05-04-2025
Who will win the Grand National 2025?
The Grand National might be famed as a race that is a lottery to predict, but there is evidence that could be changing, with favourites having fared well in recent years.
Before the big race at Aintree today, we have picked out two of the top contenders who we think have what it takes to join the illustrious list of former winners of this legendary sporting event.
bet365 is offering a 25% boost on select bets for today's event.
Grand National winner betting tips
Stumptown @ 10/1 with bet365
Intense Raffles @ 12/1 with bet365
Odds correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
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Stumptown a worthy favourite
The shortest-priced horse was once considered one to avoid in the Grand National – and only 12 favourites or joint-favourites have won in 77 renewals of the race in the post-war era.
However, three of those favourites have triumphed in the previous five Nationals, including each of the past two years, modifications to the fences and field size making the race less unpredictable.
Pre-race favourite STUMPTOWN therefore deserves attention and has the pedigree to back up his status. For one, the eight-year-old gelding is trained by Gavin Cromwell, who recently enjoyed Gold Cup success with Inothewayurthinkin.
Stumptown has won his last four races, his latest victory coming over 3m 5½f in the Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. The unique fences of the cross-country course at Prestbury Park, where Stumptown also won on his penultimate start last December, help to make it a good indicator of success at the Grand National, as Tiger King proved by winning both races in 2018 and 2019.
Buy a ticket for Intense Raffles
At a slightly bigger price is INTENSE RAFFLES, the Tom Gibney-trained winner of the Irish Grand National last year. Jockey JJ Slevin was on board for that victory and will once again take the reins at Aintree.
Since that win the grey has had a couple of uninspiring performances at Navan, but he bounced back with an impressive second-placed finish in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse on his last outing.
This is a horse whose season has clearly been mapped out with the National in mind and he could be hitting form at the right time.
There is a concern that Intense Raffles' past successes have mainly come on soft ground – conditions we are unlikely to see at Aintree – but the course should be watered sufficiently to ensure that this is not a major issue.
