2025 Grand National Tips: Kevin Blake gives his 1-2-3-4 verdict for the Aintree feature

• Kevin Blake picks out his 1-2-3-4 for the Aintree Grand National

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Last season's Stayers' Hurdle winner, and runner-up in the same race this year, Teahupoo, is the favourite to win the Grade 1 Liverpool Hurdle at 15:05 Aintree today having never finished out of the top two in his last five starts.

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2025 Grand National scene setter

This is it! It's time for the big one. People will say what they will about the Grand National and how it has changed over the years, but we'll leave those wider debates aside and focus on what is the pursuit of one of the great accolades in the world of betting on horse racing, backing the winner of the Grand National.

The fences might be a shadow of their former selves, and the field size is now just 34 rather than 40, but make no mistake, the Grand National remains the toughest puzzle in sport to solve.

Rather than debate the merit of the changes, what is much more relevant to the pursuit of the winner is how the changes have impacted on the type of horse that is suited by the new test. While the changes made prior to last year's race, headlined by the reduction in field size to 34, got plenty of coverage, the really impactful changes came after the 2012 renewal when the structure of the fences was significantly altered making them much more forgiving of mistakes.

The reality of the new fences is that horses that are considered moderate or inconsistent jumpers or ones that get a bit low over normal fences are not punished as they are by normal fences. The top 14 inches of the new fences are loosely packed spruce and horses that have a naturally low jumping trajectory can get away with brushing through the top of them, saving significant energy over the course of 30 fences versus those that put more energy into their jumping to clear the fences cleanly.

A related consequence of the fences being so much more forgiving is that horses do not need nearly as much experience over fences as they once did to thrive in the Grand National. Whereas not that long ago we saw horses with 40 or more runs over fences winning the Grand National, the last four renewals have been won by horses with 10 or less runs over fences.

So, in short, my own search for the most likely winner of the Grand National has focused on lightly raced chasers that have been campaigned with the race in mind and have a jumping style that is likely to adapt well to the Grand National fences.

Kevin Blake's 2025 Grand National contenders

The first one I'd like to highlight is the Gavin Cromwell-trained Perceval Legallois. Cromwell has a seriously strong team for the race, but this is the one that makes most appeal to me. He fits the profile described above being a young, improving second-season chaser. He started this season needing to come up a few pounds to be high enough to get into the Grand National and he earned those pounds in style when running out the impressive winner of the ultra-competitive Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown's Christmas meeting. With his mark duly raised to the right level to get into this race, Cromwell reverted to hurdling with him and duly won another competitive handicap at the Dublin Racing Festival. Everything about this race looks likely to suit him and he looks to have a very solid chance.

Next on my shortlist is the Paul Nicholls-trained Kandoo Kid. He once again fits the profile I am after and he put his hand up as a potential Grand National contender of the future when finishing a fine third over these fences in the Topham Handicap Chase at this meeting last year, finding the trip to be an inadequate test for him. He confirmed that he is still progressing when making a winning return to action in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury and he warmed up for this race with his first start since when an eye-catching eighth in a handicap chase at Newbury over an inadequate trip. This race looks to have been his big target and with his ability to jump these fences well being proven, he looks to be one of the very best contenders for the home team.

Second from the top of my list is the Tom Gibney-trained Intense Raffles. The seven-year-old proved to be incredibly progressive after joining Gibney last season, winning all three of his starts including a strong renewal of the Irish Grand National. Based on that performance, he would have been fully entitled to be campaigned as a Grade 1 horse this season, but his connections have chosen to make his whole season about the Grand National. Two runs over hurdles were followed by an excellent run in the Bobbyjo Chase when second to Nick Rockett giving him 3lb. He is much better off at the weights with that rival here and he could well prove to be a handicap blot.

Finally, the main pick. Drum roll please... Minella Cocooner. He ticks every box I want to see ticked. With the ground being on the drier side, the fact that he relished good ground when winning the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown last season is a plus. It is clear that his connections have trained him for one race all season and while the British handicapper hasn't relented with him as the Irish handicapper has, he still looks to be on a perfectly fair mark. The stamina test will play to his strengths and there is a huge amount to like about his preparation. He looks to have a mighty chance.

Best of luck!

Kevin Blake's 2025 Grand National 1-2-3-4 verdict

1: Minella Cocooner

2: Intense Raffles

3: Kandoo Kid

4: Perceval Legallois

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