2026 Irish Grand National - Betting Odds, Tips and Runners
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The 2026 Irish Grand National will take place on Monday 6th April, at the iconic Fairyhouse racetrack. This is the jewel in the crown of the three-day Fairyhouse Easter Festival, with Irish Grand National betting now well underway.
Below, we’ll analyse the ante-post Irish Grand National odds, while proving some expert tips and insights. We’ll also reveal the best betting sites in Ireland for wagering on the event.
Best Irish Bookmakers
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🎲Irish Grand National Ante-Post Betting Odds
BoyleSports have priced Kiss Will, The Jukebox Kid and Argento Boy at 11.00 to win this year's Irish Grand National. These odds imply a 9.1% win probability for each horse, highlighting just how tight this race is likely to be in 2026.
Outside of the ante post favourites, Robert Tyner’s Better Times Ahead offers tangible value at odds of 15.00. This nine-year old gelding has placed in two of his last three outings and won on his previous two visits to Fairyhouse, including the BAR 1 Betting Porterstown Handicap Chase in November, 2025.
Now Is The Hour is another nine-year-old runner that’s experienced over three miles or more. He won the Goffs Thyestes Handicap Chase at Gowran Park on January 22nd, while his odds of 21.00 imply a 4.8% probability of success. Here an overview of the top 10 runners and their latest Irish Grand National betting odds.
⚠️Odds are subject to change. Please check before placing your bets.
💡 Irish Grand National Betting Tips
The ante post Irish grand national betting odds reaffirm this as one of the most competitive and difficult to call 2026 horse racing events. In fact, only three starting favourites have gone on to win the Irish National in the last 20 renewals (15.0%).
To help you make the most informed predictions and identify the best value markets, we’ve prepared some expert Irish Grand National betting tips. These insights are data-driven and based on historical events and detailed form analysis.
- Analyze the Entire Handicap Field: During the previous 10 Irish Nationals, the winners have had an average starting price of 29.00. Two runners have won with even longer odds during this period: namely Lord Lariat (41.00) and the legendary Freewheelin Dylan (151.00). The shortest priced winner during this sequence was Our Duke (5.50) in 2017. So, it’s key that you analyse the entire handicap field before making your picks, while each-way betting can also unlock superior value in this type of race.
- Look Out for Recent Cheltenham Winners: Cheltenham is the course that has produced the most winners of the Irish Grand National. In fact, seven of the last 20 winners (35.0%) have triumphed having run at Cheltenham last time out. This trend factor suits two of the three current favourites (Kiss Will and Argento Boy), alongside Gavin Cromwell’s Now Is The Hour. Leopardstown has produced four of the last 20 winners here.
- Evaluate Recent Form in Major Festivals: The Irish Grand National follows the iconic Cheltenham festival, and a number of runners often compete at both events. Both Kiss WIll and Now Is The Hour performed well in high-quality races at Cheltenham, with the latter placing fifth in the G1 Brown Advisory Novices' Chase. This highlights the runner’s ability to compete in large and competitive fields, while it gives a clearer insight into their most recent form.
- Study Handicap Weight Carefully : Like the UK Grand National, the Irish equivalent is a handicap race. This means that runners are assigned a specific weight to carry, based on their form, official ranking and perceived ability. Although the best runners will face the biggest handicap, only one of the previous 10 Irish Grand National winners has carried less than 10-0. Ideally, you should look for progressive, in-form horses that are carrying a medium weight.
- Look for Progressive Horses: A progressive horse is one that’s relatively young and has significant potential for future improvement. Kiss Will fits this bill, with this six-year-old gelding having placed in three of his previous four races and earned his first official rating of 141 after finishing fifth in the G2 Jack Richards Novices' Limited Handicap Chase. He’ll carry just 9-12 in the Irish Grand National too. Progressive runners of this type tend to offer particular value as each-way picks.
⭐ How Our Irish Grand National Betting Tips Selected
Next in this betting guide, we’re going to reveal how our Irish Grand National tips are formulated. Below, you'll find a list of contributing factors and a brief explanation of the insights that they offer.
