Grand National line-up at Aintree confirmed

Randox Grand National 2025

Venue: Aintree Racecourse Date: Saturday, 5 April Time: 16:00 BST

Coverage: Commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live. Racecards, live text, results & reports on the BBC Sport website and app.

The line-up for Saturday's Grand National will be confirmed on Thursday morning as Aintree gets ready for its big three-day meeting.

Last year's winner I Am Maximus, trained by Willie Mullins for owner JP McManus, heads the contenders.

There are 57 entries remaining, and a maximum 34 runners will race on the day, with the final field and four reserves announced about 10:30 BST.

Thursday's action includes former champion hurdler Constitution Hill and Lossiemouth meeting in the Aintree Hurdle.

In the Grand National, Duffle Coat is currently set to take the final place in the race.

If there are any withdrawals Shakem Up'Arry - owned by former football manager Harry Redknapp - is next in line, followed by Roi Mage.

The number of runners was reduced last year from 40 last year as part of safety changes.

McManus is seeking a record fourth victory for an owner in the race with I Am Maximus, and he also has leading hopefuls Iroko and Perceval Legallois.

I Am Maximus would be the first runner to carry top weight to victory since triple winner Red Rum in the 1970s, and only one horse - Tiger Roll in 2019 - has defended their title since then.

Mullins has a strong squad which also includes Nick Rockett and Grangeclare West towards the top of the weights.

Gavin Cromwell is set to run Cheltenham Festival winner Stumptown, Perceval Legallois and 2023 runner-up Vanillier.

The Irish contingent also includes bargain buy Hewick, who cost just £800 and won the King George VI Chase in 2023, plus last year's third-place finisher and 2021 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Minella Indo, as well as 2024 Irish Grand National victor Intense Raffles.

Rachael Blackmore, the only female jockey to win the race when she triumphed in 2021 aboard Minella Times, is likely to ride Minella Indo or Senior Chief for trainer Henry de Bromhead.

Gordon Elliott's team will be led by Three Card Brag, the mount of Sean Bowen, who is on the verge of becoming British champion jockey despite being allergic to horse hair.

Approximate odds: 9-1 I Am Maximus, Iroko, Stumptown, 10-1 Hewick, Intense Raffles, Vanillier, 12-1 Perceval Legallois, 14-1 Minella Cocooner, 20-1 Bar

The big race is due off at 16:00 BST, with runners and riders negotiating 30 fences - including Becher's Brook, The Chair and Canal Turn - over four and a quarter miles.

Mr Incredible has been barred from running after either being pulled up or refusing to race in his last four outings.

The 14-time British champion trainer Paul Nicholls has five contenders as he seeks a second National win - Kandoo Kid, Bravemansgame, Threeunderthrufive, Hitman and Stay Away Fay.

Iroko has been aimed at the race all season by Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, while the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Beauport will carry the colours of Bryan Burrough, whose Corbiere won in 1983 as Jenny Pitman became the first female trainer to triumph.

Twiston-Davies, who has won the race twice before, is also set to saddle Broadway Boy.

The 2023 champion hurdler Constitution Hill, trained by Nicky Henderson, returns to action after falling in the big race at Cheltenham last month when trying to regain his crown.

He won the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton in December from Lossiemouth, who skipped the Champion Hurdle and won the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham for Mullins.

Grey Dawning, the mount of Harry Skelton for trainer Dan, is likely to go off favourite for the Bowl, with Spillane's Tower and Gaelic Warrior among rivals.

Victory for Harry Skelton would take him one step closer to sealing the £500,000 first prize in the inaugural David Power Jockeys' Cup, which concludes on Friday.

Willitgoahead and Lifetime Ambition are among hopefuls in the Foxhunters' Chase over the National fences.

Organisers introduced a series of new safety measures last year for the Grand National.

As well as reducing the line-up, there is a shorter run to the first fence to slow horses down and a reduction in height to one of the fences. A standing start was reintroduced along with further veterinary checks.

The National time was brought forward an hour and 15 minutes to reduce the build-up and provide safer ground for runners in case of drying conditions.

There were no fallers last year and 21 horses completed the race - the highest number across the finish line since 1992 - with four horses unseating their riders and seven pulled up.

Activist group Animal Rising has said that - as with last year - it has no plans to disrupt the event, but remains opposed to the race.

The 2023 National was delayed by 14 minutes after protesters from the group entered the track and police arrested 118 people on the day of the race, in which the gelding Hill Sixteen suffered a fatal injury.