How quickly time flies when you're counting the days between Grand National 2025 scratching days.
No sooner had the entries been revealed and the weights been announced and we had already rolled around to the first declaration stage.
As anticipated, this was a largely uneventful affair, with only six potential runners being taken out of contention.
With few surprises and only four horses that had guaranteed spots, getting taken out, not a lot changed.
So from 90 official entries, 81 potential Grand National 2025 runners are now left in the running. Incidentally, that is the exact same number that were left at this stage last year!
Making the cut won't be easy with the reduction in field size so who is gone and where does that leave everybody else?
Grand National 2025 Withdrawals
With the Cheltenham Festival nearly upon us, it's no surprise that a lot of trainers and connections have their eyes fixed firmly on Prestbury Park.
Only when that has ended will attention really turn to the Grand National 2025.
How they perform there will play a large hand in determining if they head to or swerve Aintree. Inothewayurthinkin, for example, looks like he will run in the Gold Cup after owner JP McManus agreed to pay the £25,000 supplement charge.
Of course, the horse is also the ante-post favourite for the Grand National in April and with only 22 days between the races, it's unlikely he would be run in both.
That still leaves him with at least seven potential runners, including last year's winner I Am Maximus so maybe he is confident one of them can win it for him instead.
Royale Pagille and The Real Whacker are also Gold Cup contenders with plenty more also looking to take their chances at Cheltenham ahead of Aintree.
But before we discuss who could go next, let's take a look at the six horses that were withdrawn at the first hurdle.
For the first declaration stage in 2025, 6 horses were withdrawn.
- Delta Work – sadly passed away in February
- Fakir d’Oudairies
- Bronn
- Gevrey
- The Goffer
- Copperhead
Remaining Grand National 2025 Potential Runners
With 81 horses still left, the numbering has changed slightly so here are all the remaining entries in their new numerical order:
- 1 I Am Maximus – 11-12 – W P Mullins
- 2 Royale Pagaille – 11-9 – Venetia Williams
- 3 Nick Rockett – 11-8 – W P Mullins
- 4 L'Homme Presse – 11-8 – Venetia Williams
- 5 Envoi Allen – 11-8 – Henry De Bromhead
- 6 Grangeclare West – 11-8 – W P Mullins
- 7 Hewick – 11-7 – Miss Tara Lee Cogan
- 8 Inothewayurthinkin – 11-5 – Gavin Cromwell
- 9 Gentlemansgame – 11-5 – M F Morris
- 10 Monty's Star – 11-5 – Henry De Bromhead
- 11 The Real Whacker – 11-4 – Patrick Neville
- 12 Minella Indo – 11-3 – Henry De Bromhead
- 13 Appreciate It – 11-2 – W P Mullins
- 14 Capodanno – 11-2 – W P Mullins
- 15 Minella Cocooner – 11-2 – W P Mullins
- 16 Conflated – 11-2 – Gordon Elliott
- 17 Stumptown – 11-2 – Gavin Cromwell
- 18 Hitman – 11-1 – Paul Nicholls
- 19 Beauport – 11-1 – Nigel Twiston-Davies
- 20 Bravemansgame – 11-0 – Paul Nicholls
- 21 Chantry House – 10-13 – Nicky Henderson
- 22 Galvin – 10-13 – Gordon Elliott
- 23 Threeunderthrufive – 10-12 – Paul Nicholls
- 24 Perceval Legallois – 10-12 – Gavin Cromwell
- 25 Kandoo Kid – 10-11 – Paul Nicholls
- 26 Iroko – 10-11 – Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero
- 27 Trelawne – 10-11 – Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls
- 28 Limerick Lace – 10-10 – Gavin Cromwell
- 29 Intense Raffles – 10-10 – Thomas Gibney
- 30 Senior Chief – 10-10 – Henry De Bromhead
- 31 Idas Boy – 10-10 – Richard Phillips
- 32 French Dynamite – 10-9 – M F Morris
- 33 Coko Beach – 10-9 – Gordon Elliott
- 34 Broadway Boy – 10-9 – Nigel Twiston-Davies
- 35 Mr Incredible – 10-9 – Sandy Thomson
- 36 Farouk d'Alene – 10-9 – Gary Brown
- 37 Zanahiyr – 10-9 – Gordon Elliott
- 38 Stay Away Fay – 10-9 – Paul Nicholls
- 39 Fil Dor – 10-9 – Gordon Elliott
- 40 Pinkerton – 10-8 – Noel Meade
