Grand National at Aintree: Complete Race Guide
Every April, something extraordinary happens. Ten million people across Britain stop what they’re doing to watch 40 horses and jockeys tackle 30 of the most iconic fences in sport. Office workers huddle around computers, clutching sweepstake tickets for horses they’ve never heard of. Families gather in front of televisions. Pubs go silent as the field thunders towards Becher’s Brook. For less than ten minutes, the Grand National becomes the only thing that matters.
This isn’t just a horse race. This is a cultural phenomenon. The day your nan has her annual flutter. The race where 100/1 outsiders can beat champions. Where legends are made and hearts are broken in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.
The bottom line: The Randox Grand National is the world’s most famous steeplechase, run over 4 miles 2½ furlongs with 30 fences at Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool, every April. It’s Europe’s most valuable jump race (£1 million prize fund), watched by 500-600 million people globally. Whether you’re a racing fanatic or someone who only bets once a year, this is the race that defines British sport.
Quick facts
Distance: 4m 2½f
Fences: 30
Runners: Up to 34
When: April 9th-11th
Watch: ITV / ITVX
Location: Aintree (Liverpool)
Table of Contents
What Makes the Grand National Special
The Grand National has been run since 1839 at Aintree, making it nearly 200 years old. But age alone doesn’t explain why half of Britain tunes in whilst similar races barely register. The Grand National transcends sport because the race is democratic in a way few other events are.
Everyone watches. The Grand National commands over 60% of the UK viewing population during the race – a higher percentage share than the FA Cup Final (52%) or Wimbledon Men’s Final (51%). Those 6-10 million UK viewers aren’t all racing fans. Most of them don’t know a furlong from a fetlock. They watch because this is the one race where anything can happen, where the favourite can fall at the first and a 100/1 outsider can win.
That unpredictability is built into the DNA of the race. It’s a handicap steeplechase, meaning the race is designed to give every horse a chance by adjusting the weight they carry. The better horses carry more weight, the underdogs carry less. Add 30 formidable fences, 4 miles of stamina-sapping distance, and a field of up to 40 runners, and you’ve got the sporting equivalent of organised chaos.
The office sweepstake tradition captures this perfectly. Across Britain every April, people draw horses from a hat. Suddenly, someone who’s never been to a racecourse finds themselves emotionally invested in a horse called “Noble Yeats” or “Foinavon”. When their horse is still going at the Canal Turn, when it’s in contention at the final fence, when it crosses that line – the roar you hear isn’t from seasoned gamblers. It’s from ordinary people experiencing the Grand National’s magic.
The fences make it iconic. Unlike standard National Hunt fences made of birch, Aintree’s obstacles are constructed from Sitka and Norway spruce brought down from the Lake District. It takes the groundstaff three weeks to build them using 150 tonnes of spruce delivered in 16 lorryloads. These aren’t just barriers – they’re tests of courage, judgement, and horsemanship. Becher’s Brook, The Chair, Canal Turn – these names carry weight in racing folklore because they’ve written so many dramatic stories.
The cultural impact runs deep. When Red Rum died in 1995, his obituary received more column inches than novelist Sir Kingsley Amis and former Prime Minister Lord Home, who died the same month. That’s not hyperbole – it’s a measure of how deeply the Grand National, and its legends, are woven into British life.
The Race Itself: What You’re Actually Watching
When 34 horses line up at Aintree on Grand National Saturday, they’re facing the longest jump race in Britain and arguably the toughest test in horse racing worldwide.
The distance: 4 miles 2½ furlongs (4 miles 514 yards, or 6.907 km if you prefer metric). To put that in perspective, most standard steeplechases run around 2-3 miles. The Grand National is a marathon by comparison, demanding stamina, jumping accuracy, and mental toughness over two gruelling circuits.
The course: Horses complete two laps of the National Course – a unique triangular circuit separate from Aintree’s other track. They jump 16 unique obstacles, with 14 of them tackled twice (once on each circuit), making 30 fences in total. Two fences – The Chair and the Water Jump – are only jumped on the first circuit.
After clearing the final fence, horses face a 494-yard run-in to the finishing post. It’s the longest run-in of any UK racecourse, and it’s brutal. Many a potential winner has been caught in those final yards, their stamina reserves depleted after navigating 29 fences and nearly four and a half miles of racing.
Why it’s so difficult: The combination of distance, unique fences, and field size creates what’s often called “the ultimate test of horse and rider”. Standard National Hunt fences are around 4ft 6in and made of birch. Aintree’s spruce fences range from 4ft 6in to 5ft 2in, topped with Lake District greenery that’s denser and more unforgiving than conventional obstacles. Horses need to be brave, accurate, and switched-on throughout the race. One mistake, one moment of hesitation, and the race is over.
The field: Up to 40 runners historically, though this was reduced to 34 for safety in recent years. Even 34 horses thundering towards the first fence creates an incredible spectacle – and significant danger. The cavalry charge start, whilst thrilling to watch, requires immense skill from jockeys to avoid getting boxed in, clipped, or carried wide.
The handicap system: This is crucial to understanding why the Grand National is so unpredictable. The British Horseracing Authority assigns weights to horses based on their ability. Better horses carry more weight (up to around 11st 10lb), whilst less fancied horses carry less. The goal is to theoretically give every horse an equal chance. In practice, it means champions can be beaten by outsiders if the weights level the playing field enough.
Only six pre-race favourites have won the Grand National since 1999, and recent winners have come at odds ranging from 7/1 (I Am Maximus, 2024) to 100/1 (Mon Mome, 2009). The last time all runners made it over the first fence? Auroras Encore’s 2013 win. That’s how tough this race is – even getting around is an achievement.
