2025 Irish Grand National - Betting Odds, Tips and Runners
Irish Grand National betting has now gotten underway, with the 155th iteration of the race scheduled for the 21st of April 2025. But who’s being favoured by the current Irish Grand National odds, and where can you access the competitive pricing and promotions at the best betting sites?
Best Irish Bookmakers
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🎲 Irish Grand National Ante-Post Betting Odds
Haiti Couleurs is the ante post favourite to win the Irish Grand National in 2025, having triumphed impressively in the Class 2 Princess Royal National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices' Handicap Chase at Cheltenham last month. But which other runners are tipped to perform well at Fairyhouse this year?
⚠️Odds are subject to change. Please check before placing your bets.
💡 Irish Grand National Betting Tips
In addition to Haiti Couleurs, there are a handful of runners who offer value as either outright or each-way picks. Below, I’ve prepared some expert Irish Grand National tips to help you make informed selections and maximise your starting bankroll.
- Evaluate the Whole Field: The Irish Grand National is highly competitive, with an average over-round of 142% over the last 20 race renewals. This means that bookies pay out €100 for every €142 wagered on average. What’s more, the starting favourite has only won three of the previous 20 race iterations, with Burrows Saint the last to achieve this in 2019. So, it’s worth analysing the entire field before placing bets, while also making use of each-way wagers to cover as many potential outcomes as possible with your real money bankroll.
- Look Out for Recent Cheltenham Winners: Over the last 20 years, the course that has produced the most winners of the Irish Grand National is Cheltenham. In total, six winners since 2005 have prevailed at Cheltenham in their previous race, while this also applies to current ante post favourite Haiti Couleurs. The Cheltenham Festival usually takes place a month before the Irish Grand National, while it sees runners compete in similar going and over comparable distances. When comparing recent performances at Cheltenham, be sure to prioritise runners who have won in a similar class to the Irish Grand National too.
- Inexperience in the Class isn’t a Bad Thing: Interestingly, the trend factor that has produced the highest LSP since 2005 (+164.50) is when runners had zero career places in the relevant class. What’s more, 88% of all Irish Grand National runners in the last 20 years had contested six or fewer races in the same class. So, runners should not be discounted because of a lack of experience in Class 1 races, although you will want to favour horses that have least competed over a distance of three miles or more.
⭐ How Our Are Irish Grand National Betting Tips Selected
These specific Irish Grand National betting tips are based on detailed analysis of specific datasets and trend factors. But which factors are the most important, and how can you leverage such data to inform your own selections?
- Age: Eight of the last 10 Irish Grand National winners were aged eight or younger. If we drill down deeper into this trend, we can see that seven were either six or seven years old when they prevailed. So, targeting runners in the 6-8 age range is recommended when betting on National Hunt races of this type, as they’ll boast the optimal balance of speed, endurance and strength over longer distances.
- Horse Form: Form is also key, as this highlights how runners have performed of late and their level of consistency. However, it’s important to conduct detailed form analysis, which evaluates performances over relevant distances and in specific conditions. For example, while current ante post favourite Haiti Couleurs has triumphed in five of his 10 career races to date (50%), his win-rate increases to 75% when competing over three miles or more.
- Horse Weight: Each Irish Grand National runner will carry a specified weight, based on their quality and official rating (OR). Across all National Hunt races, horses can be ascribed a minimum of 10st 2lbs and a maximum of 12st, and runners with a lower OR will receive a proportionate reduction in their race weight. It’s important to analyse weight allocations and their potential impact on individual runners.
- Official Ratings: The OR describes a horse’s official handicap mark, based on their perceived ability and past performances. Although horses will see their weight allocation increase in line with their OR, a higher handicap mark is indicative of a seasoned runner with an excellent track record. So, be sure to consider and handicap marks and any recent changes before backing runners.
- Distance: As we’ve touched on, it’s important to determine how runners have fared over the relevant distance before picking a potential winner. The Irish Grand National is contested over 3 miles and 5 furlongs (5,834 metres), so look for horses that have previously competed (and ideally won) over three miles or more.
🏇 Irish Grand National Predictions
I’ve also created a more detailed Irish Grand National 2025 prediction, by further analysing the most likely winners and relevant trend factors. Click below to see who we think will prevail.
⚡Irish Grand National Betting Sites
There are a number of popular and highly reputable Irish Grand National betting sites. Some offer superior value to others, of course, so here’s our take on the top three sportsbooks and why they stand out from their competitors.
✅ BoyleSports
Boyle Sports offers an outstanding horse racing betting experience, especially if you want to wager on the Irish Grand National. BoyleSports enables you to access more each-way places when wagering on the Irish National, up to six instead of the usual four. You can also access boosted odds on accumulator bets at BoyleSports, which is valuable if you intend to wager on several races at this year’s Fairyhouse Easter Festival. According to our comprehensive BoyleSports review, to get the site's welcome offer, you have to wager €10 and get €30 in free bets. The wager should be at minimum odds of 2.00.
✅ William Hill
At William Hill, you can access the best odds guaranteed across all UK and Irish horse racing (including the Irish Grand National). This will adjust your odds if the eventual SP is bigger than the price that you’ve taken, ensuring a larger payout in the process (up to a maximum of €25,000). There’s also a ‘Pick Your Places’ promotion running at William Hill. This applies to single markets only and offers each-way payouts up to sixth place. The brand’s welcome offer requires you to wager €10 and get €40 in free bets. The initial wager is at odds of 1.50 or greater. You can learn more about this and the key T&Cs by reading our William Hill review.
