The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Aintree, Merseyside, England, near Liverpool. First run in 1839 as the Grand Liverpool Steeplechase, it is a handicap steeplechase over , with horses jumping 30 fences over two laps.British Racing and Racecourses () by Marion Rose Halpenny – Page 167 It is the most valuable jump race in Europe, with a prize fund of £1 million in 2017. An event that is prominent in British culture, the race is popular amongst many people who do not normally watch or bet on horse racing at other times of the year.The Jockey Club and Aintree Racecourse www.thejockeyclub.co.uk
The course over which the race is run features much larger fences than those found on conventional National Hunt tracks. Many of these fences, particularly Becher's Brook, The Chair and the Canal Turn, have become famous in their own right and, combined with the distance of the event, create often described as "the ultimate test of horse and rider".
The Grand National has been broadcast live on free-to-air terrestrial television in the United Kingdom since 1960. From then, until 2012, it was broadcast by the BBC. Channel 4 broadcast the event between 2013 and 2016: UK broadcasting rights were transferred to ITV from 2017. An estimated 500 to 600 million people watch the Grand National in over 140 countries. The race has also been broadcast on radio since 1927; BBC Radio held exclusive rights until 2013. Talksport acquired radio commentary rights in 2014: Both the BBC and Talksport currently broadcast the race in full.
The Grand National has had three major disruptions: the 1993 Grand National was not held due to a series of false starts, the 1997 Grand National was postponed to the Monday because of an IRA bomb threat, and the 2023 Grand National was delayed due to Animal Rising protesters.
The 2026 Grand National was won by the 2024 winner I Am Maximus, trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Paul Townend. Since 2017, the race and accompanying festival have been sponsored by Randox.The Randox Health Grand National published 6 April 2019 by The Jockey Club
History
Founding and early Nationals (1829–1850)
The Grand National was founded by William Lynn, a syndicate head and proprietor of the Waterloo Hotel, on land he leased in Aintree from William Molyneux, 2nd Earl of Sefton.Grand National History . Tbheritage.com. Retrieved on 11 March 2011.The history of the Grand National . Grand-national-world.co.uk. Retrieved on 11 March 2011. Lynn set out a course, built a grandstand, and Lord Sefton laid the foundation stone on 7 February 1829. There is much debate regarding the first official Grand National; most leading published historians, including John Pinfold, now prefer the idea that the first running was in 1836 and was won by The Duke. This same horse won again in 1837, while Sir William was the winner in 1838.. The-grand-national.co.uk. Retrieved on 11 March 2011. These races have long been disregarded because of the belief that they took place at Maghull and not Aintree. However, some historians have unearthed evidence in recent years that suggests those three races were run over the same course at Aintree and were regarded as having been Grand Nationals up until the mid-1860s. Contemporary newspaper reports place all the 1836–38 races at Aintree, although the 1839 race is the first described as "national".The Grand National Anomaly 1836–1838 . www.skittishlibrary.co.uk. 28 March 2015. However, attempts to restore The Nationals of 1836–1838 in the record books have been unsuccessful.
In 1838 and 1839 three significant events occurred to transform the race from a small local affair to a national event. Firstly, the Great St. Albans Chase, which had clashed with the steeplechase at Aintree, was not renewed after 1838, leaving a major hole in the chasing calendar. Secondly, the railway, opened from Manchester to Liverpool in 1830, was linked to a line from London and Birmingham in 1839 enabling rail transport to the Liverpool area from large parts of the country for the first time. Finally, a committee was formed to better organise the event.Steeplechasing Notes . Tbheritage.com. Retrieved on 11 March 2011. These factors led to a more highly publicised race in 1839 which attracted a larger field of top quality horses and riders, greater press coverage, and increased attendance on race day. Over time the first three runnings of the event were quickly forgotten to secure the 1839 race its place in history as the first official Grand National.
The 1839 race was won by rider Jem Mason on the aptly named, Lottery.Haywood, Linda. (4 April 2008) A Big Long History of the Grand National . Popular Nostalgia. Retrieved on 11 March 2011. The Duke was ridden by Martin Becher. The fence Becher's Brook is named after him and is where he fell in the race.History of Victorian Liverpool historyofliverpool.com
By the 1840s, Lynn's ill health blunted his enthusiasm for Aintree. Edward Topham, a respected handicapper and prominent member of Lynn's syndicate, began to exert greater influence over the National. He turned the chase into a handicap in 1843 after it had been a weight-for-age race for the first four years, and took over the land lease in 1848. One century later, the Topham family bought the course outright.
Later in the century, the race was the setting of a thriller by the popular novelist Henry Hawley Smart.Cleverly Won. A Romance of the Grand National. A Novelette (London: F. V. White, 1887)
War National Steeplechase (1916–1918) For three years during the First World War, while Aintree Racecourse was taken over by the War Office, an alternative race was run at Gatwick Racecourse, a now disused course on land now occupied by Gatwick Airport. The first of these races, in 1916, was called the Racecourse Association Steeplechase, and in 1917 and 1918 the race was called the War National Steeplechase. The races at Gatwick are not always recognised as "Grand Nationals" and their results are often omitted from winners' lists.. The-grand-national.co.uk. Retrieved on 11 March 2011.
