Grand National line-up at Aintree confirmed

I Am Maximus (right) will seek to follow up last year's Grand National win

Randox Grand National 2025

Venue: Aintree Racecourse Date: Saturday, 5 April Time: 16:00 BST

Coverage: Commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live. Racecards, live text, results & reports on the BBC Sport website and app.

Last year's winner I Am Maximus heads the field for Saturday's Grand National at Aintree after a maximum line-up of 34 runners was named.

The Willie Mullins-trained horse, owned by JP McManus, triumphed by seven and a half lengths in 2024.

No horses were withdrawn at Thursday's declaration stage, which means Duffle Coat takes the final place in the race.

Shakem Up'Arry - owned by former football manager Harry Redknapp - Roi Mage, Favori De Champdou and Fantastic Lady are the four reserves.

The deadline for any non-runners to be replaced is 13:00 BST on Friday. The number of runners was reduced last year from 40 as part of safety changes.

Rachael Blackmore, the only female jockey to win the race when she triumphed in 2021 aboard Minella Times, will ride Minella Indo for trainer Henry de Bromhead with Darragh O'Keeffe on stablemate Senior Chief.

Who are the Grand National favourites?

McManus is seeking a record fourth victory for an owner in the race with I Am Maximus, and he also has leading hopefuls Iroko and Perceval Legallois.

I Am Maximus would be the first runner to carry top weight to victory since triple winner Red Rum in the 1970s, and only one horse - Tiger Roll in 2019 - has defended their title since then.

Mullins has a strong squad which also includes Nick Rockett and Grangeclare West towards the top of the weights.

Gavin Cromwell is set to run Cheltenham Festival winner Stumptown, Perceval Legallois and 2023 runner-up Vanillier.

The Irish contingent also includes bargain buy Hewick, who cost just £800 and won the King George VI Chase in 2023, plus last year's third-place finisher and 2021 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Minella Indo, as well as 2024 Irish Grand National victor Intense Raffles.

Gordon Elliott's team will be led by Three Card Brag, the mount of Sean Bowen, who is on the verge of becoming British champion jockey despite being allergic to horse hair.

Approximate odds: 9-1 I Am Maximus, Iroko, Stumptown, 10-1 Hewick, Intense Raffles, Vanillier, 12-1 Perceval Legallois, 14-1 Minella Cocooner, 20-1 Bar

What time is the Grand National?

The big race is due off at 16:00 BST, with runners and riders negotiating 30 fences - including Becher's Brook, The Chair and Canal Turn - over four and a quarter miles.

Mr Incredible has been barred from running after either being pulled up or refusing to race in his last four outings.

The 14-time British champion trainer Paul Nicholls has five contenders as he seeks a second National win - Kandoo Kid, Bravemansgame, Threeunderthrufive, Hitman and Stay Away Fay.

Iroko has been aimed at the race all season by Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, while the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Beauport will carry the colours of Bryan Burrough, whose Corbiere won in 1983 as Jenny Pitman became the first female trainer to triumph.

Twiston-Davies, who has won the race twice before, is also set to saddle Broadway Boy.

How the Grand National has changed

Organisers introduced a series of new safety measures last year for the Grand National.

As well as reducing the line-up, there is a shorter run to the first fence to slow horses down and a reduction in height to one of the fences. A standing start was reintroduced along with further veterinary checks.

The National time was brought forward an hour and 15 minutes to reduce the build-up and provide safer ground for runners in case of drying conditions.

There were no fallers last year and 21 horses completed the race - the highest number across the finish line since 1992 - with four horses unseating their riders and seven pulled up.

Activist group Animal Rising has said that - as with last year - it has no plans to disrupt the event, but remains opposed to the race.

The 2023 National was delayed by 14 minutes after protesters from the group entered the track and police arrested 118 people on the day of the race, in which the gelding Hill Sixteen suffered a fatal injury.