Aintree Tips | Grand National Betting Tips

Aintree Jockey and Trainer Statistics

Who are the best national hunt jockeys and trainers to bet on at Aintree?

Backing all of the Daniel Skelton runners would have produced backing the most winners for a trainer here at Aintree with twenty-three but you would have returned a loss by doing so, Fergal O'Brien leads the way for profitable trainers with an LSP of +25.66 from their nine winners. If you are more of an eachway player then you may want to know which trainer is best to follow at Aintree and that would be Miss Lucinda V Russell who shows the best eachway LSP which is +48.26 thanks to their eighteen placings (seven winners). At the other end of the spectrum is D McCain Jnr who has a terrible record at Aintree, of all the trainers their LSP of -55.00 is the worst and they have a 6% strike rate with five winners from eighty-three runners.

Not only is Harry Skelton the most successful jockey at Aintree in terms of the number of winners but they have also returned a profit if back all of their rides, Harry Skelton has notched up a total of twenty winners for an LSP of +22.56. If you are looking for a jockey to follow in the eachway market then it is Derek R Fox who leads the way at Aintree, they have had a total of eight placings which includes four winners over the previous five for an eachway LSP of +43.87. The jockey with the worst record at Aintree based on LSP is Sam Twiston-Davies who has only a 9% strike rate with eight winners from ninety rides which have returned an LSP of -41.17.

Aintree Picks & Hints

Here are some factors at Aintree for certain trainers or jockeys which have been profitable:

• 5-9 (56%) +85.33 - Backing Miss Lucinda V Russell runners when over a trip of 3m1f

Aintree Top Jockey and Trainer Combinations

Here are the best trainer and jockey combinations here at Aintree based on the number of winners:

• 19 Wins: Daniel Skelton & Harry Skelton
• 10 Wins: P F Nicholls & Harry Cobden
• 6 Wins: N J Henderson & Nico Boinville
• 5 Wins: D McCain Jnr & Brian Hughes
• 5 Wins: N A Twiston-Davies & Sam Twiston-Davies

Aintree Top Trainers By Most Winners and a Level Stakes Profit

Aintree Top Jockeys By Most Winners and a Level Stakes Profit

Preview and Analysis for the Grand National

The 2026 Grand National will take place on Saturday 11th of April at the Aintree racecourse with the race due off at 4.00 pm.

On the day of the race, you will be able to find out the best grand national tips above. The race itself is the most valuable jump race in Europe.

The prize fund is £1,000,000 with £500,000 of that going to the winner. On the day of the race, you can read our tipster's grand national preview and analysis.

The race has changed in recent years. Previously run over 4m4f, in 2013 the trip was reduced to 4m2f (74yds).

• Takes place on Saturday 11th April 2026
• The race has a start time of 4 pm
• A maximum of 34 runners to compete
• £1m prize money with £500k for the winner
• A total of 30 fences to be jumped
• Over a distance of 4 miles, 2 furlongs and 74 yards

Also changes to the fences themselves to make them safer for the horses. During the race, the runners will have to contend with thirty fences.

These include the likes of the famous Becher's Brook, Foinavon, Canal Turn, Valentines and The Chair so when considering the Grand National predictions, you need a good jumper.

The field will consist of no more than forty runners. Because of this is it worth shopping around, and many bookies will be paying extra places.

So consider this when looking for good each-way bets for the grand national from our racing tipsters.

Criteria for runners to enter:

• Had run over fences in the current season
• Had a top-four finish over fences in a race over 2m7½f+ (Career)
• Hold a BHA official rating of 130+
• If no rating then competed in 6+ races over fences under rules (Career)

Five Ways to Find The Grand National Winner

Experience over Fences

The Aintree Grand National is truly a unique test, from the four-mile and four-furlong trip to the field size one major form clue that can be a huge help when aiming to pick the winner is form over the Grand National style fences.

Vieux Lion Rouge would be a good example of a horse with course form to follow, David Pipe’s horse has run at the track four times finishing seventh and sixth and in the National and has won the Becher Chase.

If you are seeking a horse you can feel confident in getting around the tricky course he would be an ideal candidate.

