The 2027 Grand National takes place at Aintree on Saturday 10 April at 4.00pm. The favourite is the horse with the shortest odds in the betting market, but the ante-post favourite may change before the race and is not necessarily a confirmed runner.

The Grand National attracts a large ante-post betting market. Horses can move towards the head of the betting after strong performances, while others drift or disappear from the market as their plans change.

A favourite’s position in the betting reflects the price bookmakers are prepared to offer. It does not guarantee that the horse will win, finish the course or even make the final field.

This page explains how Grand National favourites are determined, what their historical results tell us and which factors matter when assessing a short-priced contender.

Who Is the Favourite for the 2027 Grand National?

There is no verified current bookmaker price or market leader included in this article for the 2027 Grand National.

The race is scheduled for Saturday 10 April 2027, but the final runners have not yet been declared. Ante-post markets can include horses that will not ultimately take part.

A horse should be described as the current favourite only when its price and market position have been checked against a live bookmaker market. A previous year’s winner, an early entry or a horse prominent in the racing media is not automatically the favourite.

Our Grand National betting odds page explains how to compare available prices, while our Grand National runners and riders page covers the developing field.

What Makes a Horse the Grand National Favourite?

The favourite is the horse with the shortest odds in the betting market.

If one horse is available at 5/1 and another at 10/1, the horse at 5/1 is shorter in the betting. Two or more horses sharing the shortest price may be described as joint-favourites.

Bookmakers assess a range of information when setting their prices, including form, stamina, jumping, handicap weights, ground conditions and the likely opposition.

Market activity can also affect the prices offered.

The favourite can change several times before the race. A horse may head the ante-post market in the autumn, lose that position during the winter and regain it after the final declarations.

The starting-price favourite is determined by the official betting market at the start of the race. It should not be confused with the horse that headed the betting weeks or months earlier.

Grand National Favourites: Previous Winners

Grand National favourites have won the race, but the historical record shows that being shortest in the betting is no guarantee of success.

The following table includes notable winners who started as favourites or joint-favourites.

Year	Winning Horse	Starting Price
2026	I Am Maximus	9/2 favourite
2019	Tiger Roll	4/1 favourite
2010	Don’t Push It	10/1 joint-favourite
2008	Comply Or Die	7/1 joint-favourite
2005	Hedgehunter	7/1 favourite
1998	Earth Summit	7/1 favourite
1996	Rough Quest	7/1 favourite
1982	Grittar	7/1 favourite
1973	Red Rum	9/1 joint-favourite

The table is a selection of historical winners, not a complete statistical record of every favourite to have run.

The race has changed over time, including the reduction of the maximum field to 34 runners from 2024. Historical results should therefore be considered alongside the conditions and field sizes of the relevant renewals.

Our Grand National previous winners page provides the wider history of the race.

I Am Maximus: Grand National Favourite and Winner in 2026

I Am Maximus won the 2026 Grand National under Paul Townend for Willie Mullins, starting as the 9/2 favourite.

He had previously won the race in 2024, so his 2026 victory added to an established record over the National course.

Previous Grand National form can be valuable when assessing a returning contender. It provides evidence that the horse has handled the fences and the extended distance.

However, a previous winner may return under a different handicap weight, encounter different ground or arrive in different form.

A past victory is therefore an important part of the assessment rather than a reason to disregard the horse’s current circumstances.

How Often Does the Grand National Favourite Win?

There is no fixed success rate that can be applied to every Grand National favourite.

The historical record depends on the period being measured and how joint-favourites are counted. A statistic covering every favourite and joint-favourite is not directly comparable with one that counts only the shortest-priced horse in each race.

Changes to the race also matter. The maximum field was reduced from 40 to 34 ahead of the 2024 renewal, while the fences and other race conditions have changed over the Grand National’s long history.

A historical percentage can describe previous results, but it cannot establish the chance of the favourite winning the next race.

