Grand National Analysis: Rachael Blackmore's expert insight for the big race at Aintree

Listen to Racing...Only Bettor's Grand National Day Preview

The race everyone wants to win

The Grand National is a standalone race.  The whole meeting is a fantastic meeting, the Grand National meeting, there is some top-class racing, as we have seen on Thursday and Friday, but the Grand National is head and shoulders above everything else.

It's the high point of the meeting, it's the race that every jockey wants to win.  Every trainer, every owner.  It's such a historic race.

I'm very lucky in that I managed to win it in 2021 on Minella Times.  I got such a fantastic ride off Minella Times that day.  I think having a horse who just gets into a good rhythm and jumps from fence to fence, that's so important in a Grand National.  It's important in any race, but it's even more important in a Grand National.  You obviously need a lot of luck to come your way as well.  

Minella Times had a lovely style of running, and he was a really good jumper, and those two things are so important when you are heading out there in a Grand National, over more than four and a quarter miles and 30 fences.

Last year's second and third should go well again

This year's race looks extremely competitive again.  The second, third and fourth from last year are all lining up again, and all three should go well again.  There are lots of new challengers in there too, progressive horses who go there with real chances.

I Am Maximus won the Grand National in 2024 and he ran a big race to finish second last year.  He is only 1lb higher than he was last year, and the cheekpieces are back on for the first time in a while.

He maybe didn't get as clear a run last year, and probably didn't jump as well as he did the previous year when he won.  But he was a very good second in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas too, and I think that he is going to be bang there again.

Grangeclare West finished third last year, and he was very good in February in winning the Bobbyjo Chase, a race that is often a good pointer to the Grand National.  He showed there that he retained lots of ability.  He has been around, he has last year's experience under his belt, and he is a very straightforward horse.  He's 3lb higher than he was last year, but I don't think that is going to disadvantage him unduly.  He should go well again this year.

Their trainer Willie Mullins has a very strong hand in the race again.  Champ Kiely is a dual Grade 1 winner, Spanish Harlem was unlucky in the Thyestes when he unseated at the last fence.  Captain Cody too, he won the Scottish National last year, and he adds further strength to the Willie Mullins team.

Panic Attack bidding to do it for the mares

Panic Attack goes into the race with a big chanceas well.  No mare has won the race since Nickel Coin won it in 1951, but I wouldn't be worried about that statistic at all.  Not many mares have gone into the race with a real chance of winning it, certainly very few with as good a chance as Panic Attack has.

She has already won two big handicap chases this year, she could improve for the step up in distance, and victory for her would put the cap on what has been an incredible season for Dan and Harry Skelton.

Gerri Colombe is very interesting for Gordon Elliott.  He has some top-class form on the board, he is a five-time Grade 1 winner and he finished second in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2024 behind Galopin Des Champs.  

He ran well in the Galmoy Hurdle, back over hurdles for the first time in a long time, and he finished second to Grangeclare West in the Bobbyjo Chase, before going to Down Royal on St Patrick's Day and winning nicely.  I think he is one who could put up a big performance, he is a horse who has a lot of ability and, if he takes to the fences, he could be bang there.

Another who could go well at a very big price is Amirite, who has just got into the race as a reserve.  I rode him in the Topham Chase at this meeting last year, and he put in a fantastic round of jumping, he really took well to the fences.  He went on then to win the Midlands National in July, and he ran very well in the Galway Plate.  He hasn't run particularly well in either of his last two races, but, back on nicer ground and back over these fences, he could go well.  He only has 10st 2lb on his back, Philiip Enright is a good asset, and Henry will have him ready for the day.

Monty's Star can run a big race

Monty's Star also, he is one I really do like for this race.  Henry's horses are in fantastic form, and we know how good he is at preparing horses for these big days.  The year that I won it on Minella Times, Henry also had the runner-up with the 100/1 shot Balko Des Flos.  I was also third on Minella Indo for Henry in 2014 in Monty's Star's colours, the Barry Maloney colours.

Monty's Star is a fantastic jumper.  His Jump Index on RaceiQ is 8.6, he is one of just eight horses in the RaceiQ database who has a Jump Index of 8.6 or higher.  That backs up the feel you get off him riding him. He rides like a fantastic jumper, he's so agile and intelligent, and I think that that is a big thing around Aintree.  When you don't have to worry about that side of it, when a horse is able to adjust and be nimble at his fences, they are big assets in a Grand National.

He's stepping up in trip here, but I don't think that that is going to be an issue for him.  He has a very nice style of running, he's a very straightforward to ride, and I'm sure that Darragh O'Keeffe is looking forward to riding him.  I think that he can run a massive race.

If I had to choose two in the race, I would choose Monty's Star and I Am Maximus.  It's a fascinating race, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how it all plays out!

Now read Paul Nicholls on his Grand National day runner at Aintree