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In recent years, Irish dominance in the Grand National has been undeniable, with trainers from across the water claiming all but one of the last six runnings of the great race.
This year, the early betting suggests more of the same, with reigning champion trainer Willie Mullins and Gavin Cromwell fielding a formidable challenge.
However, British trainers are far from conceding defeat. With a strong team determined to wrestle back control on home soil, this year’s renewal could be a more competitive battle than the market suggests.
We examine the key British trainers hoping to throw a spanner in the mix with their respective Grand National runners and assess whether they can turn the tide at Aintree.
Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero – Iroko (12/1)
Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero have been making waves since taking out a joint-licence in 2021, and a Grand National triumph would be a landmark moment in the career of the former point-to-point champion jockeys.
Iroko is one of three horses at the fore of the market for Irish billionaire JP McManus, who is hoping to become the leading owner in Grand National history with a fourth win this year, and he’s arguably the most attractive of the trio following the recent weight allocations.
Second in the Grade 1 Mildmay to this year’s National favourite Inothewayurthinkin last April, Iroko is yet to get off the mark this season but has run respectably on either side of an early fall at Ascot in December—finishing second on reappearance and fourth in a Premier Handicap at Cheltenham.
Nigel Twiston-Davies – Beauport (20/1), Broadway Boy (40/1)
Veteran trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies knows what it takes to get a horse ready for the Grand National, having won the iconic Aintree contest twice with Earth Summit and Bindaree in 1994 and 2002, respectively, and he’s got at least one big chance with Beauport this year.
The nine-year-old won the Berkshire National at Ascot by a commanding 31 lengths on reappearance in November and was a more than respectable third in the Grade 1 Longwalk Hurdle back the course the following month.
He remained over the smaller obstacles for the Grade 2 Rendlesham Hurdle at Haydock recently, but the National remains his aim for the campaign, and he looks very nicely handicapped with an allocated weight of 11-1—making him an each-way option at 20/1.
Broadway Boy is his other option at 40/1, with an allocated 10-9, and the seven-year-old will head to the Cheltenham Festival for the Ultima before being directed to Aintree.
Paul Nicholls – Kandoo Kid (25/1), Bravemansgame (33/1), Threeunderthrufive (66/1), Stay Away Fay (50/1), and Hitman (100/1)
14-time Champion Trainer Paul Nicholls hasn’t been as prominent at the big spring festivals as he perhaps would have liked over the last few years, but he’s taking aim at the Grand National with a potential five runners in the mix.
Kandoo Kid, who fended off Broadway Boy in the Newbury Gold Cup in November, is the most favoured of the former Grand National-winning trainer’s entries at this stage at 25/1 and will carry 10-11, but Bravemansgame is sure to be a popular choice at 33/1.
The 2022 King George winner has been relatively disappointing in the last few years but looks appealing off a mark of 155, and Nicholls is hoping that the Grand National might spark a bit of life back into the 10-year-old.
Hitman is a massive outsider at 100/1, while Stay Away Fay still needs to qualify at the time of writing. Threeunderthrufive may still be routed for the Scottish Grand National at Ayr instead of Aintree.
David Prior
David Prior is the editor of Today News, responsible for the overall editorial strategy. He is an NCTJ-qualified journalist with over 20 years’ experience, and is also editor of the award-winning hyperlocal news title Altrincham Today. His LinkedIn profile is here.
