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TEMPLEGATE takes on what promises to be an epic Grand National confident of having found YOU the winner.
Our man runs through every single one of the 34 runners below, rates them out of five stars and reveals his tip at the bottom as well as his 1-2-3-4 prediction.
GettyYou’ll find all his picks for the races at Aintree below that too.
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Templegate’s Grand National tip and complete runner-by-runner guide
I AM MAXIMUS 4
MAX factor. Won easily last year and been aimed at a repeat ever since. Hard to win off top weight but has lots of class and will be thereabouts again.
ROYALE PAGAILLE 2
ROYALE flush. Loves the mud and won’t get that here. Hammered in the Gold Cup last time and surely has too much weight.
NICK ROCKETT 3
ROCK solid. Didn’t seem to stay in Irish National but beat Intense Raffles last time in a hot handicap. Paid the price for that with a big weight so needs a bit more.
GRANGECLARE WEST 3
GO West. Good second behind Galopin Des Champs in February before a rare blip last time. Early days over fences so can improve but weight a bit high.
HEWICK 3
HEW a cry. King George winner at his best who should get his favoured decent ground and warmed up nicely over hurdles last time. Never gives up and could be finishing like a train.
MINELLA INDO 3
IN the mix. 2022 Gold Cup winner was third in this last year and targeted at it all season. Bit old now but won’t be far away under Rachael Blackmore.
APPRECIATE IT 2
NOT it. Yet to win beyond 2m4f and likely to run out of gas even coming from Willie Mullins.
MINELLA COCOONER 4
MIN to the max. Won the Bet365 Gold Cup over 3m5f so will enjoy this test and is back in a more suitable grade here. Decent jumper who can’t be ignored.
CONFLATED 2
CON flat. Top-class at best but hasn’t won since 2022 and is best over shorter. Hard to fancy.
STUMPTOWN 4
TALK of Town. Easy winner of cross-country race at Cheltenham so track will suit and he’s a stayer. Looks on a fair weight and should go very close.
HITMAN 1
TAKE the Hit. He’s on a long losing run and can be a weak finisher. He’s likely to struggle with this marathon distance.
BEAUPORT 3
BEAU for it. Former Midlands National winner who has been aimed at this all season. Warmed up over hurdles last time and should love this test. Has genuine place prospects.
BRAVEMANSGAME 2
BRAVE to back. Last win was the 2022 King George but he’s badly lost his way since then. Has a nice weight but needs to find his old spark.
CHANTRY HOUSE 1
CHANT doesn’t sing. High-class novice but one win in past three years. Makes mistakes which is a worry and not certain to stay.
THREEUNDERTHRUFIVE 3
THREE stars. Was fourth in Scottish National so stays and went close at Ascot last time. Jumps better these days and looks the pick of the huge prices.
PERCEVAL LEGALLOIS 5
LEGAL eagle. Looks perfect for this race having won a big 3m handicap before showing pace to score over hurdles last time. Still a fair weight for in-form Gavin Cromwell and will love this test.
KANDOO KID 3
KID rocks. Third in the Topham last year and has stamina. Poor run at Newbury last time a worry but can bounce back.
IROKO 4
KO a knockout. Been aimed at this and ran a cracker behind Grey Dawning at Kelso. Shapes like a stayer and looks on a fair weight. Has more to come and will be right there.
INTENSE RAFFLES 3
RAFFLES just the ticket. Irish National winner so has staying power ad ran well in the Bobbyjo last time. Has a perfect weight but ideally would like it softer.
SENIOR CHIEF 3
HAIL Chief. Solid around 3m and swerved Cheltenham for this. Early days over fences so could improve and not out of this.
IDAS BOY 1
I’D swerve. Stays well but in his own time and looks outclassed.
FIL DOR 1
SHUT Dor. Decent hurdler but only modest over fences and stamina is not guaranteed.
BROADWAY BOY 2
WAY to go. Did well last season but has gone backwards. Poor last two at Cheltenham and needs his very best to figure.
COKO BEACH 2
KO Coko. Likes the Punchestown Banks so may enjoy the track but was poor at Cheltenham last time and this is tougher.
STAY AWAY FAY 1
STAY away from Fay. Has failed to finish three of his past four and hammered at Cheltenham last time. This looks too much.
