Steve Ryder picks out is best bet in the 2026 Grand National after weights were revealed.
Grand National
75 entries remain for the Grand National, run this year on 11th April with 48 coming from Ireland.
2024 winner I Am Maximus is set to head the weights on 11st12lbs, 1lb ahead of 2025 winner Nick Rockett and former King George VI Chase winner Banbridge. Both I Am Maximus and Banbridge have been left on their Irish Handicap marks and last year’s winner Nick Rockett, who still needs to run over fences this season before March 23rd in order to qualify for the race, has been given a rating of 1lb lower than his Irish Handicap mark.
The handicapper, Martin Greenwood, has chosen to raise antepost favourite Iroko 2lbs to a mark of 157 following a collateral form boost of Firefox, who he beat in a graduation chase at Ascot, running well at Leopardstown and The Jukebox Man, who he finished 2nd to in a graduation chase at Haydock, winning the King George VI Chase this season. That means he races from a 5lb higher mark than last year when he finished 4th.
The Bobbyjo Chase, run this year at Fairyhouse on Saturday 21st February, has produced the previous two winners of the Grand National with I Am Maximus (2024) and Nick Rockett (2025) both winning that race prior to glory at Aintree. Willie Mullins has Captain Cody, Champ Kiely, Grangeclare West, Lecky Watson and Spanish Harlem all entered for the race this year with both Captain Cody and Lecky Watson receiving strong market support since the Grand National weights were published.
Betano Sportbook
Grand National 2026 Tip
Recommend bet: Lecky Watson 33/1 (1pt win)
LECKY WATSON (best priced at 33/1) won his first three starts over fences as a novice chaser when making all or ridden prominently including when victorious in the Grade 1 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham festival last season. The eight-year-old has run in three Grade 1 contests so far this season and finished down the field on all three occasions when “never better than midfield”, “in touch with leaders” and “towards rear”. He has run in both the Savills Chase and Irish Gold Cup this season which are the same two races that I Am Maximus ran in prior to winning both the Bobbyjo Chase and Grand National on his next two starts.
A more positive ride is expected on Lecky Watson in both of these contests and the fact that connections appear to be targeting the Grand National rather than the Cheltenham Festival, where he has run well on all three previous seasons, looks significant. With Paul Townend expected to maintain his partnership with I Am Maximus and Patrick Mullins the same on Nick Rockett, Sean O’Keeffe is expected to maintain his association with the gelding. He has ridden him on his previous five starts including when triumphant in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham festival.
Lecky Watson still looks overpriced at current odds and he looks worth backing before the Bobbyjo Chase on Saturday.
