The 2027 Grand National takes place at Aintree on Saturday 10 April 2027. The final runners and riders have not yet been declared. A maximum of 34 horses can start the race.

The Grand National is the feature race of Aintree’s three-day festival, which runs from Thursday 8 April to Saturday 10 April 2027. The final field will become clearer as the entries, handicap weights and declarations are published.

This page will be updated as the 2027 Grand National entries are confirmed, horses are withdrawn and jockey bookings become available. Until the official declarations are published, any list of possible runners is provisional.

Confirmed Grand National Runners and Riders 2027

The confirmed 2027 Grand National field is not yet available.

The table below will be populated when the official declarations are published. Horses should not be described as confirmed runners simply because they appear in an ante-post betting market or have been entered for the race.

Race Detail	2027 Grand National
Date	Saturday 10 April 2027
Racecourse	Aintree
Race	Grand National Handicap Chase
Maximum field	34 runners
Final runners	Not yet declared
Confirmed jockeys	Awaiting declarations and bookings
Final racecard	Not yet published
Going	To be confirmed nearer race day

Publishing instruction: Place the live runners and riders table immediately below this section when declarations are available. Include the horse, racecard number, jockey, trainer, weight and official rating. Add odds only when they come from a current, clearly dated source.

When Will the 2027 Grand National Runners Be Confirmed?

The Grand National field develops through several stages before race day.

An initial entry does not guarantee that a horse will run. Trainers can enter horses while assessing their form, fitness and suitability for the race. The handicap weights are then published, followed by further confirmation and declaration stages.

The final declarations establish the racecard field, subject to any subsequent withdrawals and the applicable reserve arrangements.

Jockey bookings can also change before the race. A horse appearing in an early entry list should therefore not be shown with a confirmed rider unless that booking has been verified.

Grand National Entries

The initial entries identify horses whose connections have put them forward for the race.

The entry list can be considerably larger than the maximum field. Some horses will not make the final line-up because they are withdrawn, do not meet the relevant conditions or are outside the field selected under the race’s rules.

Entries are useful for following the race as it approaches, but they are not the confirmed runners.

Grand National Handicap Weights

The Grand National is a handicap chase. The handicapper allocates weights according to the horses’ assessed ability and the race’s conditions.

The publication of the weights gives connections and racing followers more information about each horse’s position in the handicap.

A horse’s weight matters when assessing its chance, but it needs to be considered alongside its stamina, jumping record, current form and suitability for the ground.

Our Grand National weights page covers the handicap and the published weights.

Grand National Confirmations

The confirmation stages reduce the entry list as connections decide whether to keep their horses in the race.

A horse remaining at a confirmation stage is still not necessarily a final runner. Further withdrawals can take place before declarations.

The number of horses remaining at each stage should be reported with the date of that stage.

Final Grand National Declarations

The final declarations identify the horses intended to run and establish the published racecard, subject to later non-runners and any applicable reserve arrangements.

This is the point at which the page should switch from a provisional entries list to a confirmed runners and riders table.

The final field must come from the official declarations rather than an earlier betting-market list.

How Many Horses Can Run in the Grand National?

The Grand National has a maximum field of 34 runners.

The limit was reduced from 40 ahead of the 2024 race. Older Grand National results and articles may refer to a 40-runner maximum, but that is no longer the current limit.

The actual number of starters can be lower than 34 if horses are withdrawn and the field is not filled.

A reserve is not an additional runner above the maximum. If a reserve is eligible to replace a withdrawn horse under the race’s rules, it takes a place within the permitted field.

How Do Reserves Work in the Grand National?

Reserves provide a way to replace eligible horses that are withdrawn before the relevant deadline.

A horse listed as a reserve is not automatically part of the starting field. Its participation depends on the applicable race conditions, its reserve position and whether a place becomes available.

The published racecard and official updates should be checked after any withdrawal.

Once the reserve deadline has passed, a later non-runner does not necessarily result in another horse joining the field.

For betting purposes, the distinction between a declared runner, a reserve and a non-runner can affect the settlement of a bet. Our non-runners guide explains the general rules.

How Does a Horse Qualify for the Grand National?

A horse must meet the Grand National’s published race conditions to be eligible.

The conditions cover matters such as age, handicap rating and qualifying chase performances. The precise requirements should be checked against the official conditions for the 2027 race when they are published.

Meeting the qualifying conditions does not guarantee a place in the final field. A horse must also remain entered and be included within the permitted number of runners.

Connections will consider whether the horse has the jumping experience and stamina required for the race before deciding whether to declare it.

What Should You Look for in the Grand National Runners?

The Grand National presents a different test from a conventional staying chase. Horses must jump 30 obstacles over approximately four miles and two and a half furlongs, while coping with the pace and traffic of a large field.

A horse’s recent finishing positions provide only part of the picture.

Stamina Over Extended Distances

The Grand National demands sustained effort.

Previous form over three miles or further can provide evidence of stamina, but the National is a longer test than many horses will have encountered.

Look at how a horse finished its previous staying chases. A horse that weakened late over a shorter distance may have more to prove than one that finished strongly.

Ground conditions also affect the stamina required.

Jumping Record

Accurate jumping helps a horse maintain its rhythm and conserve energy.

A fall or unseated rider in the form figures is relevant, but the circumstances matter. A horse brought down by another runner has not necessarily made a jumping error of its own.

Repeated mistakes in clear space are a different concern from a single incident caused by traffic.

Our Grand National fallers page explains the different non-finishing outcomes.

Experience Over the National Fences

Previous experience over Aintree’s Grand National fences can provide useful evidence.

