Winning Colours: The Most Successful Grand National Silks in Recent Years

There are many reasons that might convince someone to bet on the Grand National – the odds, jockey, trainer, weight, course form and age of a horse can all have some impact on whether or not to back a particular Grand National horse.

However, there’s another factor that you could use to decide which horse to back in the 2025 Grand National, and that’s the silks worn by the jockeys. Over the years, certain colours and patterns have become synonymous with success. So, let’s take a look at the most successful silk colours, cap colours, and silk patterns in recent Grand Nationals.

Most Successful Silk Colours

Over the last 15 runnings of the Grand National, six different silk colours have made their mark as the most successful. If you’re looking to place a bet, you may want to show some faith in green, which has been the most successful silk colour in this period, with six different winners. This success can largely be attributed to JP McManus, whose iconic green silks have been carried by winners like Don’t Push It, Minella Times, and I Am Maximus. The green silk has become a symbol of McManus’ winning pedigree and his close working relationship with respected trainers like Jonjo O’Neill and Henry de Bromhead.

A study conducted by bet365 suggests that these are the most successful silk colours over the past 15 years:

Most Successful Cap Colours

In addition to silk colours, the cap colour has also played a crucial role in Grand National victories. Interestingly, white caps have been the most successful in the last 15 renewals, with six wins. Notable winners like Don’t Push It, which gave AP McCoy his first Grand National win, and One For Arthur, which secured Lucinda Russell’s first victory, were both equipped with a white cap.

Here’s the breakdown of the most successful cap colours:

Most Successful Silk Patterns

When it comes to the most successful patterns, star-patterned silks have come out on top in the last 14 renewals, with four wins. Tiger Roll (2018 & 2019) played a major role in cementing the star pattern’s dominance, while Rule The World (2016), owned by Gigginstown Stud, also triumphed in star-patterned silks.

Here’s the breakdown of the most successful silk patterns:

Looking at how these trends tie into this year’s runners makes interesting reading. It’s highly likely that we’ll see another jockey wearing green silks crossing the finishing line in celebration, given six of the top seven in the current betting will be wearing that colour.

A winning jockey with silks including a star is far less likely though, as only one horse in the top ten – Minella Cocooner – will carry a rider wearing a star.

And the likelihood of both green silks and a star on the winning silks is even less, with only Hyland, Three Card Brag and rank outsider Where It All Began expected to carry those patterns. 

Whether you’re rooting for the green silks of JP McManus or a star-patterned masterpiece, the Grand National never fails to provide drama, excitement, and history in the making.