IT’S still a special race, the Randox Grand National. Still iconic. They may have filled in the brooks and softened the bellies and reduced the field size and engineered run-offs for the loose horses.

It may be more akin to a ‘normal’ handicap chase now than it used to be, and it may not be even as arduous a jumping test as Fairyhouse is, or as Ayr is, or as Chepstow is. But it’s still a unique race. It’s the Grand National.

There’s still something about the horses jumping the big spruce fences, and still lots of both, 34 horses and still 30 fences, some of them with names. (The fences, that is. All the horses have names.) And yes, ‘The One Before Becher’s’ qualifies as a name. And the history of it, the stories. We know most of them by now, but still, they don’t lose much of their sheen in the re-telling.

It’s still the most famous horse race in the world, it’s still the one that goes beyond racing’s confines more than any other.

The changed nature of the race has changed the qualities that you look for in a potential winner. It used to be that an ability to jump and an ability to stay were up there with experience in terms of the most important qualities. And a low weight.

Double-digit ages used to be commonplace in the winner’s enclosure. Twenty-six of the 39 winners that ran between L’Escargot and Pineau De Re were 10 or older. Ten of the 14 between 2001 and 2014, and all five from 2010 to 2014. And when Don’t Push It won the race under AP McCoy in 2010, he became the first horse to carry more than 11st 1lb to victory since Corbiere.

Age column

Now look. The last 10 winners needed just one digit in the age column, and four of them carried 11st 5lb or more. And Noble Yeats was only seven when he won it in 2022, the first seven-year-old to win the race since Bogskar won in 1940, the year before a five-year hiatus because of World War II, no less.

There are three seven-year-olds set to line up today, and all three have chances. Jordans probably put up the best performance of his life at this meeting last year, when he finished a close-up second to Caldwell Potter in the Grade 1 Mildmay Chase.

He hasn’t matched that form since, but he should appreciate the ground and the return to Aintree. While he has to prove his stamina for this marathon trip, Joseph O’Brien’s horse stayed three miles and one furlong well last year, and he is feasibly handicapped on a mark of 150.

The second seven-year-old Quai De Bourbon is really interesting. Willie Mullins’ horse did well to finish third in the Irish Grand National last year as a six-year-old, when he might have done even better if he had jumped a little more fluently.

He was pulled up in each of his first two races this season, in the Troytown Chase, for which he was sent off as favourite, and in the Thyestes Chase, but he shaped much better last time in the listed handicap chase at Leopardstown’s March meeting.

Prominent from early that day, he led from the second last fence and was only headed on the run-in. He should appreciate the step up in trip today, the softer fences should help him, and he is the ride of Irish National hero Donagh Meyler.

More compelling

The case for the third seven-year-old, Jagwar, is even more compelling. Winner of the Plate at last year’s Cheltenham Festival, Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero’s horse has progressed again this season.

Third in the December Gold Cup at Cheltenham on his seasonal return, he was only just beaten by Donnacha in a premier handicap chase at Cheltenham in January, and he built on that last time at the Cheltenham Festival when he stepped up in trip and was only just beaten by Johnnywho in the Ultima Handicap Chase.

That was his first run over a distance in excess of two miles and five and a half furlongs, and he saw it out well - he probably improved for the step up in trip.

A half-brother to Django, a winner over three miles and five furlongs and third in a hunters’ chase over four miles, and from the family of The Fellow, he could improve again for the step up to an extended four and a quarter miles.

The handicapper raised him by 5lb for his run in the Ultima, but because the Grand National is obviously a (very) early-closing race, he gets to race off his old mark of 152. He is 5lb well-in. And, as a seven-year-old who has raced just eight times over fences, he has the potential to go beyond even his new mark.

He is classy. There was talk of the Ryanair Chase for him earlier this season. The softer fences should suit him well too, and he will have the excellent Mark Walsh for company. There are lots of positives.

Of course, you can make a case for many others. Jagwar’s stable companion Iroko ran a big race in last year’s renewal as a seven-year-old to finish fourth, while Johnnywho beat Jagwar in the Ultima and he is 6lb well-in.

Monty’s Star is a high-class staying chaser, fourth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup last year, and Henry de Bromhead’s horse could be well handicapped on a mark of 159.

Oscars Brother goes there with a big chance for Connor and Daniel King. Winner of the Grade 2 Ten Up Chase, he stayed on well to finish fourth in the Grade 1 Brown Advisory Chase at Cheltenham, when he shaped as if he would appreciate an even greater test of stamina. He would be one of those Grand National stories for the future.

I Am Maximus is obviously a big player again for Willie Mullins and JP McManus, winner of the race in 2024 and only 1lb higher than he was when he finished second last year, and the choice of Paul Townend.

Last year’s winning rider Patrick Mullins has a big chance again on Grangeclare West, winner of the Bobbyjo Chase last time and only 3lb higher than he was when he finished third in last year’s race, and he might have got even closer had he not made that mistake at the final fence.

Under the radar

Stable companion Captain Cody could be going a little under the radar too. Willie Mullins’ horse hasn’t won since landing the Scottish Grand National at Ayr last April, but he didn’t run badly in the Drinmore Chase on his debut this season, behind Romeo Coolie and Gold Dancer, over an inadequate trip, and he didn’t have the run of the race in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown at Christmas when he was only beaten just less than 10 lengths.

You would have ideally liked to have seen him running a little bit better in the Bobbyjo Chase last time, but the heavy ground was not ideal for him that day.

He should be happier today back on better ground and stepped back up to a marathon trip.

He is a great ride for Jonathan Burke, who was seen to really good effect on Ryan’s Rocket in the Red Rum Chase on Thursday, and he could out-run his odds.

Jagwar, 10/1 (generally), 1 point each-way.

Captain Cody, 18/1 (generally), 1 point each-way.