Tipperary Tim (1928) On the day of the 1928 Grand National, before the race had begun, Tipperary Tim's jockey William Dutton heard a friend call out to him: "Billy boy, you'll only win if all the others fall down!" These words turned out to be true, as 41 of the 42 starters fell during the race. That year's National was run during misty weather conditions with the going very heavy. As the field approached the Canal Turn on the first circuit, Easter Hero fell, causing a pile-up from which only seven horses emerged with seated jockeys. By the penultimate fence, this number had reduced to three, with Great Span looking most likely to win ahead of Billy Barton and Tipperary Tim. Great Span's saddle then slipped, leaving Billy Barton in the lead until he too then fell. Although Billy Barton's jockey Tommy Cullinan the-grand-national.co.uk managed to remount and complete the race, it was Tipperary Tim who came in first at outside odds of 100/1. With only two riders completing the course, this remains a record for the lowest number of finishers. the-grand-national.co.uk
Second World War and the 1950s Although the Grand National was run as normal in 1940 and most other major horse races around the world were able to be held throughout the war, the commandeering of Aintree Racecourse for defence use in 1941 meant no Grand National could be held from 1941 to 1945. It recommenced in 1946, when it was run on a Friday, and from 1947 was moved to a Saturday, at the urging of the Home Secretary James Chuter Ede,Diary of James Chuter Ede (unpublished, held in the British Library), entry for 5 April 1952. who thought this would make it more accessible to working people. It has normally been run on a Saturday ever since.
During the 1950s the Grand National was dominated by Vincent O'Brien, who trained different winners of the race for three consecutive years between 1953 and 1955. Early Mist secured O'Brien's first victory in 1953; Royal Tan won in 1954, and Quare Times completed the Irish trainer's hat-trick in 1955.Vincent O'Brien ~ Grand National Winning Trainer . Grand-national.me.uk (9 April 1917). Retrieved on 11 March 2011.
The running of the 1956 Grand National witnessed one of the chase's most bizarre incidents. Devon Loch, owned by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, had cleared the final fence in the leading position, five lengths clear of E.S.B. from what seemed like certain victory, Devon Loch suddenly, and inexplicably, half-jumped into the air and collapsed in a belly-flop on the turf. Despite efforts by jockey Dick Francis, Devon Loch was unable to complete the race, leaving E.S.B. to cross the finishing line first. Responding to the commiserations of E.S.B.’s owner, the Queen Mother famously commented: "Oh, that's racing!"
Had Devon Loch completed the race he might have set a new record for the fastest finishing time, which E.S.B. missed by only four-fifths of a second. Many explanations have been offered for Devon Loch's behaviour on the run-in, but the incident remains inexplicable. The incident became part of the folklore of the event, and by extension British sporting culture. In modern language, the phrase "to do a Devon Loch" is often used to describe a last-minute failure to achieve an expected victory.
Foinavon (1967)
In the 1967 Grand National, most of the field were hampered or dismounted in a mêlée at the 23rd fence, allowing a rank-outsider, Foinavon, to become a surprise winner at odds of 100/1. A loose horse named Popham Down, who had unseated his rider at the first jump, suddenly veered across the leading group at the 23rd, causing them to either stop, refuse or unseat their riders. Racing journalist Lord Oaksey described the resulting pile-up by saying that Popham Down had "cut down the leaders like a row of thistles".Foinavon ~ The 1967 Grand National Winner . Thegamehunter.co.uk (22 February 1999). Retrieved on 11 March 2011. Some horses even started running in the wrong direction, back the way they had come. Foinavon, whose owner had such little faith in him that he had travelled to Worcester that day instead,Wood, Greg. (3 April 2009) The Joy of Six: great Grand National moments Sport guardian.co.uk . Guardian. Retrieved on 11 March 2011. had been lagging some behind the leading pack, giving his jockey, John Buckingham, time to steer his mount wide of the havoc and make a clean jump of the fence on the outside. Although 17 jockeys remounted and some made up considerable ground, particularly Josh Gifford on 15/2 favourite Honey End, none had time to catch Foinavon before he crossed the finishing line. The 7th/23rd fence was officially named the 'Foinavon fence' in 1984.Foinavon – Grand National Tales . Grand-national-world.co.uk. Retrieved on 11 March 2011.
1970s and Red Rum The 1970s were mixed years for the Grand National. In 1973, eight years after Mrs. Mirabel Topham announced she was seeking a buyer, the racecourse was finally sold to property developer Bill Davies. Davies tripled the admission prices, and consequently, the attendance at the 1975 race, won by L'Escargot, was the smallest in living memory. It was after this that bookmaker Ladbrokes made an offer, signing an agreement with Davies allowing them to manage the Grand National.