Race duration: Approximately nine minutes. Mr Frisk holds the course record at 8 minutes 47.8 seconds, set in 1990. That record has stood for over 30 years, with only Many Clouds coming close to breaking the 9-minute barrier since.
In 2024, 21 of 32 runners finished the race – seven were pulled up, four unseated their riders. That completion rate is considered good. It’s rare for more than half the field to finish, which tells you everything about the Grand National’s demands.
The Famous Fences: Where Legends Are Made
You can’t understand the Grand National without understanding the fences. These aren’t anonymous obstacles – they’re characters in the story, each with its own history and challenge.
Becher’s Brook (Fences 6 & 22)
The most famous fence in racing, Becher’s Brook stands 4ft 10in high with a 10-inch drop on the landing side. It’s named after Captain Martin Becher, who fell here in the very first official Grand National in 1839. Legend has it he sheltered in the brook whilst other horses jumped over him, remarking afterwards that he’d never realised “water tasted so filthy without whisky in it.”
Whether he actually said it or not, the story stuck. Becher’s Brook has been the site of more drama, more falls, and more heartbreak than any other obstacle on the course. The drop on landing makes it treacherous – horses need to judge the jump perfectly, land cleanly, and adjust instantly for the drop. Get it wrong and you’re out.
Safety modifications in the 1990s and again after 2011 levelled the drop somewhat, but Becher’s remains formidable. Watching horses approach it on the second circuit, when they’re tired, when the race is reaching its climax, you hold your breath. Always.
The Chair (Fence 15)
The tallest fence on the course at 5ft 2in, with a 6ft-wide ditch on the take-off side and a landing side that’s actually 15cm higher than take-off (the opposite of Becher’s). The Chair is jumped only once, on the first circuit, and it’s spectacular.
It’s named after the chair where the distance judge once sat in the earliest days of racing. On the second circuit, he would record the finishing order and declare any horse that hadn’t passed him before the previous runner finished as “distanced” – essentially, a non-finisher. That practice ended in the 1850s, but the monument where the chair stood remains, and the name stuck.
The Chair is also notable for being the site of the only human fatality in Grand National history. In 1862, jockey Joe Wynne fell here and died from his injuries, though a coroner’s inquest revealed he was already gravely weakened from consumption. The ditch was added on the take-off side afterwards in an effort to slow horses on approach.
Watching horses clear The Chair is one of the Grand National’s great sights. The sheer size, the open ditch, the raised landing – it demands respect.
Canal Turn (Fences 8 & 24)
What makes the Canal Turn unique isn’t its height (5ft, fairly standard) but what happens after the jump: an immediate 90-degree left turn. The fence runs alongside the Leeds-Liverpool Canal, and horses must jump and turn simultaneously.
Jockeys approach from the outside to save ground, jumping at an angle to position themselves for the sharp left. Get it wrong, come in too fast, or misjudge the angle, and you’re carried wide, losing vital lengths. Some horses refuse here, spooked by the proximity of the canal and the sharp turn required. It’s a tactical fence as much as a physical one.
Foinavon (Fences 7 & 23)
At 4ft 6in, Foinavon is the smallest fence on the Grand National course. But its name carries weight because of one incredible day in 1967.
Foinavon was a 100/1 outsider (the Tote paid out at 444/1). His jockey, John Buckingham, had only got the ride three days before the race because three other jockeys turned it down – the owner wouldn’t pay the customary extra £5 fee. Neither the owner nor trainer bothered attending; they were at Worcester races instead, convinced Foinavon had no chance.
Coming into fence 23 on the second circuit, Foinavon was running 22nd, about three lengths behind the leaders. Then chaos erupted. A loose horse called Popham Down veered right across the fence just as the field approached. Horses refused, fell, unseated riders, ran back the wrong way. Twenty-eight horses were in the race; suddenly, 17 jockeys were remounting.
Foinavon, so far behind that Buckingham had time to see the carnage unfold, steered wide and jumped clean. He gained a 30-length lead at the Canal Turn. Honey End, the favourite who’d remounted, closed to 15 lengths by the final fence but couldn’t catch him. Foinavon won by 15 lengths in one of the most improbable victories in sporting history.
In 1984, fence 23 was officially renamed “The Foinavon” – the smallest fence on the course, immortalised by the most unlikely winner. The footage is replayed every Grand National day, a reminder that at Aintree, truly anything can happen.
Valentine’s Brook (Fences 9 & 25)
Standing 5ft high with a 5ft 6in brook on the landing side, Valentine’s Brook was originally called “Second Brook”. It was renamed after a horse called Valentine that reportedly jumped it hind legs first in 1840, somehow landing safely and continuing.
The drop on landing makes it another tricky obstacle, and horses often jump at an angle to deal with the gradient. Like Becher’s, it rewards brave, accurate jumping and punishes mistakes.
The Water Jump (Fence 16)
The lowest fence on the course at just 2ft 6in (76cm), the Water Jump is positioned at the end of the first circuit in front of the grandstands. It’s pure spectacle – horses flying over the water at speed often drag their hind legs, causing a splash that looks dramatic but can unbalance them.
Introduced in 1841 to replace a 16ft-wide stone wall (mercifully removed for being ludicrously dangerous even by Victorian standards), the Water Jump gives the crowd a brilliant view of the horses before they head out for the second circuit.
How the Fences Are Built
These aren’t standard birch fences knocked up in an afternoon. Three weeks before the Grand National Festival, the Aintree groundstaff team begins construction using Sitka and Norway spruce sourced from the Lake District. They use 150 tonnes of spruce delivered in 16 lorryloads, weaving it into plastic birch structures that provide flexibility if horses make a mistake.
This flexibility is crucial. Since 2013, when the fences were rebuilt with plastic cores instead of solid timber, safety has improved significantly. Horses can brush through the top rather than crashing into something solid. The character of the fences remains intact – they’re still formidable, still testing – but they’re more forgiving on impact. Injuries decreased. The race remains the ultimate test, just with a slightly lower cost.
