2024 Grand National Tips: Horse By Horse Guide & Best Bets

A shocking novice winner at odds of 50/1 two years ago, failed to defend his crown last year when staying on from an impossible position. That day he conceded 11lb and upwards to the first three home. Emmet Mullins' charge has had a lighter campaign this year, with connections switching him to hurdles. He will have to cope with a significant weight allowance. Noble Yeats won the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham in January and was last seen finishing seventh in the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham..

Has taken his form to new heights this year. He landed at Chepstow in a Welsh Grand National trial and was a runaway winner of the Welsh National on heavy ground in December. Gary Moore's seven year old has been whacked by the handicapper (16lb!) and he subsequently had a disappointing run in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, a race ended with him being pulled up four fences from home. Anyway, there is every chance he will have the ground in which he thrives at Aintree.

Finished a distant 8th in the 2022 renewal and was pulled up last year. Anyway, he has been better than ever this season. He won the Troytown Chase before finishing second in the Becher Chase. He adapted to cross-country fences at Punchestown as if he were born to it on his last start. Anyway, Gordon Elliott's charge has to carry 11st7. With this weight and this distance his stamina looks almost certain to give out once again..

A two-time Punchestown Festival winner, he was eventually pulled up before the final fence 12 months ago. His jumping was poor, and this season he has proved he is in a lot better form. He was an impressive winner of the Grade Two Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham. Last time out, the JP McManus-owned charge finished fourth in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham - a race in which he had no chance with such a short distance.

Last season’s Irish Grand National winner was an impressive winner in the BobbyJo Chase at Fairyhouse last time after the weights for this race had been framed. Willie Mullins' charge beat last year's second placed horse Vanillier easily that day. Prior to that, he has chased round Galopin Des Champs on his previous two starts. A likely contender.

A former Cheltenham Gold Cup winner (in 2021) and runner-up a year later when defending his crown. He had shaped well in the sphere in December and was among the favorites for the abandoned Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham last month. Henry de Bromhead confirmed that Rachael Blackmore would ride hime. His best days are almost certainly behind him, but this partnership could guide this veteran to an impressive run altough 11st5 will not make things easy.

The reigning champion and dual Cheltenham Festival winner in the Ultima Handicap Chase is the favourite to go back to back in the 2024 edition of the Grand National. With a second win, he would enter the realm of equine greats like Red Rum, Reynoldstown, and Tiger Roll. A third-placed finish in the Cheltenham Gold Cup last month illustrates that the horse is in excellent nick ahead of the Aintree showpiece.

Was bowling along in front when four lengths clear and going strongly until he unfortunately fell at the second last fence in last year’s National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. John McConnell’s charge reappeared with a fine second place in the Colin Parker at Carlisle in November. He has been off the track since December when he ran a good race for second in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury.

Was bowling along in front when four lengths clear and going strongly until he unfortunately fell at the second last fence in last year’s National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. John McConnell’s charge reappeared with a fine second place in the Colin Parker at Carlisle in November. He has been off the track since December when he ran a good race for second in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury.

Was bowling along in front when four lengths clear and going strongly until he unfortunately fell at the second last fence in last year’s National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. John McConnell’s charge reappeared with a fine second place in the Colin Parker at Carlisle in November. He has been off the track since December when he ran a good race for second in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury.

A three-time Cheltenham Festival winner (including two cross-country wins) who has plenty of experience at the Grand National. He unseated his rider at the 20th last year when slighlty impeded, and finished third in the 2022 renewal. The 11-year-old also won an Irish Gold Cup and was fifth in a Cheltenham Gold Cup once upon a time. At his age there are surely some fresher legs who will beat him and the suspicion is that his chance of winning this was last year.

He fell in the Topham two years ago in his only previous start over these fences but his jumping was much more fluent when he beat Latenightpass over the cross-country fences at Cheltenham in November. His best performances have come at distances over 3m, suggesting the marathon Aintree trip could suit him well.

Looked a likely contender in last year's edition but unseated rider at the first fence. He finished runner-up in the 2023 Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham (and also won the 2021 National Hunt Chase at the Festival) but was unable to make an impact when contesting cross-country races at Prestbury Park this season. Anyway, his performance was more encouraging over hurdles at Navan last time out. He is 11lb lower in the ratings than 12 months ago and could pose a threat.

Recently returned after 20 months on the sidelines after a heavy fall in the Brown Advisory two years ago. He seemingly lost his confidence when he fell on his next start in the Troytown, but looked much improved when runner-up at Leopardstown in his penultimate start. The Gordon Elliott-trained horse was last seen when pulled up in the Pertemps Final last month.

Winless in the last 13 runs. The grey beat Royale Pagaille in the Denman Chase at Newbury two years ago but hasn't been successful in his three Grand National appearences. He recorded a good 4th place in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury back in December and ran very poorly in the Ultima Handicap Chase last month at Cheltenham.

Heavily backed for the race last year when ridden by Rachael Blackmore. Henry De Bromhead's charge finished 17th and last in last year's National but is undoubtedly classy enough on his day. He won one of Ireland’s most competitive handicaps last time out, the Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park in January, and was subsequently bought by owner-rider David Maxwell. He loves heavy ground.

Last year's runner-up is only 4lb higher this year and is 9lb better off with Corach Rambler. He has won only one of his 13 races over fences - and that was in November 2021. This season has been blow par so far, but it's clear that Gavin Cromwell has targeted the Aintree Grand National. Vanillier was easily beaten by I Am Maximus last time and now meets that rival on 4lb worse terms.

