer Nicholls has drafted in Jonathan Burke to ride Stay Away Fay in the Grand National but he will have her work cut out getting this former top-class horse to be competitive in the big race.

Celebre d'Allen is the oldest horse running in this year's Grand National. The thirteen-year-old comes into the race with a win in a three mile handicap chase at Bangor in his latest race which was back in November. The Philip Hobbs and Johnson White trained gelding has previously run over the Grand national fences twice before, first when seeming not to stay the distance on heavy ground when a distant fourth in the Becher Chase two years ago and then when running really well when two-lengths fourth in last season's Topham. It seems an unlikely time in the horse's long career to try a marathon distance for the first time in a Grand National.

Twig has some useful form to his name including winning the 39k Summer Cup at Uttoxeter and finishing second in two big Cheltenham handicaps. However, the Ben Pauling trained gelding has not been at his best in his last three outings, although two of those were over hurdles and on softer ground than he probably likes. His last run was back over fences in the Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster and he was quite disappointing finishing a well-beaten seventh despite being well-fancied in the market. If the handicapper was framing this race now Twig would be rated three pounds lower than his rating of 146 and his usual rider Beau Morgan will not be able to claim his usual five-pound allowance in the Grand National.  Twig looks to have a difficult task in this season's Grand National.