Red Rum: The Horse That Defined the Grand National
If you know one Grand National story, it’s Red Rum. Between 1973 and 1977, a horse with problematic feet and a heart of pure steel became the most famous racehorse in British history.
Three wins: 1973, 1974, and 1977. It’s a record that has never been matched and may never be matched again. But the numbers don’t capture what made Red Rum special.
The 1973 victory is often called one of the greatest Grand Nationals ever. Red Rum and the Australian chaser Crisp were joint 9/1 favourites. Crisp, carrying top weight (12 stone), led virtually the entire race. At the final fence, he was 15 lengths clear of Red Rum. The race looked over.
Then something extraordinary happened. In that brutal 494-yard run-in, with Crisp beginning to tire under his immense weight, Red Rum (carrying 10st 5lb – 23 pounds less) came storming back. Jockey Brian Fletcher drove him forward relentlessly. Commentator Peter O’Sullevan’s voice captured the drama: “Red Rum is the one who’s finishing the strongest. He’s going to get up! Red Rum is going to win the National. At the line, Red Rum has just snatched it from Crisp!”
He won by three-quarters of a length in a new course record time of 9:01.9 – a record that stood until 1990. It was spectacular, dramatic, and unforgettable.
The 1974 victory was different. Red Rum carried 12 stone – top weight. No horse has won the Grand National carrying top weight since. He beat L’Escargot by seven lengths, with Brian Fletcher again in the saddle, proving his first win wasn’t luck or a kind handicap mark. Red Rum was genuinely exceptional.
Just three weeks later, he won the Scottish Grand National. He remains the only horse to win both Nationals in the same season. That’s the level he was operating at – winning the world’s toughest steeplechase then backing it up at Scotland’s biggest jumps race less than a month later.
1975 and 1976 saw Red Rum finish second. In 1975, L’Escargot reversed the form, beating Red Rum on very soft ground (which Red Rum hated). In 1976, Rag Trade denied him a third consecutive win. Tommy Stack replaced Brian Fletcher as jockey after Fletcher told the press the horse “no longer felt right” following a defeat away from Aintree. Trainer Ginger McCain was furious at the public comments, but Red Rum still finished second, closing on the winner in the straight but unable to catch him under top weight for the third successive year.
The 1977 victory completed the legend. Red Rum was 12 years old – ancient by racing standards. Many thought one more tilt at the National was “going to the well once too often”. But trainer Ginger McCain knew his horse, and he knew Aintree brought out the best in Red Rum.
The instructions to Tommy Stack were simple: “Ride him like you always do, take your time and be in no hurry.” With 42 runners going to post, Stack followed the plan perfectly. Red Rum travelled beautifully, jumped cleanly, and when Stack asked him to win, he accelerated. He won by 25 lengths from Churchtown Boy, posting a higher Timeform rating than that season’s Gold Cup winner.
Peter O’Sullevan’s commentary became iconic: “It’s hats off and a tremendous reception – you’ve never heard one like it at Liverpool!” The entire racecourse erupted. Red Rum had done what no horse had ever done before: won the Grand National three times.
Red Rum at a glance
🏆 Grand National wins: 1973, 1974, 1977
📍 Trainer: Ginger McCain
🧍 Jockey: Brian Fletcher / Tommy Stack
⚖️ Notable feat: Won carrying top weight (12st)
📈 Legacy: Three-time winner, national icon
Red Rum was prepared for a sixth attempt in 1978 but suffered a hairline fracture in his heel the day before the race. McCain announced his retirement immediately. The news made headlines worldwide. Red Rum led the parade that year and for many years after, returning to the scene of his greatest triumphs.
His celebrity status was unprecedented. He opened supermarkets and betting shops, switched on the Blackpool Illuminations in 1977, appeared as a studio guest on BBC Sports Personality of the Year (the only animal to do so), and helped open the Steeplechase rollercoaster at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. His image appeared on playing cards, mugs, posters, models, paintings, plates, and jigsaw puzzles. A song was written about him. Books were written by his trainer, sculptor, jockeys, and author Ivor Herbert.
When he died on 18 October 1995, aged 30, he received more obituary coverage than a former Prime Minister and celebrated novelist who died the same month. He was buried at the Aintree winning post – not near it, AT it – where he’d crossed the line three times as a winner. A statue stands in the Red Rum Garden. The racecourse bar was renamed “The Red Rum” in 2010.
The trainer, Donald “Ginger” McCain, wasn’t a conventional trainer. His stables were situated behind his used-car showroom in Southport. The nearby beach was commandeered for gallops – McCain would gallop Red Rum on Southport sands and in the sea, the salt water strengthening those problematic legs that had threatened to end the horse’s career before it truly began.
McCain bought Red Rum as a “crippled” seven-year-old and reconditioned him using this unconventional method. It worked spectacularly. Years later, after his fourth Grand National win with Amberleigh House in 2004, McCain said modestly: “Fred Rimell was a great trainer. I’m just an ex-cabbie who got lucky.”
He wasn’t lucky. He was brilliant. But that humility was typical of the man.
The owner: Noel Le Mare was 89 years old when Red Rum won his third Grand National. He lived to see his horse become the most famous racehorse in Britain, earning £146,409.80 whilst with McCain.
Red Rum’s record speaks for itself: three wins, two seconds, five consecutive Grand National appearances finishing in the top two. It’s a record that will likely never be equalled. He is the greatest Grand National horse of all time.
Other Grand National Legends
Foinavon (1967): The 100/1 Miracle
We’ve covered the pile-up at fence 23, but Foinavon’s story deserves its own section because it’s one of sport’s great underdog tales.
