Event

It is run over two circuits of Aintree's National Course, on which there are sixteen fences. All except The Chair and the Water-Jump are jumped twice. Some fences have acquired near-legendary status for their severity, particularly Becher's Brook and The Chair, although in recent years this severity has been much reduced due to pressure from various animal rights groups. The Grand National is the centerpiece of a three-day meeting, one of only four run at Aintree in the racing season.

It is one of ten events reserved for live broadcast on UK terrestrial television under the ITC Code on Sports and Other Listed Events. Each year since 2000 the Grand National has been watched worldwide by over 600 million viewers. Since 1987 the viewing base for the Grand National has been over 500 million showing the fan base for the big race has increased significantly.

In 2007 the Grand National sponsors John Smith's Brewery launched the John Smith's People's Race which gives 10 members of the public the chance to ride in a flat race at Aintree on Grand National day.

From a betting perspective, the Grand National forms the second leg of the Spring Double - the first leg is the Lincoln Handicap.

A fictional account of a young girl training the winner of the Grand National by Enid Bagnold was made into a film, National Velvet, starring the young Elizabeth Taylor as the heroine, Velvet Brown. The events surrounding the 1981 National, and the winning jockey, Bob Champion, were also dramatised in the film Champions.

History

There is much debate among historians regarding the first official race held and most who have trawled the newspaper libraries of the United Kingdom now prefer the idea that the first running was in 1836 and was won by The Duke. This same horse triumphed again in 1837, while Sir William was the winner in 1838. These races have long been disregarded because of the belief that the 1837 & 1838 runnings took place at Maghull and not Aintree. In the last twenty years, several race historians have unearthed indisputable evidence that these three races were all run over the same course at Aintree and were regarded as having been Grand Nationals up until the mid 1860s. To date though, their calls for the Nationals of 1836-38 to be restored to the record books have been ignored. The first Grand National at Aintree was in 1839 and was won by the aptly named horse, Lottery.

For three years during World War I, while Aintree racecourse was closed, an alternative race was run at Gatwick Racecourse, on the site of the present Gatwick Airport. The first of these races, in 1916, was called the Racecourse Association Steeplechase, and in the following two years the race was known as the War National Steeplechase. The races at Gatwick are not always recognised as "Grand Nationals," however, and their results are often omitted from winners' lists.

During the 1950s the Grand National was dominated by Vincent O'Brien who trained the winner of the race for three consecutive years between 1953 and 1955. Early Mist won the race in 1953 with Royal Tan winning in 1954 and the hat-trick of victories for the Irish trainer was completed by Quare Times in 1955.

The 1967 running was won by rank outsider Foinavon, ridden by Johnny Buckingham, after a melee at the 23rd fence when two loose horses pulled up in front of the field, caused the many others to stop or refuse. Foinavon was running so far behind that Buckingham managed to avoid the incident and scrape round ahead of 17 remounted horses, coming home at odds of 100/1.

By far the most successful horse in Grand National history was Red Rum, the only horse to win three times, in 1973, 1974, and in 1977. He also came in second in the two intervening years, 1975 and 1976.

In 1993, the result of the race was declared void after a series of incidents at the start meant the starting tape failed to rise correctly, causing several horses and jockeys to be caught up in it. A false start was declared, but lack of communication between course officials meant that 30 out of the 39 jockeys did not realise this and started to race. Course officials tried to stop the horses by waving red flags next to The Chair at the end of the first circuit. However, many jockeys thought that these people were protesters and so continued to race. Peter Scudamore stopped only because he saw his usual trainer Martin Pipe waving frantically at him. Seven horses ran the course in its entirety, forcing a void result. The first past the post of the horses that ran was Esha Ness, ridden by John White and trained by Jenny Pitman.

In 1997, the Saturday meeting was abandoned after two coded bomb threats were received, reportedly from the Provisional Irish Republican Army. 60,000 spectators, jockeys, race personnel and local residents were evacuated, and the course was secured by police. The race was eventually run on the Monday, with the meeting organisers offering free admission. Some 20,000 people were left stranded over the weekend, with cars and coaches locked in the course. With limited accommodation in the city and surrounding areas, local residents opened their doors and took in many of those stranded.

