Horse Racing
Paul Nicholls Confirms Riding Arrangements For His Five Grand National Runners
Andy is a horse racing journalist and betting expert who specializes in trends and stats. With his long association with TrainersQuotes and FromTheStables, Andy has also built up solid contacts with some of the best stables in the UK. Has written for GeeGeez and bookmakers Matchbook and BetBright in the past too, plus was the former sports betting editor of odds comparison site Easyodds and Juicestorm. Has also appeared on betting podcasts for MatchBook and has featured in the popular Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Guide in the past. Andy's also ghost written for former top jockey Richard Dunwoody and continues to have a monthly column in the Racing Ahead horse racing magazine. Now a regular on Sportscasting giving his views, trends and tips mainly on horse racing - if there's a stat to be explored and it's a sport, Andy is sure to find a betting angle to use. You can also hear Andy's weekly horse racing views and best bets on the popular Final Furlong podcast.
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With the world-famous steeplechase just over a week away, the Paul Nicholls Grand National runners are taking shape and he’s already revealed the jockey riding arrangements for each of his five entries.
Paul Nicholls Grand National Runners See FIVE Entries For The Former Champion Trainer
The sole Grand National success for Paul Nicholls came back in 2012 when Neptune Collonges become only the third different grey horse to land the famous race.
13 years on the Ditcheat-based handler is back again – as the Paul Nicholls Grand National runners are expected to be FIVE.
Kandoo Kid, Hitman, Bravemansgame, Threeunderthrufive and Stay Away Fay.
Nicholls has also already revealed which jockeys have been booked to ride them.
Paul Nicholls Talks To Racing TV To Reveal His 2025 Grand National Jockey Plans
🗣️ "He's been trained for the race."@PFNicholls gives @rachelcasey11 the latest @AintreeRaces news from Ditcheat – including jockey bookings for the @RandoxHealth Grand National đź‘€ pic.twitter.com/P0FU6wfEzG
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 24, 2025
KANDOO KID – Harry Cobden
With the news that Harry Cobden will ride Kandoo Kid, we can expect this 9 year-old to be the shortest Paul Nicholls Grand National runner with the best horse racing betting sites in the UK.
Nicholls has gone on record as saying the horse has “been trained for the race” and has already won one of the leading staying chases this season – the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury – the old Hennessy to more mature racing fans.
Kandoo Kid is also another grey horse – just like the only other Paul Nicholls Grand National winner Neptune Collonges.
The horse is no stranger to tackling the tricky National fences. He was third in the Topham at the Aintree Grand National Festival 12 months ago (watch below).
Harry Cobden is yet to win the Grand National. Last year he finished 19th on former winner of the race Noble Yeats.
HITMAN – Freddie Gingell
Freddie Gingell will get the leg-up on Hitman, who is part-owned by former Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson.
Now aged 9, this chaser hasn’t quite fulfilled the promise he showed during his early days – but Nicholls has said he could be sparked into life jumping the Aintree fences that he’ll be facing for the first time.
The 4m 2 1/2f trip is another unknown, with all his racing coming over 3m or shorter.
However, he did show a liking for Aintree earlier this season when a close second in the Old Roan Chase (watch below).
BRAVEMANSGAME – James Reveley
One of the class acts of the 2025 Paul Nicholls Grand National runners – having landed the 2022 King George VI Chase. James Reveley has been booked to ride the horse for the first time.
However, famously, that win over two years ago, remains Bravemansgame’s last time he was in the winners’ enclosure.
He’s raced eleven times since and come up short each time.
As a result, Bravemansgame has dropped to a handicap mark of 155, so considering he’s peaked at a rating of 172 – many feel he’s not without a chance.
That said, he was a well-beaten 6th (of 7) in the Aintree Bowl at the meeting 12 months ago and is 0-3 overall at the Liverpool track.
With his best effort a second in the 2021 Sefton Novices’ Hurdle behind Ahoy Senor.
James Reveley finished 9th in 2024 on the Patrick Griffin-trained Roi Mage.
THREEUNDERTHRUFIVE – Harry Skelton
With no Dan Skelton Grand National runners in 2025, Paul Nicholls has been quick to snap-up the services of Harry Skelton – he’ll ride Threeunderthrufive.
This 10 year-old is a winner of five of his 16 chase starts and been in the top two nine times.
He won the G3 Swinley Handicap Chase at Ascot in February 2024 and has only been seen on the track three times since.
A recent close second to Victtorino – again in the Swinley Handicap Chase (watch below) – should have him spot-on for this and with 10-12 to carry has a nice racing weight.
However, this will be his first run at Aintree in any race – so the track is a total unknown. But he’s a sound jumper, who has only unseated once from his 24 career runs and never fallen.
Harry Skelton is yet to win the National and guided Galia Des Liteaux to 8th in 2024.
STAY AWAY FAY – Paul O’Brien
Former Nicholls stable jockey Bryony Frost was expected to ride Stay Away Fay, but she’s unable to get over to Liverpool due to riding commitments in France.
This has led Nicholls to book Paul O’Brien for his 2023 Albert Bartlett winner Stay Away Fay, who will be running over the National fences for the first time. This will also be O’Brien’s first ride for Nicholls.
Nicholls said: “Unfortunately Bryony texted me saying that she has to stay in France. I’m delighted to have booked Jonathan to ride Stay Away Fay.”
He was last seen running 11th in the Ultima Handicap at the Cheltenham Festival, but that race has been a good guide to the National in recent years. With former winner Corach Rambler winning both.
He’s a horse that’s lost his way after his 2023 Cheltenham Festival win, but Nicholls has said there were signs of a step back in the right direction in that last race and with just 10st 9lb he could be a lively outsider.
Don’t forget only 12 months ago he was running in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase behind Fact To File and was a close third in the 2024 Cotswold Chase.