# What Time is the Grand National 2026? Race Schedule & TV Guide _The Grand National 2026 is at 4:00pm BST on Saturday 11 April at Aintree. Full day schedule, ITV coverage times, and when each race runs from 1:45pm._ *Source: [https://stablebet.co.uk/racing-news/grand-national-2026-what-time/](https://stablebet.co.uk/racing-news/grand-national-2026-what-time/) · last updated 2026-04-02* ## What Time is the Grand National 2026? The Grand National 2026 starts at **4:00pm BST** on **Saturday 11 April 2026** at Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool. Racing on Grand National day begins at **1:45pm** with five races before the National itself. The full card runs until approximately 5:15pm. **At a glance:** | | | |---|---| | Race | Randox Grand National 2026 | | Date | Saturday 11 April 2026 | | Start time | **4:00pm BST** | | Venue | Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool | | TV | ITV1 (live) | | Distance | 4 miles 2½ furlongs | | Runners | 34 | The race takes approximately 9–10 minutes to complete. By 4:15pm you should know the result. ## Full Race Schedule — Grand National Day 2026 There are six races on Grand National day (Saturday 11 April). All times are BST. | Time | Race | Distance | Notes | |------|------|----------|-------| | 1:45pm | Race 1 | 2m | Opening race | | 2:25pm | Race 2 | 2m4f | | | 3:05pm | Race 3 (Topham Chase) | 2m5f | Run over National fences | | 3:45pm | Race 4 (Grand Sefton) | 2m | Over National fences | | **4:00pm** | **Race 5 — Grand National** | **4m2½f** | **The main event** | | 5:15pm | Race 6 | 2m | Final race of the day | *Exact post times for races 1–4 and race 6 are confirmed closer to the meeting. The Grand National itself is fixed at 4:00pm.* ### The full Aintree Festival (9–11 April) Grand National day is the final day of the three-day Aintree Festival. The full festival schedule: | Day | Date | Key Race | |-----|------|----------| | Thursday | 9 April | Manifesto Novices' Chase | | Friday | 10 April | Aintree Hurdle, Mildmay Novices' Chase | | **Saturday** | **11 April** | **Grand National — 4:00pm** | If you're attending on Thursday or Friday, racing starts at 1:30pm on both days. ## TV and Streaming Guide ### ITV1 — free-to-air ITV has the Grand National and shows the race live on ITV1. Coverage typically begins around **1:30pm**, building up through the afternoon card before the National at 4:00pm. ITV's coverage includes pre-race analysis, jockey interviews, and the full race broadcast. ITV1 is free on Freeview (channel 3), Sky (channel 103), and Virgin Media (channel 103). ### ITVX — free online streaming ITVX streams ITV's Grand National coverage live and free. Available on desktop, mobile, and most smart TVs. No subscription required — you just need a free ITVX account. ### Racing TV Racing TV has full festival coverage across all three days, including races not shown on ITV. Requires a subscription. Available on Sky channel 426 and online at racingtv.com. ### Betting shop coverage Most major betting shops (Betfred, William Hill, Ladbrokes, Coral, Paddy Power) show the Grand National on their in-shop screens. Shops open from around 9am on race day. Queues at the counter build from around 2pm — if you want to place a bet in person, go before 3:30pm. ### Abroad The Grand National is broadcast in over 140 countries. If you're outside the UK, check your local sports broadcaster or use a VPN to access ITVX (you'll need a UK IP address). ## On the Day — Timing Tips ### If you're betting Online bookmakers close markets a few minutes before the off. Get your bets on by **3:50pm** at the latest. If you're doing a sweepstake or each-way bet with a betting shop, go before 3:30pm — queues at the counter are long on National day. Ante-post markets are open now. Prices tighten significantly after final declarations on Wednesday 8 April and again on the morning of the race. If you want the best price, bet earlier in the week. ### If you're watching at the pub Most pubs showing the race will be busy from around 2pm. The 4:00pm start means it falls in peak Saturday afternoon pub hours. Get there before 3:30pm if you want a good spot. ### If you're at Aintree Gates open from 10am on race day. The Grand National enclosures are: County Stand, Princess Royal, Lord Sefton, and the Aintree Village public area. The weighing room area gets congested from 3:30pm as crowds build for the main event. Find your spot before then. ### If your horse falls About half the field won't complete the course in a typical Grand National. Falls, unseated riders, and pulled-up horses are all common. The race takes 9–10 minutes — if your horse is still running at the Canal Turn second time, they have a genuine chance of finishing. The result is usually known by **4:15pm**. While you wait for the off, you can [see today's racing read by our AI](/ai-race-predictor/today/), which gives the model's probabilities for every UK race, published as research rather than tips. ## Grand National 2026 Time — FAQ ### What time does the Grand National start in 2026? **4:00pm BST on Saturday 11 April 2026.** The race is at Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool, and takes approximately 9–10 minutes to complete. ### What time does racing start on Grand National day? The first race on Saturday 11 April is at **1:45pm BST**. There are five races before the Grand National, with the final race of the day at around 5:15pm. ### What channel is the Grand National on? ITV1, free-to-air. Coverage typically starts around 1:30pm. The race itself is at 4:00pm. ITVX streams it live for free online. ### What time is the first race at Aintree on Grand National day? 1:45pm BST on Saturday 11 April 2026. ### What time does the Grand National finish? The race takes 9–10 minutes. If it starts at 4:00pm, the result is usually known by **4:15pm**. ### What are the race times for the full Aintree Festival? - Thursday 9 April: first race 1:30pm - Friday 10 April: first race 1:30pm - Saturday 11 April (Grand National day): first race 1:45pm, Grand National 4:00pm ### When do I need to place my bet by? Online: by **3:50pm** at the latest (most bookmakers close the market shortly before the off). Betting shop: aim to be at the counter by **3:30pm** to avoid the queue. ### How long is the Grand National? 4 miles 2½ furlongs — the longest National Hunt race in Britain. There are 30 fences over two circuits. The average winning time is around 9 minutes. > **Where to bet on UK racing:** see our [bookmaker reviews and offers](/bookmakers/) for the current welcome offers, Best Odds Guaranteed coverage, and each-way terms ahead of upcoming UK + Irish racing. ## Sources & verification Race details, dates, prize money and trends in this piece were cross-checked against: - [Racing Post — race archive + form database](https://www.racingpost.com/) - [Sporting Life — race cards and results](https://www.sportinglife.com/racing/) - [Wikipedia — long-run historical data](https://en.wikipedia.org/) [Source: cross-referenced as of the lastUpdated date in this article's meta.yaml.]