📊 Fairyhouse Racecourse Key Facts
The Irish Grand National is the jewel in the crown of the three-day Easter Festival at Fairyhouse. Located approximately 23 km north of Dublin, this iconic track has been home to the Irish Grand National since 1870, while its first ever recorded race took place as long ago as 1848. The track is home to two chases courses, including a one-mile and 6.5 furlong right-handed circuit with 12 fences. It’s this particular track that hosts the Irish Grand National, which comprises two laps, 3 miles and 5 furlongs in total and features 24 jumps.
Overall, Fairyhouse is a wide, galloping track which is right-handed and square in nature. It features a steady climb on the side away from the stands, while there’s also a gradual descent in the back straight. The three furlong home straight is slightly uphill but not overly testing for runners, while it generally suits quick horses with a tendency to race prominently. During the last 20 Irish Grand National renewals at Fairyhouse, the fastest runner was Butlers Cabin in 2007 (he completed the course in 7:21:60). At the other end of the spectrum, Gordon Elliott’s General Principle recorded the slowest winning time in 2018, sauntering home in 9:02.20.
📆 Racing Irish Grand National Racing Schedule
The 2025 Easter Festival at Fairyhouse commences with Ladies Day on Saturday, April 19th, and will conclude on Monday, April 21st with the BoyleSports Irish Grand National. A total of 23 races will be contested over the three days, and are scheduled as follows:
Day 1 - Ladies Day - Saturday 19th April 2025
Day 2 - Willowwarm Gold Cup & Family Day - Sunday 20th April 2025
Day 3 - Irish Grand National Day - Monday 21st April 2025
🥇 Irish Grand National Jockey & Trainer Statistics
When picking your potential Irish Grand National winners, it’s also important to analyse the past performances of jockeys and trainers. Some will have performed particularly well in historic Irish Grand Nationals, whereas others have an impressive overall win-rate at the Fairyhouse course.
Here’s an overview of the best performing jockeys and trainers across the previous 20 Irish Grand National iterations.
Top 10 Jockeys and Trainers
In terms of jockeys, only JJ Slevin has won multiple Irish Grand Nationals since 2005. He has also placed in five of his six runs at the event (83.33%) and produced a win LSP of +22.50. Ricky Doyle has produced one winner from just two rides and an impressive win LSP of +149.00. He prevailed in 2021 with the 151.00 shot Freewheelin Dylan, in one of the most seismic Irish Grand National shocks of all-time.
There are five trainers who have won multiple Irish Nationals since 2005, with Willie Mullins, M F Morris, Jonjo O’Neill, Thomas Gibney and Dermot A McLoughlin all recording two victories during this period. Dermot McLoughlin has also seen all four of his Irish National runners either win or place during this period. This has seen him produce a win LSP of +188.00 and an each-way LSP of +116.75.
🏆 Irish Grand National Past Winners
Below, you’ll also find details of the last 10 Irish Grand National winners. You’ll see that no runner has won consecutive races during this period, while the triumphant horses have come from eight different stables. Dermot A McLoughlin (2021 and 2022) and WP Mullins (2019 and 2023) have both fielded two winners since 2014.
🎯 BetInIreland’s Conclusion
Before you engage in Irish Grand National betting, you should note that this is an incredibly competitive race that’s also tough to call. This is borne out by the fact that only three starting favourites have triumphed in the previous 20 years. So, it’s important to access the best Irish National betting odds, while also making the most of any available promotions and free bet offers. You can also use our expert tips to help you make the most informed decisions possible.
❓ Irish Grand National FAQs Answered
Before we bring this betting guide to a close, I’m going to answer some of your most frequently asked questions. Hopefully, this will help to fill any remaining gaps in knowledge and summarise the content included in the above guide!
What time is the Irish Grand National?
The Irish Grand National 2025 will take place on Monday, 21st April, with the runners expected to arrive under starters orders at 17:00. This will be the 155th iteration of a race that was inaugurated back in 1870.
Who is the Top rated Irish Grand National Trainer?
Willie Mullins is the best-performing Irish Grand National trainer over the course of the last 20 years. During this period, he has fielded two winners and achieved 10 additional places from a total of 50 rides. Mullins is also the top-rated trainer at Fairyhouse during the last five seasons, achieving 139 wins and 297 placed finishes from 539 outings.
What are the best bookmakers for betting on the Irish Grand National in Ireland?
Our picks as the best Irish Grand National betting sites are BoyleSports, William Hill and Betway. Each of these sportsbooks offers highly competitive odds and an excellent range of horse racing promotions. However, you can check out our detailed bookmarker reviews to learn more about each of these sites.
Who is the top rated Irish Grand National Jockey?
Since 2005, JJ Slevin is the only jockey to win multiple Irish Grand Nationals (two). In just six rides, he has won or placed on five occasions, achieving an each-way LSP of +16.19 in the process. Over the last five seasons, Paul Townend has performed superbly at Fairyhouse, winning 65 of his 183 rides (36%) while placing an incredible 71% of the time.
How to pick the winner of the Irish Grand National?
Like the English Grand National and Scottish Grand National, the Irish Grand National is always difficult to call. However, it’s possible to identify the most likely winners in 2025, based on the analysis of form, trend factors and historical performances.
Where is the Irish Grand National Held?
The 2025 Irish Grand National will take place at the Fairyhouse racecourse in County Meath, Ireland. It has been hosted at this iconic venue since the race’s inception in 1870.
Lewis Humphries
A business and iGaming copywriter from the UK, who has a passion for sports betting and remote casino betting. He's reviewed some of the world's leading casino platforms while creating blog posts and landing page content for various sports betting brands. His content has also been featured on a number of different sites, including Life Hack, Investopedia, Yahoo Finance and Business Insider. He also pens regular sports features for sites including 90 Minutes, Think Football Ideas and Sportsblog.