For an individual renewal, the more useful questions concern the favourite’s form, stamina, jumping, handicap position and available price.

Why Do Grand National Favourites Lose?

The Grand National is a demanding staying chase. Even a horse with strong form must handle the extended distance, 30 jumps and the circumstances of a large-field race.

A favourite may lose because it does not stay the trip, makes jumping mistakes, encounters unsuitable ground or simply meets a rival that performs better on the day.

A horse can also be affected by another runner. Being hampered or brought down is different from making a jumping mistake of its own.

A defeat does not necessarily mean the horse was wrongly made favourite. The betting market expresses a price before the event, not a guarantee of the result.

Stamina

The Grand National is run over approximately four miles and two and a half furlongs.

A horse that has performed well over three miles may still have to prove it can stay the longer distance. A strong finish in a demanding staying chase can provide useful evidence, particularly when the horse has been under pressure for a sustained period.

The going can make the stamina test more severe. Previous form over a similar distance and on comparable ground is therefore relevant.

Jumping

A horse completing the Grand National must negotiate 30 jumps.

A mistake can cost ground and momentum, while repeated errors can use energy that the horse needs in the closing stages.

A reliable jumping record is valuable, but no horse is immune to a mistake or interference.

Our Grand National fences page explains the course and its obstacles.

Handicap Weight

The Grand National is a handicap, so horses carry different weights according to their assessed ability and the race conditions.

A favourite may carry a substantial weight because it is one of the highest-rated horses in the field.

The weight needs to be assessed alongside the horse’s ability and previous performances. A rigid rule against high-weighted runners can overlook credible contenders.

Our Grand National weights page explains how the handicap works.

Ground Conditions

The going can affect how comfortably a horse travels, jumps and stays the distance.

Some horses have stronger form on soft ground, while others produce their best performances on a sounder surface.

An early ground forecast should not be treated as the official going on race day. The conditions can change during the build-up to the meeting.

Our guide to the going in horse racing explains the official descriptions.

Race Position and Interference

A large field can create traffic and make it difficult for a horse to maintain a clear jumping position.

A runner may lose ground when avoiding another horse or be unable to travel at its preferred pace.

Previous experience in competitive handicaps can help assess how a horse copes with a crowded field, although no previous race reproduces every circumstance of the Grand National.

Ante-Post Favourite vs Starting-Price Favourite

The ante-post favourite is the horse heading the betting before the final field is declared.

The starting-price favourite is the shortest-priced horse in the official market when the race begins.

They may be the same horse, but they do not have to be.

An ante-post favourite can drift after a disappointing preparation, a change in ground expectations or the publication of the handicap weights. It can also be withdrawn or fail to make the final field.

Another contender may become favourite as more information becomes available.

When comparing historical favourites, it is important to establish whether the record refers to the ante-post market or the official starting price.

Is It Worth Backing the Grand National Favourite?

Favourite status alone does not establish whether a bet represents value.

The relevant comparison is between the horse’s chance and the odds available. A strong contender can be too short a price, while a horse with a less obvious chance may be available at odds that better reflect its prospects.

The Grand National’s distance, fences and field size are reasons to examine the favourite carefully rather than accept its market position without question.

Consider the evidence behind the price:

Recent performances against comparable opposition.
Proven stamina or convincing evidence that the horse will stay the distance.
Jumping record, including any previous experience over the National fences.
Handicap weight and performances under similar weights.
Suitability for the expected ground.
The odds and betting terms available when the bet is placed.

These factors should be considered together. No single trend identifies the winner.

Our Grand National tips page focuses on horse-by-horse analysis and the reasoning behind selections.

Should You Back the Favourite Each-Way?

An each-way bet consists of two equal parts: one on the horse to win and one on it to finish in a paid place.

Backing a short-priced favourite each-way can produce a relatively small place return compared with the total stake.

For example, a £10 each-way bet costs £20. If the horse is 5/1 and the place terms are one-fifth of the odds, the place part is settled at evens.