- Age: 18 of the last 20 Irish National winners have been aged between six and nine (90.0%), while 13 have been seven or eight at the time of their victory (65.0%). This is fairly typical for long handicap chases of this type, as younger runners tend to lack experience over the distance, while older horses may struggle to stay the course. Targeting horses within the above ranges will increase your chances of winning overall, across different betting markets too.
- Horse Form: We also analyse horse form to see how runners have performed in their most recent races. It’s important to analyse past performances at Fairyhouse too, with Better Times Ahead triumphing here on his previous two visits. When analysing form, we also pay attention to performances in the relevant class, or how horses have formed at an even higher level. The Irish Grand National is currently classed as a Grade 3 race.
- Horse Weight: Weight has a huge bearing on handicap race outcomes, particularly in conjunction with the factors mentioned above. Handicaps are assigned based on official ratings data, with the highest ranked runner in a race receiving top-weight. The other runners then carry less weight proportionate to their handicap ratings. This can create scenarios where progressive horses are required to carry less weight and be more competitive in a particular field.
- Official Ratings: Official ratings are set objectively by a team of BHA handicappers in the UK. These ratings are adjusted weekly based on the most recent runs and performance data, in order to ensure that all handicaps are fair and proportionate. It’s important to factor in a horse’s official rating before you bet on the Irish Grand National, but this data must be measured against their age, form and their ability to carry the weight during the race.
- Distance: The Grand National in Ireland is contested over 3 miles and 5 furlongs, making it one of the longer handicap races in the calendar. So, when appraising Irish Grand National runners, we’ll look at how they've fared over the relevant distance or longer. Runners that have won or fared well over the distance may have a competitive edge at Fairyhouse, even over horses like Kiss Will who has completed three miles only once. We’ll also consider the going and the type of conditions that runners tend to perform well in.
🏇 Irish Grand National Predictions
Before you pick your own Irish Grand National winners, we’d urge you to check out our expert predictions below. They’ll be published prior to the race and can be used to help inform your ante post picks.
⚡Irish Grand National Betting Sites
BoleSports, DirectionBet, Scored and William Hill are our picks as the best Irish Grand National betting sites. Below, you'll find a brief summary of each betting site and their market coverage, while you can also learn more by reading our comprehensive online bookmaker reviews.
✅BoyleSports
BoyleSports 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 five instead of the usual four. When betting on the National, you're also eligible to receive money back as a free bet (up to €10) if your pick finishes second to a starting price favourite.
During our comprehensive BoyleSports review, we uncovered a welcome bonus that allows you to wager €10 and get €30 in free bets. The wager should be at minimum odds of 2.00, while this offer also unlocks a €10 casino bonus.
✅ 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).
You can also access a Daily Racing Winnings Boost at William Hill. This unlocks boosted odds ahead of events like the Irish Grand National, across all singles and occurs up to 10 selections. This can boost your returns by a maximum of €20 per bet.
The brand’s welcome offer requires you to wager €10 and get €40 in free bets. The initial wager must be at odds of 1.50 or greater. You can learn more about this and the key T&Cs by reading our William Hill review.
✅DirectionBet
DirectionBet offers excellent coverage of the Irish Grand National, even though it can be a little slow to publish its antepost odds. This site will payout up to four places on high profile races like the National, while you can also bet on alternative meetings in countries such as Australia, Chile, France, Panama and South Africa.
The brand’s welcome bonus comprises a 100% first deposit match up to €100. This allows you to wager at odds of 1.80 or greater and unlocks the overwhelming majority of Irish Grand National markets.
During the course of our DirectionBet review, we also found a 50% monthly reload bonus up to €50. You’re also eligible to receive up to €50 in free bet tokens every month.
✅Scored Sport
Scored Sport offers 0% margin markets ahead of selected events, including high profile horse races like the Irish Grand National. The site also offers an exceptional livestreaming service, broadcasting 150,000+ events each year and covering race meetings in Ireland and the UK.