- 41 Meetingofthewaters – 10-7 – W P Mullins
- 42 Velvet Elvis – 10-7 – Gavin Cromwell
- 43 Minella Drama – 10-7 – Donald McCain
- 44 Monbeg Genius – 10-6 – Jonjo & A J O'Neill
- 45 Vanillier – 10-6 – Gavin Cromwell
- 46 Horantzau d'Airy – 10-6 – W P Mullins
- 47 Hyland – 10-6 – Nicky Henderson
- 48 Celebre d'Allen – 10-6 – Philip Hobbs & Johnson White
- 49 Fontaine Collonges – 10-6 – Venetia Williams
- 50 Three Card Brag – 10-5 – Gordon Elliott
- 51 Twig – 10-5 – Ben Pauling
- 52 Quick Wave – 10-5 – Venetia Williams
- 53 Minella Crooner – 10-5 – Gordon Elliott
- 54 Shakem Up'arry – 10-4 – Ben Pauling
- 55 Duffle Coat – 10-4 – Gordon Elliott
- 56 Roi Mage – 10-4 – Patrick Griffin
- 57 Fantastic Lady – 10-3 – Nicky Henderson
- 58 Yeah Man – 10-3 – Gavin Cromwell
- 59 Favori De Champdou – 10-3 – Gordon Elliott
- 60 Mister Coffey – 10-2 – Nicky Henderson
- 61 Chemical Energy – 10-2 – Gordon Elliott
- 62 Mr Vango – 10-2 – Mrs Sara V Bradstock
- 63 Macdermott – 10-2 – W P Mullins
- 64 Desertmore House – 10-1 – Martin Brassil
- 65 Richmond Lake – 10-1 – Donald McCain
- 66 Malina Girl – 10-1 – Gavin Cromwell
- 67 La Renommee – 10-0 – Dr Richard Newland & Jamie Insole
- 68 Stuzzikini – 9-13 – Gordon Elliott
- 69 King Turgeon – 9-13 – David Pipe
- 70 Surrey Quest – 9-12 – Toby Lawes
- 71 Cruz Control – 9-12 – Tom Lacey
- 72 Apple Away – 9-11 – Lucinda Russell
- 73 Busselton – 9-11 – Joseph Patrick O'Brien
- 74 Spanish Harlem – 9-11 – W P Mullins
- 75 Famous Bridge – 9-9 – Nicky Richards
- 76 Escaria Ten – 9-7 – Martin Keighley
- 77 Where It All Began – 9-7 – Gordon Elliott
- 78 Git Maker – 9-6 – Jamie Snowden
- 79 Gericault Roque – 9-4 – David Pipe
- 80 Pats Fancy – 9-3 – Rebecca Curtis
- 81 Placenet – 9-3 – D Cottin
Ante Post Race Favourite
As you can imagine a lot has happened in the two weeks since the weights for the Grand National 2025 were revealed.
Once the BHA Handicapper made his announcement, connections were then free to race their horses without fear that a great run would impact their official rating, and subsequently their weight.
Inothewayurthinkin and Intense Raffles went flying up the odds and now vie for ante-post race favourite after I Am Maximus was lumbered with top weight.
While back-to-back wins for Willie Mullins' charge is not impossible, it is incredibly difficult on 11-12.
As we all know, the last horse to achieve it was Red Rum and even though the course is easier in 2025 than it was back in the 70s, it's still a mammoth task.
Gavin Cromwell must have been thrilled with the 11-05 Inothewayurthinkin was given, boosting his claims on the race. But with the Gold Cup now on the horizon, he may have to look elsewhere in his yard for the winner.
With Stumptown, Vanillier, Limerick Lace and Perceval Legallois all mor eor less guaranteed a spot, he is still in with a chance.
Intense Raffles for his part is the current Irish Grand National champion from trainer Thomas Gibney.
This season he has run over hurdles a couple of times and in his one chase outing was narrowly beaten by Nick Rockett.
Still, connections will be very happy that the Handicapper saw fit to only allocate him 10-10 for the 2025 Grand National which puts him in a far better position that Inothewayurthinkin.
The odds are low but he's definitely one to consider for the each-way bet!
Has The First Declaration Stage Changed The National?
Honestly, not really. As mentioned above, this is usually the most uneventful stage and it passes without much fanfare.
It's the next one that things can really heat up, especially after Cheltenham with the second declaration stage taking place on March 18th.
But also in 2025, the Irish Grand National will take place on April 21st which is a boost for the powers that be at Aintree as it means trainers don't have to choose between the two like they did last year.
Where will connections decide to go – Cheltenham or Aintree? Only time will tell.