If the horse finishes in a qualifying place without winning, the place part returns £20, including its £10 stake. The win part loses, so the total return equals the original £20 outlay.

This is a calculation example, not a current Grand National price or offer.

The result would differ with another win price, place fraction or promotional market.

Bookmakers may offer additional Grand National places, but extra places can come with different odds and place fractions. Compare the complete terms before betting.

Our Grand National each-way places page explains the calculations.

Does the Grand National Favourite Always Make the Final Field?

No. A horse can head the ante-post betting without being a confirmed runner.

Connections may change its target, withdraw it after a setback or decide that the handicap conditions do not suit it.

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

Under ordinary ante-post terms, a bet generally loses if the selected horse does not run. A qualifying non-runner, no bet wager has different refund terms.

A short ante-post price should therefore be assessed alongside the horse’s likelihood of taking part and the conditions of the market.

Can an Outsider Beat the Grand National Favourite?

Yes. The Grand National has produced long-priced winners, including Foinavon in 1967 and Mon Mome in 2009, both at 100/1.

Those results demonstrate that the favourite does not have the race won before the start. They do not establish that backing outsiders is a profitable strategy.

A long-priced runner still needs a credible case based on its form, stamina, jumping and suitability for the conditions.

The price matters because it determines the potential return, but a bigger return is only useful if the selection wins or qualifies for a place payout.

How to Compare Grand National Favourite Odds

Different bookmakers can offer different prices on the same horse.

For example, a £10 winning bet at 5/1 returns £60, including the stake. The same bet at 6/1 returns £70.

The difference is £10 on an identical winning selection.

For an each-way bet, the comparison is more involved because the number of places and place fraction may differ.

A bookmaker may also offer Best Odds Guaranteed on qualifying bets, although ordinary ante-post bets and some promotional markets may be excluded.

Our Grand National betting odds page covers price comparisons, ante-post terms and each-way markets.

Grand National Favourites FAQs

Who is the favourite for the 2027 Grand National?

The current market leader needs to be established from verified bookmaker prices. The final 2027 runners have not yet been declared, and an ante-post favourite is not necessarily a confirmed runner.

When is the 2027 Grand National?

The race takes place at Aintree on Saturday 10 April 2027 at 4.00pm.

What is the difference between the favourite and the joint-favourites?

The favourite is the horse with the shortest odds. If two or more horses share the shortest price, they are joint-favourites.

Does the Grand National favourite usually win?

Favourites have won the race, but many renewals have been won by other horses. Any historical strike rate needs to specify its period and how joint-favourites are counted.

Who was the favourite when I Am Maximus won in 2026?

I Am Maximus started as the 9/2 favourite and won the 2026 Grand National.

Can the ante-post favourite change?

Yes. Prices can move as horses run, their plans change and more information becomes available about the field and conditions.

Is the ante-post favourite a confirmed runner?

No. A horse can head the early betting without ultimately being declared.

Is backing the favourite each-way worthwhile?

The potential return depends on the win odds, place fraction and number of places. A short-priced favourite can produce a relatively small place return against the total each-way stake.

What happens if the favourite falls?

An ordinary win or each-way bet on a horse that starts and falls loses. A separate qualifying promotion may have different terms.

Where can I find the latest Grand National odds?

Our Grand National betting odds page explains the available markets and how to compare their terms.

Summary

The Grand National favourite is the horse with the shortest odds, but the ante-post market can change considerably before the final field is declared.

Previous favourites have won at Aintree, including I Am Maximus in 2026, but historical results do not guarantee the outcome of the next race.

The 2027 Grand National takes place on Saturday 10 April at 4.00pm. Assess the favourite’s stamina, jumping, weight, form and suitability for the ground alongside the price available. For the developing field, see our Grand National runners and riders page.

Betting on The Grand National Favourite

If you want to place a bet on The Grand National favourite, check out these bookmakers:

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