Who will ride the favourites in the Grand National?
With the field beginning to take shape and the Grand National odds already attracting plenty of ante-post interest, attention is now turning to the jockeys who will partner the leading contenders at Aintree on April 11. From established partnerships to intriguing selection dilemmas, here is a look at who is likely to be in the saddle for the market movers.
Iroko
The current ante-post favourite heads to Aintree on the back of a highly promising fourth-place finish in the 2025 renewal, and Jonjo O’Neill Jr. is almost certain to take the ride again for trainers Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero. O’Neill Jr. has built a strong association with the eight-year-old, and there is no obvious reason for connections to make a change.
The one name that has been floated in connection with many JP McManus runners is Mark Walsh, who remains the owner’s retained jockey in Ireland until Harry Cobden officially takes over in May. However, Walsh is unlikely to partner Iroko, and the ride looks set to stay with O’Neill Jr.
I Am Maximus
Paul Townend famously guided I Am Maximus to Grand National glory in 2024 and was a gallant second aboard the 10-year-old last year when the pair were beaten only by stablemate Nick Rockett. Townend has not been in the saddle for any of I Am Maximus’s three runs this season, but a return for the National remains the most likely outcome. Few jockeys know a horse better than Townend knows this one, and the partnership has unfinished business at Aintree.
Like Iroko, I Am Maximus carries the McManus silks, meaning Walsh would, in theory, have first claim. But given Townend’s history with the horse and the significance of the occasion, connections are expected to stick with the man who has already won and almost won the race aboard him.
Grangeclare West
Willie Mullins’ Grangeclare West finished third at Aintree in 2025, and the 10-year-old returns looking to go one better. Brian Hayes is his more regular partner, and despite Townend taking the ride for the recent Bobbyjo Chase victory at Fairyhouse, Hayes is likely to be back in the saddle for the National. It is the kind of straightforward arrangement that Mullins tends to favour once a horse and jockey have developed a working relationship over a full season.
Haiti Couleurs
Sean Bowen has already formed a strong partnership with Haiti Couleurs this season, guiding the Rebecca Curtis-trained gelding to Welsh Grand National glory at Chepstow and winning the Grade 2 Denman Chase. On talent and form, he represents a genuine chance at Aintree.
There is a complication, however. Bowen is a stable jockey for Olly Murphy, who has a potential runner in Resplendent Grey at around 33/1 in the ante-post market. If that horse makes the final field, Murphy may have a legitimate claim on Bowen’s services, leaving Curtis needing to find an alternative for what could be one of her strongest ever National runners. It is one of the most interesting jockey storylines to follow as the final entries are confirmed.
Monty’s Star
Darragh O’Keeffe has been partnering Monty’s Star regularly for Henry de Bromhead and is expected to take the ride at Aintree. O’Keeffe has ridden the nine-year-old in his last two starts at Leopardstown, where he was outclassed in Grade 1 company on both occasions. A switch to a handicap context over the National fences is a very different proposition, and O’Keeffe will be hoping the unique demands of Aintree bring out a better performance from the horse.
De Bromhead has had to rebuild his jockey arrangements following the retirement of Rachael Blackmore, and O’Keeffe has stepped into that role with quiet confidence. The National could represent an early landmark opportunity for the partnership.