With Cheltenham Festival wrapping up, attention is turning to the Grand National to headline the British horse racing calendar of 2025.
With 34 horses poised to arrive at the start line, I Am Maximus will hope for a repeat after a dominant victory in 2024.
But the Gordon Elliott horse is not the favourite this year, and neither is Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin, who has now scratched after topping the market within minutes of claiming a glorious upset over Galopin des Champs in the iconic race at Prestbury Park.
The weights have been released for the handicapped race with I Am Maximus set to carry 11st 12lbs off a mark of 167 – it means the defending champion would be the highest-rated winner of the 21st century if it can repeat.
Here’s everything you need to know about the race and key dates and times to look out for:
When and where is the Grand National 2025?
The Grand National is on Saturday, 5 April and headlines a three-day festival of racing at Aintree racecourse, which begins on Thursday, 3 April.
The big race begins at 4pm BST on 5 April. Aintree Racecourse, positioned just outside of Liverpool, will host the iconic race, with more history to be made this year on the Mildmay course.
The triangular-shaped course, which is just over 2m2f long, is one of the most challenging tests in the sport with a maximum of 34 horses, cut from 40 in 2023, battling for glory.
The race can vary in time, with Mr Frisk triumphing in 1990 in a breathtaking time of eight minutes and 47.80 seconds, but most years the winner crosses the finish line in just over nine minutes.
When are the horses announced?
The confirmed field will be published 48 hours before the race, with entries already closed, that list will be cut down over several key dates.
- February 11 – Weights published for all runners
- February 25 – First round of scratches
- March 18 – Second round of scratches
- March 31 – Five-day confirmations
- April 3 – 48-hour declarations and final field confirmed
How can I watch on TV and is there a live stream?
More than six million fans tuned in to watch last year’s Grand National, which is on free-to-air television through ITV, with the channel set to broadcast coverage throughout the three-day Aintree meet.
But if you want full and uninterrupted coverage of all the races, you must have a subscription for Racing TV. Both ITV and Racing TV will provide live streams. ITVX and Racing TV are available through the websites or dedicated apps on your phone.
Prize money: How much does the Grand National winner win?
The pot for the Grand National is up to an eyewatering £1 million and the winning connections earn £500,000.
The rest of the pot is split up as followed:
- Second place – £200,000
- Third place – £100,000
- Fourth place – £65,000
- Fifth place – £40,000
- Sixth place – £30,000
- Seventh place – £20,000
- Eight place – £ 15,000
- Ninth place – £10,000
- Tenth place – £5000
How much are tickets and are they still available?
Tickets are still available and as cheap as £85 for the Festival Zone area, but if you want a seat, it’s £195 to offer fans an excellent view from the grand stand.
The opening two days of the meet offer cheaper tickets: From £31.50 to £130, while hospitality packages are available through The Jockey Club with more information here.
Grand National 2025 entries
Iroko 7/1
Intense Raffles 7/1
I Am Maximus 8/1
Stumptown 12/1
Perceval Legallois 12/1
Nick Rockett 14/1
Vanillier 14/1
Meetingofthewaters 25/1
Kandoo Kid 25/1
Hewick 25/1
Three Card Brag 33/1
Hyland 33/1
Beauport 40/1
Monbeg Genius 40/1
Minella Cocooner 40/1
Grangeclare West 40/1
Bravemansgame 40/1
Lhomme Presse 50/1
Mr Vango 50/1
Minella Indo 50/1
Famous Bridge 50/1
Twig 66/1
Stay Away Fay 66/1
Yeah Man 66/1
