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The battle lines are being drawn for the 2025 Grand National, and all signs point to a titanic tussle between two of Ireland’s top trainers—Willie Mullins and Gavin Cromwell.
Mullins, last year’s winning trainer with I Am Maximus, once again boasts a powerful hand, while Cromwell, whose reputation continues to soar, has some serious contenders of his own.
With the early betting dominated by their Grand National runners, the stage is set for a fascinating showdown at Aintree. But will it be Mullins or Cromwell who prevails?
Read on, as we take a closer look at their leading hopes and what could separate them in the world’s greatest steeplechase.
Willie Mullins
Defending your Grand National crown is no easy feat, with Tiger Roll the latest horse to win back-to-back renewals of the iconic contest in 2019, and I Am Maximus will have to overcome top weight (11-12) on April 5.
No horse has ,,managed that since the legendary Red Rum in the 1970s, and it’s going to be a monumental challenge for the nine-year-old to emulate that feat.
However, he did win last year’s renewal with plenty in hand off 159. So, it might not be an impossible task if he is up to it on the day.
Meetingofthewaters, who’s also owned by JP McManus, and Nick Rocket are both 16/1 shots for Mullins.
The former has made little impression in his two starts so far this season, but was seventh in last year’s National and will be just one pound heavier in April—much to Mullins’ delight when the weights were revealed.
Nick Rocket won the Grade 3 Thyestes Handicap Chase at Gowran Park when last seen, but it could be tough for him off 163.
With 11 entries in total at the time of writing, Minella Cocooner and Glangeclare West, both 20/1 chances, are a couple of the others worth mentioning.
Gavin Cromwell
Cromwell may look back at the last couple of renewals of the Grand National and rue the fact that he hasn’t added the Aintree showpiece to his ever-growing CV.
Vanillier was beaten by just over two lengths by Corach Rambler in 2023 before the well-backed Limerick Lace went off as the joint-favourite last year, but weakened for a distant 10th.
At the time of writing, Cromwell is set to saddle one of the favourites once again this year—as money came for Inothewayurthinkin when the weights were revealed recently.
The seven-year-old, another potential runner for McManus, won the Mildmay here last year and was a respectable fourth behind Galopin Des Champs in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup last time out.
When handed 11-5 by the handicapper, Inothewayurthinkin was slashed to 8/1 from as far out as 25/1 by the bookies, but Cromwell stated he wasn’t a ‘certain runner’.
Stumptown, who is 2-2 this season—including winning a Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham in December—is prominent in the betting as the fifth favourite at 14/1.
He could head back to Prestbury Park for the Festival’s Cross Country contest, alongside Vanillier, who is 33/1 for this year’s National.
Yeah Man (33/1), Perceval Legallois (22/1), the aforementioned Limerick Lace (40/1), and Malina Girld (50/1) are other possibilities for Cromwell to break his duck in the Grand National.