The Becher Chase and Grand Sefton Chase are among the races that give horses experience of the course.

However, a horse that has jumped the fences successfully over a shorter trip still needs to demonstrate that it can cope with the Grand National distance.

Our Grand National fences guide explains all 30 jumps and the challenges of the course.

Handicap Weight

The Grand National is a handicap, so each runner’s allocated weight is part of the assessment.

A higher weight should not be considered in isolation. The horse’s ability, current form and stamina matter alongside the burden it carries.

The official handicap weights also help explain why a horse is positioned where it is in the entry list.

Ground Conditions

The going can change the nature of the race.

A horse that performs well on good ground may face a different test on soft or heavy ground. Equally, a proven soft-ground performer is not guaranteed to reproduce its form if other conditions are unsuitable.

Check the official going nearer race day and compare it with each runner’s previous performances.

Our horse racing going guide explains the descriptions used in British racing.

Recent Form and Preparation

Recent form can show whether a horse is running well, but its preparation also needs context.

Some horses arrive after a demanding race. Others have a longer break between runs. A trainer may use a particular race as part of a planned preparation for Aintree.

Review the opposition faced, the race distance, the ground and how the horse performed rather than relying on the finishing position alone.

Grand National Runners, Racecard Numbers and Saddlecloths

Every declared runner receives a racecard number.

The number helps identify the horse in the racecard, on the saddlecloth and in the broadcast coverage. It is not a prediction of finishing position.

The published racecard also shows the jockey, trainer, weight and other details used to identify each runner.

Racecard numbers should be added to this page only when the official field has been declared. An early entry list does not establish the final saddlecloth numbers.

When Are the Grand National Jockeys Announced?

Some jockey bookings become known before the final declarations, while others are confirmed closer to the race.

A rider may be associated with more than one potential runner during the entry stages. The final booking depends on which horses are declared and the decisions made by their connections.

The runners table should distinguish between a reported booking and a confirmed declared rider.

If a jockey changes after declarations, the table and its update time should be amended.

Grand National Runners and Betting Odds

Ante-post Grand National markets can open long before the final field is known.

A horse appearing in those markets is a potential contender, not a confirmed runner. Its price may change as it runs in other races, its handicap position becomes clearer, or its connections announce their plans.

The odds shown on a runner’s page should be current and dated. An old price should not remain beside a horse as though it is still available.

For a broader comparison of bookmakers, see our horse racing betting sites page.

Ante-Post Betting and Non-Runner No Bet

An ordinary ante-post bet is generally settled as a loser if the selected horse does not run.

A qualifying non-runner, no bet wager returns the stake if the horse does not take part, subject to the bookmaker’s terms.

Non-runner, no bet is not automatically available on every Grand National market. Check the market and terms before placing a bet.

The difference matters most before the final field is known.

Grand National Each-Way Places

Each-way terms can vary between bookmakers and may change as the race approaches.

Extra-place offers can also have separate place fractions, qualifying conditions and restrictions.

The number of places available should never be inferred from the size of the entry list. Check the actual terms offered when the bet is placed.

Our Grand National each-way places page explains standard terms and extra-place offers.

Confirmed 2026 Grand National Runners and Riders

The 2026 Grand National took place on Saturday 11 April. The table below is a historical record of that race’s declared field, not a list of entries for 2027.

Keep the existing 34-horse 2026 runners and riders list here, under this heading. Retain its horse names, jockeys and racecard numbers after checking them against the official 2026 racecard. Do not carry its odds into the 2027 section or describe these horses as confirmed for the next race.

I Am Maximus won the 2026 Grand National under Paul Townend for Willie Mullins. Nick Rockett had won the previous renewal in 2025.

The historical field remains useful for readers researching previous runners and comparing the records of horses that may return to Aintree.

For the race’s winning history, see our Grand National previous winners page.

Grand National Runners and Riders FAQs

Who is running in the 2027 Grand National?

The final runners have not yet been declared. The confirmed field will be published on this page when the official declarations are available.

When is the 2027 Grand National?

The race takes place at Aintree on Saturday 10 April 2027.

How many runners are allowed in the Grand National?

The maximum field is 34 runners.

Are the Grand National entries the confirmed runners?

No. The entry list contains horses put forward for the race. The final runners are established through the subsequent confirmation and declaration stages.

When will the Grand National jockeys be confirmed?

Bookings become clearer as the race approaches. The final declared riders will appear on the official racecard, subject to any later changes.

Can a reserve run in the Grand National?

An eligible reserve can join the field if a place becomes available under the race’s published reserve rules. The maximum field remains 34.

What happens if a Grand National runner is withdrawn?

The horse becomes a non-runner. Whether a reserve can replace it depends on the timing of the withdrawal and the applicable race conditions.

Is a horse listed in the ante-post betting a confirmed runner?

No. Ante-post markets can include horses that are not ultimately declared.

How many fences do Grand National runners jump?

A horse completing the course jumps 30 fences across two circuits of Aintree’s Grand National course.

Where can I find the Grand National weights?

Our Grand National weights page covers the handicap and the published weights.

Summary

The 2027 Grand National takes place on Saturday 10 April at Aintree, with a maximum field of 34 runners. The final horses, jockeys and racecard numbers have not yet been declared.

Entries and ante-post betting markets can identify potential contenders, but neither should be presented as the confirmed field. This page will distinguish provisional entries from final declarations and retain the 2026 runners as a historical record.

Betting on Grand National Runners

If you want to place a bet on any of the Grand National runners, check out these great bookies:

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