Nick Rockett, I Am Maximus and Haiti Couleurs feature in Grand National entries with numbers down on last year

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Paul Nicholls, who won the Randox Grand National with Neptune Collonges in 2012, said he was not surprised at the fall in the number of entries for this year's contest after just 78 horses were put in the race by the noon deadline. 

That compares with 90 last year and 94 in 2024, while there were 107 entries in 2022 and as many as 126 in 2016, with the initial field in three figures every year between those two dates.

• Graeme Rodway's surprising Grand National entrants and notable omissions - including a JP McManus dark horse 

Nicholls, the 14-time champion trainer, had five runners in the race last year but said: "I didn't have anything suitable so I didn't enter anything. The thing with the National is that in the past a lot of people used to enter anything and everything. But unless you've got anything really suitable, it's not worth it. 

"What's the point of running a horse that's got no chance? You've got to be realistic about what you're going to run. There's a bit more of a different approach these days. But I'd say there will still be a maximum field so I wouldn't worry about it too much."

Paul Nicholls: 'What's the point of running a horse that's got no chance?'Credit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Joe Tizzard, who has had only one National runner since he took over training from his father Colin in 2022, believes the quality of the race makes it hard to get into the Aintree line-up.

He said: "A lot of horses don't get in because the ratings are quite high. I'd have loved to have a horse I thought was going to get a run but I haven't got a horse for it. 

"You've got to be in the mid or high-140s to get in, the cut-off was 145 last year. The only horse I had was Rock My Way, he's 139 and he wasn't going to get in so we left it."

Aintree clerk of the course Sulekha Varma said: “We’ve seen entry behaviour change over the years and this paired with the fact the Grand National has evolved as a race, attracting higher quality runners, is going to be reflected in the number of entries.

“We know that racing fans want to see the best competing against each other, and that’s what this year’s entries look set to deliver. Everyone here is committed to making the race as competitive as possible, and we’re looking forward to what promises to be a fantastic renewal."

Ireland's challenge looks as strong as ever for the Aintree showpiece, which it has won in six of the last seven years. Willie Mullins, who has provided the winner for the past two seasons and had five of the first seven home ten months ago, has entered 13, with I Am Maximus and Nick Rockett – triumphant in 2024 and 2025 respectively – among the Closutton possibles.

Willie Mullins: has 13 entries in the Grand NationalCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Gordon Elliott, who made 26 entries in 2024 and 16 last year, has just 12 in the race this time. If either he or Mullins are successful on April 11, they will equal the record of four National victories by a trainer. 

Ireland provides 48 of the 78 entries, which is 62 per cent of the initial field and compares to 53 per cent last year (when 48 of the 90 were Irish) and 65 per cent in 2024 (61 of the 94).

Britain supplies the current favourite — at a best-priced 7-1 — in last year's fourth Iroko, whose joint-trainers Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero have also entered smart two-and-a-half miler Jagwar.

Rebecca Curtis has put in Haiti Couleurs and Dan Skelton has engaged fellow Gold Cup hope Grey Dawning – in a £1 million race in which the championship-chasing trainer had no representative last season.

Rebecca Curtis: has entered Haiti Couleurs in the Grand NationalCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Curtis said: "Things can go wrong between now and March, it is another option if, for some reason, he missed the Gold Cup. Whether you would think of the two for him I'm not sure, we'll just see what happens."

The national weights will be unveiled at a ceremony in Liverpool on February 17. Horses must be allotted a BHA rating of 130 or above to be eligible to run.

There are scratching stages on March 3 and March 24 with final declarations being made 72 hours before the race this year, although six reserves will be nominated in an attempt to ensure a full field of 34.

Willie Mullins possibles (15):
Appreciate It, Blizzard Of Oz, Captain Cody, Champ Kiely, Grangeclare West, High Class Hero, I Am Maximus, Ile Atlantique, Impaire Et Passe, Lecky Watson, Nick Rockett, O'Moore Park, Quai De Bourbon, Shanbally Kid, Spanish Harlem.

Gordon Elliott possibles (12):
Beaufort Scale, Better Days Ahead, Croke Park, Favori De Champdou, Firefox, Gerri Colombe, Pied Piper, Search For Glory, Stellar Story, Three Card Brag, Western Fold, Will Do.

