Soldier In Milan Could Be Heading To Aintree in 2027, But Can The Irish Grand National Winner Win There?

2026 was a very interesting year in terms of when the various Grand Nationals fell. Usually, the Aintree, Irish, and Scottish renewals are generally spread out over around six weeks, but that largely depends on the scheduling for the Fairyhouse showpiece.

Interestingly enough, the Irish Grand National is always held on Easter Monday, and Easter Sunday, as we all know, moves from year to year.

It falls on the first Sunday following the first ecclesiastical full moon that occurs on or after the spring equinox, which is fixed as March 21st.

Over the last ten years, we’ve had the Irish National as early as March 25th to as late as April 21st, and that has some serious knock-on effects when it comes to racing.

When the major Nationals are well spaced, trainers can keep multiple options open for the same horse, but when they fall in a tight cluster, they are often forced into committing to just one target rather than juggling several possibilities.

That is what happened in 2026 when the Irish Grand National fell on Monday, April 6th, with Aintree following just five days later on April 11th.

Ultimately, the timetable made little practical difference, as Soldier In Milan, who won at Fairyhouse, was never seriously considered for Liverpool, while I Am Maximus was never entered for the Irish National.

But that could all change in 2027!

Soldier In Milan Wins For Emmet Mullins

Soldier In Milan is a lightly raced, novice chaser whose dominant 2026 Irish Grand National victory has put him firmly on the radar for the 2027 Grand National at Aintree, where he currently sits third in the antepost betting.

If you are trying to work out potential returns at this stage, it is always sensible to use a betting calculator so you understand exactly what the different each-way terms and prices mean for your stake.

Trained by Emmet Mullins for owner Paul Byrne, he is by Soldier Of Fortune out of Time In Milan, a mare by Milan (who also sired One For Arthur), giving him a stout National Hunt pedigree on both sides.

Mullins, who has already demonstrated his skill with Noble Yeats’s Aintree Grand National win in 2022, is based in County Carlow and has quickly established a reputation for sourcing runners specifically for big spring festivals.

That said, absolutely nobody expected Soldier In Milan to win as comprehensively as he did at Fairyhouse.

Early Career And Bumper Form

Before we get into the events of the 2026 Irish National, let’s go back a little to how Soldier In Milan paved his path to Fairyhouse.

He began to make a name for himself in bumpers rather than going straight over hurdles, with his first win coming at the Punchestown Festival in 2025, an early indication that he was a good deal better than average.

That performance, over an intermediate trip, suggested he would stay further once sent over obstacles, but connections decided against rushing him into a long novice hurdle campaign and instead kept his runs quite sparse.

Skipping the traditional hurdle route completely, he ran in his first Beginners Chase in December 2025, where he pulled up. Undeterred, the following month he went to Gowran Park, where he placed fourth.

Three weeks later, he headed to Punchestown, winning over 2m7f in heavy going. With just one more run under his belt, at Thurles in March, he headed to Fairyhouse.

Irish Grand National Victory

Despite having just four previous chase starts, Soldier In Milan was well supported into 6/1 favourite in a 30-runner field. Ridden by Donagh Meyler and carrying 11 stone, he travelled prominently through the three miles five furlongs on yielding to soft ground.

Key rivals encountered trouble, notably the fall of Kiss Will at the third last, but Soldier In Milan had already moved into a commanding position and was going best of all approaching the final fence.

He came clear up the run in to beat Showurappreciation by a staggering 16 lengths, with The Enabler in third and Argento Boy fourth, in what was one of the most dominant recent winning margins in the race.

It was a first Irish Grand National win for both Mullins and Byrne, and another major staying success for Meyler, who delivered a confident, uncomplicated ride.

2027 Grand National Prospects

The race had barely ended, and all talk suddenly turned to Aintree and the 2027 Grand National.

The Mullins Byrne partnership has become known for plotting routes to specific races, and Soldier In Milan fits that pattern. Mullins’s record with Noble Yeats at Aintree, followed by this Fairyhouse success, underlines his ability to map out long-term plans across seasons, and Liverpool is now firmly on the radar.

Soldier In Milan does not need a high volume of runs to retain fitness and sharpness, but nor does he need a lot of time between races to run at his best. A relatively lightly raced profile can be an advantage in these marathon handicaps, as it helps preserve a horse’s enthusiasm and physical freshness for the spring festivals.

Looking ahead to 2027, Soldier In Milan is already prominent in the antepost markets for the Grand National at Aintree. Current prices around 14/1 put him on the third line of betting behind I Am Maximus and Iroko, alongside horses such as Jordans and Kiss Will, which reflects a high level of respect from layers for a horse without Aintree experience.

The Aintree fences, slightly longer trip, and different style of race will present a new test, and he will need to prove he can travel and jump as well around there as he did at Fairyhouse.

However, his age, stamina, neat jumping, and his trainer's track record all make him a credible National candidate at this stage, provided his campaign through the 2026 to 2027 season allows him to arrive at Liverpool in similar shape to his Fairyhouse peak.