John Buckingham, the jockey, was thrilled just to get a Grand National ride at all. He later said he’d have ridden Foinavon for nothing. Owner Cyril Watkins and trainer John Kempton were so convinced Foinavon had no chance that they went to Worcester races instead. They were listening on the radio when they heard they’d won.
The footage is extraordinary. Horses are running up and down the fence, jockeys remounting, chaos everywhere – and there’s Foinavon, alone, jumping cleanly on the outside, suddenly 30 lengths clear. Commentator Michael O’Hehir’s voice captures the disbelief: “And now, with all this mayhem, Foinavon has gone off on his own! He’s about 50, 100 yards in front of everything else!”
Buckingham later recalled: “Everything seemed to stop in front of me. I managed to pull onto the outside. After he jumped it, we were just on our own… At the next obstacle, the Canal Turn, I looked back in disbelief at the clear lead.”
Foinavon’s odds were the definition of a long shot, but his name is remembered when countless favourites are forgotten. In 1984, commentator Michael O’Hehir’s suggestion was adopted: fence 23 became “The Foinavon”, ensuring the smallest fence on the course carries one of the biggest stories.
Tiger Roll (2018 & 2019): Back-to-Back Glory
Tiger Roll became the first horse since Red Rum in 1973-74 to win back-to-back Grand Nationals. Small, tough, and seemingly indestructible, he won in 2018 at 10/1 then returned in 2019 as the 4/1 favourite – one of the shortest-priced winners in recent decades.
Jockey Davy Russell gave him two masterclass rides. Tiger Roll jumped accurately, travelled smoothly, and when Russell asked for acceleration, he found it. In 2019, he won by 2¾ lengths from Magic Of Light, confirming his status as one of the greats.
Tiger Roll also won the Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival four times. He was versatile, brave, and brilliant – a modern Grand National legend who captured the public imagination much like Red Rum had decades earlier.
Rachael Blackmore & Minella Times (2021): Breaking the Glass Ceiling
In a race first run in 1839, it took 182 years for a female jockey to win the Grand National. When Rachael Blackmore did it aboard Minella Times in 2021, she made it look routine.
There was no drama, no fairy tale finish. Just a supremely talented jockey riding a supremely talented horse to a well-deserved victory at 11/1. Blackmore’s post-race interview was telling: “I don’t feel male or female right now. I don’t even feel human. This is just unbelievable.”
She wasn’t celebrating breaking a barrier – she was celebrating winning the Grand National. But the significance was enormous. After 182 years, women had finally won racing’s greatest prize. The glass ceiling was smashed. Rachael Blackmore had rewritten history whilst making it look easy.
Jenny Pitman & Corbiere (1983): The First Lady Trainer
Jenny Pitman became the first female trainer to win the Grand National when Corbiere triumphed in 1983. The timing was perfect – the “Save the Grand National Appeal” was underway, fighting to prevent Aintree’s sale to property developers. Corbiere’s win helped galvanise the campaign.
Pitman would train another Grand National winner, Royal Athlete in 1995. She proved that women could compete and win at the highest level in a sport dominated by men. Her success paved the way for trainers like Lucinda Russell (two Grand National wins) and others who followed.
AP McCoy & Don’t Push It (2010): A National Hero’s Moment
AP McCoy was the greatest jump jockey of his generation – probably of any generation. He was a champion jockey 20 times consecutively. He won virtually every major race in National Hunt racing. Except, famously, the Grand National.
He’d tried 14 times before 2010. Each year, hopes were raised and then dashed. Falls, bad luck, near-misses – the Grand National eluded him. By 2010, McCoy’s quest to win the race had become a national storyline. When he lined up on Don’t Push It for owner JP McManus and trainer Jonjo O’Neill, the entire country was willing him to win.
He did. At 10/1, Don’t Push It gave McCoy his first and only Grand National victory. The reception was extraordinary – this wasn’t just a jockey winning a race, it was a national hero finally conquering the one prize that had escaped him. McCoy’s relief and joy were palpable. After 15 attempts, he’d finally done it.
Aldaniti & Bob Champion (1981): Triumph Over Adversity
This is one of sport’s great comeback stories. Aldaniti had chronic leg problems, repeatedly breaking down, his career seemingly over. Bob Champion, the jockey, had testicular cancer. Doctors gave him eight months to live.
Both fought back. Champion endured brutal chemotherapy whilst Aldaniti’s legs slowly healed. On 4 April 1981, they won the Grand National together at 10/1. Champion, weak from treatment, rode Aldaniti, fragile from injury, over 30 fences and 4 miles to victory. Forty million people watched on television. Many were crying.
Their story became the film “Champions” starring John Hurt. It’s the kind of Hollywood script you couldn’t make up – except it actually happened. At Aintree. Where impossible things become real.
The Grand National Festival: Three Days of Racing
The Grand National isn’t just Saturday afternoon’s big race. It’s a three-day festival that attracts over 150,000 people to Aintree and features some of the best National Hunt racing of the season.
Three days. Three distinct experiences. One iconic festival.
Thursday — Opening Day · Friday — Ladies Day · Saturday — Grand National Day
Thursday: Opening Day (April 9, 2026)
The purest racing of the festival, quieter crowds, top-class contests.
The festival kicks off with four Grade 1 races – the same number as Ladies Day and Saturday combined. This is quality racing from the off.
The Aintree Hurdle (2m 4f) regularly attracts Cheltenham Festival winners looking for a spring finale. The Manifesto Novices’ Chase and Randox Foxhunters’ Chase complete a card of top-class jump racing.
Thursday draws around 33,000 spectators – busy but not overwhelming. For serious racing fans, Thursday often delivers the best pure racing of the festival. You can move around easily, see more, and focus on the horses rather than fighting crowds.