With him or others with his profile, you can at least ensure you are following a selection that has experience with Aintree and a better chance of handling the track and its challenges.

Stats and Trends

Given the lengthy history of the race we have a significant bank of data to draw from that can help you to narrow the field.

Our Grand National Trends blog gives you the key trends that can help you cut down your shortlist of runners.

One really strong trend is for runners who had run at least ten times over fences before the start on the big day at Aintree.

Experience is key and whilst it can be tempting to look at a more unexposed runner, don’t get drawn in if they have had less than those ten key runs over fences.

Use the going guide to give you the winner

When I have spoken to horse trainers and jockeys in the past be it the Grand National or a class six handicap at Huntingdon they all seem to give me the same key factor when looking for a winner. “Can the horse act on the ground?”

The going is all-important and to save you from working your way over forty horses' history we have the Grand National going predictor that can help you.

All you need to do is click the going type and the Grand National guide site can help you establish the best candidates for that type of ground.

Given the British weather, this may be a tool to use a few times and even on the morning of the race!

Grand National Guide's Expert Tips

If the previous three ways to find the winner or narrow a shortlist feel like hard work, we have a cheat sheet that can give you three top tips for the race.

We have advised three winners in the past which included the 50/1 winner Rule The World and had plenty of placed efforts. 

These tips come from our resident Grand National experts who love the race and study the runners all year round.

The Pinsters Guide

Perhaps you are the type of person who just wants a fun bet on the race and doesn’t tend to believe in form or trends. 

We have the perfect assistant to help you make a pick for the big race. 

The Grand National lucky dip offers users plenty of ways to get a horse for the big day. 

The options range from finding a trainer who has a horse running from your part of the world to picking out all the horses that will run in your favourite colour. 

If that sounds up your street just hit the link right here for the Grand National Pinsters Guide.

OLBG Tipsters Best Bets for the Grand National

On the evening before the running of the 2026 Grand National and also on the day itself, you will see the Grand National race listed above.

The grand national best bet will be listed, this will be the runner which has received the most Aintree grand national tips from our racing tipsters.

To view more Grand National predictions, click on the race name. On the event page, listed at the top are the Grand National's most popular tips.

Also, our best tipsters tip for the Grand National. This is the tipster who has tipped on the race and shows the best twelve months' profit.

All forty Grand National runners will be listed. Meaning, you can see how many of our tipsters predict each runner to win.

If you are looking for good each-way bets for the Grand National then take note of the EW tips.

Each runner will have comments which are left by our racing tipsters, these are previews and analyses for the Grand National.

They give you an insight into why the tipsters believe they are top bets for the Grand National.

Breeding and Pedigree Guide for the Grand National

The Good

Plenty of the OLBG tipsters will look at the stallion numbers when making their Grand National Tips so here are some of the good stallions.

Since 1997, there are only three stallions who have produced multiple winners of the Grand National.

Authorized leads the way having produced three winners, they produced back-to-back wins when Gordon Elliott's Tiger Roll won the race in both 2018 & 2019 and was the first back-to-back winner since the legendary Red Rum did so in 1973 & 1974 and then in 2024, I Am Maximus made it a third success.

The USA-bred Montelimar produced the 2003 winner Montys Pass for Jimmy Mangan and Barry Geraghty who won the race by twelve lengths at an SP of 16/1 and then two years later Hedgehunter was a winner, the 7/1 favourites finished fourteen lengths clear for Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh.

David Pipe's Comply or Die was the first winner for Old Vic in 2008, the 7/1 joint favourite won the race by four lengths under the guidance of Timmy Murphy. Two years later in 2010 Dont Push It supplied AP McCoy with his first National success and Old Vic's second win, the 10/1 favourite trained by Jonjo O'Neill was a five-length winner.

The Bad

There are a few stallions who have had 10+ runners in the race but have failed to produce a winner.

Shantou is 0-16 whilst Kayf Tara, Beneficial and Lute Antique have all seen eleven runners apiece compete resulting in zero wins, to make it worse only Blaklion (Kayf Tara) in 2017 had managed to get into the places.

