2027 race details

The 2027 Grand National is scheduled for Saturday 10 April 2027 at Aintree, the Saturday of the three-day Grand National Meeting (Thursday–Saturday).

Detail	Value
Race date	Saturday 10 April 2027
Off time	TBA
Going	TBA
Field size	(max 34)
Distance	4 miles 2½ furlongs
Obstacles	30 fences (16 different fences jumped twice, except The Chair + Water Jump jumped once)
Prize fund	£1m+

The fences

The 30 fences include the famous named jumps:

• The Chair (fence 15, jumped once) — 5ft 2in high with a 6ft-wide open ditch in front. The tallest on the course.
• Becher's Brook (fence 6 and fence 22) — 5ft high with a steep drop on the landing side.
• Canal Turn (fence 8 and fence 24) — 90-degree left turn immediately after landing.
• The Water Jump (fence 16, jumped once) — 12ft 6in wide water ditch in front of the stands.
• Valentine's Brook (fence 9 and fence 25) — 5ft high with a 5ft 6in-wide brook on landing side.
• Foinavon (fence 7 and fence 23) — named after the 1967 100/1 winner whose rivals piled up here.

Trials and build-up

The road to the Grand National runs through three key prep races:

• Becher Chase (Aintree, early December) — Grade 3 over 3m 2f on the National fences. The most direct prep available.
• Grand National Trial (Haydock, February) — 3m 4½f handicap chase.
• Welsh Grand National (Chepstow, 27 Dec) — 3m 6½f marathon prep for stamina.

Five-day entries for the Grand National open in late January. Maximum permitted field is 34 runners. Final declarations (48-hour) are on Thursday of race week.

Ante-post markets

Grand National ante-post is the single biggest betting market in UK sport. Books open after Cheltenham (mid-March) and peak in the final week. 60-70% of adult British population places a Grand National bet. Each-way terms typically 5 places (occasionally 6 or 7) with major bookmakers offering "best odds guaranteed" as standard.

History and notable winners

The Grand National was first run at Aintree in 1839, founded by William Lynn, landlord of the nearby Waterloo Hotel, who saw commercial promise in a major steeplechase close to Liverpool. The inaugural winner was Lottery — ridden by Jem Mason and sent off 5/1 favourite. The race has been run every year since bar wartime interruptions and the 1993 void year.

The legends

Red Rum is the most famous Grand National horse of all time — the only horse to win it three times (1973, 1974, 1977). Runner-up in 1975 and 1976 also. Trained by Ginger McCain on Southport Sands; his 1973 win, catching Crisp on the line after a 30-length deficit down the far side, remains the single most famous moment in British racing.

Aldaniti (1981) — trained by Josh Gifford, ridden by Bob Champion who had just beaten cancer — gave the race its most emotional winner. The 1983 film "Champions" told the story.

Tipperary Tim (1928) won at 100/1 — the longest-priced winner in Grand National history, alongside Foinavon (1967) and Mon Mome (2009). In 1928 he was one of just two horses to finish from a field of 42.

Foinavon (1967, 100/1) — famous not just for the price but for the chaos at the 23rd fence (the small fence at the far end of the Canal Turn bend) where a riderless horse caused a pile-up. Foinavon jumped the fence on the outside and proceeded to win by 15 lengths.

Mon Mome (2009, 100/1), One For Arthur (2017, 14/1), Tiger Roll (2018, 2019 — back-to-back, first since Red Rum's era), I Am Maximus (2024, 8/1) are modern champions.

The 2023 protest + 2024 format changes

In 2023 an Animal Rising protest delayed the start and a subsequent review led to major changes for 2024 onwards:

• Max field reduced from 40 to 34 runners
• First fence moved 60 yards closer to the start to reduce speed into the first
• Fence heights reduced at Becher's Brook and other landmark fences

The changes have slightly reduced the race's casualty rate while preserving the character of the great race.

What wins the Grand National

The Grand National rewards:

• Genuine 4m+ stamina — even modern changes haven't made it a shorter race
• Jumping fluency at speed — 30 fences jumped at near-Gold-Cup pace in a 34-horse field
• An even temperament — horses who don't handle crowded fields get dragged wide or tangled up
• A handicap mark of 140-160 — well-weighted horses have the best strike rate; top-weights can win but it's harder

Recent roll of honour

This section updates after each year's running — see /racing-news/ for the most recent Grand National result article.

TV coverage and how to watch

The 2027 Grand National is live on ITV1 (free-to-air in the UK).

