Jagwar can deny Mullins a third Grand National win

He can provide Mark Walsh with a first National success.

Sat, 11 Apr, 2026 - 06:34

Darren Norris

Providing his jumping holds up, Jagwar can deny Willie Mullins a third successive Grand National win at Aintree on Saturday.

Trained by Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, the JP McManus-owned seven-year-old has never finished worse than third in eight starts over fences with his finest hour to date coming at last year’s Cheltenham Festival where he won the TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase.

His jumping was far from flawless that day but he got away with it. However, it cost him a second Festival success in the Ultima Handicap Chase last month where he ran a huge ran almost in spite of himself to get within a length of Johnnywho.

In response, connections have reached for first-time cheekpieces and should they work the oracle with his jumping he has to have strong claims as he’s progressive, clearly has an engine, and is very attractively handicapped.

The jumping is the obvious concern but the National fences are far more forgiving than they used to be and if Jagwar is still in the mix three-quarters of a mile from the finish, only having two fences to jump from that point on will be an obvious plus.

It’ll then be a question of stamina but his Ultima effort suggests a marathon trip shouldn’t be beyond him. He can provide Mark Walsh with a first National success.

As ever, the Closutton challenge is formidable, headed by I Am Maximus, a horse with an exceptional record in this race. Victorious two years ago, he beat all bar stablemate Nick Rockett last year and his second in the Grade One Savills Chase at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting is seriously strong form.

He wasn’t as good in the Irish Gold Cup last time out, a run that perhaps explains the call to put cheekpieces on for this assignment.

The fact Paul Townend has opted to ride him ahead of Grangeclare West is a further positive and it’s hard to see him not going close, even off top-weight.

Grangeclare West was perhaps the unlucky horse in last year’s National when a blunder at the last probably cost him victory.

However, one nagging concern for Grangeclarewest, I Am Maximus, and the Dan Skelton-trained Panic Attack is that all three are now 10-year-olds and no horse in double digits has won the National since Pineau De Re’s 2014 success.

The Rebecca Curtis-trained Haiti Couleurs is a year younger and definitely ticks the stamina box having won the Irish and the Welsh National in the last year.

He was pulled up in the Cheltenham Gold Cup last month but Many Clouds won the National having failed to fire in the 2015 blue riband and Haiti Couleurs’ Chepstow win came on the back of a poor run in the Betfair Chase at Haydock so he has proven he has the ability to bounce back.

Should he do so again, he’ll have a squeak at a decent each-way price.

Verdict: 1. Jagwar 2. I Am Maximus 3. Haiti Couleurs 4. Grangeclare West