Randox Grand National (Aintree, April 11):
William Hill: 7 Iroko, 12 I Am Maximus, 14 Haiti Couleurs, 20 Grangeclare West, Panic Attack, 25 Captain Cody, Monty's Star, Nick Rockett, 33 bar.

Randox Grand National entries:

Ain't That A Shame (Tom Ellis)
Amirite (Henry De Bromhead, Ireland)
Answer To Kayf (Terence O'Brien, Ireland)
Anyway (David Kenneth Budds, Ireland)
Appreciate It (Willie Mullins, Ireland)
Banbridge (Joseph O'Brien, Ireland)
Beaufort Scale (Gordon Elliott, Ireland)
Beauport (Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies)
Better Days Ahead (Gordon Elliott, Ireland)
Blaze The Way (Margaret Mullins, Ireland)
Blizzard Of Oz (Willie Mullins, Ireland)
Buddy One (Paul John Gilligan, Ireland)
Captain Cody (Willie Mullins, Ireland)
Champ Kiely (Willie Mullins, Ireland)
Croke Park (Gordon Elliott, Ireland)
Deafening Silence (Dan Skelton)
Deep Cave (Christian Williams)
Escaria Ten (Martin Keighley)
Favori De Champdou (Gordon Elliott, Ireland)
Final Orders (Gavin Cromwell, Ireland)
Firefox (Gordon Elliott, Ireland)
Flooring Porter (Gavin Cromwell, Ireland)
French Dynamite (Eric McNamara, Ireland)
Gentlemans Game (Mouse Morris, Ireland)
Gerri Colombe (Gordon Elliott, Ireland)
Gorgeous Tom (Henry de Bromhead, Ireland)
Grangeclare West (Willie Mullins, Ireland)
Grey Dawning (Dan Skelton)
Handstands (Ben Pauling)
Harry Des Ongrais (Henry de Bromhead, Ireland)
Haiti Couleurs (Rebecca Curtis)
High Class Hero (Willie Mullins, Ireland)
Hyland (Nicky Henderson)
I Am Maximus (Willie Mullins, Ireland)
Ile Atlantique (Willie Mullins, Ireland)
Impaire Et Passe (Willie Mullins, Ireland)
Imperial Saint (Philip Hobbs & Johnson White)
In d'Or (Fergal O'Brien)
Intense Raffles (Thomas Gibney, Ireland)
Iroko (Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero)
Jagwar (Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero)
Johnnywho (Jonjo & A J O'Neill)
Jordans (Joseph O'Brien, Ireland)
Leave Of Absence (Anthony Honeyball)
Lecky Watson (Willie Mullins, Ireland)
L'Homme Presse (Venetia Williams)
Marble Sands (David Killahena & Graeme McPherson)
Mister Coffey (Nicky Henderson)
Monbeg Genius (Jonjo & A J O'Neill)
Monty's Star (Henry De Bromhead, Ireland)
Mr Vango (Sara Bradstock)
Myretown (Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore)
Nick Rockett (Willie Mullins, Ireland)
Now Is The Hour (Gavin Cromwell, Ireland)
O'Moore Park (Willie Mullins, Ireland)
Oscars Brother (Connor King, Ireland)
Paggane (Faye Bramley)
Panic Attack (Dan Skelton)
Perceval Legallois (Gavin Cromwell, Ireland)
Pic Roc (Ben Pauling)
Pied Piper (Gordon Elliott, Ireland)
Quai De Bourbon (Willie Mullins, Ireland)
Resplendent Grey (Olly Murphy)
Search For Glory (Gordon Elliott, Ireland)
Shanbally Kid (Willie Mullins, Ireland)
Soul Icon (Keiran Burke)
Spanish Harlem (Willie Mullins, Ireland)
Spillane's Tower (Jimmy Mangan, Ireland)
Stellar Story (Gordon Elliott, Ireland)
Stolen Silver (Georgia Nicholls)
The Real Whacker (Paddy Neville)
The Short Go (Henry de Bromhead, Ireland)
Three Card Brag (Gordon Elliott, Ireland)
Top Of The Bill (Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies)
Twig (Ben Pauling)
Western Fold (Gordon Elliott, Ireland)
Weveallbeencaught (Eric McNamara, Ireland)
Will Do (Gordon Elliott, Ireland)
Yeah Man (Gavin Cromwell, Ireland)

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