Few horse races have the esteem and grandeur of The Grand National. As the longest-running and the largest annual event of its type in the calendar, it is the jewel in the crown for so many trainers.
A good showing during the meet can set up a stable, trainer, and jockey for years to come, with half a million pounds in prize money, and a string of sponsorships and a global audience that few other standalone horse races are able to match.
With so many horses coming within a whisker of winning the crown over the years, and some legendary ones gunning for multiple titles, could I Am Maximus become only the second horse of this century so far to become a coveted, dual champion? It’s a fascinating question, but what are the odds of it happening? Let’s dive in and have a look.
What Do The Betting Odds Say This Year?
The market has adjusted to new trends, with horse racing at Bovada a clear example of how the traditional market is continuing to adapt to the digital demands of the horse racing betting market.
Using crypto to bet on horse racing might not have the same appeal as traditional markets, or people parading around the National with wods of cash ready to bet big on the weekend’s events – but in a digital world where the global audience is keeping a keen eye on proceedings, adapting to an audience of millions is proving to be a good bet for crypto horse racing platforms.
Emulating Tiger Roll
Early suggestions have I Am Maximus in with a good shot of becoming a double National champion, a feat only matched by Tiger Roll thus far this century. Currently, Iroko is the betting favorite, and it’s clear to see why. It’s a horse that has been pre-destined to win the National in many ways.
The horse has been specifically trained for the arduous course, put up a good showing in 2025, finishing fourth, and has exhibited fortitude and versatility, which are non-negotiables for any horse looking to land the big prize, and will not have the same handicap as I Am Maximus.
The bookies have Nick Rockett at around 25/1 to pull off the feat of back-to-back National wins, and emulate the magic of Tiger Roll in the late 2010s. Again, understandable, given the increased handicap and the inconsistent form it’s shown since the big 2025 win.
Grappling With The Unpredictability
We saw in 2024, when I Am Maximus romped to an emphatic win, that it was a horse that ticked all of the boxes we want to see in a Grand National winner: excellent stamina, perfect distance control, and a jockey whose phenomenal control of the whip from Paul Townend that really set an enormous gap between I Am Maximus and the rest of the chasing pack.
Going into the 2024 race as a joint favorite is always an advantageous position to be in, but over the years, we have seen horses way down the pecking order manage to pull the performance of their lives out of the bag.
It’s the seemingly arbitrary nature of the eventual winners and the difficulty that the bookmakers have in picking the odds that make the Grand National such an electrifying experience that brings the horse racing world to a standstill.
The National’s Dark Horses
While I Am Maximus was the favorite, and for good reason, it’s not a shock to see ranked outsiders win it either, as Townend and Mullins found out last year, when they were pipped to the post by a horse that was 33/1 to win the race. It’s this unpredictability that is one of the key reasons for the race’s enduring appeal, which has been a staple of Scouse culture and UK sporting heritage for over 175 years.
In and amongst a sporting culture where crossover ideas and almost circus-like events have become commonplace, as detailed by the size of the Jake Paul vs Joshua event, it is both refreshing and reassuring that traditional sports like the National achieve the international viewership it has maintained for decades, because it is a traditional, highly-skilled and elite insight into the top level of horse racing.
The Verdict
It’s a rare event to see a double champion at the National, and if I Am Maximus didn’t manage to pull it off last year, despite getting very close, then it’s easy to see why Iroko is currently the bookmaker’s favorite.
Now, these odds can swing dramatically, particularly on race day, and if previous races from the last decade tell us anything, it’s that one of the likely frontrunners could easily find themselves behind a horse that few people have backed. It’s all to play for from a bookie’s perspective, and it is the ambiguity of the market that opens it up to such enticing odds.
There’s a long way to go before the 2026 Grand National, and as the markets take better shape over the next month or so, we’d anticipate that I Am Maximus will be right within that leading pack, but will fall just short again.
