The Grand National is the race that defines careers. Trainers, owners, and punters who bet on horse racing all dream of a moment on the Aintree run-in, but for jockeys, crossing that line first in the world’s most famous steeplechase is the ultimate prize. With the 2026 renewal on the horizon, a number of Britain and Ireland’s finest riders arrive at Aintree still searching for that elusive first win. Here is a look at four jockeys who could finally end that wait.
Harry Cobden
Harry Cobden is widely regarded as one of the best riders in Britain, yet the Grand National has so far been unkind to him. His best finish in the race was a 14th place on Rode Just A Par back in 2017, and he has yet to trouble the judge in the contest since.
With Paul Nicholls not holding a particularly notable contender this year, Cobden has the freedom to pick up a spare ride, and that could prove to be a significant opportunity. A link-up with Willie Mullins, for whom he won the Scottish Grand National on potential 2026 contender Captain Cody, seems plausible, as does a ride for JP McManus, who will be his employer in the future. Either way, Cobden arrives at Aintree with genuine options.
Sean Bowen
If you had to make a case for the best rider in Britain right now, Sean Bowen would be the name most people would put forward. He won last year’s Jockeys’ Championship and is over 100 winners clear of his nearest rival in the current season. For all that dominance, though, the spring Festivals have not yet yielded a Cheltenham winner or a Grand National victory, making this a particularly significant few months for the champion.
His best chance of changing that looks to come in the shape of Haiti Couleurs for Rebecca Curtis. The pair have already combined to win the Welsh National with the horse this season, and a potential route through the Gold Cup beforehand would give him a thorough preparation for the Aintree test. This could be the year Bowen finally adds the sport’s biggest prizes to his CV.
Harry Skelton
Harry Skelton is a former British Champion Jockey who knows what it takes to win at the highest level, yet the Grand National remains the one race he has not been able to conquer. Victory this year would carry extra significance beyond the personal, because a win for Panic Attack would go a long way to securing his brother Dan a first British Trainers’ Championship.
The mare has been in excellent form this season, winning big handicaps at Cheltenham and Newbury, and she sits right in the weight range that history suggests offers the best prospects at Aintree. The fact that no mare has won the race in well over half a century is the obvious hurdle, but Skelton will not be thinking about that when he lines up. He will be thinking about what crossing the line first would mean for the whole family.
Brian Hayes
Rachael Blackmore famously became the first female jockey to win the Grand National when Minella Times triumphed in 2021, and one suspects her long-term partner Brian Hayes has heard about it more than once since.
Hayes has yet to experience that same moment, but the 2026 renewal could be his time. He is likely to partner GrangeclareWest again after finishing a close third in last year’s race, and the horse arrives here in fine form following a victory in the Bobbyjo Chase under Paul Townend.
Townend’s involvement in that prep run means Hayes will have to carry a few pounds more than last year, but for a horse as well-fancied as Grangeclare West, that is unlikely to be a dealbreaker. Checking the Grand National betting odds on this one before the market tightens further could prove worthwhile, as he holds a strong each-way claim at minimum.
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Four jockeys, four compelling stories and one race to settle them all. Aintree in April cannot come soon enough.