Friday: Ladies Day (April 10, 2026)
Where fashion, atmosphere, and elite racing collide.
Ladies Day at Aintree is famous for Liverpool fashion and style. The city shows up in force – bold colours, glamorous outfits, unapologetically Scouse fashion that’s worlds away from Royal Ascot’s conservative elegance. This is Liverpool bringing character and energy to the racecourse.
The racing is top-quality too. The Melling Chase (2m 4f) is a Grade 1 championship contest. The Topham Handicap Chase runs over the National fences, giving horses a chance to prove themselves on the big course. The Sefton Novices’ Hurdle rounds out another strong card.
Friday is popular, packed, and buzzing with atmosphere. If you want the Grand National experience without Grand National day crowds, Ladies Day delivers.
Saturday: Grand National Day (April 11, 2026)
The main event : maximum crowds, maximum drama.
This is what everyone comes for. Over 70,000 people pack into Aintree for the Grand National itself, which runs at 4:00 PM.
The undercard is strong – this isn’t just about one race – but let’s be honest: everything builds towards those nine minutes when the National runs. ITV’s coverage starts around midday with a full card of racing, but the atmosphere cranks up as 4pm approaches.
Bars get packed before the big race. Betting reaches fever pitch. Office sweepstake winners clutch their tickets. Then the tapes go up, and for approximately nine minutes, nothing else matters.
The roar when they jump the first fence, the held breath at Becher’s Brook, the tension at the Canal Turn, the sprint from the final fence – if you’re there in person, it’s electric. On television, it’s compulsive. This is sport at its most dramatic, its most unpredictable, its most thrilling.
After the race, win or lose, the atmosphere remains brilliant. Winners celebrate, losers commiserate, and everyone discusses what they just witnessed. That’s the Grand National – a shared experience that transcends whether your horse won or fell at the first.
How to Watch the Grand National
Television (UK)
ITV broadcasts the Grand National free-to-air in the UK. Coverage typically starts around midday with the full race card, building throughout the afternoon to the main event at 4pm. The production is excellent – expert analysis from legends like AP McCoy and Ruby Walsh, behind-the-scenes features, trackside reporting, and comprehensive coverage of every race.
The Grand National itself gets special treatment with extended build-up, interviews, fence-by-fence analysis, and post-race reaction. ITV knows this is their biggest sporting event of the year and treats it accordingly.
ITVX (ITV’s streaming platform) offers live streaming if you’re watching on a laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Free to use, just need a UK postcode.
Racing TV provides subscription-based coverage with in-depth analysis for serious racing fans.
Radio: BBC Radio covers the Grand National, continuing a tradition that began in 1927. If you’re travelling or away from a screen, radio coverage keeps you connected.
Viewing options at a glance
UK TV: ITV (free-to-air)
Streaming: ITVX, Racing TV
Radio: BBC Radio
In person: Aintree Racecourse
Global Broadcasting
The Grand National’s reach is massive – 500-600 million viewers across 140 countries. Major broadcasters include:
- USA: NBC Sports
- Australia: Sky Racing
- Canada: Sportsnet
- Europe: Various Eurosport channels
Check local listings for your country’s coverage.
Attending in Person
Nothing beats being there. The atmosphere, the scale, the sheer spectacle of seeing those horses thunder past – it’s a bucket-list sporting experience.
Tickets
Tickets range from £31.50 (Festival Zone general admission) to £130+ (premium seating with hospitality). Popular enclosures sell out quickly, especially for Grand National Saturday. Book early – ideally several months in advance.
When to arrive
Get there early. Gates typically open around 10-11am, depending on the enclosure. Arriving early lets you:
- Explore the course
- Visit the Parade Ring
- See horses up close
- Grab good viewing spots
- Soak up the atmosphere before it gets packed
What to wear
There’s no official dress code beyond “come dressed to feel your best”. Aintree is a spectacle of colour – many people make an effort, especially on Ladies Day. Smart-casual works for most enclosures. Premium areas like Princess Royal Stand expect smarter attire.
Comfort tips
Key advice: Wear comfortable shoes. You’ll be on your feet more than you think, especially if you’re moving around to watch from different vantage points.
Where to Watch From
If you’re attending, positioning matters. Different spots offer different perspectives:
The Embankment gives you prime viewing of the first fences. You’re right there as 34 horses charge towards fence one, the cavalry charge in full effect. It’s spectacular but you’ll watch most of the race on big screens. No parade ring access with this ticket.
Tattersalls and Festival Zone give you full course access, including the Parade Ring, Winners’ Enclosure, and Red Rum Garden (where the statue stands). You can move around, see horses before they race, and experience the full festival atmosphere. Multiple bars, entertainment, and excellent facilities.
Premium stands (Princess Royal, Queen Mother, Earl of Derby/Lord Sefton) offer elevated viewing of the finishing straight and that dramatic 494-yard run-in. You’ll see the finish live rather than on screens, which is special. Reserved seating, private bars, and access to parade ring included.
Near the winning post: If you’re in a stand near the finish, you’ll witness the race’s climax firsthand – but you’ll watch most of the circuit on big screens.
Viewing Strategy
Many experienced racegoers move around during the day. Watch early races from the stands, then head down to the rail near Becher’s or the Canal Turn to see horses jump those famous fences up close. Return to the stands for the finish. You get multiple perspectives and experience different parts of the course.
Grand National Betting: What You Need to Know
The Grand National is the most bet-on race in Britain. Approximately 10 million people in the UK watch it, and a huge percentage have a flutter – often their only bet of the year.
If you only bet once a year, this section is for you.
Understanding Each-Way Betting
The Grand National’s unpredictability makes each-way betting extremely popular. Here’s how it works:
An each-way bet is two bets: one for your horse to win, one for it to place (typically finish in the top four). Standard Grand National each-way terms are 1/4 odds, four places.