UK terrestrial — ITV1 / ITVX

ITV Racing's Grand National Day coverage is the network's flagship sports broadcast of the year outside of major international football. Coverage typically runs from 12:30pm on Grand National Saturday, carrying all seven races from Aintree plus extended pre-race programming, celebrity fashion coverage, course analysis and runner-by-runner previews.

The Grand National itself is the fourth or fifth race on the card, off around 5:15pm; the exact off-time for 2027 is TBA once confirmed.

ITVX carries the coverage live and on demand after the event, free to UK viewers. The Grand National broadcast regularly attracts over 8 million UK viewers — the single largest British racing audience of the year and one of the largest of any sport.

Racing TV

Racing TV carries the full three-day Grand National Meeting (Thursday–Saturday, 21 races total) with extensive pre- and post-race analysis. The Grand National Pass is typically a three-day bundle. Subscription or day-pass required.

Sky Sports Racing

Sky Sports Racing does not hold rights to the Grand National Meeting — Aintree is on Racing TV and ITV. Sky Sports Racing will show complementary Saturday fixtures.

International

• Ireland: RTÉ Sport + Racing TV carry the full meeting.
• US: NBC Sports traditionally carries the race; US-based Irish/British expats follow heavily.
• Australia: Sky Thoroughbred Central; time difference means Melbourne-based Australians watch late evening.
• Global reach: the race is broadcast to 60+ countries; estimated worldwide audience is 600+ million.

Replays

ITVX (free) and Racing TV (subscriber archive) keep the race available on-demand. The Racing Post, ITV Racing, Aintree and Red Rum's official channels all post the race video within hours. The race has been the most-watched British-racing YouTube video every year since the platform launched.

Off-time reminders

Grand National Day has the tightest TV-schedule discipline of any British horse race — the race is carried live worldwide, and the ITV slot is planned years ahead. Expect the advertised TBA to move by no more than 1 minute unless a late-withdrawal or stewards' delay intervenes.

Grand National Day at Aintree

Getting there

Aintree Racecourse is at Ormskirk Road, Aintree, Liverpool, L9 5AS — 7 miles north of Liverpool city centre. The nearest station is Aintree (Merseyrail, direct from Liverpool Central, 20 minutes), then a 5-minute walk to the course.

Drivers: Junction 7 of the M57 then A506 to the course. On-course parking is extensive but sold out early on Grand National Day. Park-and-ride options operate from Aintree Retail Park and nearby industrial estates.

The enclosures

Four tickets for Grand National Day:

• Earl of Derby Stand — the premier enclosure with the best views, parade ring access, hospitality options. Smart dress code.
• Princess Royal Stand — main public grandstand with excellent paddock access.
• Tattersalls Enclosure — mid-course with bars, food stands, big-screen viewing.
• Central Course Enclosure — budget option in the infield with picnic space. Has its own food and drinks outlets.

Grand National Day tickets sell out fast every year — book early (typically on sale from September the previous year) through thejockeyclub.co.uk.

On the day

• Gates open around 10:30am.
• First race is usually 1:45pm.
• The Grand National is race 5 on the card, off at 5:15pm.
• Parade ring is crowded from 45 minutes before the National — the 34-runner field walk is a spectacle.
• Ladies' Day is Friday — if you want the full Aintree experience across multiple days, consider the full three-day pass.

Dress code

Earl of Derby Stand: smart day-dress expected; many attendees wear suits or dresses with hats (Ladies' Day is the full fashion day, Saturday National Day is slightly more relaxed but still dressy).

Princess Royal / Tattersalls: smart-casual expected; Saturday's crowd dresses up more than weekday racing crowds.

Central Course: no dress code — traditional Aintree "Scouse National" atmosphere with picnics and dressed-up crowds.

Food and drink

Aintree has extensive hospitality: the Red Rum Garden, Earl of Derby restaurants, Princess Royal Suite, and trackside chalets are all premium options. Standard food outlets across all enclosures include traditional British fare, street food, and plenty of pub-food options. Pimm's and Champagne bars across the premium stands; standard bars throughout.

Betting

Tote facilities and on-course bookmakers everywhere. Grand National Day is the single highest-betting day in UK sport — over £100m is wagered on the race in UK alone. ATMs on-site but long queues — bring cash for the rails. Our bookmaker comparison guide covers app-based alternatives if you'd rather place from your phone. Each-way terms typically 5+ places.