Was fancied by plenty for last year's renewal, only to unseating rider at the Canal Turn. Since then, the lightly-raced eight-year-old has only been seen once, when he caught the eye at Uttoxeter in the Midlands National, in which he finished a staying-on second on heavy ground. Willie Mullins' charge is a bit lunatic - he refused to run many time when trained by Henry De Bromhead - but he has proved to have the stamina for this contest several times.

Sent off 8/1 for the Grand National two years ago after finishing runner-up in the 2022 National Hunt Chase with Vanillier behind him in third. He fell at the Canal Turn that day he has been on the downgrade since. He fell in the Irish Grand National 13 day later too. It is a long time since he has shown any worthwhile form having missed the whole of last year and having failed to complete in three starts thus far this season. His handicap mark is now 11Ib lower than when he ran this course in 2022.

Has won four of his eight chase starts and including over Cheltenham's Cross-Country course in December. He has already won an Aintree Foxhunters (in 2022) over the fences and has bundles of experience with the National Course. His tendency to jump right, age, handicap mark and possible stamina limitation are huge concerns.

Once a promising novice hurdler, he returned to action in impressive fashion, scoring at Wexford on testing ground, but was underwhelming in the Ultima Chase when last seen as he pulled up for the third time in his past six outings at Prestbury Park. Prior to that, the Gordon Elliott-trained horse finished a distant third behind I Am Maximus at Fairyhouse.

Finished second in last season’s National Hunt Chase behind Gaillard Du Mesnil. He has been disappointing in his two starts since then. One of thos saw him pulled up in the Irish Grand National. He is prone to jumping lapses and probably does not prefer testing ground.

Finished second in last season’s National Hunt Chase behind Gaillard Du Mesnil. He has been disappointing in his two starts since then. One of thos saw him pulled up in the Irish Grand National. He is prone to jumping lapses and probably does not prefer testing ground.

Finished second in last season’s National Hunt Chase behind Gaillard Du Mesnil. He has been disappointing in his two starts since then. One of thos saw him pulled up in the Irish Grand National. He is prone to jumping lapses and probably does not prefer testing ground.

Has won five of her last 8 outings. She was last seen winning the Mares’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival over two and a half miles, fending off the highly-rated Dinoblue. Prior to that she was an impressive 10 length winner at Doncaster. After these exploits, Gavin Cromwell's star is 6lb well-in at the weights. Furthermore, she is untested over 3m and her jumping doesn't look good enough to win a National.

Has one big handicap to his name already this season when winning the 27-runner Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown over Panda Boy around Christmas (but that was off a lower mark). He unseated his rider at the Dublin Racing Festival but recorded an impressive third in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last month. He looks a good jumper who stays well.

He finished fourth to Kitty's Light in the Bet365 Gold Cup over 3m 5f last year but has been beaten with ease whenever tried at these longer trips. He finished third in the 2023 Ultima Handicap Chase but only managed a 5th in last month's renewal. Best performance this season is a second in the Galway Plate, an effort that shows he has a bit of pace to go with the stamina.

A French veteran that ran a huge race to finish seventh in this last year, only beaten 14 lengths by Corach Rambler, proving he enjoys the test Aintree and the Grand National has to offer. He returned to Compiegne to win the Grand-Steeple-Cross Country there in the autumn. Patrick Griffin's charge produced another solid performance last time out at Down Royal, finishing second at considerable odds.

Another of the Willie Mullins battalion. Finished second in two big handicaps already this season, including in the Thyested Chase where he split Ain't That A Shame and Angels Dawn. Anyway, he failed to back that up in the Plate Handicap at Cheltenham last month. He is hard to fancy, having only raced over 2m 5f twice under rules.

An unpredictable mare who is known to relish soft ground. She stayed on strongly to finish runner-up to My Silver Lining in Warwick’s Classic Chase, but she ran unconvincingly at Exeter last time out. The Skelton's yard is on fire in recent times, having won four races at the Cheltenham Festival.

Finished fifth in last year's Irish Grand National when he had every chance before a mistake two out. Martin Brassil's charge recently ran well when chasing home Meetingofthewaters at Leopardstown over Christmas. The eight-year-old has run four times this season and finished in the top four on each occasion. In his last outing he finished fourth out of 22 runners at the Dublin Racing Festival. His trainer has confirmed he much prefers good ground.

A proven stayer over marathon trips despite the 8-year-old only finished seventh in the Ultima Handicap Chase (and that was a long way behind the leaders!). The Christian Williams-trained horse won three ultra competitive races in a row last season - the Eider Chase, the Scottish Grand National and the bet365 Gold Cup. He’s mainly been kept to hurdles this season to protect his handicap. Furthermore, he seems to enjoy decent ground and his connections must be cursing the wet weather.

A 12-year-old who was a shock winner at the Kim Muir at Cheltenham two years ago. He scored an impressive 13-length victory in the Becher Handicap Chase over these fences in December, beating Coko Beach that day. He has not reproduced anything like that from in his most recent three runs.

A proven stayer over marathon trips despite the 8-year-old only finished seventh in the Ultima Handicap Chase (and that was a long way behind the leaders!). The Christian Williams-trained horse won three ultra competitive races in a row last season - the Eider Chase, the Scottish Grand National and the bet365 Gold Cup. He’s mainly been kept to hurdles this season to protect his handicap. Furthermore, he seems to enjoy decent ground and his connections must be cursing the wet weather.