Example: You bet £10 each-way (£20 total) on a 20/1 shot.
- If it wins: You get full 20/1 odds on your win bet (£200) plus 1/4 of 20/1 (5/1) on your place bet (£50) = £250 profit
- If it finishes 2nd-4th: You get nothing on the win bet but 5/1 on your place bet = £50 profit
- If it finishes 5th or worse: You lose both bets
Each-way betting gives you coverage. In a race where chaos is expected, where horses can unseat riders or refuse fences or fall, having your stake partly protected if your horse places (but doesn’t win) is valuable.
Betting Strategies
Favourites rarely win
Only six pre-race favourites have won the Grand National since 1999. The most recent was I Am Maximus (joint 7/1 favourite) in 2024, before that Corach Rambler (8/1 favourite) in 2023. Tiger Roll won as 4/1 favourite in 2019 – the shortest-priced winner in decades.
Favourites don’t have a terrible record, but backing them isn’t a guaranteed strategy.
Course experience matters
Horses that have run at Aintree before, especially over the National fences in races like the Becher Chase or Topham Chase, have an edge. They know what they’re facing. First-timers can and do win, but familiarity helps.
Age sweet spot
Recent winners have averaged around 8-9 years old. Too young (6-7), and horses often lack the experience and strength. Too old (11+) and stamina becomes an issue. Red Rum won at 12, but that’s an outlier.
Weight matters
No horse has won carrying top weight since Red Rum in 1974. That’s 50 years. The handicap system is designed to level the playing field, and it works – horses carrying lighter weights have a statistical advantage.
Recent form
Horses need to be race-fit and in form. Since 2010, eight Grand National winners had at least four seasonal runs before the race. They’re fit, sharp, and ready.
Going (ground conditions)
The Grand National is run in April, and British weather is unpredictable. Soft ground can negate the chances of horses that prefer good ground. Check the weather forecast and ground conditions before betting – they matter.
Where to Bet
All major UK bookmakers offer extensive Grand National markets:
- Best odds guaranteed: If your horse’s SP (starting price) is bigger than the odds you took, you get paid at the bigger price
- Non-runner no bet: If your horse doesn’t run, you get your stake back
- Enhanced place terms: Some bookmakers offer extra places (5 or even 6 places instead of 4) at reduced odds
Compare bookmakers before betting. Odds can vary significantly on a 40-runner race, and extra place terms can be valuable.
Betting exchanges like Betfair let you bet against horses (lay betting) or trade in-running. More complex but potentially profitable if you know what you’re doing.
The Office Sweepstake
If you’re not a regular bettor, the office sweepstake is the way to experience the Grand National. Everyone puts in a fiver, names are drawn from a hat, and suddenly you’re emotionally invested in “Delta Work” or “Any Second Now” despite never having heard of them before.
It’s democratic, it’s fun, and it creates instant camaraderie. When your horse is still going at the second Becher’s, when it’s challenging at the final fence, you’re screaming at a screen alongside everyone else. That’s the Grand National’s magic – turning casual observers into passionate supporters for nine glorious minutes.
Remember: All betting should be done responsibly. You must be 18+ to bet. If you need support, visit BeGambleAware.org.
Getting to Aintree
Aintree is easy to reach – IF you plan ahead.
By Train (Recommended)
Aintree Station is directly opposite the racecourse entrance. You can see the grandstands from the platform. Walk time: less than 5 minutes.
Merseyrail trains run every 15 minutes from Liverpool Central Station to Aintree on the Northern Line (towards Ormskirk). Journey time: about 15 minutes. Cost: £3-5 for a single ticket.
If you’re arriving at Liverpool Lime Street (mainline station with connections from London, Manchester, Birmingham, etc.), it’s a short walk to Liverpool Central, then that simple Merseyrail journey to Aintree.
On Grand National day, trains are PACKED. Expect crowded carriages, busy platforms, and queues. But the service is frequent, efficient, and infinitely easier than driving. Seriously – take the train.
By Car
Aintree is accessible via the A59, about 1 mile from the M57 and M58 motorways. Sat nav postcode: L9 5AS.
Parking must be pre-booked for Grand National Festival days. It’s not negotiable – you can’t just turn up expecting a space. Book online through the official Aintree website weeks (ideally months) in advance.
Car parks open at 6am, but you can’t access the racecourse until gates open (typically 10-11am). Free parking is available for quieter fixtures, but Grand National Festival? Pre-book or don’t drive.
Traffic warning: Expect delays, especially after racing. 70,000 people leaving simultaneously creates congestion. If you drive, factor in extra time for the journey home.
By Bus
Routes 300, 310, and 345 run between Liverpool city centre and Aintree. Journey time: about 30 minutes. Cost: £2-4.
On Grand National Festival days, special 922 shuttle buses run from Liverpool city centre (Elliot Street) directly to the racecourse, making it even easier. Buses run every 10-20 minutes.
By Taxi / Uber
From Liverpool city centre to Aintree: roughly £10-20 depending on time and demand. Convenient for groups or if you have mobility concerns. Prices spike on Grand National day due to demand.
Hotels & Accommodation
Liverpool city centre is the best base – less than 30 minutes from Aintree, with brilliant restaurants, bars, nightlife, and culture. The Albert Dock, Liverpool ONE shopping centre, and the Baltic Triangle (trendy bars and restaurants) are all worth exploring.
Chester is an alternative – about an hour from Aintree, but it offers a more relaxed atmosphere and plenty of post-racing options.
Near Aintree: The Stables Inn, Aintree, is 0.3 miles from the course – perfect if you want to be walking distance from the action.
Book early. Grand National weekend is massive for Liverpool hotels. Secure accommodation months in advance, especially for Friday/Saturday nights.
