Intense Raffles the Grand National Favourite from I Am Maximus

Intense Raffles looks set to start the 2025 Grand National as the favourite but all eyes will be on the 2024 Grand National winner, I Am Maximus as he looks to make history and win back-to-back Aintree Grand Nationals. Last year’s winner is currently the third favourite for the race at 9/1. He will have to carry top weight to victory if he is to emulate the greats Red Rum and Tiger Roll in winning back-to-back Nationals, and it looks to be a competitive field this year. The Grand National has been reduced to a field of 34 runners this year so there are still some final decisions to be made before we get the final list of runners in the race, but every horse up to number 34 are guaranteed a place if they wish to take it. Following the latest declerations stage, Intense Raffles is the 15/2 favourite, and he will be a popular choice for punters because he is one of the grey horses running in the Grand National this year.

Only four horses have ever won the Grand National back to back
Intense Raffles is the 15/2 favourite
I Am Maximus will have to defy top weight if he is to retain his crown

I Am Maximus’s Grand National Odds

Last year’s winner is 9/1 with bet365, Ladbrokes and William Hill to win the 2025 renewal of the Grand National and although he faces a tough task off top weight, the course is not as it once was with the fences now smaller and there only being 34 runners as opposed to 40. Having said that, it looks a competitive renewal of the race this season with the likes of Cheltenham Festival Cross Country winner Stumptown and the well fancies Iroko set to line-up at Aintree on Saturday 5th March. One positive for the other 33 runners in the race is that Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin will not take his chance in the Grand National with his trainer saying the following: “It was tempting, but I’m very happy with the decision not to go there. He’s only a seven-year-old, we’ve worked hard on his jumping this season and it’s progressed.”, as reported by the Express. “Keith Donoghue has been a big part of that as he rode him all season and has got the horse jumping really well. We’re in a good place and I don’t think it would be the right thing to do to go to the Grand National and potentially unravel that.”

Grand National 2025 Weights

1 I Am Maximus 11st 12lb, 167 2 Royale Pagaille 11st 9lb, 164 3 Nick Rockett 11st 8lb, 163 4 L’Homme Presse, 11st 8lb, 163 5 Grangeclare West 11st 8lb, 163 6 Hewick 11st 7lb, 162 7 Minella Indo 11st 3lb, 158 8 Appreciate It 11st 2lb, 157 9 Capodanno 11st 2lb, 157 10 Minella Cocooner 11st 2lb, 157 11 Conflated 11st 2lb, 157 12 Stumptown 11st 2lb, 157 13 Hitman 11st 1lb, 156 14 Beauport 11st 1lb, 156 15 Bravemansgame 11st 0lb, 155 16 Chantry House 10st 13lb, 154 17 Threeunderthrufive 10st 12lb, 153 18 Perceval Legallois 10st 12lb, 153 19 Kandoo Kid 10st 11lb, 152 20 Iroko 10st 11lb, 152 21 Intense Raffles 10st 10lb, 151 22 Senior Chief 10st 10lb, 151 23 Idas Boy 10st 10lb, 151 24 Mr Incredible 10st 9lb, 150 25 Fil Dor 10st 9lb, 150 26 Broadway Boy 10st 9lb, 150 27 Coko Beach 10st 9lb, 150 28 Farouk D’Alene 10st 9lb, 150 29 Stay Away Fay 10st 9lb, 150 30 Velvet Elvis 10st 7lb, 148 31 Minella Drama, 10st 7lb, 148 32 Meetingofthewaters 10st 7lb, 148 33 Monbeg Genius 10st 6lb, 147 34 Vanillier 10st 6lb, 147

35 Horantzau D’Airy 10st 6lb, 147 36 Hyland 10st 6lb, 147 37 Celebre D’Allen 10st 6lb, 147 38 Fontaine Collonges 10st 6lb, 147 39 Three Card Brag 10st 5lb, 146 40 Minella Crooner 10st 5lb, 146 41 Twig 10st 5lb, 146 42 Quick Wave 10st 5lb, 146 43 Duffle Coat 10st 4lb, 145 44 Shakem Up’arry 10st 4lb, 145 45 Roi Mage 10st 4lb, 145 46 Favori De Champdou 10st 3lb, 144 47 Fantastic Lady 10st 3lb, 144 48 Yeah Man 10st 3lb, 144 49 Mr Vango 10st 2lb, 143 50 Macdermott 10st 2lb, 143 51 Mister Coffey 10st 2lb, 143 52 Chemical Energy 10st 2lb, 143 53 Desertmore House 10st 1lb, 142 54 Malina Girl 10st 1lb, 142 55 Richmond Lake 10st 1lb, 142 56 La Renommee 10st 0lb, 141 57 Stuzzikini 9st 13lb, 140 58 King Turgeon 9st 1l3b, 140 59 Surrey Quest 9st 12lb, 139 60 Cruz Control 9st 12lb, 139 61 Apple Away 9st 11lb, 138 62 Busselton 9st 11lb, 138 63 Spanish Harlem 9st 11lb, 138 64 Famous Bridge 9st 9lb, 136 65 Escaria Ten 9st 7lb, 134 66 Where It All Began 9st 7lb, 134 67 Pats Fancy 9st 3lb, 130 As things stand, Vanillier will be the 34th and final horse able to run in the race but if any of the horses above him pull out, the reserve runner will get their chance and of those not currently in the race, Hyland is of interest because he could be the first horse Nicky Henderson trains to win the Grand National. He would have a great chance if he got into the race by the final declarations.

Grand National 2025 Free Bets

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