Irish Grand National 2025 Odds: Favourites, Runners & Tips

The BoyleSports Irish Grand National Chase offers €500,000 and a test of pure stamina over 3m5f and 24 fences at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday. With ante-post markets now live and 30 horses confirmed, the odds tell a compelling story about who might just last the distance.

Forecast Favorite: Haiti Couleurs 6/1 · Top Odds Source: Oddschecker · Field Size: 30 runners

The table below consolidates the essential race parameters for quick reference.

Who is favourite to win the Irish Grand National?

Current ante-post leaders

Haiti Couleurs sits at the top of the betting board at 6/1 with Ladbrokes, making the eight-year-old the clear market leader heading into Easter Monday. The Rebecca Curtis-trained gelding brings standout credentials after winning the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham over 3m6f in March 2025, with jockey Sean Bowen aboard. According to Oddschecker, Haiti Couleurs captured over 13% of all ante-post bets placed—the most popular choice among punters.

Just behind the favourite, a cluster of runners sit tightly in the market. Now Is The Hour is available at 9/1 (trained by Gavin Cromwell), while Quai De Bourbon trades at 8/1 under the care of Willie Mullins with Paul Townend in the saddle. Johnnywho, the British raider trained by Jonjo and A J O’Neill, sits at 10/1 with jockey D O’Connor.

“Haiti Couleurs heads the betting for the 2025 Irish Grand National at a best price of 6/1 with Ladbrokes, bringing standout credentials after a dominant Cheltenham win over 3m6f.”

— Oddschecker analyst

Odds movements

The market has been active since declarations confirmed 30 runners for the extended handicap chase. GrandNational.fans notes that odds are drawn from a Betfred snapshot as of late October, with punters advised to check latest prices before committing. The cluster between 6/1 and 10/1 suggests bookmakers see this as a genuinely open contest rather than a two-horse race.

“The Soft to Heavy ground for the Irish Grand National should be absolutely ideal for the traditional mudlarking character of this race.”

— Oddschecker tipster

What are the odds on the Irish Grand National?

Top betting odds from bookmakers

Ladbrokes leads the market with Haiti Couleurs at 6/1, while Boylesports—the race sponsor—offers competitive odds across the full field. The Sporting Life racecard confirms the official Grade 3 designation and extended handicap status. myracing highlights Willie Mullins’ Quai De Bourbon (8/1) as a serious contender, rated 148 and partnered with the trainer’s stable jockey Paul Townend.

Oddschecker comparisons

Using a Oddschecker comparison reveals discrepancies between sources: Now Is The Hour appears at 9/1 on Oddschecker but 13/2 elsewhere, while Johnnywho ranges from 10/1 to 11/1 depending on the bookmaker. These differences highlight why shopping around for the best price matters, particularly for each-way bets on a 30-runner field.

The pattern suggests that odds comparison platforms give bettors a meaningful edge when wagering on large fields where bookmaker margins vary significantly.

What grey horses are running in the Irish Grand National?

Notable grey contenders

Grey horses have a mixed record in major Irish staying chases, but no grey runner stands out prominently in the current 30-horse field. Oddschecker tips make no specific mention of a grey horse as a standout contender, suggesting this year’s renewal lacks the obvious grey candidate that sometimes catches each-way punters’ attention.

Past grey performers

Historically, grey winners have occasionally surfaced at Fairyhouse, though the HorseRacing.net overview of the Irish Grand National tradition doesn’t highlight grey horses as a specific trend factor. This year’s ante-post market shows no particular momentum toward a grey runner.

The absence of a standout grey candidate this year means punters seeking each-way value will need to look elsewhere for their exotic angles.

Who are the favourites to win the national?

Irish Grand National favourites list

Beyond the market leader, several trainers have stacked their entries. Gordon Elliott fields Better Days Ahead (14/1) and Will Do (14/1), while Gavin Cromwell sends out four runners including Now Is The Hour (9/1) and Bioluminescence (13/2). GrandNational.fans lists the full roster: Malina Girl (18/1), Mint Boy (22/1), Noble Birth (22/1), Final Orders (25/1), and Yeah Man (33/1) all carry Cromwell colours.

