Horse Grand National: 2026 Results and 2027 Favourites

The 2026 Grand National delivered both triumph and tragedy: I Am Maximus won for a second time, while two horses died on the same day. This guide combines the results, the early 2027 favourites, and the ownership stories that define the race today.

Grand National 2026 fatalities: 2 (Gold Dancer, Get On George) (Reuters (news agency)) ·
2026 winner: I Am Maximus (ESPN UK (sports broadcaster)) ·
2027 ante-post favourite: I Am Maximus (12/1) (William Hill News (bookmaker))

The six facts below capture the essential data points that any punter or follower of the National needs in hand.

Which horse won today’s Grand National?

Grand National 2026 winner

I Am Maximus took the 2026 Grand National on 11 April under jockey Paul Townend, winning at 9/2 favourite odds. The horse, owned by JP McManus, became the first since Red Rum to win the race more than once — having also won in 2024 (ESPN UK (sports broadcaster)).

Full results from Aintree

Official finishing order is published by the Jockey Club and Racing Post (horse racing specialist). The racecard lists all 40 runners, their finishing positions, and distances.

Where did your horse finish?

For individual horse enquiries, the Grand National.org.uk (official race site) hosts a searchable page with every runner’s final position.

The implication: I Am Maximus’s repeat victory cements JP McManus’s ownership legacy, making his entries in the 2027 race automatic headline horses.

Who is the favourite horse to win the Grand National?

2027 Grand National favourites

According to William Hill News (bookmaker), the current ante-post favourite is I Am Maximus at 12/1. Behind him are Iroko, Jordans, and Soldier In Milan at 16/1 each. Nick Rockett sits at 25/1.

Top odds and betting tips

The Racing Post racecard for 2026 showed I Am Maximus as the 9/2 favourite (Racing Post (horse racing specialist)). For 2027, the triple in different odds bands — 12/1, 16/1, 25/1 — suggests an open field. Betting tips often recommend each-way bets on horses at 16/1 or longer to cover place money.

Last year’s favourite performance

I Am Maximus justified favouritism in 2026, winning comfortably. History shows that favourites win roughly one in four Grand Nationals, so the 12/1 currently quoted is historically generous (Grand National.org.uk (official race site)).

What this means: The 2027 market is still fluid — a single big race in the coming months could reshuffle the top of the odds board completely.

What horse was put down at the Aintree 2026?

Gold Dancer and Get On George

Two horses died at the 2026 Grand National meeting. Gold Dancer suffered a fatal injury and was found to have a broken back. Get On George, a six-year-old gelding trained by Joel Parkinson and Sue Smith, pulled up in the second race on 11 April and was later put down (Reuters (news agency)).

PETA response and safety measures

PETA UK named both horses and called for changes to the race’s structure. Their statement urged officials to limit the number of runners and reduce the height of fences (PETA UK (animal rights group)). The Jockey Club, which runs Aintree, said a new online booking system for owners would be introduced at the six-day entry stage (The Jockey Club (race regulator)).

Impact on future races

The 2026 fatalities are the first multiple deaths at a single Grand National meeting since 2012. Fatalities rose 12% in UK horse racing in 2025, according to data from the Grand National Guide (race information site), which may intensify scrutiny on the 2027 event.

The pattern: Every high-profile death draws public calls for change, but the Grand National’s format has remained largely unchanged for decades. The 2027 race will be watched closely for any modifications or official statements from the Jockey Club.

Who owns Nick Rockett’s horse?

Nick Rockett ownership details

Nick Rockett, who runs at 25/1 in the 2027 ante-post market, is owned and trained by Irish handler Willy Mullins (Grand National.org.uk, official race site). Mullins is one of Ireland’s most successful jump trainers.

Who is the richest horse owner in Ireland?

JP McManus, the owner of I Am Maximus, is widely considered Ireland’s richest horse owner. ESPN UK notes that his 2026 victory made him the most successful owner in Grand National history with four wins (ESPN UK (sports broadcaster)).

Top owners in Grand National history

The all-time list includes James Machell (wins in 1870s), Lady Rothschild, and more recently JP McManus. No owner has yet matched four wins. McManus also owns houses, golf courses, and a Reuters (news agency) profile describes him as a “billionaire businessman.”

Why this matters: Ownership concentration in the Grand National — McManus has multiple entries most years — means a single family’s fortune dominates the narrative. For smaller owners, a win now is rarer than ever.

Who are the top 10 horses?

Top Grand National horses of all time

Red Rum leads with three Grand National wins (1973, 1974, 1977), followed by Tiger Roll (2018, 2019) and I Am Maximus (2024, 2026). Other legends include the 2026 winner’s stablemate and 1977 winner, plus Grand National winners of the past 50 years. There is no official top 10 list, but the Racing Post maintains a historical index (Racing Post, horse racing specialist).

2027 rankings

Based on ante-post odds from William Hill News (bookmaker), the top five in the market are: I Am Maximus (12/1), Iroko (16/1), Jordans (16/1), Soldier In Milan (16/1), and Nick Rockett (25/1). These rankings will change as the race approaches.

How to choose a horse for betting

Betting experts often recommend looking for horses that have won over long distances (3 miles+), have a proven record on ground condition similar to Aintree (good to soft), and are trained by handlers who specialise in staying chases. The Grand National.org.uk (official race site) offers a ‘trends’ section analysing past winners.

The catch: Even the best analysis doesn’t guarantee a winner — the Grand National is famously unpredictable, with average winning odds of around 16/1 over the past decade.

Timeline

“Two horses died at the Grand National festival,” said a PETA UK spokesperson. “Gold Dancer and Get On George lost their lives in front of a global audience.”

— PETA UK (animal rights group)

“A new online booking system will be introduced at the six-day entry stage to help owners manage entries.”

— A spokesperson for The Jockey Club (race regulator)

Both quotes reflect the two poles of the 2026 aftermath: grief and governance. The Jockey Club’s administrative changes are minor compared to the ethical questions PETA raises. For the 2027 race, the tension between safety improvements and tradition will only deepen.

Summary

The 2026 Grand National gave racing fans another champion in I Am Maximus and JP McManus a record-breaking fourth win, but it also put two horses in the ground. For the average punter in the UK, the choice in 2027 is no longer just about odds and form — it’s about whether to bet on a race that killed two horses last year. The bookmakers are already pricing that uncertainty into the 12/1 favourite. For an owner like McManus, the commercial logic is clear: keep entering. For the everyday punter at a High Street bookie, the safer bet may be to watch from the sofa — or to back a horse at long odds that at least offers the comfort of distance. Either way, the 2027 Grand National will be run on 10 April under a changed sky.

Frequently asked questions