Many well known jockeys have failed to win the Grand National. These include champion jockeys such as Terry Biddlecombe, John Francome, Josh Gifford, Stan Mellor, Jonjo O'Neill (who never finished the race), Fred Rimell and Peter Scudamore. More recently, multiple champion and record holder Tony McCoy has failed to win the race along with contemporaries Richard Johnson, and Adrian Maguire. Three jockeys who led over the last fence in the National and just lost the race on the run-in ended up as TV racing pundits. These were Lord Oaksey on Carrickbeg in 1963, Norman Williamson on Mely Moss in 2000, and Richard Pitman on Crisp in 1973. The same fate occurred to Pitman's son Mark on Garrison Savannah in 1991.

Twelve mares have won the race: Miss Mowbray (1852), Anatis (1860), Jealousy (1861), Emblem (1863), Emblematic (1864), Casse Tete (1872), Empress (1880), Zoedone (1883), Frigate (1889), Shannon Lass (1902), Sheila's Cottage (1948) and Nickel Coin (1951).

Records

• Most successful horse - Red Rum, 3 wins (1973, 1974, 1977), 2 second places (1975, 1976)
• Most successful jockey - George Stevens, 5 wins (1856, 1863, 1864, 1869, 1870)
• Most successful trainer - Fred Rimell (1956, 1961, 1970, 1976), Ginger McCain (1973, 1974, 1977, 2004), 4 wins each *
• Fastest winning time - 8m 47.8s, Mr Frisk (1990)
• Oldest winning horse - Peter Simple, aged 15 (1853)
• Youngest winning horse - Alcibiade (1865), Regal (1876), Austerlitz (1877), Empress (1880), Lutteur III (1909), all aged 5
• Oldest winning jockey - Dick Saunders, aged 48 (1982)
• Youngest winning jockey - Bruce Hobbs, aged 17 (1938)
• Longest odds winner - Tipperary Tim (1928), Gregalach (1929), Caughoo (1947), Foinavon (1967), all 100/1
• Largest field - 66 runners (1929)
• Smallest field - 10 runners (1883)
• Most horses to finish - 23 (1984)
• Fewest horses to finish - 2 (1928)

* George Dockeray is also credited with four training successes between 1839-52 but it is difficult to determine whether he actually trained the horses involved or merely stabled them.

Winners

• Weights given in stones - pounds; Amateur jockeys identified by title ("Mr", "Captain" etc).