Accordion and Strong Gate have both had fourteen runners without a single placing whilst Kings Theatre has not had a winner from fourteen but did go close with Balthazar King when runner-up in 2014 whilst Network from fourteen runners has produced four placings.

Finally, Supreme Leader, fifteen runners produced zero winners but he did have back-to-back placings with Whats Up Boys (2002) & Supreme Glory (2003) both finishing runner-up.

The Ugly

When it comes to the ugly we will highlight a stallion who is still producing offspring so still has a chance to improve this poor record!

The stallion is the US-bred Flemensfirth who since 2008 has seen twenty-one of his off-spring run in the Grand National but is yet to produce the winner of the race.

They have gone close a few times, King Johns Castle was runner-up in 2008, The Last Samuri was runner-up in 2016 and then Magic Of Light was also runner-up in 2019.

Weirdly, when you look at Flemensfirth as a Dam's Sire then that record changes having been involved with the 2022 winner Noble Yeats and the 2025 winner Nick Rockett.

Grand National - Are Tongue Ties And Headgear A Negative?

Grand National - Cheekpieces

One hundred and fifty-three runners have competed in the Grand National since 2005 who had cheekpieces fitted and up until 2017 not a single one of those won the race.

However, in 2018 Tiger Roll was successful wearing them and the runner back in third (Bless The Wings) was also fitted with them.

The runner-up in 2019 (Magic Of Light) had them fitted but in 2021 with fifteen runners entering wearing cheekpieces, only four of those finished with the best finish being 8th.

In 2022 however, Noble Yeats who won the race was fitted with them giving these runners two wins in the last five renewals of the race.

In the 2023 renewal, the winner did not have them fitted but Vanillier (2nd) and Noble Yeats (4th) both had cheekpieces fitted.

In 2024 (8) and 2025 (12) 20 runners entered the races wearing cheekpieces and not a single one of those managed to get into the placings, in 2025 only 2 of the 12 finished the race.

• 153 Runners
• 2 Grand National Wins
• 10 Grand National Places

Grand National - Blinkers

In terms of winners, since 2005 there has been a total of two Grand National winners who wore blinkers but there was some time between each winner.

Before this, in 1998, Earth Summit was successful whilst wearing blinkers, he was the only one of seven in the race wearing blinkers to finish the race.

We then had to wait until 2008 for the next winner which was Comply Or Die and again from seven in the race wearing blinkers, he was the only runner to finish.

It was 2019 for the last winner wearing blinkers which was Tiger Roll, only three entered the race wearing them and he was the only finisher.

Of the eighty-nine runners who entered wearing blinkers, fifty-one of those (57%) failed to finish the race.

• 89 Runners
• 2 Grand National Wins
• 5 Grand National Places

Grand National - Tongue Ties

Tongue Ties have had a bit more success of late than any other equipment, between 1999 & 2016 a total of one-hundred and six runners entered the Grand National wearing a tongue tie and the only winner to come from those was Silver Birch (2006).

However, in 2017, the first three home with One For Arthur winning the race all had tongue ties fitted. Tiger Roll in both 2018 and 2019 also had a tongue tie fitted.

In 2021, Minella Times made it four consecutive winners of the race to have a tongue tie fitted and the runner back in fourth that day also had one fitted.

For the 2022 Grand National, twenty-one runners had the tongue tie fitted, however, it was not to be five on the bounce with the best of them, Delta Work finishing in third place.

However, in 2023 with only thirteen of the thirty-nine field wearing tongue ties, the first two home, Corach Rambler and Vanillier were both wearing them.

The last two have hit blanks though, there were 12 runners in each of 2024 & 2025, Delta Work placed 2nd in 2024 and Iroko placed 4th in 2025 being the best of those.

• 203 Runners
• 6 Grand National Wins
• 13 Grand National Places

Factors to Consider with the Top Bets for the Grand National

Things to consider when looking at the Grand National predictions. Six of the last nine winners carried under eleven stones to success. Do the top bets for the Grand National pick out these runners?

Eleven of the last sixteen winners had run within the past thirty-five days is another factor to consider when looking at the Grand National predictions.