As a new Scored customer, you’re eligible to receive a €1000 welcome package that covers your first three deposits. The first deposit bonus requires you to deposit €20+ and receive a 100% match up to €250.
This welcome bonus is subject to wagering requirements of 6x, while only markets priced at 1.59 or higher are eligible. Once again, this opens up the vast majority of Irish Grand National betting markets. Read our Score sports review to learn more.
📊 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 2026 Fairyhouse Easter Festival will run for three days between Saturday, April 4th and Monday, April 6th. So, although Irish Grand National 2026 betting dominates the event, there are 23 races scheduled for you to wager on. Here’s a breakdown of the racecard schedule for each day:
Day 1 - Style Day - Saturday, 4th April, 2026
Day 2 - WillowWarm Gold Cup & Family Day - Sunday, 5th April, 2026
Day 3 - BoyleSports Irish Grand National Day - Monday, 6th April, 2026
🥇 Irish Grand National Jockey & Trainer Statistics
When picking your potential BoyleSports 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 seven runs at the event (71.4%) and produced a win LSP of +21.50.
Ricky Doyle has produced one winner from just three rides and an impressive win LSP of +148.00. 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.
Two of the current 2026 favourites also herald from the Mullins’ stable: namely Kiss Will and Argento Boy. 13 of his 51 runners (25.4%) have either won or placed in the Irish Grand National since 2005.
Dermot McLoughlin has also seen four of his five Irish National runners either win or place during this period. This has seen him produce a win LSP of +187.00 and an each-way LSP of +115.75.
🏆 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 festival betting, you should note that this is an incredibly competitive race that’s historically tough to call. This is borne out by the fact that only three starting favourites have triumphed in the previous 20 years.
So, we’d recommend that you carefully research your picks and use our expert tips to make informed selections. You should also compare the ante post Irish Grand National betting odds across multiple betting sites, while leveraging free bet offers and each-way picks to maximise value.
❓ Irish Grand National FAQs Answered
What time is the Irish Grand National?
The 2026 Irish Grand National will take place on Monday, April 6th at 5:00pm GMT. The race covers a distance of three miles, five furlongs and is usually completed in less than eight minutes and fifty seconds.
Who is the Top rated Irish Grand National Trainer?
Willie Mullins is the top-rated Irish Grand National trainer. He has produced two winners and 13 placed finishers at the event since 2005 and has been the most successful trainer at Fairyhouse overall in the previous five seasons. Incredibly, some 316 of his 580 runners have placed at Fairhouse during this period (54.4%).
What are the best bookmakers for betting on the Irish Grand National in Ireland?
We rate BoyleSports, William Hill, DirectionBet and Scored as the best bookmakers for betting on the Irish Grand National. These sites all provide competitive odds and place rules, while BoyleSports and William Hill offer the best odds guaranteed across Irish and UK races. These bookies all operate bonuses that are compatible with most Irish National markets too.
Who is the top rated Irish Grand National Jockey?
JJ Slevin has been the most competitive jockey in the Irish Grand National since 2005, winning twice and placing in five of his seven outings. He’s also the only jockey to have won multiple Nationals in the previous 20 renewals of the race. Ricky Doyle has produced the highest win LLP of +148.00 during this period, but this figure is somewhat skewed by Freewheelin Dylan’s 2021 win at odds of 151.00.
How to pick the winner of the Irish Grand National?
Unfortunately, Irish Grand National betting doesn’t guarantee a win or return on your stake. However, strategies such as detailed form analysis, line shopping and the use of each-way betting can increase your chances of winning and minimise the risk of loss. Also, be sure to analyse past races and trends to make more informed picks.
Where is the Irish Grand National Held?
The Irish Grand National is held every year at the Fairyhouse racecourse just north of Dublin. This venue has hosted the race since 1870, while the first ever race at Fairyhouse took place in 1848. The race is run over 3 miles and 5 furlongs and features a total of 24 jumps.
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.