MEETINGOFTHEWATERS 2
WATERS sunk. Seventh in this last year when he didn’t seem to stay. Way off it this season and needs more despite handy weight.
MONBEG GENIUS 3
GENIUS no mug. Broke two-year losing run last time after a solid fourth in Welsh National. Not the quickest but on a nice weight.
VANILLIER 4
VAN motors. Second in 2022 and jumped round last year. Ran a cracker in the Festival Cross-Country last time and has plenty of stamina. Big place chance.
HORANTZAU D’AIRY 1
D’AIRY sour. Struggled all season for Willie Mullins and hard to fancy on debut for new yard.
HYLAND 4
HY and mighty. Has genuine chance of giving Nicky Henderson his first National. Ran good prep at Kempton last time and shapes like a stayer. Has a fair weight and will be right there.
CELEBRE D’ALLEN 2
CEL a sell. Likes these fences and should jump round but lacks stamina for this trip and class for this level. Is also 13 now!
THREE CARD BRAG 2
CARD not sharp. Decent around 3m and good jockey booked but he jumped badly when beaten at Navan latest which is a worry.
TWIG 3
TWIG may snap. Not won for two years but has stamina and has been trained for this race by Ben Pauling. Low weight could bag him a place.
DUFFLE COAT 3
COAT on. Second in the Galway Plate and going well when brought down at Cheltenham last time. Should stay and one of the better longshots.
Templegate’s Grand National tip and 1-2-3-4 prediction
MY Legal eagle can get the £1m Grand National verdict.
PERCEVAL LEGALLOIS can give the Gold Cup-winning team of JP McManus, Gavin Cromwell and Mark Walsh another huge prize.
This eight-year-old has an ideal weight, loves a big field and warmed up with nice win over hurdles.
McManus has another hope in Iroko who has been working up to a big run here. And last year’s winner I Am Maximus has every chance too.
I fancy Cromwell to have two in the frame thanks to Vanillier, while Nicky Henderson’s hunt for a first National could be over thanks to Hyland.
1st Perceval Legallois
2nd Iroko
3rd Vanillier
4th Hyland
Templegate’s best Aintree bets
PERCEVAL LEGALLOIS (4.00 Aintree, nap)
Gavin Cromwell is having a brilliant season and this eight-year-old contributed when winning the red-hot Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown by seven lengths. He warmed up for this with a winning spin over hurdles at the Dublin Racing Festival and he has a nice racing weight of 10st 12lb. He looks perfect for this challenge and won’t mind the decent ground.
LULAMBA (1.55 Aintree, nb)
She is different class to these rivals and was unlucky not to win the Triumph Hurdle last time. She got the better of a battle with East India Dock up the straight only for an outsider making his debut to swoop in the dying strides. Moving up in trip holds no fears especially at this less taxing track. There’s more to come after just four starts and anything close to her Cheltenham form will do with her age and mares’ weight allowance the cherry on top.
HOME BY THE LEE (3.05 Aintree, treble)
He was brought down in the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham and can gain compensation here. He looked better than ever before that Festival spill, winning at Navan and in fine style at Leopardstown. He is fine on this decent ground and has no worries about staying.
Templegate’s Aintree verdicts
1.20
ACT OF AUTHORITY finished like a train when second in the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham last time.
That was over 2m4f and he should relish this extra half-mile.
He’s won twice under young rider Lewis Saunders who can claim his 7lb today so he’s effectively lower in the weights despite that excellent effort.
The second and third from Cheltenham’s Pertemps Final look big threats.
Jeriko Du Reponet enjoyed moving up to this distance and may have won but for a dodgy jump at the final flight.
A 5lb rise for that seems fair and he could be open to improvement at the age of six.
He was followed home there by Catch Him Derry who came from a mile back to grab the bronze medal.
Harry Skelton will need to keep him a bit closer to the pace and he’ll go close again.
Double Powerful started this season on a mark 38lb lower than today’s.
That’s because he won his first four handicaps before going close in good company at Ascot and Kempton.
He travels strongly and gives the impression that moving up to three miles may give him another nudge in quality.
Bill Joyce drops down from Graded company where he was a fair third at Cheltenham last time.
He shapes like a stayer and hasn’t been clobbered by the handicapper on his debut at this level.
