Ireland’s Top Five Contenders for the 2025 Grand National

Intense Raffles (Tom Gibney) – 6/1 with Betfred

The current favourite is the Tom Gibney-trained Intense Raffles, who won the Irish version of this as a novice last year. That victory alone is a huge tick in several boxes, as it shows stamina and jumping ability. Also, last year’s winner, I Am Maximus, won it 12 months before heading to Merseyside. 

Intense Raffles hasn’t won in three starts this term, but he’s been delicately prepared by Gibney, with his first two runs coming over hurdles. There was plenty to like about his effort to finish second in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse in February, too, particularly as he’ll be 15lbs better off with the winner Nick Rockett this time around, as well as 5lbs well-in with the handicapper.

Only one seven-year-old has won the National since the Second World War, but that hoodoo was broken by Noble Yeats back in 2022, and the race has very much changed in nature recently. Gibney has yet to train a winner this calendar year, but this has very much been the plan for some time for Intense Raffles and plenty will fancy him to justify favouritism. 

I Am Maximus (Willie Mullins) – 8/1 with QuinnBet

As he so often does, Willie Mullins won the big race with I Am Maximus 12 months ago, and the nine-year-old is back to defend his crown for the master of Closutton. 

Things will be much harder this time around, as he will have to give away weight to the field, while his two starts in Grade 1 company so far this season have been disappointing. However, there’s a lot to be said for having the ability to handle the unique test of the Grand National course and the way I Am Maximus pulled away from the field in the closing stages 12 months ago was striking. Mullins’ runners can never be written off, and the nine-year-old will be popular with punters as a previous winner of the race.

Stumptown (Gavin Cromwell) – 8/1 with William Hill

Fresh from winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Inothewayurthinkin in March, Gavin Cromwell has several well-fancied runners for this year’s Grand National. 

One of those runners is Stumptown, who won a key pointer for this race when staying on best of all in the Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. It’s a route that was successfully taken by Tiger Roll in both 2018 and 2019, while the 2022 and 2023 XC winner Delta Work was second at Aintree 12 months ago. 

While they’re not completely identical, cross-country fences offer a similar challenge to those the runners face at Aintree, and Stumptown is a natural at them, winning four of his five starts in that sphere. With stamina guaranteed, there’s every chance he’ll have a big say in this, though he has to carry a big weight, and it’s worth noting that he was pulled up off a 9lbs lower mark in the similarly competitive Ultima Chase at Cheltenham in 2024. 

Vanillier (Gavin Cromwell) – 11/1 with bet365

Cromwell has another key contender in Vanillier, who was a runner-up to Corach Rambler in this contest two years ago. 

The 10-year-old could only finish in 14^th off a career-high mark 12 months later, but he has been in fine fettle this season, winning a cross-country event at Punchestown in February before catching the eye when third behind Stumptown at Cheltenham.

Vanillier stayed on noticeably well from a long way back that day, particularly when you note that he lost many lengths early on due to nearly taking the wrong route. He can’t be ruled out here off the same weight as 2023, particularly if there’s any cut in the ground on race day.  

Hewick (Shark Hanlon) – 12/1 with Mr Green 

Hewick is one of the feel-good stories of the sport, improving to unfathomable levels since being bought by Shark Hanlon for just €850. 

The 10-year-old was racing off a handicap mark of just 98 in the summer of 2019, but he has since become a big race-winning machine, landing both the Galway Plate and the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown in 2022. 

He took his form to new levels when winning the prestigious King George VI Chase in remarkable circumstances at Kempton in 202,3, and this race has been on his radar since. A mark of 162 will make life tough, but he returned to winning ways over hurdles at Thurles in March, and he can’t be ruled out if we get fast ground. 

Lively Irish outsiders for the 2025 Grand National at Aintree

As you’d perhaps expect for a 34-runner handicap, there are plenty of Irish-trained runners that deserve a second look when you’re studying for your horse racing bets. 

The rapidly improving Perceval Legallois (14/1) is another Cromwell runner to consider, having won competitive handicaps over both hurdles and fences at Leopardstown the last twice, while Meetingofthewaters (25/1) deserves another chance after not quite getting home last year. Three Card Brag (25/1) is an improving chaser to consider if his stamina holds out for three-time winning trainer Gordon Elliot,t and you can’t rule out the 2021 Gold Cup winner Minella Indo (50/1), either. He is firmly into the veteran stage for Henry de Bromhead these days but is 1lb lower than when running a screamer to finish third in this 12 months ago and will arrive here fresh.