Year	Winner	Age	Weight	Jockey	Trainer	Odds
1836	The Duke *	7		Captain Martin Becher		003.003/1
1837	The Duke *	8		Henry Potts
1838	Sir William *	7	12-07	Alan McDonough		002.002/1
1839	Lottery	9	12-00	Jem Mason	George Dockeray	009.009/1
1840	Jerry	10	12-00	Mr Bartholomew Bretherton	George Dockeray	012.0012/1
1841	Charity	11	12-00	Mr A. Powell	William Vevers	014.0014/1
1842	Gaylad	8	12-00	Tom Olliver	George Dockeray	007.007/1
1843	Vanguard	8	11-10	Tom Olliver	Lord Chesterfield's Groom	012.0012/1
1844	Discount	6	10-12	John Crickmere		005.005/1 JF
1845	Cure-All		11-05	Mr William Loft	Kitty Crisp	015.0015/1
1846	Pioneer	6	11-12	William Taylor		030.0030/1
1847	Mathew	9	10-06	Denny Wynne	John Murphy	010.0010/1
1848	Chandler	12	11-12	Captain Josie Little	Tom Eskrett	012.0012/1
1849	Peter Simple	11	11-00	Tom Cunningham	Tom Cunningham	020.0020/1
1850	Abd-El-Kader	8	09-12	Mr Chris Green	Joe Osborne	033.33100/3
1851	Abd-El-Kader	9	10-04	Tom Abbot	Joe Osborne	007.007/1
1852	Miss Mowbray	8	10-04	Mr Alec Goodman	George Dockeray	010.0010/1
1853	Peter Simple	15	10-10	Tom Olliver	Tom Olliver	009.009/1
1854	Bourton	11	11-12	John Tasker	Henry Wadlow	004.004/1 F
1855	Wanderer	10	09-08	John Hanlon		025.0025/1
1856	Freetrader	7	09-06	George Stevens	William Holman	025.0025/1
1857	Emigrant	11	09-10	Charlie Boyce	Charlie Boyce	010.0010/1
1858	Little Charley	10	10-07	William Archer	William Holman	016.67100/6
1859	Half Caste	6	09-07	Chris Green	Chris Green	007.007/1
1860	Anatis	10	09-10	Mr Tommy Pickernell	H. E. May	003.507/2 F
1861	Jealousy	7	09-12	Joseph Kendall	Charles Balchin	005.005/1
1862	The Huntsman	9	11-00	Harry Lamplugh	Harry Lamplugh	003.003/1 F
1863	Emblem	7	10-10	George Stevens	Edwin Weever	004.004/1
1864	Emblematic	6	10-06	George Stevens	Edwin Weever	010.0010/1
1865	Alcibiade	5	11-04	Captain Henry Coventry	Cornell	014.29100/7
1866	Salamander	7	10-07	Mr Alec Goodman	J. Walters	040.0040/1
1867	Cortolvin	8	11-13	John Page	Harry Lamplugh	016.0016/1
1868	The Lamb	6	10-07	Mr George Ede-Edwards	Ben Land	009.009/1
1869	The Colonel	6	10-07	George Stevens	R. Roberts	014.29100/7
1870	The Colonel	7	11-12	George Stevens	R. Roberts	003.507/2 F
1871	The Lamb	9	11-05	Mr Tommy Pickernell	Chris Green	005.5011/2
1872	Casse Tete	7	10-00	John Page	A. Cowley	020.0020/1
1873	Disturbance	6	11-11	Mr John Richardson	John Richardson	020.0020/1
1874	Reugny	6	10-12	Mr John Richardson	John Richardson	005.005/1 F
1875	Pathfinder	8	10-11	Mr Tommy Pickernell	W. Reeves	016.67100/6
1876	Regal	5	11-03	Joe Cannon	James Jewitt	025.0025/1
1877	Austerlitz	5	10-08	Mr Fred Hobson	Robert I'Anson	015.0015/1
1878	Shifnal	9	10-12	J. Jones	J. Nightingall	007.007/1
1879	The Liberator	10	11-04	Mr Garry Moore	J. Moore	005.005/1
1880	Empress	5	10-07	Mr Tommy Beasley	Henry Linde	008.008/1
1881	Woodbrook	7	11-03	Mr Tommy Beasley	Henry Linde	005.5011/2 JF
1882	Seaman	6	11-06	Lord Manners	James Machell	010.0010/1
1883	Zoedone	6	11-00	Count Karel Kinsky	W. Jenkins	014.29100/7
1884	Voluptuary	6	10-05	Mr Ted Wilson	William Wilson	010.0010/1
