People will tell you that picking a 2027 Grand National winner is a lottery, they’ll say that on the day, any of the 34 runners could win.

In some respects that statement is true, the National remains one of the most open races in the world. In fact, the first-ever winner (1839) was called ‘Lottery’, appropriately enough.

But this belief isn’t borne out by the stats. In fact, by looking down the list of winners over the past 40 years – you can spot patterns that will help narrow the field of runners down to a shortlist of entrants who have the right stuff to triumph at Aintree.

We’ve put together a list of the key traits that many Grand National winners display.

Of course, every few years, a horse will come along and rip up the form book. So if you want to back a horse, then make sure you whittle down your selections to help find a winner.

AGE

Age is one of the best indicators of a horse’s chances of winning the Grand National. Look for runners who are aged 8 or 9, as the majority of winners in the last ten years have fallen within this bracket.

EXPERIENCE

Eight of the last 10 winners have been eight or nine years old. In 2022, Noble Yeats was the first 7-year-old to win since Bogskar in 1940.

Due to the nature of the Aintree fences, you’ll be looking for a horse who is proficient over the jumps.

Horses who struggle over the normal run-of-the-mill fences will likely find Aintree too demanding.

Look for a runner with at least 10 career chases under their belt, and ideally, they should have won at least one race with a prize fund worth over £17,000.

STAMINA

The Grand National is the longest race in the National Hunt calendar, unless a horse has previously had a run in the National, it’s unlikely that they have ever raced over this distance.

In fact, few races come close to the four-mile slog that Aintree serves up. Which is why I favour horses who have previously tackled the National course and finished, even if they didn’t finish in the top half of the field.

WEIGHT

Until very recently, you would be hard pushed to find a Grand National winner who carried a big weight to victory.

Between 1990 and 2005, the only horse who returned victorious carrying more than 11 stone was Hedgehunter (2005, 11-01).

However, the 2015 winner carried a whopping 11-09, and between 2009 and 2026, nine winners carried 11 stone or more. Only I Am Maximus, in 2026, won carrying top weight.