Grand National Lucky Numbers: What to Back and What to Avoid for Aintree

Mar 30th, 2026 10:22 AM EDT

Picking a horse in the Grand National can feel a lot like throwing a dart with your eyes shut. Such is the nature of the race that any runner can have a genuine shot of winning, regardless of whether they’re the favourite, a rank outsider or anything in between.

The majority of people who punt on the Grand National don’t do so by looking at form or trends. It could be a name that stands out to them, a jockey they recognise or even their lucky number.

But which numbers are luckiest in the Grand National? The research has been done by Bookies.com and the data is in:

GRAND NATIONAL WINNERS

Saddle Cloth Numbers • 2003–2025

Year	No.	Winner	Odds
2025	3	Nick Rockett	33/1
2024	5	I Am Maximus	7/1 JF
2023	26	Corach Rambler	8/1 F
2022	28	Noble Yeats	50/1
2021	35	Minella Times	11/1
2020	No race — COVID-19
2019	3	Tiger Roll	4/1 F
2018	13	Tiger Roll	10/1
2017	22	One For Arthur	14/1
2016	29	Rule The World	33/1
2015	2	Many Clouds	25/1
2014	29	Pineau De Re	25/1
2013	35	Auroras Encore	66/1
2012	4	Neptune Collonges	33/1
2011	10	Ballabriggs	14/1
2010	6	Don't Push It	10/1 JF
2009	15	Mon Mome	100/1
2008	33	Comply Or Die	7/1 F
2007	30	Silver Birch	33/1
2006	26	Numbersixvalverde	11/1
2005	11	Hedgehunter	7/1 F
2004	17	Amberleigh House	16/1
2003	19	Monty's Pass	16/1

Over the last 23 years, there have actually been three numbers that have come up with the goods a couple of times. Numbers 3, 29 and 35 have all produced two winners of the famous Aintree race since 2003, so perhaps there is some credence to the idea that numbers can be lucky.

Three is a Magic Number

Horses wearing the number three won in both 2025 and 2019. The most recent was Nick Rockett, which went off at 33/1 but defied those odds to sneak home ahead of defending champion I Am Maximus and fellow 33/1 shot Grangeclare West.

Nick Rockett joined the much-loved Tiger Roll as a three-wearing winner after the latter won in 2019 for the second year in a row at odds of just 4/1. Tiger Roll wore 13 in 2018, so perhaps he really enjoyed wearing any number with three in it.

Consider the 20s

Whilst 29 has been a successful number twice, it actually started a bit of a trend for other numbers in the 20s to enjoy victories. Pineau De Re claimed victory wearing 29 in 2014 before Rule The World ruled Aintree a couple of years later saddling the same number.

Just a year later we saw One For Arthur take home the glory wearing number 22, and then in 2022, 50/1 longshot Noble Yeats strode home in number 28. Corach Rambler then followed suit a year later sporting 26. That same 26 was worn by Numbersixvalverde in 2006, who fended off defending champion Hedgehunter down the home straight.

Is 35 a Winner?

One of the biggest upsets in Grand National history occurred in 2013 when Ryan Mania rode 66/1 outsider Auroras Encore to a stunning victory, and he did so wearing 35. It was then a while between drinks for 35 as backers of that number had to wait until Minella Times won the race in 2021, with Rachael Blackmore riding him home at 11/1 after pulling away from 100/1 shot Balko Des Flos in the home straight.

Unfortunately, 35 has had its day in the sun as a maximum field size of 34 means we won't be seeing any magnificent equine don this particular number in 2026. There is some good news for those who like numbers in the 30s, though, as Silver Birch wore 30 to victory in 2007 and Comply Or Die was wearing 33 when taking the title 12 months on.

Numbers To Avoid

It's clear that the last 22 runnings have given rise to the idea that some numbers are better than others, but which ones should be avoided? There are obviously quite a few that have failed to win since 2003, as there have been 18 unique numbers that've won out of the 40 available (although the race now only contains 34 runners).

Lucky number seven is not lucky at all, for example, whilst the majority of saddle numbers in the 10-19 bracket that were onboard the winning horse came pre-2011. Perhaps they're due.

A Look at Odds

Theoretically, the shorter the odds a horse has, the more likely it is to win. That doesn't usually ring true in the Grand National. Based on the table above, we can see that Tiger Roll won at 4/1. It's pretty rare that any horse is priced that short in such a race, but it was easy to see why he was after claiming his second victory in as many years.

Recent years have also seen a couple of short prices triumph in one of the most coveted prizes in horse racing, with I Am Maximus taking the spoils at 7/1 just a year after Corach Rambler did so at 8/1.

Those two winners were sandwiched between last year's 33/1 shocker Nick Rockett and an incredible run by Noble Yeats in 2022, who snuck home at 50/1 to make Sam Waley-Cohen the first amateur jockey in 32 years to win the Grand National.

2012-2016 was a golden time for longer odds, with all five winners clocking in at 25/1 or greater. Two of them went off at 33/1, whilst Auroras Encore's win at 66/1 remains one of the longest-priced horses to ever win the Grand National. Mon Mome has that beat, though, winning as a stunning 100/1 shot in 2009.

About the Author

Oliver Lines

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Oliver has been involved in sports betting writing since 2017 and has covered all manner of events during that time, including football, NFL, golf, cricket, and horse racing. It’s no surprise, that he holds an interest in most sports and loves finding underappreciated markets to have a punt on. Oliver also has years of experience on the casino side of things and can spot a poor bonus from a mile away.