Since 2024, the Grand National has been revamped in a bid to improve equine welfare, with a smaller field tackling lower, more forgiving fences on, typically, the best ground available thanks to the revised start time of 16:00 GMT.
The changes certainly seemed to work in that first edition, with 21 horses completing the Aintree circuit in 2024 – without a single faller.
In 2025, on ground described as good-to-soft but drying on a fine spring day, 16 horses completed the entire trip – three fell, there was an unseated rider and another brought down, as well as 13 entrants that were pulled up prior to the end.
Sadly, Celebre D’Allen died after collapsing on the run for home, jockey Tom Bellamy broke his wrist in a nasty fall and Patrick Mullins, the winner aboard Nick Rockett, was suspended for breaking whip usage rules.
All of which left the question: would the 2026 renewal be more like the 2024 edition or its counterpart of 2025?
In truth, this was the most chaotic Grand National since the rule changes, with just 16 finishers – as well as seven fallers, the most of the ‘new era’ so far.
Thankfully, no lives were lost, while only one jockey – Robbie Dunne – required additional medical treatment from their fall.
In amongst all that, the combination of Paul Townend and Willie Mullins joined forces to record another famous victory with I Am Maximus, who notched his second Grand National win after prevailing back in 2024.
Here’s a look at who fell and who didn’t finish the 2026 Grand National:
| Fence | Fell | Unseated Rider | Brought Down | Pulled Up | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 15 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 19 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 27 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 30 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 7 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 18 |
FIRST CIRCUIT
FENCE 1
- Unseated Rider: Grangeclare West
Plenty of betting money had come in for Grangeclare West, who was ridden by defending champion Patrick Mullins and trained by his dad, Willie.
But the ten-year-old took the first jump a little too enthusiastically, forcing Mullins from his saddle. He through his helmet down in frustration at falling so early on one of the market protagonists.
FENCE 2
- Fell: Quai De Bourbon
Travelling prominently, Quai De Bourbon just reached a little bit for the second fence and fell.
FENCE 3
- Fell: Panic Attack
The early chaos continued, with Panic Attack – one of the most fancied runners and the 7/1 second favourite – falling at the third.
She had been hampered at the second obstacle, which perhaps unsettled her, and ended Dan Skelton’s hopes of training the first mare to win the Grand National since Nickel Coin in 1951.
FENCE 6
- Fell: Mr Vango
Mr Vango, the former Midlands Grand National winner who finished second in the Becher Handicap Chase on the Grand National course at Aintree in December 2025, blundered at the fifth before falling.
FENCE 7
- Fell: Gerri Colombe
Former Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Gerri Colombe came unstuck at one of the Grand National course’s most notorious fences, Foinavon.
FENCE 13
- Pulled Up: The Real Whacker
The subsequent analysis of the race by Total Performance Data confirmed that the early pace was pretty fast for a Grand National heat; catching out even a hardy stayer like The Real Whacker.
The former Gold Cup participant found the pace too strong and was pulled up by Gavin Sheehan just prior to the thirteenth fence.
FENCE 15
- Unseated Rider: Banbridge
- Unseated Rider: Oscar’s Brother
Even in an era of enhanced safety at the Grand National, The Chair remains a formidable foe.
And the first circuit of the 2026 edition concluded with two horses, Banbridge and Oscar’s Brother, unseating JJ Slevin and Daniel King respectively.
SECOND CIRCUIT
FENCE 18
- Fell: Marble Sands
The third fence had ended the hopes of the Skeltons and Panic Attack on the first circuit, before it claimed Marble Sands as the first non-finisher of the second circuit as well.
FENCE 19
- Fell: Stellar Story
- Unseated Rider: Jagwar
- Unseated Rider: Beauport
The nineteenth fence would prove to be one of the most challenging on the track, with Stellar Story falling and Jagwar – another fancied contender – and Beauport unseating Mark Walsh and Sam Twiston-Davies respectively.
FENCE 27
- Unseated Rider: Perceval Legallois
- Unseated Rider: Captain Cody
- Pulled Up: Lecky Watson
- Pulled Up: Spanish Harlem
Into the business end of the race and some of the runners were understandably tiring.
Perceval Legallois and Captain Cody unseated Harry Cobden and JJ Burke, while Lecky Watson and Spanish Harlem were pulled up as the field began to thin out.
FENCE 28
- Pulled Up: Amirite
The 100/1 outsider, Amirite, ran a huge race, even leading in the early going. Bu the ferocious pace would eventually see jockey Phillip Enright pull up his plucky underdog.
FENCE 30
- Fell: Top of the Bill
Falling agonisingly short of making it round was Top of the Bill, who led four from home before clipping the top of the thirtieth and final fence.