Another factor to consider when looking at the best bets for the Grand National is seasonal runs. You need a runner who has seen a racecourse a few times this season.

Those who had no more than two starts that season before the Grand National have not produced a winner from one hundred and fifty runners since 2005.

If you are looking for good each-way bets for the Grand National then focusing on the predictions for 8yo to 10yo runners is a good start.

These have filled 60 places over 20 races, that is on average three of the top four runners each year!

How to get the best Grand National tips

Check the dedicated Grand National Guide website for all the key statistics on the big race.

Visit the OLBG horse racing tips pages to view the Aintree tips and comments by the top horse racing tipsters.

1. Dedicated Grand National Guide
2. View the Aintree Tips
3. View the best horse racing tipsters

Because the grand national course at Aintree is a fair course you do not get so many “unlucky in running horses”. It is wide enough for horses to have enough room and not crowd each other, leading to truly run races. The best horse at Aintree does generally run well.

You should treat the Grand National meeting (early April) as a one-off. The meeting is so prestigious that trainers make plans all season and target particular runners for these three days.

For the rest of the season’s meetings look for well-balanced horses whose jumping is sound and give a wide berth to horses that have fallen at other tracks, Aintree may be too much of a test for those animals that do not jump perfectly.

Donald McCain Jnr is the son of Aintree legend Ginger McCain who won the Grand National four times, including three wins by the greatest national horse of all time Red Rum. Because of this connection look out for any horses entered at Aintree by Donald McCain Jr.

With the Grand National meeting normally a maximum of a month after Cheltenham trainers whose horses ran well but didn’t win at Prestbury Park often look to improve on their Cotswold run with a win at Liverpool.

Here are the numbers for Aintree winners who ran at the Cheltenham Festival a month prior and then went straight to Aintree, 2021 with just 6 winners was the first sub-10 year since 2008.

• 2025 - 5 Winners
• 2024 - 8 Winners
• 2023 - 11 Winners
• 2022 - 9 Winners
• 2021 - 6 Winners

Look for extra place offers on big handicaps at Aintree, the bookmakers know horse racing tipsters like betting at Aintree and go out of their way to attract punters. Bet Victor, Paddy Power and William Hill often offer enhanced place terms on these big handicaps, check out the OLBG Bookmakers Guide for the latest offers and promotions.

If you are going racing at Aintree today then be sure to download the OLBG App for all the up-to-the-minute Aintree tips from OLBG horse racing tipsters.

Aintree Festival Schedule - Day One (Thursday)

The three-day Grand National meeting kicks off on Thursday with four Grade 1 events on the seven-race card which features both the Aintree Hurdle and the Bowl Chase.

Aintree Festival Schedule - Day Two (Friday)

Day 2 of the Grand National meeting is Ladies Day or Fabulous Friday, the highlights on the track being the Melling Chase plus there is the Topham Chase over the Grand National fences.

Aintree Festival Schedule - Day Three (Saturday)

The Grand National is obviously the showpiece of the Aintree meeting and day 3 also includes three Grade 1 events, the feature of those being the Liverpool Hurdle.

With a huge combined experience of horse racing between them, this content has been created and is maintained by Darren Brett, James Banting and Andy Powell. All of the data for Aintree Racecourse which includes the favourite statistics and the trainer and jockey statistics have been created using results from HorseRaceBase.

Darren Brett

Tipster Competition Manager

Darren has worked in the horse racing industry for decades bringing to OLBG for the last 20 years a wealth of knowledge, creating much of our content on these sports. Darren also manages our Grand National Guide and is the go-to font of knowledge for the world's greatest steeplechase.

James Banting

Tipster Competition Assistant

James Banting, a passionate horse racing enthusiast and aficionado, brings a wealth of experience to OLBG, having attended numerous race meetings over the years. His background working with the Jockey Club provides him with a unique insider's perspective on the industry.

Andy Powell

Content Editor

Andy is a seasoned professional with more than 15 years of experience in the field of horse racing. He has a thorough understanding of the sport, from analyzing complex statistical data to being part of a winning syndicate at the Cheltenham Festival. Andy is responsible for managing the horse racing trend blogs on OLBG.