{"id":5890,"date":"2026-04-07T08:03:37","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T08:03:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=5890"},"modified":"2026-04-07T08:03:37","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T08:03:37","slug":"grand-national-2026-start-time-runners-race-odds-favourites-and-tv-channel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=5890","title":{"rendered":"Grand National 2026: Start time, runners, race odds, favourites and TV channel"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"646\" height=\"428\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2208665050.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-27875854\" alt=\"Aintree Races - The Randox Grand National\" decoding=\"sync\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Nick Rockett, ridden by Patrick Mullins, clinched victory last year (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Grand National takes centre stage this weekend with the 178th running of the iconic steeplechase taking place at Aintree.<\/p>\n<p>Last year\u2019s race winner Nick Rockett returns to Merseyside looking to repeat his heroics from 12 months ago, which saw the 33\/1 shot finish two-and-a-half lengths ahead of stablemate and 2024 winner I Am Maximus.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, the two horses led home a Willie Mullins 1-2-3, with two more members of the team finishing in the top seven.<\/p>\n<p>The Irish trainer unsurprisingly dominates the entry list once again this year with nine horses guaranteed to run for the three-time winner of the race.<\/p>\n<p>Here is your complete guide to the Grand National 2026, including when it starts, how to watch along on TV and those all-important odds.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"starttime\">Start time<\/h2>\n<p>The Grand National will begin on Saturday, April 11 at 4pm.<\/p>\n<p>The three-day Grand National meeting will get underway on Thursday, April 9, with Ladies Day on Friday, April 10.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2208666486.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-27875857\" alt=\"Aintree Races - The Randox Grand National\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Aintree is hosting the famous steeplechase (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"howtowatchontv\">How to watch on TV<\/h2>\n<p>The race, as well as the entire festival, will be shown live on ITV1 and Racing TV.<\/p>\n<p>Viewers will also be able to live stream the action on ITVX.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"runners\">Runners<\/h2>\n<p>A total of 34 horses will compete in Saturday\u2019s showdown, with the names of those horses that are guaranteed to run announced on Monday.<\/p>\n<p>However, the final list of runners will not be confirmed until the declarations are made 72 hours in advance of the race on Wednesday, April 8.<\/p>\n<div class=\"factbox\" data-ico=\"factbox_article\" data-track-module=\"factbox_article\">\n<h2 class=\"factbox-title\">\n\t\t\t\tGrand National horses\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<div class=\"factbox-content\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Horses guaranteed to run<\/h3>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\n<strong>I Am Maximus<\/strong> \u2014 Willie Mullins<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Nick Rockett<\/strong> \u2014 Willie Mullins<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Banbridge<\/strong> \u2014 Joseph O\u2019Brien<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Grangeclare West<\/strong> \u2014 Willie Mullins<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Gerri Colombe<\/strong> \u2014 Gordon Elliott<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Haiti Couleurs<\/strong> \u2014 Rebecca Curtis<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Spillane\u2019s Tower<\/strong> \u2014 Jimmy Mangan<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Firefox<\/strong> \u2014 Gordon Elliott<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Monty\u2019s Star<\/strong> \u2014 Henry de Bromhead<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Spanish Harlem<\/strong> \u2014 Willie Mullins<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Lecky Watson<\/strong> \u2014 Willie Mullins<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Champ Kiely<\/strong> \u2014 Willie Mullins<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Iroko<\/strong> \u2014 Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Favori De Champdou<\/strong> \u2014 Gordon Elliott<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Three Card Brag<\/strong> \u2014 Gordon Elliott<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Oscars Brother<\/strong> \u2014 Connor King<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Mr Vango<\/strong> \u2014 Sara Bradstock<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>High Class Hero<\/strong> \u2014 Willie Mullins<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Stellar Story<\/strong> \u2014 Gordon Elliott<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Beauport<\/strong> \u2014 Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Captain Cody<\/strong> \u2014 Willie Mullins<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Jagwar<\/strong> \u2014 Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Perceval Legallois<\/strong> \u2014 Gavin Cromwell<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Gorgeous Tom<\/strong> \u2014 Henry de Bromhead<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>The Real Whacker<\/strong> \u2014 Patrick Neville<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Quai De Bourbon<\/strong> \u2014 Willie Mullins<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Answer To Kayf<\/strong> \u2014 Terence O\u2019Brien<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Jordans<\/strong> \u2014 Joseph O\u2019Brien<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Final Orders<\/strong> \u2014 Gavin Cromwell<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Marble Sands<\/strong> \u2014 David Killahena and Graeme McPherson<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Panic Attack<\/strong> \u2014 Dan Skelton<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Top Of The Bill<\/strong> \u2014 Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Johnnywho<\/strong> \u2014 Jonjo and A J O\u2019Neill<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Twig<\/strong> \u2014 Ben Pauling<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cut-off point<\/h3>\n<ol start=\"35\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\n<strong>Pied Piper<\/strong> \u2014 Gordon Elliott<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Imperial Saint<\/strong> \u2014 Philip Hobbs and Johnson White<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Amirite<\/strong> \u2014 Henry de Bromhead<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Ain\u2019t That A Shame<\/strong> \u2014 Tom Ellis<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Yeah Man<\/strong> \u2014 Gavin Cromwell<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Soul Icon<\/strong> \u2014 Keiran Burke<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Hyland<\/strong> \u2014 Nicky Henderson<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Deep Cave<\/strong> \u2014 Christian Williams<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Buddy One<\/strong> \u2014 Paul Gilligan<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Anyway<\/strong> \u2014 David Kenneth Budds<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>The Short Go<\/strong> \u2014 Henry de Bromhead<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Weveallbeencaught<\/strong> \u2014 Eric McNamara<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Shanbally Kid<\/strong> \u2014 Willie Mullins<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Will Do<\/strong> \u2014 Gordon Elliott<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>In D\u2019Or<\/strong> \u2014 Fergal O\u2019Brien<\/li>\n<\/ol><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>In previous years, the field was only confirmed 48 hours before the Grand National. Given the extra 24 hours increases the chances of horses pulling out, the number of reserve runners has been increased from four to six.