Owned by Cheveley Park Stud and trained by Willie Mullins, Grangeclare West already has Grand National experience, having finished an arguably unlucky third behind stable companions Nick Rockett and I Am Maximus in 2025. On that occasion, a mistake at the final fence did not aid his chance, but was still only beaten three lengths by the winner so, despite a 3lb higher mark in 2026, looks to have a realistic chance of going two places better. The bookmakers clearly think so because, at the time of writing, he is a top-priced 12/1 joint-second favourite for the world famous steeplechase.
Grangeclare West, now a 10-year-old, did his Aintree prospects no harm when winning his first race for over two years, the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse on February 26, 2026. That race was won by the last two Grand National winners, Nick Rockett and I Am Maximus, and he won cosily enough, by five-and-a-half lengths, despite another significant mistake at the final fence. His victory, achieved on heavy going, also laid to rest any qualms about his ability to cope if underfoot conditions become testing at Aintree on Grand National Day. Winning jockey Paul Townend said afterwards, “He’s a class animal. The ground was my concern, but it’s loose and he handled it as well as any of them.”
From a handicapping perspective, Grangeclare West is 1lb better off with the 2025 winner, Nick Rockett, 2lb worse off with the second, I Am Maximus, and 2lb better off with fourth, Iroko, who finished four-and-a-half lengths behind him. All six of his victories under Rules have come on going officially described as ‘yielding’ or softer but, granted the vagaries of the British spring and the watering policy at Aintree, he should be in his element by the time April 11, 2026 rolls around.
Willie Mullins, who saddled five of the first seven horses home in the 2025 Grand National, is once again mob-handed in 2026, with no fewer than 15 entries at the latest declaration stage. Not all of them are guaranteed a place in the starting line-up, but it will be interesting to see which of them is the choice of stable jockey Paul Townend.