There are many ways to try and find the winner of the Grand National each year – but one fruitful angle in recent times is to focus on some key Grand National Trial races.
With just three races being responsible for SIX of the last seven Grand National winners at Aintree.
Best Grand National Trial Races Since 2018
See below the Aintree winners since 2018 and the contests these horses used as their Grand National trial races before cementing their names in the Liverpool hall-of-fame.
| Year | Grand National Winner | Grand National Trial Race | Finishing Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Nick Rockett | Bobbyjo Chase (Fairyhouse) | 🥇 |
| 2024 | I Am Maximus | Bobbyjo Chase (Fairyhouse) | 🥇 |
| 2023 | Corach Rambler | Ultima Chase (Cheltenham) | 🥇 |
| 2022 | Noble Yeats | Ultima Chase (Cheltenham) | 9th |
| 2021 | Minella Times | Paddy Power Chase (Leopardstown) | 🥈 |
| 2020 | No Race (Covid) | – | – |
| 2019 | Tiger Roll | Cross Country Chase (Cheltenham) | 🥇 |
| 2018 | Tiger Roll | Cross Country Chase (Cheltenham) | 🥇 |
The Last Two Bobbyjo Chase Winners Have Won The Grand National
Ahead of the 2026 Grand National, if recent results are anything to go on – the Bobbyjo Chase is a must-have to look back on.
This Fairyhouse race, which was run on 21st February 2026 this year, has seen the last TWO winners follow up in the Grand National.
Nick Rockett won both races in 2025 and a year earlier I Am Maximus did the double in 2024.
This year’s Bobbyjo Chase was won by the Willie Mullins-trained Grangeclare West, who was also third in the 2025 Grand National.
He holds an entry again in the Aintree race, that will be shown live on ITV Racing – with 2lbs more in weight this time.
While Gerri Colombe, who also has a Grand National entry, was runner-up in the Bobbyjo Chase this season.
2025 Bobbyjo Chase Result
🥇Winner: Grangeclare West (7/2)
🥈Gerri Colombe (8/1)
🥉Stellar Story (12/1)
Respect Horses That Ran In The Ultima Chase At The Cheltenham Festival
The next Grand National Trial race is the Ultima Handicap Chase, which is always run on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.
With the 2023 National winner Corach Rambler winning both races. While the 2022 hero Noble Yeats was 9th in the race before going into Aintree glory.
This year’s Ultima was staged on Tuesday 10th March, with the JP McManus-owned Johnnywho coming home in front of another ‘green and gold’ horse Jagwar.
Both hold National entries too as JP looks for this fourth Grand National success, having won the race with Don’t Push It, Minella Times and I Am Maximus.
2025 Ultima Chase Result
🥇Winner: Johnnywho (18/1)
🥈Jagwar (3/1 fav)
🥉Quebecois (10/1)
Cheltenham’s Cross Country Chase Has Been Another Good Grand National Trial Race
The 2018 and 2019 Grand National winner Tiger Roll used to use the Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival as his Aintree prep race.
He did the ‘double-double’ in ‘back-to-back’ years and became the first repeat National winner since Red Rum in 1973/74.
This year’s race was run on Wednesday 11th March (see below), with the Gavin Cromwell-trained Final Orders landing the prize.
He also holds a National entry, as does the runner-up Favori De Champdou – both are around 33/1 in the betting.
Vanillier was back in third and was runner-up in the 2023 Grand National, but the 11yold doesn’t have an entry in the Aintree race this year.
2025 Cross Country Chase Result
🥇Winner: Final Orders (7/1)
🥈Favori De Champdou (2/1 fav)
🥉Vanillier (13/2)
Other Key Grand National Trial Races To Note
Coral Gold Cup (Newbury)
The Coral Gold Cup – or Hennessy to older racing fans – is also worth a quick look back on.
Why?
Well, three of the last 13 National winners contested the Newbury race that season – including Many Clouds (2015) winning this race and Corach Rambler (2023) placed.
This year’s race was one by the mare Panic Attack on November 29th 2025 (watch below).
The last mare to win the Grand National was Nickel Coin in 1951.
2025 Coral Gold Cup Result
🥇Winner: Panic Attack (16/1)
🥈Three Card Brag (25/1)
🥉The Changing Man (8/1)
Paddy Power Chase (Leopardstown)
With three of the last five winners running in the Paddy Power Chase (Leopardstown) over Christmas, this has been another decent Grand National trial recently.
These three horses being – Nick Rockett, Noble Yeats and Minella Times.
The race this year was won by Cross Country Chase runner-up Favori De Champdou, with Scottish Grand National winner Captain Cody in 7th.
2025 Paddy Power Chase Result
🥇Winner: Favori De Champdou (66/1)
🥈Search For Glory (18/1)
🥉Kinturk Kalanisi (28/1)
Irish Grand National (Fairyhouse)
This year’s Irish Grand National will be run after the Aintree race on 21st April.
However, it’s still worth looking back at last year’s winner.
This is because in recent years the likes of Rule The World (2nd), Tiger Roll (PU), I Am Maximus (1st) and Nick Rockett (7th) all ran in the Fairyhouse race the previous season.
The 2025 Irish Grand National was won by Haiti Couleurs, who holds a National entry at this stage.
2025 Irish Grand National Result
🥇Winner: Haiti Couleurs (13/2)
🥈Any Second Now (17/2)
🥉Quai De Bourbon (11/2 fav)
What Are The Worse Grand National Trial Races?
The Haydock Grand National Trial and the Punchestown Grand National Trial might trick you into thinking they are good trials.
But both races are yet to see a horse win both races in the same season.
Grand Geste took the Haydock race this year, while My Immortal won the Punchestown race.
This run will continue too – as both these winners don’t hold National entries this year.
When Is The Grand National 2026🗓️
📅Date: Saturday 11th April 2026
⌚Time: 4:00pm
🏇Racecourse: Aintree
🔄Trip: 4m 2 1/2f
💷Winning Purse: £500,000
📺 TV: ITV Racing / Racing TV
