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Grand National Odds 2026 – I Am Maximus Favourite

01/04/2026 | Categories: Betting, News, Offers | Published by: admin

April 1st may be a day of fools, but the month of April is one of the most eagerly anticipated months in the horseracing calendar. Why? Because of the Grand National of course.

The Grand National is the biggie. It’s the race all trainers want to win, it’s the race that gets the most media coverage, and it’s the race in which even the most casual of gamblers tend to have a cheeky punt on.

Best Bookmaker Free Bets for the Grand National

Scheduled to take place in less than two weeks time, this 4-mile-and-4-furlong course will see veteran trainer Willie Mullins attempt the “three-peat” and make it three in a row. Two of his previous winners are racing again this year, though Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero will have something to say about that.

Regardless of who wins, it promises to be one of the most exciting races of the year. Wondering who to back and what sort of odds at the Irish bookmakers you can expect? If so, you’ve come to the right place. Here are a few suggestions. 

I Am Maximus

Up first, we have this year’s current favourite, and a previous winner, in the form of Willie Mullins’ I Am Maximus.

I Am Maximus is an incredibly talented horse, who has showcased the ability to adapt to a variety of different ground conditions. He won the National in 2024 and narrowly missed out last year when defending his title. A recent win at February’s Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup has shown that this 10-year-old still has plenty left in the tank, and he’ll be looking to carry that momentum over to Aintree.

I Am Maximus is currently favourite to win the Grand National, with both BOYLE Sports and Ladbrokes offering 8/1 odds.

Jagwar

Jagwar is another horse that has looked extremely impressive in recent outings, and is certainly worth a punt.

Owned by JP McManus and trained by Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, he has been in exceptional form over the last several months, and has enjoyed a huge amount of success at Cheltenham, including multiple wins and several 2nd place finishes.

There is however, some uncertainty over how well he will perform at the National, which will also be Mark Walsh’s final outing as JP McManus’ preferred rider. Despite this, the odds are still very favourable, as both Ladbrokes and BOYLE Sports are offering 10/1 odds.

Iroko

Another horse trained by Greenall and Guerriero, Iroko, if you’ll pardon the pun, could very well be this year’s dark horse.

Last year, Iroko finished 4th and proved he has the stamina to hang with the best. He is also a proven jumper, which at the National, is a must. A win at Ascot back in December will also have helped to steady the nerves.

If you fancy backing this JP McManus-owned horse, BOYLE Sports will offer you 10/1 odds, whereas Ladbrokes are offering 12/1 odds.

Captain Cody

Finally, if you fancy backing an outsider with a very real chance of picking up the win, Captain Cody is a great shout.

Another W.P Mullins horse, Captain Cody is a previous Grand National winner, having won the Scottish Grand National last year. Since then, his form has been questionable as, despite being favourite at Gowran Park back in January, he fell.

Despite this, Mullins clearly believes he has the stamina. If you fancy backing Captain Cody, you can enjoy 20/1 odds with both BOYLE Sports and Ladbrokes.