The final field for this year's Grand National has been declared. Willie Mullins, who took a 1-2-3 in last year's event, is back with nine runners, including current favourite I Am Maximus, and last year's winner, Nick Rockett.
It is difficult to look past Mullins' stable – not only because he trains a quarter of the field, but because of the high calibre of those horses.
Below, we take a look at five of this year's top picks to collect £500,000 and the Randox Grand National Trophy - and right now you can get some great odds at William Hill.
Pick 1 – I Am Maximus
Having won in 2024, Willie Mullins' I Am Maximus was heavily fancied in last year's event, when he came home second. The modern Grand National tends to favour horses that have won top-tier events and have proven track record over the distance.
I Am Maximus meets these criteria, but he is running off top weight, showed last year he can be beaten, and is likely to run off very short odds. I Am Maximus is currently the 7/1 favourite to come home first.
Pick 2 – Haiti Couleurs
Trained by Rebecca Curtis, Haiti Couleurs is currently priced at around 14/1 after a lacklustre performance at the Gold Cup.
However, the Gold Cup is generally considered a much higher calibre of race, and Haiti Couleurs bounced back from a similarly poor run in the Betfair Chase when he emerged victorious at the Welsh National.
The Curtis-trained horse also won the Irish National, which has proven a good indicator of Aintree performance in the past.
Pick 3 – Grangeclare West
Along with Nick Rockett and I Am Maximus, Grangeclare West delivered Mullins his 1-2-3 in last year's race. Nick Rockett doesn't look particularly well fancied this year, at 16/1 as he's carrying top weight and has had a light run in after early season setbacks.
Grangeclare West, on the other hand, is currently the second favourite at 8/1. He fits the age profile of a winning horse and won the Bobbyjo, which has thrown up future National winners in the past two events. But question marks remain over his ability to land jumps on the run in.
Pick 4 – Panic Attack
Panic Attack, trained by Dan Skelton and ridden by younger brother Harry Skelton, has some very obvious strengths. She won the Paddy Power Gold Cup in style and followed it up with a Coral Gold Cup win. Although she finished third at Cheltenham, that was over a much shorter distance.
Running off a weight of 10st 5lb, Panic Attack could be the first mare to win the National since Nickel Coin 75 years ago. That fact alone could be the only reason she doesn't have shorter odds than the 12/1 currently on offer.
Pick 5 – Oscars Brother
Oscars Brother, trained by youngster Connor King and ridden by brother Daniel, is a long shot in modern Grand National terms.
He is currently priced at 16/1 but has shown progressive form with three consecutive chase wins and a decent fourth place in the Grade 1 Brown Advisory. Running off a modest 10st 13lb, Oscars Brother has an outside shot at making his 29-year-old trainer the youngest Grand National winning trainer ever.