Kamsinas improved for the step up to three miles when second at Doncaster last time and comes into the each-way picture.
He likes a flat track and won’t mind decent ground.
Timmy Tuesday has won two of his past three and wasn’t stopping at the end of 2m4f at Down Royal last month.
He’s been hiked 13lb for that success so will have to find more but he can’t be ruled out.
Nurse Susan was predictably rusty after more than a year off when midfield in the Martin Pipe last time.
She may do better with that under her belt and cheekpieces going on for the first time.
1.55
LULAMBA is different class to these rivals and was unlucky not to win the Triumph Hurdle last time.
He got the better of a battle with East India Dock up the straight only for an outsider making his debut to swoop in the dying strides. Moving up in trip holds no fears especially at this less taxing track.
There’s more to come after just four starts and anything close to his Cheltenham form will do.
Fingle Bridge is improving with every run and had a bit in hand when landing a Listed contest at Exeter last time out in February.
He’s had a little break since then and looks likely to improve for this step up in distance.
Koktail Divin had plenty left in the tank when striking in a modest company at Leopardstown 33 days ago.
He saw out this trip and managed to score eased down. There’s clearly a lot more to come from him.
Honesty Policy is improving with every run and stayed strongly over two miles when winning at Leopardstown.
He should find more for this longer distance and Gordon Elliott has won the past three runnings of this race.
Regent’s Stroll didn’t have a lot to beat at Wincanton last time but did it nicely enough and the first-time hood may bring a little improvement.
Castle Carrock wasn’t disgraced when third in a Kelso Grade 2 last time but will have to find more in this company.
The way Willie Mullins has been going, you can’t ignore his pair Kappy Jy Pyke and Funiculi Funicula who may enjoy this more than Cheltenham last time.
2.30
DOCPICKED ME may have been a little lucky to win the Great Yorkshire Chase at Doncaster last time when the leader fell but it was still a good performance and he looks on a fair weight.
He has plenty of staying power over this trip and looks solid each-way.
Cruz Control hasn’t done a lot since winning this race 12 months ago but that means his mark is only 3lb higher now.
We haven’t seen him since a poor run at Wetherby on Boxing Day but it would be no surprise to see him do a fair bit better today.
Imperial Saint wasn’t disgraced in a Kempton Grade 2 last time on the back of a solid handicap third at Cheltenham in January.
He’s off the same mark but has stamina to prove over this longer distance.
He’d be a danger if getting home which isn’t guaranteed.
But he has a fantastic record at this track with three wins which counts for a lot.
Richmond Lake likes it around here but would like the ground a fair bit softer.
A surprise rain shower would bring him into the reckoning.
Happygolucky didn’t run a bad race when fourth in the Ultima and he won this race way back in 2021.
He’s had just five runs since then and is off a 10lb lower mark these days.
He could run into the extra places at rewarding odds at a track he clearly likes.
Peaky Boy ran a shocker at Ascot last time but was in better form at Cheltenham before Christmas and sees out this trip nicely enough.
Weveallbeencaught could get the fast pace he likes and could make a late bid.
He is a little high in the weights but has an each-way shout.
3.05
HOME BY THE LEE was brought down in the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham and can gain compensation here.
He looked better than ever before that Festival spill, winning at Navan and in fine style at Leopardstown.
He is fine on this decent ground and has no worries about staying.
Teahupoo was kept fresh for that Stayers’ Hurdle where he was second on ground that was a bit too lively for him.
It’s likely to be even quicker here and that just puts you off slightly.
The Wallpark likes good ground but was eight lengths behind Teahupoo at the Festival last time.
There’s no obvious reason why he should turn that around but it would be no shock to see him on the podium again.
Kitzbuhel swerved Cheltenham after winning at Gowran in February.
He is another who has shown his best in testing ground so far but he’s only five and there should be a lot more to come from the Willie Mullins contender.
The others look to be playing for places.
Strong Leader won the novices’ Grade 1 at last year’s meeting on decent ground.
He hasn’t come close to that form since but returning to Aintree may do the trick.
Jetara ran well enough behind Lossiemouth at Cheltenham and has winning form over this longer trip.
She gets weight off the males which boosts her place claims.
Templegate’s tips
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