2024 Grand National: All you need to know

One of horse racing’s most famous and prestigious race meetings is set to return on Thursday, 11th April 2024.

The Grand National is one of horse racing’s oldest race meetings, with the first taking place at the iconic Aintree Racecourse back in 1839. Back then, it was known as the Grand Liverpool Steeplechase, but it would go on to become known as it is today – the Grand National.

This year’s Grand National Race Meeting will be taking place over 3 days, from Thursday, 11th April to Saturday, 13th April 2024.

The Grand National Handicap Chase is arguably the most famous race of this meeting every year, and the most successful jockey in the history of the race is George Stevens, who accumulated 5 wins at this event over the years, with his last victory coming in 1870.

When it comes to the horse with the most wins in the Grand National, this is much more recent than George Stevens. This honour is held, at the time of writing, by the iconic Red Rum, who has won it three times. These wins came in 1973, 1974, and 1977. In the two years between 1974 and 1977, he came second in both the 1975 Grand National and the 1976 Grand National.

Finally, the title for the most successful trainer in the history of the Grand National race is jointly held by Fred Rimell and George Dockeray, who have four winning horses apiece. Rimell’s horses won in 1956 (ESB), 1961 (Nicolaus Silver), 1970 (Gay Trip) and Rag Trade (1976). As for Dockeray, his wins came in 1839 (Lottery), 1840 (Jerry), Gaylad (1842) and finally in 1852 (Miss Mowbray).

The most recent winner of the Aintree Grand National Handicap Chase in 2023 was Corach Rambler, who was trained by Lucinda Russell and ridden to a tremendous victory by Jockey Derek Fox. This was Lucinda Russell’s second victory in this race, with her first coming 6 years earlier with ‘One For Arthur’ back in 2017.

This was Corach Rambler’s first victory in this highly prestigious race, but jockey Derek Fox has won it two times, with the other coming aboard One For Arthur in 2017.

The Grand National race, the highlight of the whole race meeting, will be taking place on Saturday (13^th April) afternoon.

The final list of 34 horses that are set to take part in the Grand National Handicap Chase is set to be announced on Thursday, 11th April 2024, and as always, if there are any withdrawals, they will not be replaced. The number of horses for this year has reduced to 34 from the previous field of 40.

As ever, the distance of this race will be four miles, two furlongs and 74 yards. The Grand National Handicap Chase is, in actual fact, the longest jump race to be held in the entirety of the United Kingdom. Also, over the course of the race, jockeys and their horses will have to negotiate 16 individual fences, with 14 being jumped over twice – that is 30 jumps in all.

Moving on to the 2024 Grand National event as a whole now, there will be 24 races over the course of the event, with 7 races taking place each day. Below, we go through each one of the three days, looking at which races will be taking place from Thursday to Saturday afternoon.

Opening Day (Thursday 11th April 2024):

• 13:45 – The Manifesto Novices’ Steeple Chase – 2m 4f.
• 14:20 – The Jewson Anniversary 4-y-o Juvenile Hurdle – 2m 1f.
• 14:55 – The Aintree Bowl Steeple Chase – 3m 1f.
• 15:30 – The William Hill Aintree Hurdle – 2m 4f.
• 16:05 – The Randox Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Steeple Chase – 2m 5f.
• 16:40 – The Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Steeple Chase – 2m.
• 17:15 – The Goffs UK Nickel Coin Mares’ Standard Open NH Flat – 2m 1f.

Ladies Day (Friday 12th April 2024):

• 13:45 – The Air Charter Services Mildmay Novices’ Steeple Chase – 3m 1f.
• 14:20 – The William Hill Handicap Hurdle – 2m 4f.
• 14:55 – The Poundland Top Novices’ Hurdle – 2m 1/2f.
• 15:30 – The My Pension Expert Melling Chase – 2m 4f.
• 16:05 – The Randox Supports Race Against Dementia Topham Chase – 2m 5f.
• 16:40 – The Winners Wear Cavani Sefton Novices’ Hurdle – 3m 1/2f.
• 17:15 – The Abersoch Land and Sea Handicap Hurdle – 2m 1/2f.

Randox Grand National Day (Saturday 13th April 2024)

• 13:20 – The Bridle Road Handicap Hurdle – 3m 1/2f.
• 13:55 – The Mersey Novices’ Hurdle – 2m 4f.
• 14:30 – The William Hill Handicap Steeple Chase – 3m 1f.
• 15:05 – The JRL Group Liverpool Hurdle – 3m 1/2f.
• 16:00 – The Randox Grand National Steeple Chase – 4m 21/2f.
• 17:00 – The Maghull Novices’ Steeple Chase – 2m.
• 17:35 – The Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race – 2m 1f.

Excitement and anticipation are growing rapidly ahead of the 2024 Randox Grand National getting underway, with three days of enthralling racing set to take place from Thursday, 11th April, to Saturday, 13th April 2024.

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