1885	Roquefort	6	11-00	Mr Ted Wilson	Arthur Yates	003.33100/30 F
1886	Old Joe	7	10-09	Tommy Skelton	George Mulcaster	025.0025/1
1887	Gamecock	8	11-00	W. Daniells	James Gordon	020.0020/1
1888	Playfair	7	10-07	George Mawson	Tom Cannon	040.0040/1
1889	Frigate	11	11-04	Mr Tommy Beasley	M. A. Maher	008.008/1
1890	Ilex	6	10-05	Arthur Nightingall	John Nightingall	004.004/1 F
1891	Come Away	7	11-12	Mr Harry Beasley	Harry Beasley	004.004/1 F
1892	Father O'Flynn	7	10-05	Captain Roddy Owen	Gordon Wilson	020.0020/1
1893	Cloister	9	12-07	Bill Dollery	Arthur Yates	004.509/2 F
1894	Why Not	13	11-13	Arthur Nightingall	Willie Moore	005.005/1 JF
1895	Wild Man From Borneo	7	10-11	Mr Joe Widger	James Gatland	010.0010/1
1896	The Soarer	7	09-13	Mr David Campbell	Willie Moore	040.0040/1
1897	Manifesto	9	11-13	Terry Kavanagh	Willie McAuliffe	006.006/1 F
1898	Drogheda	6	10-12	John Gourley	Dick Dawson	025.0025/1
1899	Manifesto	11	12-07	George Williamson	Willie Moore	005.005/1
1900	Ambush II	6	11-03	Algy Anthony	Algy Anthony	004.004/1
1901	Grudon	11	10-00	Arthur Nightingall	Bernard Bletsoe	009.009/1
1902	Shannon Lass	7	10-01	David Read	James Hackett	020.0020/1
1903	Drumcree	9	11-03	Percy Woodland	Sir Charles Nugent	006.5013/2 F
1904	Moifaa	8	10-07	Arthur Birch	W. Hickey	025.0025/1
1905	Kirkland	9	11-05	Frank Mason	E. Thomas	006.006/1
1906	Ascetic's Silver	9	10-09	Mr Aubrey Hastings	Aubrey Hastings	020.0020/1
1907	Eremon	7	10-01	Alf Newey	Tom Coulthwaite	008.008/1
1908	Rubio	10	10-05	Henry Bletsoe	Fred Withington	066.0066/1
1909	Lutteur III	5	10-11	Georges Parfrement	Harry Escott	011.11100/9
1910	Jenkinstown	9	10-05	Robert Chadwick	Tom Coulthwaite	012.50100/8
1911	Glenside	9	10-03	Mr Jack Anthony	R. H. Collis	020.0020/1
1912	Jerry M	9	12-07	Ernie Piggott	Bob Gore	004.004/1 JF
1913	Covertcoat	7	11-06	Percy Woodland	Bob Gore	011.11100/9
1914	Sunloch	8	09-07	Bill Smith	Tom Tyler	016.67100/6
1915	Ally Sloper	6	10-06	Mr Jack Anthony	Aubrey Hastings	012.50100/8
1916	Vermouth *	6	11-10	Jack Reardon	J. Bell	012.50100/8
1917	Ballymacad *	10	09-12	Edmund Driscoll	Aubrey Hastings	011.11100/9
1918	Poethlyn *	8	11-06	Ernie Piggott	Harry Escott	005.005/1
1919	Poethlyn	9	12-07	Ernie Piggott	Harry Escott	002.7511/4 F
1920	Troytown	7	11-09	Mr Jack Anthony	Algy Anthony	006.006/1
1921	Shaun Spadah	10	11-07	Fred Rees	George Poole	011.11100/9
1922	Music Hall	9	11-08	Lewis Rees	Owen Anthony	011.11100/9
1923	Sergeant Murphy	13	11-03	Captain Tuppy Bennett	George Blackwell	016.67100/6
1924	Master Robert	11	10-05	Bob Trudgill	Aubrey Hastings	025.0025/1
1925	Double Chance	9	10-09	Major John Wilson	Fred Archer, Jr.	011.11100/9
1926	Jack Horner	9	10-05	William Watkinson	Harvey Leader	025.0025/1
1927	Sprig	10	12-04	Ted Leader	Tom Leader	008.008/1 F
1928	Tipperary Tim	10	10-00	Mr Bill Dutton	Joseph Dodd	100.00100/1
1929	Gregalach	7	11-04	Robert Everett	Tom Leader	100.00100/1
1930	Shaun Goilin	10	11-07	Tommy Cullinan	Frank Hartigan	012.50100/8
1931	Grakle	9	11-07	Bob Lyall	Tom Coulthwaite	016.67100/6
