Trainer Oliver Greenall has given an update on his two 2026 Grand National contenders, Iroko and Jagwar.
The pair will look to carry the colours of owner JP McManus to victory in the race, following two very different runs at the Cheltenham Festival.
On Sunday, Greenall told Racing TV’s Nick Luck: “They seem good. They did a piece of work yesterday morning and it was all good afterwards.
“[There is a] Few more days to go, but, yeah, so far so good.”
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Tenth at Cheltenham
Iroko finished fifth in last year’s Grand National and had been off the track for seven months before making his seasonal debut at Haydock in November.
The eight-year-old finished second on that occasion, which preceded his Ascot victory in December and 10th-placed effort in the Ultima.
He was behind Jagwar in that latter race, as he finished second to Johnnywho – a horse who has been entered to run in the Scottish Grand National.
Jagwar has won four of his eight races since he last finished outside the placings in April 2024, though none of those wins have come in any of his three efforts this season.
Grand National prep
On their Grand National preparations, Greenall said: “Visually, Iroko has always been the same.
“He has always never really blown us away at home, and as a trainer, you’ve always got that in the back of your mind.
“You just have to remind yourself that’s what he is like and he has always been like that, whereas Jagwar takes a lot less work.
“He is a lighter-framed horse and doesn’t take the same amount of work.”
The pair are currently priced at 9/1 and 12/1 respectively, as they fill two of the first five horses in the betting.
They are joined at the head of the market by ownermate and 2024 winner I Am Maximus, who was last year’s runner-up, as well as last year’s third-placed runner Grangeclare West.
Greenall added: “They don’t often work together.
“They did on Saturday and they were going through the motions, just getting their last bit of fitness ready.
“They were blowing the cobwebs away and just getting ready for next Saturday.”
READ MORE: Grand National 2026: Race analysis and preview as I Am Maximus heads the field
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