Tickets, Prices & Enclosures
Prices for the 2026 Grand National Festival differ by day and ticket type, ranging from general admission to exclusive hospitality options. Here’s the breakdown:
General Admission & Affordable Options
Festival Zone (from £28.80 to £70.20) : General admission with live music, entertainment, food and drink options, and access to the Aintree Parade Ring and Red Rum Garden. No full racecourse access, but you experience the festival atmosphere. Budget-friendly option.
Embankment (from £38.70): Prime viewing of the first Grand National fences. Bars, catering, big screens, live entertainment, betting facilities, and unreserved seating. Houses 13,000 racegoers. No main course access, but you’re right there for the cavalry charge start.
Mid-Range Seated Options
West Tip Seats (from £52.50 to £111.60): Alongside the home straight, close to the final fences. Reserved covered seat, private bar, toilets, plus Festival Zone and Irish Bar access with betting and big screens.
Lord Sefton / Earl of Derby Terraces (from £56 to £138 each): Views over parade ring, winners’ enclosure, and course. Access to live entertainment in Red Rum Garden and Aintree Pavilion.
Princess Royal Roof (from £66 to £168): Partially covered standing area with dedicated bar (Tommy Wallis Suite). View of closing moments, plus parade ring and winners’ enclosure access.
Premium Options
Queen Mother Roof (from £97 to £189): Partially covered seat with good finishing post viewing. Parade ring, winners’ enclosure, and Aintree Pavilion entertainment access.
Earl of Derby Upper Seats (from £97 to 199): Highest vantage point on the course. Dedicated seat with Upper Saddle Bar access. Panoramic views.
Queen Mother Seats (from £117 to £224): Direct view of finishing post. Dedicated bar, parade ring, winners’ enclosure, and Aintree Pavilion entertainment.
Princess Royal Seats (from £133 to £214): Close to finishing post with reserved seat. Parade ring, winners’ enclosure, and Red Rum Garden access.
Platinum Lounge (from £133 to £230): Exclusive private bar above finishing post. Covered seating, dedicated betting and toilets, complimentary race card. Birds-eye view of the action.
Hospitality Packages
The Jockey Club offers various hospitality packages ranging from several hundred to over a thousand pounds per person. These include:
- Multi-course dining
- Premium champagne and wine
- Reserved seating or private boxes
- Exclusive bars and facilities
- Access to the parade ring
- Meet-and-greet opportunities with racing personalities
Popular packages include the Art School at Aintree (6-course tasting menu with champagne, views over parade ring, £390 per person) and private boxes for groups.
Booking Advice
Book early. Grand National Saturday tickets sell out months in advance, especially popular enclosures. Purchase through the official Aintree Racecourse / Jockey Club website to avoid fraudulent sales.
Thursday and Friday tickets are easier to secure and offer excellent value – top-quality racing without Saturday’s crowds and prices.
Children’s tickets are typically half-price or heavily discounted in some enclosures (though the Grand National Festival has restrictions in certain areas).
Records, Statistics & Trivia
Course Records
Fastest winning time: Mr Frisk (1990) – 8:47.8. This record has stood for over 30 years. Only Many Clouds has come close to breaking the 9-minute barrier since.
Most wins (horse): Red Rum – 3 wins (1973, 1974, 1977). Unprecedented and likely unbeatable.
Most wins (jockey): George Stevens – 5 wins (1856-1870). Modern era: Multiple jockeys with 2 wins, but Stevens’ record from Victorian times remains untouched.
Most wins (trainer): Three trainers share the record with 4 wins each: George Dockeray (1839-1852), Fred Rimell (1956-1976), and Ginger McCain (1973-2004).
Most wins (owner): Six owners share the record with 3 wins each, including JP McManus (who could become outright leader with a fourth win), Trevor Hemmings, Gigginstown House Stud, Noel Le Mare, and two from the Victorian era.
Oldest winning jockey: Dick Saunders (1982) – 48 years old.
Oldest winning owner: Jim Joel (1987) – 92 years old when Maori Venture won.
Youngest winning owner: Brian Walsh (2007) – 26 years old when Silver Birch won.
Last horse to win carrying top weight: Red Rum (1974) – 12 stone. That’s 50 years ago. The handicap system works.
Favourites vs Outsiders
Only 6 pre-race favourites have won since 1999. Recent 100/1 winners include Mon Mome (2009). Five horses have won at 100/1 odds throughout history.
The Grand National rewards outsiders. The Grand National is unpredictable in a way few other major sporting events are.
Completion Rates
In 2024, 21 of 32 runners finished – considered a good completion rate. It’s rare for more than half the field to finish. The last time all runners cleared the first fence was Aurora’s Encore’s 2013 win.
Horses are pulled up (jockey decides to stop), fall, or unseat riders. Completing the Grand National is an achievement in itself.
Historic Moments
1993 – The Void Race: Series of false starts, some jockeys didn’t notice the second false start and continued. The race was declared void – Peter O’Sullevan called it “the greatest disaster in the history of the Grand National.”
1997 – IRA Bomb Threat: Race postponed from Saturday to Monday after course evacuation. 15.1 million viewers – the highest sports event viewership that year. Local residents like Edie Roche opened their homes to stranded racegoers.
2012 – Two Fatalities: Led to major fence modifications in 2013 with flexible plastic cores replacing timber.
2023 – Animal Rights Protests: Animal Rising protesters disrupted the start, causing delays. First major disruption since 1997.
Cultural Milestones
First female jockey to complete: Geraldine Rees (1982) – finished last.
First female jockey to win: Rachael Blackmore (2021) – 182 years after the first race.
First female trainer to win: Jenny Pitman (1983) with Corbiere.
First female trainer with multiple wins: Lucinda Russell (two wins).