1932	Forbra	7	10-07	Tim Hamey	Tom Rimell	050.0050/1
1933	Kellsboro Jack	7	11-09	Dudley Williams	Ivor Anthony	025.0025/1
1934	Golden Miller	7	12-02	Gerry Wilson	Basil Briscoe	008.008/1
1935	Reynoldstown	8	11-04	Mr Frank Furlong	Noel Furlong	022.0022/1
1936	Reynoldstown	9	12-02	Mr Fulke Walwyn	Noel Furlong	010.0010/1
1937	Royal Mail	8	11-13	Evan Williams	Ivor Anthony	016.67100/6
1938	Battleship	11	11-06	Bruce Hobbs	Reg Hobbs	040.0040/1
1939	Workman	9	10-06	Tim Hyde	Jack Ruttle	012.50100/8
1940	Bogskar	7	10-04	Mervyn Jones	Lord Stalbridge	025.0025/1
1941	ZZno race 1941-45 *	99	99-99	ZZ	ZZ	999.99
1946	Lovely Cottage	9	10-08	Captain Bobby Petre	Tommy Rayson	025.0025/1
1947	Caughoo	8	10-00	Eddie Dempsey	Herbert McDowell	100.00100/1
1948	Sheila's Cottage	9	10-07	Arthur Thompson	Neville Crump	050.0050/1
1949	Russian Hero	9	10-08	Leo McMorrow	George Owen	066.0066/1
1950	Freebooter	9	11-11	Jimmy Power	Bobby Renton	010.0010/1
1951	Nickel Coin	9	10-01	John Bullock	Jack O'Donoghue	040.0040/1
1952	Teal	10	10-11	Arthur Thompson	Neville Crump	014.29100/7
1953	Early Mist	8	11-02	Bryan Marshall	Vincent O'Brien	020.0020/1
1954	Royal Tan	10	11-07	Bryan Marshall	Vincent O'Brien	008.008/1
1955	Quare Times	9	11-10	Pat Taaffe	Vincent O'Brien	011.11100/9
1956	E.S.B.	10	11-03	Dave Dick	Fred Rimell	014.29100/7
1957	Sundew	11	11-07	Fred Winter	Frank Hudson	020.0020/1
1958	Mr What	8	10-06	Arthur Freeman	Tom Taaffe	018.0018/1
1959	Oxo	8	10-13	Michael Scudamore	Willie Stephenson	008.008/1
1960	Merryman II	9	10-12	Gerry Scott	Neville Crump	006.5013/2 F
1961	Nicolaus Silver	9	10-01	Bobby Beasley	Fred Rimell	028.0028/1
1962	Kilmore	12	10-04	Fred Winter	Ryan Price	028.0028/1
1963	Ayala	9	10-00	Pat Buckley	Keith Piggott	066.0066/1
1964	Team Spirit	12	10-03	Willie Robinson	Fulke Walwyn	018.0018/1
1965	Jay Trump	8	11-05	Mr Tommy Smith	Fred Winter	012.50100/8
1966	Anglo	8	10-00	Tim Norman	Fred Winter	050.0050/1
1967	Foinavon	9	10-00	John Buckingham	John Kempton	100.00100/1
1968	Red Alligator	9	10-00	Brian Fletcher	Denys Smith	014.29100/7
1969	Highland Wedding	12	10-04	Eddie Harty	Toby Balding	011.11100/9
1970	Gay Trip	8	11-05	Pat Taaffe	Fred Rimell	015.0015/1
1971	Specify	9	10-13	John Cook	John Sutcliffe	028.0028/1
1972	Well To Do	9	10-01	Graham Thorner	Tim Forster	014.0014/1
1973	Red Rum	8	10-05	Brian Fletcher	Ginger McCain	009.009/1 JF
1974	Red Rum	9	12-00	Brian Fletcher	Ginger McCain	011.0011/1
1975	L'Escargot	12	11-03	Tommy Carberry	Dan Moore	006.5013/2
1976	Rag Trade	10	10-12	John Burke	Fred Rimell	014.0014/1
1977	Red Rum	12	11-08	Tommy Stack	Ginger McCain	009.009/1
1978	Lucius	9	10-09	Bob Davies	Gordon W. Richards	014.0014/1
1979	Rubstic	10	10-00	Maurice Barnes	John Leadbetter	025.0025/1
1980	Ben Nevis	12	10-12	Mr Charlie Fenwick	Tim Forster	040.0040/1
1981	Aldaniti	11	10-13	Bob Champion	Josh Gifford	010.0010/1
1982	Grittar	9	11-05	Mr Dick Saunders	Frank Gilman	007.007/1 F
1983	Corbiere	8	11-04	Ben de Haan	Jenny Pitman	013.0013/1
1984	Hallo Dandy	10	10-02