Grand National 2026 Tips & Predictions: Our Experts Best bets

Jake Price Grand National Tips

JOHNNYWHO 1pt EW (6 Places) @ 12/1

LECKY WATSON 0.5pts EW (6 Places) @ 33/1

It is a wide open Grand National this year in my opinion, but one horse being fairly overlooked is the Ultima Handicap Chase winner JOHNNYHWHO. All of the talk around the race has been Iroko this and Jagwar that, but I was impressed with what Jonjo and AJ O’Neill’s 9yo did at Cheltenham, as the combination of first-time cheekpieces and a wind operation seemed to work the oracle.

Just like most of these, the Grand National has very much been on his agenda this season too, highlighted by the fact that he began his campaign in the Grand Sefton Handicap Chase to have a bit of a sighter over the fences. He handled them with no bother at all so that is very much a tick in his box, but what is more is that he also had to deal with a horse falling in front of him – and he very nimbly was able to avoid being brought down which again is a big positive.

The objective for his season at that point was simply to ensure that he was kept around the same sort of mark of 146 for the Grand National itself, and next time out at Ascot he stayed on very strongly from a poor position to only be beaten half-a-length into third – which was some effort considering it was at the time where the O’Neill yard was shut down for around a month due to illnesses. He didn’t run quite so well in the Peter Marsh when sent off 10/3f and having to settle for fifth, but connections sent him straight for a wind-operation afertwards.

After a 52 day break he returned in the Ultima Handicap Chase where he was sent off quite an unfancied 18/1 shot, but which the cheekpieces on he travelled through his race with ease. What I absolutely loved about the performance is that he simply jumped and travelled wherever Richie McLernon wanted him to go, and after weaving through traffic he found plenty up the hill to go on and score by half-a-length, and whilst perhaps Jagwar threw in the towel to an extent, he still held off Quebecois quite cosily.

Due to the weights already being published JOHNNYWHO now gets to run in the Grand National off that same mark of 146, which means he is 6lbs ‘well-in’ at the weights as he should be rated 152 following that victory. With more improvement to come and this track, trip and fences unlikely to cause him any issues, I think he has a huge chance carrying just 10st4lbs.

It would be rude to go into a Grand National without any Willie Mullins representation however, and the one I want to have on side is LECKY WATSON, who has a very similar profile to that of Grangeclare West when he ran such a gallant race in third place last year. Our selection was also a Grade 1 winning Novice Chaser having landed the Brown Advisory at the Cheltenham Festival just over a year ago, but clearly connections quickly decided that he was not a Gold Cup horse – so instead they have minded him for the National.

In order to do that they have ran him in all of the big Grade 1s where he had little chance, but he did run his best race in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas where he encountered the best ground he has had all season. That seventh placed effort just behind the likes of Grangeclare West and Monty’s Star was a good one, and when last seen in the Grade 3 Bobbyjo Chase where he carried a 12lbs penalty I thought he showed plenty of zest before fading tamely in the closing stages owing to the Heavy ground. A return to quicker ground is a necessity with him, and off a mark of 158 I think he is very reasonably treated.

Road To Cheltenham Grand National Tip

BANBRIDGE (40/1, 0.5pts E/W – 6 places)

With the latest forecast suggesting that the rain will stay away, I’m giving BANBRIDGE a squeak of giving Joseph O’Brien a first Grand National winner. He’s won three Grade 1 races over fences and he has the class to go close in the modern version of this race.

The big question everything is asking – will Banbridge stay the trip? Ultimately, we won’t know until Saturday afternoon but if he does then I’d expect him to be competitive. And at 40/1 for a horse with his sort of profile, I think he’s worth a punt.

He was third behind Heart Wood in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham in March and the immediate feeling was that he’d benefit from stepping back up in trip. Anything can happen in a Grand National and I’m willing to give Banbridge a go.

Aidan O'Hara Grand National Tips

Stellar Story - 2 Points EW (Best odds of 33/1 at bet365 while publishing)

Three Card Brag - 1 Point EW (Best odds of 66/1 at William Hill, Unibet at the time of publishing.)

Sometimes I start the season with a bet or two in mind right from the off. This is one of those bets. To my eye, STELLAR STORY is an ideal national type. His run in the Betfair chase, was relatively eye-catching in that he did jump better than last year and finished the race well. It was an ideal sighter across the water for his first start this year.

He then ran a relatively nice race in the Irish Gold Cup at Christmas, when he went around the unfavoured inside, and got tired late on, after again a positive looking ride.

I just think the market have this horse all wrong. He was one of the top staying novices last year, having been second in the Brown Advisory. Before that he was a winner of the Alfred Bartlet over hurdles also at the festival, which is for proven stayers.

This year he is a second season chaser, that will, to my mind will have been aimed at the national all season, Gordon has said as much. The real eyepopping run is the 3rd in the Bobyjoe chase giving Granceclaire West and Gerri Colombe 8 lbs . He is 21 lbs better off with Grangeclaire West and that in my view puts him right in the running here to say the least

There is a possible negative with the ground, but I’m not as worried about it as even the stable. He has run well on decent ground before including 2nd in the RSA on good/soft last year.

He has now drifted to 33/1 with 6 places, which looks great value to me, It’s the national and of course he has to avoid trouble, take to the fences etc, but at least we are getting the price to take that chance.

Tip 2

I have struggled with my other picks for this national more than any other year.

A horse that is feel might be underestimated here is Three Card Brag. I would be very difficult to have better collateral form that his runs this year. He was beaten in the Kerry National by Spanish Harlem, which then would have won the Thyestes bar a last fence fall. He then beat Backmeorsackme at Cheltenham, and that horse won the big 3-mile handicap at the DRF. He then got left in front and ended up taking back second in the Hennesey behind Panic Attack, who he is 10lbs better of with.

He was then poor after being backed on heavy ground in the Bobbyjoe, and that is probably the reason he is a huge price here.

Last year in the national, he was left in front, and as far as I could see they went too fast on the second circuit and the horses in behind had the race setup for them. He is off a higher mark now but looks a much better horse. He looked to really enjoy the fences last year, and if he is both a better horse, and the pace can be got right this time around, I think he will be there at the last fence. 66/1 looks value.

Steve Ryder's Grand National Tip (Ante Post)

*Published 18th February 2026*

View original article here.

Lecky Watson 33/1 (1pt win)

LECKY WATSON (Current best price at 50/1) 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.