Grand National: Matt Chapman and Paddy Brennan predict the first four finishers in Saturday's Aintree feature
On Episode 21 of Unbridled, Matt Chapman and Paddy Brennan hosted a Grand National preview to share their thoughts on who they think are the main contenders ahead of the Aintree feature.
Thursday 3 April 2025 12:44, UK
The Grand National sparks much debate every year and with 34 horses set to go to post this year has proven no different, as Matt Chapman and Paddy Brennan demonstrated in their Grand National Preview.
Matt and Paddy were tasked with providing the four horses that they think will fill the frame in this year's contest and unsurprisingly it threw up two different answers.
Brennan began with his four, saying: "Hewick, I just think everything is coming in his favour, he's a great horse and he'll love the ground. The one question mark is the fences but if he takes to it and, I've seen him school, he looked like he loved it. If he gets into a rhythm under one of the best jockeys riding at the minute, Gavin Sheehan, he has got a big chance.
He followed up with: "Percival Legallois, I thought no one's horses are in better form, I thought he had a big chance, consistent form, so I thought he could be second.
"Third, Beauport. Nigel Twiston-Davies' record in this race needs no introduction and Sam Twiston-Davies rides, yes, he'd like slower ground but again if he gets into a rhythm, he's got some outstanding form this year, so I think he could run a massive race.
"And fourth, Minella Cocooner. Good jockey booking in Johnny Burke, if he gets into a nice rhythm, again can run a massive race."
Chapman responded: "I have one of your four."
Continuing, Chapman outlined his four selections: "So, my first place in the 2025 Randox Grand National will be the same horse who won the 2024 Grand National, I Am Maximus.
"This time last year he bolted up and he's gone up from an official rating of 159 to 167, but I don't think eight pounds would have stopped him winning last year. Now, the negatives will say he's been absolutely hopeless in his two runs this year and nobody can deny that, he has been hopeless. But he's got the back-class and I'm presuming he's only been trained for one race and the way that this race is designed now, I think, suits him.
"He's a big horse, he can carry weight and if he's anywhere near the form of last year, I think he can go and win it again. So, I Am Maximus to be first.
"In second place, Vanillier. Now, he nearly took the wrong course in the cross-country and I am pretty sure he would have nearly beaten Stumptown if that hadn't happened as he was finishing off strongly. He's run well in the Grand National before where he was second to Corach Rambler when rated 147, he comes here rated the same and he comes here off the back of a big run and the ground is perfect.
"In third place, Minella Cocooner. He goes on the ground, stays, has got back-form and it gives him every chance.
"And in fourth place, I'm going to go for the previous Gold Cup hero and Grand National-placed Minella Indo who brings in the back-class. He hasn't done an awful lot recently but has surely been laid out for this and he's a massive price at around 33/1. He was third last year, the weights aren't that different, and I can't see why he won't run well again because he's got that class in a race where it's not just about getting round now, so they are my first four."
Matt concluded with: "So those are my one-two-three-four, anything from my four that you would totally dismiss?"
To which Paddy responded: "There isn't, no, to be honest. It's the Grand National, anyone can win it. That's what makes it such a great race."
To kickstart what is sure to be another fantastic week of racing, Grand National legends Carl Llewellyn and Bob Champion joined Matt and Paddy to discuss their heroics and how the great race has changed through the years.
Llewellyn landed the Aintree feature twice in his decorated career as a jockey but the test has changed drastically since he last won the race aboard Earth Summit in 1998 and he gave us an insight into the alterations that have been made through the years.
"I walked the course with some Irish jockeys who hadn't been round there and we'd seen some fences that didn't have the spruce on them and they couldn't believe how small they were.
"They said that, at most courses in Ireland, the fences would be bigger than the National fences now.
"They're just easy-fix plastic fences with a bit of spruce on top, so it's a totally different race."
