While there are still 10 months to go until the 2027 Grand National, bookmakers already have one eye on next year’s National Hunt season headliner. The Aintree classic has the potential to be a historic run, as I Am Maximus looks to chase down Red Rum’s record of three Grand National triumphs.
There is plenty of racing to take place before Saturday 10th April 2027, which will have a dramatic effect on the odds. But markets are already open for the race, as punters start to analyse the potential Grand National horses for 2027.
Here’s a closer look at which runners to watch over the upcoming National Hunt season, as they all prepare for the trip to Aintree next spring.
I Am Maximus
It comes as no surprise that the winner of the 2026 Grand National is the early favourite for next year. I Am Maximus carried the top weight heading into this year’s race, but still finished two-and-a-half lengths ahead of second-placed Iroko.
Having won the race in 2024, the Willie Mullins-trained horse became the first horse since Red Rum to recapture the Grand National title, and owner JP McManus has already said that he’d like to see I Am Maximus try to match Red Rum’s record. He will be 11 next year, which gives rise to questions over how he’ll fare in what will be his fourth run at Aintree. But if he is well managed, he could well have the shortest odds of any favourite in the history of the race come 2027.
Iroko
If McManus’ two-time winner is to fall short of a third Grand National win next year, he could still have one of his horses emerge victorious. Iroko has finished fourth and second in the last two Grand Nationals, so if the current trend is to continue, a first win in the Aintree steeplechase is on the cards.
Of his 20 runs, the Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero trained horse has won five but has placed second in a further six. Iroko will still be in his prime by the time the 2027 Grand National comes around, as he turns nine next year. If he matures through the summer and has several strong runs prior to Aintree, his odds of 16/1 will shorten among sportsbooks.
Soldier in Milan
Although Paul Byrne’s Soldier in Milan will only be racing for a third year in 2027, the seven-year-old has been touted for big things following his success in the Irish Grand National. He finished 16 lengths ahead of the competition at Fairyhouse, and that kind of performance does not go unnoticed by analysts.
That followed a win in the Beginners Chase at Punchestown in February, and Emmet Mullins will likely have Aintree marked in his calendar for 2027. Potential success there will ultimately come down to how he develops throughout next season, but with two chase wins already under his belt after five runs in the discipline, Soldier in Milan is definitely one to watch.
Nick Rockett
Jordans, who came third in the 2026 Grand National, and the Jonjo O’Neill-trained Johnnywho both have shorter odds on the markets currently, but 40/1 Nick Rockett is worth paying attention to when the National Hunt season begins. The 2025 winner of Aintree’s big race was withdrawn from this year’s event due to coughing but is expected to return in spring 2027.
He has pedigree at the course, and could join I Am Maximus in an exclusive club of horses to regain the Grand National title if he wins next year. Nick Rockett ran just once in 2026, finishing third in a four-runner field at Down Royal in March, so punters will need to see him run consistently and well before backing him for success at Aintree.
