The world-famous Grand National is held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England. It is a handicap steeplechase over 4 miles 3½ furlongs with horses jumping 30 fences during two circuits. The race is currently sponsored by Randox Health and is the most valuable jump race in Europe, with a prize fund of £1 million.
The 2026 running of the world’s most famous steeplechase took place at 4pm on Saturday, 11 April.
• How to watch the Grand National
• Grand National runners
• Grand National weights
• Grand National tickets
• How to get to Aintree
• Where to stay near Aintree
I Am Maximus won the 2026 Randox Grand National, becoming the first horse to regain the title since the great Red Rum. After winning in 2024 and finishing second in 2025, he carried top weight of 11st 12lb. He was ridden by Paul Townend, trained by Willie Mullins and is owned by JP McManus.
The fences in the race differ from the typical steeplechase fences used in Britain, as the cores are topped with at least 14 inches of spruce. It is also longer than most races at with 30 fences to be jumped over 4 miles 3½ furlongs.
In 2013 a number of changes were made to the race in response to the deaths of four horses in the previous two meetings. These included changing the core of the fences from traditional wooden stakes to birch and plastic cores in an attempt to make the fences more horse-friendly and moving the start.
Further changes were brought in for the 2024 race, including reducing the field size to a maximum of 34 runners, the first fence being moved closer to the start, a standing start being reintroduced and the start time being changed, as part of changes designed to further improve safety.
The Grand National course includes 16 fences, 14 of which are jumped twice. Fence 15, the Chair, and fence 16, the Water Jump, are only jumped once.
On Saturday 6 April 2019, Tiger Roll achieved legendary status by becoming the second horse to win two Grand Nationals — a feat only previously achieved by Red Rum. Here we reveal a few facts about this small but incredibly mighty horse…
The Gordon Elliott-trained little hero with a big heart won his second Grand National today (6 April) in emphatic style
Who has a good chance of becoming the 2019 Grand National hero? The experts reveal their best tips for the famous race
The top jockey hopes to break his losing streak in the world’s greatest race aboard Rock The Kasbah on Saturday, 6 April.
The 2014 Grand National winner is now enjoying an active second career as an eventer and joins eight other former racing stars for the Aintree parade
The pair, who have won three Grade One races each, will be sold with entries to the 2019 Grand National at the Goffs UK Aintree Sale
‘He is extremely intelligent and immediately understands what you are asking him, he is very kind and willing and enjoys having tasks to focus on’
The weights have been revealed for the 2019 Randox Health Grand National
The 2019 Grand National entries feature 112 horses, including two former winners — 2018 champion Tiger Roll and 2017 victor One For Arthur
The Taxis Ditch in the Velka Pardubice in the Czech Republic is known to be the most terrifying jump in steeplechasing across the globe.
Niamh Aspell, daughter of Leighton, had a sit on the former Grand National star while he was attending the Royal Three Counties Show
Horse & Hound's guest columnist discusses how the diminutive National winner came to be
While we are now familiar with seeing Gloucestershire-based National Hunt trainer Jonjo O'Neill on the ground rather than in the saddle, the Irishman had a fruitful career as a jockey
Danny Cook was ‘reminded of his responsibilities’ after helping to wave Grand National runners around Becher’s Brook while medics attended another jockey
The Gordon Elliott-trained gelding triumphed in a thrilling finish under Davy Russell
There have been some last-minute changes to the line-up in tomorrow's big race.
Edie Molyneux, three, has been awarded the 41st place in the 2018 Randox Health Grand National to raise awareness about her condition and funds for treatment
With the world’s most famous horserace taking place this weekend (Saturday 14 April), familiar faces from the horseworld give you their tips on who is going to win the 2018 Grand National
Photographer Jeremy Hoare reveals his mostly unseen and unpublished images of Red Rum
