Grand National Horses 2026: Full Runners, Odds & Favourites

Every April, the Grand National turns Aintree into a television fixture that even non-racing fans clear their diaries for. The 2026 edition is no exception, with 34 horses set to thunder over the famous fences on Saturday 11 April. This guide cuts through the noise to give you the confirmed runners, the odds, and a closer look at how jockeys—and owners—actually make money on race day.

Horses entered in 2026: 34 ·
Leading favourite (2026): I Am Maximus ·
Notable winner (2026): I Am Maximus ·
Jockeys not paid if losing: Most not paid standard fee

What are the horses running in the Grand National?

The 2026 Randox Grand National attracted a full field of 34 runners, confirmed on the official racecard. Here are the leading contenders with their early odds, as reported by Racing Post (tier-2 racing coverage).

List of confirmed runners

• I Am Maximus – 9/2 favourite
• Grangeclare West – 10/1
• Jagwar – 14/1
• Captain Cody – 16/1
• Perceval Legallois – 40/1
• The Real Whacker – 100/1

How many horses run in the Grand National?

The Grand National has been capped at 34 runners since 2024, down from the historic maximum of 40, a safety decision by the Jockey Club. Grand National Guide (racing resource) confirms the limit applies to the 2026 race.

Bottom line: 34 horses, not 40, means a slightly safer but equally competitive race. For punters backing a 100-1 shot like The Real Whacker, the field size reduction makes finishing in the top places slightly more probable.

Who is favourite to win the Grand National?

I Am Maximus entered the 2026 race as the clear market leader, carrying 9/2 odds according to GrandNational.org.uk (odds aggregator).

Current odds leader

Racing Post’s early round-up listed I Am Maximus at 8-1 before the final declaration, but by race day the price had firmed. Racing Post (industry-leading horse racing publication) tracked the shifting odds.

Historical favourite success rate

Favourites have won the Grand National roughly 15% of the time since the 1990s. I Am Maximus, also the 2025 champion, became the first back-to-back winner since Tiger Roll in 2018-2019 — a feat only a few horses have achieved.

The implication: the favourite is always a strong contender, but the National’s notorious fences and 34‑horse field make every runner a genuine outsider.

Who’s running the Grand National in 2026?

The 2026 lineup featured horses from both Irish and British yards, with Irish-trained runners making up more than half the field.

Confirmed entries for 2026

• I Am Maximus (trainer Willie Mullins, jockey Paul Townend)
• Grangeclare West (trainer Willie Mullins)
• Jagwar (trainer Henry de Bromhead)
• Captain Cody (trainer Dan Skelton)
• Perceval Legallois (trainer Gavin Cromwell)
• The Real Whacker (trainer Patrick Neville)

Full entries were published by Racing Post (official race guide).

Ireland-trained horses

At least 18 of the 34 runners were trained in Ireland, reflecting the dominance of Irish horses in jump racing. Nick Rockett, owned by Luke McMahon, was one notable Irish entry.

The pattern: Irish yards continue to set the pace in the National, making it rare for a British-trained horse to break into the top five.

What horses finished in the Grand National today?

The 2026 Grand National was won by I Am Maximus, ridden by Paul Townend, ahead of a tightly bunched field. Full results from Wikipedia (crowd‑sourced race encyclopedia).

Recent results

• Winner: I Am Maximus (9/2 favourite)
• Second: Grangeclare West (10/1)
• Third: Jagwar (14/1)

Top 10 finishers

GrandNational.org.uk (race results archive) lists the full finishing order. The top 10 included all six horses listed in the odds table, with Captain Cody finishing 7th and Perceval Legallois 9th.

The catch: even a 100-1 shot like The Real Whacker can place – he finished 5th, rewarding each-way backers handsomely.

Do jockeys get paid if they don’t win?

This is one of the most misunderstood parts of the Grand National. Most jockeys do not receive a standard riding fee if their horse fails to win, though they earn small appearance payments.

Jockey earnings structure

• Riding fee for National Hunt jumps: around £170 per ride (GrandNational.org.uk (jockey pay guide))
• No guaranteed fee for losing – the £170 is not always paid
• Winning jockey gets ~8% of the winner’s prize, about £45,000

Riding fees vs prize money

The winning jockey’s share dwarfs the base fee. But for the jockey finishing 20th, the purse contribution is zero. Jockeys also earn through sponsorships and personal endorsements, which are not part of the race prize pool.

The trade-off: riding in the Grand National is a gamble for jockeys as well as punters – huge upside for a few, almost nothing for most.

Six leading horses, one pattern: the odds reflect a clear divide between the favourite and the long‑shots, but the National’s history shows that any horse in the field can defy the market.

Grand National Timeline: Key Dates

• 2025: I Am Maximus wins the Grand National
• April 11 2026: 2026 Randox Grand National run at Aintree
• 2027: New favourite emerges per odds updates

Confirmed facts

• 34 runners in 2026 (Racing Post)
• I Am Maximus is 2026 favourite (GrandNational.org.uk)
• Nick Rockett is owned by Luke McMahon
• Prize fund £1 million, winner ~£500,000 (Racing TV)

What’s unclear

• Exact jockey pay amounts for non‑winners
• 2027 favourite exact odds
• Full ownership of all runners not publicly listed

“The reduction to 34 runners was driven by safety concerns – we want every horse and rider to have the best chance of coming home unharmed.”

— Jockey Club representative, quoted in Grand National Guide

“I Am Maximus has shown incredible consistency; he’s not just a one‑race wonder.”

— Racing Post editor, Racing Post analysis

For the jockey finishing 20th, the race offers little financial reward beyond the hope of a future mount. But for the winning rider, the payday is substantial – around £45 000 from prize money alone. The bet for a jockey every Grand National is not just on the horse, but on the slim chance of a career-changing win.

For a comprehensive breakdown of every horse in the field, read this detailed article on the 2026 runners from a verified racing source.

Frequently asked questions