Why the Grand National Matters
Strip away the statistics, the records, the history – what makes the Grand National special is its ability to create shared moments.
It’s the race where your nan has a flutter. Where office colleagues become temporary racing experts based on horse names alone. Where 10 million people stop what they’re doing because they’ve drawn “Any Second Now” in the sweepstake and suddenly, desperately, they care.
The Grand National is a democratic sport. Champions can be beaten by 100/1 outsiders. Favourites fall at the first. Horses running 22nd can avoid a pile-up and win. Anything can happen, and regularly does.
It’s a theatrical sport. Becher’s Brook, The Chair, the Canal Turn – these aren’t anonymous obstacles, they’re characters in the drama. The fences have stories. The horses become legends. The race writes folklore.
It’s a heritage sport. Since 1839 at Aintree, the Grand National has survived two world wars, financial crises, threatened closures, and changing attitudes to animal welfare. It evolved, adapted, and endured because people fought to save it when it mattered most.
And it’s a thrilling sport. Nine minutes of unpredictable, dramatic, edge-of-your-seat action where human skill, equine power, and sheer fortune collide over 30 formidable fences and nearly four and a half miles.
When Red Rum crossed that line for the third time in 1977, when Foinavon somehow navigated the chaos in 1967, when Rachael Blackmore shattered the glass ceiling in 2021, when AP McCoy finally conquered the race that had eluded him for 15 years – these moments transcended racing. They became part of British sporting culture.
That’s what the Grand National does. It creates moments that matter, stories that last, and memories that endure.
So whether you’re there in person at Aintree, watching on television with family, or checking results on your phone between meetings, the Grand National offers something rare: genuine drama, real jeopardy, and the possibility – however slim – that the impossible might just happen.
Long may it continue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Saturday, April 11, 2026, at 4:00 PM. The three-day Grand National Festival runs April 9-11, with the main race on Saturday.
4 miles 2½ furlongs (4 miles 514 yards, or 6.907 km). It’s the longest jump race in Britain.
30 fences in total. Horses jump 16 unique obstacles, with 14 jumped twice (once per circuit). The Chair and Water Jump are only jumped on the first circuit.
The most famous fence in the Grand National, standing 4ft 10in with a 10-inch drop on landing. Named after Captain Martin Becher who fell there in 1839 and sheltered in the brook. It’s the sixth fence (and 22nd on the second circuit).
The tallest fence at 5ft 2in with a 6ft-wide ditch on take-off and a raised landing side. Jumped only once on the first circuit. Named after the distance judge’s chair. Site of the only human fatality in Grand National history (Joe Wynne, 1862).
Three times – 1973, 1974, and 1977. He also finished second in 1975 and 1976, making him the only horse to finish first or second in five consecutive Grand Nationals. This record has never been matched.
Yes. Rachael Blackmore became the first female jockey to win, riding Minella Times to victory in 2021 at 11/1 odds. It took 182 years from the first race in 1839. Jenny Pitman was the first female trainer to win (Corbiere, 1983).
Purchase through the official Aintree Racecourse / Jockey Club website. Tickets range from £31.50 (Festival Zone) to £130+ (premium seating). Book months in advance as Grand National Saturday sells out quickly.
By train: Aintree Station is directly opposite the course (<5 min walk). Merseyrail trains run every 15 minutes from Liverpool Central. By car: Via A59, 1 mile from M57/M58 motorways – parking must be pre-booked for festival days.
Typically 1/4 odds, four places. This means if you bet each-way and your horse finishes in the top four (but doesn’t win), you receive 1/4 of the odds for the place portion of your bet.
ITV broadcasts the Grand National free-to-air in the UK, with coverage starting around midday. Also available on the ITVX streaming platform. Globally, it’s broadcast in 140 countries to 500-600 million viewers.
Foinavon, a 100/1 outsider, won after a massive pile-up at fence 23 stopped virtually the entire field. Foinavon, running far behind, was the only horse to jump cleanly and went on to win by 15 lengths. The fence was renamed “The Foinavon” in 1984.
Mr Frisk set the course record in 1990 with a time of 8:47.8. This record has stood for over 30 years.
Over 150,000 across the three days. Grand National Saturday alone attracts over 70,000 spectators to Aintree.
Yes. ITV broadcasts it free-to-air in the UK. ITVX streams it online for free (UK postcode required). BBC Radio also provides free coverage.
Plan Your Grand National Experience
The Grand National isn’t just a race – it’s an experience. Whether you’re planning to attend Aintree in person or watching from home, make the most of it:
For first-timers: Don’t overthink the betting. Pick a horse you like the name of, have a modest each-way bet, and enjoy the spectacle. The Grand National is about the experience, not profit.
For racing fans: Study the form, check course experience, assess going conditions, and compare each-way terms across bookmakers. The Grand National rewards research, but remains gloriously unpredictable.
For attendees: Book tickets and travel early. Arrive with time to explore. Visit the Parade Ring. See the fences up close. Soak up the atmosphere. And brace yourself for sporting drama unlike anything else.
For everyone: Remember why the Grand National matters. It’s the race where impossible things happen. Where outsiders triumph. Where legends are made. Where, for nine glorious minutes, the entire nation watches and anything – truly anything – can happen.
- Aintree Racecourse: Complete Guide – Everything about the venue
- The History of Aintree Racecourse – From 1829 to today
- Visiting Aintree: What to Expect – Day out guide
- The Grand National at Aintree – Complete guide
- Ladies Day Guide What to wear, what to expect, and how to make the most of Ladies Day at Aintree
The 2026 Randox Grand National takes place on Saturday, April 11, 2026 at 4:00 PM at Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool. Tickets are available now through the official Jockey Club website.
Remember: All betting should be done responsibly. You must be 18+ to bet. Visit BeGambleAware.org for support.
More from Aintree
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