Grand National 2025 Tips - Former King George winner being primed for Aintree

Jon Vine

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Last updated: 19 Mar 2025

Jon Vine 19 Mar 2025

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Read our first tip for the 2025 Grand National
This world-famous handicap takes place at Aintree on Saturday 5th April
We've backed Hewick at 20/1

Expired

Gavin Sheehan riding Hewick celebrate winning The Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton. (Getty)

Here's my first tip for the 2025 Grand National, which takes place at Aintree on Saturday 5th April.

I put up four horses for the Grand National last year, priced between 20/1 and 50/1. They finished 3rd, 4th, 9th and 11th respectively, so each way backers would have received a decent little return on their investment.

After ante-post favourite Inothewayurthinkin came out of the race this week, I've decided to put up my first selection for the 2025 Grand National.

2025 Grand National Tip 1 - Hewick

Any long-time readers of mine will know how much I love Iroko. I managed to get 25/1 when Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero announced their intentions to run their star in this year's Grand National and Iroko has improved with every start since. Considering he was second to Inothewayurthinkin in a Grade One here at Aintree last spring, and his most recent run behind 162-rated Grey Dawning, Iroko is chucked in off 152 and I'm certain he'll improve for this step up in trip.

There are some drawbacks with Iroko, though, which make me reluctant to put him up at a single-figure price. Firstly, despite getting four runs under his belt this season, this seven-year-old is still a little raw and inexperienced. Jonjo O'Neill Jnr will ride and he's never come close to winning a Grand National. Finally, Iroko would ideally want some cut in the ground and long-term weather forecasts suggest we could get a clear build-up to this year's Grand National.

A good-ground Grand National would certainly suit HEWICK (20/1), who has always been at his most comfortable on decent ground. Shark Hanlon decided to bypass a second run in the Cheltenham Gold Cup to prepare for the Grand National, and Hewick looked as good as ever when winning on his prep-run over hurdles at Thurles.

From his humble beginnings as a £800 purchase, Hewick has continually made headlines during his eventful career. Hanlon's ten-year-old won the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown in 2022, before carrying 11-7 to Galway Plate glory in July of that year. Hewick then travelled over to America to win their version of the Grand National, before returning to Sandown that spring to collect the Oaksey Chase under Rachael Blackmore.

Gavin Sheehan's mount flew home from the rear to snatch an unlikely victory in the 2023 King George VI Chase. Hewick hasn't won over fences since, but wasn't beaten far when third behind Fastorslow and Galopin Des Champs in the 2024 Punchestown Gold Cup and gave track specialist Envoi Allen a real fright in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal in November.

Hewick will carry 11-7 in this year's Grand National off his rating of 162 - which is actually five pounds lower than his peak rating over fences. The National has become a race for classier types in recent years and, at the age of ten, Hewick is by no means too old to claim National Hunt racing's most famous prize.

Verdict

2025 Grand National

Performances this season suggest that Hewick is still at the top of his game and Shark Hanlon has been training his stable star for the Grand National.

If the ground is good, I'd give Hewick a good chance and the horse's popularity would surely see him go off at a much shorter price than 20/1.

Hewick

Grand National 2025

@20/1 - 5 Units

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