<\/p>\n<p>The size of the Grand National field was reduced from 40 to 34 in 2024 in an attempt to improve horse safety by reducing congestion at fences.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"racedistanceandnumberoffences\">Race distance and number of fences<\/h2>\n<p>The race will be held over two laps of the Aintree course, giving a total race distance of four miles and two-and-a-half furlongs.<\/p>\n<p>The horses and jockeys must navigate over 30 fences in total; 16 are jumped in the first lap and 14 are jumped in the second.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2208665885.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-27875858\" alt=\"Aintree Races - The Randox Grand National\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>The runners and riders must make their way around the tricky course (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Several changes to the course have been introduced over the years to aid with horse welfare, including reprofiling landing areas, lowering the height of certain fences and softening the structure of others.<\/p>\n<p>The average winning time in the Grand National is 9m 10s. The only horse to complete the famous course in under nine minutes is Mr Frisk, ridden by Marcus Armytage, on firm ground in 1990.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"odds\">Odds<\/h2>\n<p>The 2024 winner, I Am Maximus, is the early favourite at 6\/1.<\/p>\n<p>The 10-year-old bay gelding tops the list ahead of the likes of Jagwar (9\/1), Grangeclare West (10\/1) and Johnnywho (10\/1).<\/p>\n<p>Nick Rockett, meanwhile, is currently priced at 14\/1.<\/p>\n<p>A successful defence of his title would see him become just the third horse in history to win the Grand National back-to-back, after Tiger Roll (2018, 2019), Red Rum (1973, 1974), Poethlyn (1918, 1919), and Abd-El-Kader (1850, 1851).<\/p>\n<div class=\"factbox\" data-ico=\"factbox_article\" data-track-module=\"factbox_article\">\n<h2 class=\"factbox-title\">\n\t\t\t\tGrand National odds\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<div class=\"factbox-content\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\n<strong>I Am Maximus<\/strong> \u2013 6\/1<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Jagwar<\/strong> \u2013 9\/1<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Grangeclare West<\/strong> \u2013 10\/1<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Johnnywho<\/strong> \u2013 10\/1<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Iroko<\/strong> \u2013 12\/1<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Oscars Brother<\/strong> \u2013 14\/1<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Panic Attack<\/strong> \u2013 14\/1<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Haiti Couleurs<\/strong> \u2013 14\/1<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Nick Rockett<\/strong> \u2013 14\/1<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Captain Cody<\/strong> \u2013 16\/1<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Montys Star<\/strong> \u2013 16\/1<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Odds courtesy of Paddy Power<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"prizemoney\">Prize money<\/h2>\n<p>A prize pot of \u00a31m will be split between the top ten finishers with the winner taking home \u00a3500,000.<\/p>\n<p>Racehorse owners receive around 80% of the money with the remainder shared between trainers, jockeys and stable staff.<\/p>\n<div class=\"factbox\" data-ico=\"factbox_article\" data-track-module=\"factbox_article\">\n<h2 class=\"factbox-title\">\n\t\t\t\tGrand National prize money\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<div class=\"factbox-content\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\n<strong>1st<\/strong> \u2013 \u00a3500,000<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>2nd<\/strong> \u2013 \u00a3200,000<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>3rd<\/strong> \u2013 \u00a3100,000<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>4th<\/strong> \u2013 \u00a365,000<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>5th<\/strong> \u2013 \u00a340,000<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>6th<\/strong> \u2013 \u00a330,000<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>7th<\/strong> \u2013 \u00a320,000<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>8th<\/strong> \u2013 \u00a315,000<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>9th<\/strong> \u2013 \u00a310,000<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>10th<\/strong> \u2013 \u00a35,000<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><svg><title>Arrow<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#common-right-arrow\" href=\"#common-right-arrow\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: Jockey handed ban for \u2018despicable\u2019 treatment of exhausted horse during race<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><svg><title>Arrow<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#common-right-arrow\" href=\"#common-right-arrow\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: Cheltenham legend Envoi Allen dies moments after final ever race at Gold Cup<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><svg><title>Arrow<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#common-right-arrow\" href=\"#common-right-arrow\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: English racehorse killed and served in soup kitchen after breaking leg in race<\/span><\/p>\n<section id=\"share-buttons-bottom\" class=\"share-buttons share-buttons-bottom\">\n\t\t\t<span><svg><title>Comment now<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#social-comment\" href=\"#social-comment\"\/><\/svg><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"share-bar-comments__label\">Comments<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<span><svg><title>Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#social-preferred-source\" href=\"#social-preferred-source\"\/><\/svg><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"share-bar-preferred-source__label\">Add as preferred source<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/section>\n<div class=\"newsletter-end-card accent--sport\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-end-card__inner\">\n<h4>Football Newsletter \u2013 In The Mixer<\/h4>\n<p>Punchy analysis, transfer talk and more from Metro&#8217;s football experts, sent straight to your inbox every week.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> Grand National 2026: Start time, runners, race odds, favourites and TV channel<br \/>\n<br \/>#Grand #National #Start #time #runners #race #odds #favourites #channel<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nick Rockett, ridden by Patrick Mullins, clinched victory last year (Picture: Getty) The Grand 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