Gordon Elliott’s team includes Search For Glory (28/1), Favori De Champdou (25/1), Duffle Coat (33/1), Shecouldbeanything (50/1), and Stuzzikini (80/1). Lord Lariat, the 2022 winner, returns at 25/1 under Dermot McLoughlin’s guidance.

Grand National crossover horses

Johnnywho finished third in the 2025 Grand National at Aintree, giving British raiders a proven big-race template. Oddschecker key runners analysis notes that previous Irish Grand National winners like Rhyme ‘n’ Reason have gone on to win the Aintree Grand National, demonstrating the race’s status as a stepping stone for staying chasers with Aintree ambitions.

Which Irish horse won the Grand National in 2025?

Recent Irish winners

The 2025 Grand National at Aintree was won by I Am Maximus, continuing Ireland’s strong presence in the world’s greatest steeplechase. This creates an interesting crossover context: Irish-trained horses dominated the Aintree version, and the same connections now target Fairyhouse’s Easter Monday showpiece.

I Am Maximus performance

I Am Maximus represented the Willie Mullins-Paul Townend axis that also features prominently in Irish Grand National calculations. While I Am Maximus doesn’t appear in the Fairyhouse field, the confidence gained from an Aintree victory often ripples through a stable’s entire staying chase operation.

The Aintree-to-Fairyhouse pipeline demonstrates how one stable’s success elevates the entire national hunt betting landscape.

Irish Grand National 2025 Trends and Analysis

The Oddschecker trends analysis reveals several patterns worth noting. Nine of the previous 11 winners had been beaten on their final start before the Irish National—a counterintuitive signal that suggests form players shouldn’t be penalised too heavily for a recent defeat. Eight of those 11 winners were aged between 7 and 9 years, making that age band the sweet spot for the race.

Weight carried also appears significant: eight of the previous 11 winners carried 10st 13lb or less. myracing extends the analysis to eight of the last nine winners, reinforcing the stamina-over-speed narrative that defines this marathon test.

Ground conditions are expected to be Soft to Heavy, which should suit several Cromwell runners. Bioluminescence, rated 145, is highlighted as particularly well-equipped for testing conditions, while Oddschecker tipsters note the ground “should be absolutely ideal” for the Irish National’s traditional mudlarking character.

The implication for punters is clear: ignore recent form and focus on age, weight, and ground suitability rather than backing the market leader.

Trainer Analysis: Who has the strongest team?

Willie Mullins enters Quai De Bourbon (8/1, rated 148) as his most obvious contender, but his team lacks the depth of Gordon Elliott and Gavin Cromwell. myracing’s preview identifies the Cromwell operation as the most interesting: four declared runners, with Now Is The Hour and Bioluminescence both in the single-digit odds range.

Gordon Elliott’s Better Days Ahead (14/1) and Will Do (14/1) represent solid each-way prospects, though neither commands the market confidence of the Cromwell pair. The trainer’s broader roster extends to longer odds, suggesting a spread-betting strategy rather than a singular assault on the prize.

Rebecca Curtis’s Haiti Couleurs represents a single-pronged attack backed by Cheltenham momentum. With jockey Sean Bowen aboard, the combination has the look of a trainer putting all her chips on one standout prospect.

What this means is that Cromwell’s multi-entry approach gives him the best chance of landing the prize through diversification, while Curtis has committed fully to one high-profile runner.

Broadcast and Viewing Details

The race will be broadcast live on ITV4 and Racing TV in Britain, with RTE2 providing coverage in Ireland. The GrandNational.fans race preview confirms these broadcast arrangements, making it accessible across both major markets on Easter Monday afternoon.

The cross-border coverage ensures Irish and British audiences can follow the action simultaneously, with RTE2 serving Irish viewers and ITV4 catering to British punters.

Summary

The Irish Grand National 2025 presents a genuinely open market with Haiti Couleurs (6/1) leading but far from dominant. The contradictions embedded in the race’s history—favourites struggle, winners often arrive beaten last time, and outsiders like the 150/1 winner of 2021 periodically surface—make this a race where blind faith in the market leader carries real risk. For each-way punters, the Cromwell and Elliott runners in the 10/1-16/1 band offer the most appealing value: proven class, each-way terms on a 30-runner field, and a trainer stack that hedges single-runner failure.

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