The Grand National or the worlds greatest steeplechase as it is often referred to as is a horse race run over steeplechase fences at Aintree racecourse in Liverpool..
The distance run in this race is 4 miles 4 furlongs and is the longest race run in the UK today.
This race is a unique test or horse and rider and the 30 fences that are jumped are a real test of bravery. Unlike most racecourses in the uk the fences are varied in height, width and depth and also the landing side on many of the fences is lower than the take off side and therefore do not offer a view of the landing to the horse.
There are 16 fences and 14 of then are jumped twice, the exceptions being the water and The Chair jumps. This make a total of 30 jumps to be made.
The Grand National race is now the pinnacle of the Grand national meeting which is run over a Thursday, Friday and Saturday in early April and the meeting attracts lots of good horses for the good prize money on offer but the meeting is total overshaddowed by the big race.
The race is now over 150 years old and the first official Grand National was in 1839 when the race was known as the The Grand Liverpool Steeplechase and was not renamed as The Grand National until 1847
I have stated that the first official race was in 1839 won by Lottery but there seems little doubt now that this race does go back a little further than this and the 1836 race won by The Duke would seem to be the first race.
The problem of course with this for official purposes is that too many records would have to be re-written for example The Duke also won the following year making him the first dual winner, of course many records like this would have to be changed if the official date was changed.
Many great horses have won this race and the best known is the three times winner Red Rum who took the honors in 1973, 1974 and 1977 and was second in the two races between.
Red Rum was a fine steeplechaser who was also a course specialist at Aintree and was pounds betting when running at this racecourse.
A fine statue of the great horse can be seen in the old parade ring at the racecourse and is a popular meeting place for race goers.
After his death Red Rum was berried at his beloved track and his grave is visited by many thousands of people every year and is situated at The Grand National winning post.
Other fine winners include The Lamb not only a dual winner 1868 and 1871 but also the first Grey winner. Golden Miller 1934 came to this race as a triple Gold Cup Winner and won the grueling race just 17 days after the 1934 Gold Cup.
There are many stories associated with this great race and every passing year there seems to be more.
Some of the milestones include in 1977 Charlotte Brew became the first female rider to take part in the race and there have been quite a few since but no woman jockey has ever one. This is not so with trainers and Jenny Pitman in 1983 became the first female trainer to win The Grand National when Corbiere took the honors. It was to be 12 years before she did it again with Royal Athlete (1995, although her horse Esha Ness did cross the fine first in 1983 when the race was cancelled due to false starts.
In 2009 Venetia Williams became only the second Woman to win the race with her horse Mon Mome
Of course a big event like this attracts much betting activity and The Grand National is becomming one of the biggest events in the racing callender with many "once a year punters" placing a small wager on the big race.
If you would like further information on The Grand National then more comprehensive information can be found at Grand National site where there is a full preview of all the runner before the race and review of the day and a full result service of the race. Also there is more information on the History of this great race.
