Aintree Racecourse
Home of the Grand National — the greatest and most famous horse race in the world. Aintree’s three-day April Festival is the high point of the British jumps season alongside Cheltenham, and the Becher Chase in early December offers an early-season trial over the same legendary fences.
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About Aintree Racecourse
Home of the Grand National — the greatest and most famous horse race in the world. Aintree’s three-day April Festival is the high point of the British jumps season alongside Cheltenham, and the Becher Chase in early December offers an early-season trial over the same legendary fences. Aintree Racecourse is a national hunt (jumps) only racecourse, located at Ormskirk Road, Aintree, Liverpool, L9 5AS.
Grand National Festival, early April
Three days of championship jumps racing culminating in the world’s most famous race on the Saturday. The 4m 2f Grand National marathon features 30 of the most demanding fences in racing — Becher’s Brook, Valentine’s, the Canal Turn — and completing the course is itself an achievement.
Meetings & feature races
Aintree is one of only a handful of British racecourses dedicated solely to National Hunt racing, and the only one most casual sports fans could name. The three-day Grand National Festival in April is the year’s defining meeting, while the Becher Chase in early December offers an early-season trial over the same legendary fences.
The Grand National (Saturday in early April)
The greatest and most famous horse race in the world. The 4m 2f marathon contains some of the most famous fences in sport such as Becher’s Brook, Valentine’s and the Canal Turn, and getting round the course is considered an achievement in itself. Red Rum is the most famous of the race’s conquerors, the locally-trained gelding winning three times in the 1970s, with a statue at the track a permanent reminder of his affinity with the race.
The Becher Chase (late November / early December)
Run over the same fences as the Grand National, the 3m 2f handicap is seen as an early-season trial for the main event the following spring. Three horses — Earth Summit, Amberleigh House and Silver Birch — have won both races but none have done so in the same season. Trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies has won the Becher on six occasions, with his son Sam riding for two of those wins on Hello Bud.
Becher Chase Key Trends
Experience in terms of age, racing and course history appears key. The Becher Chase has been won by a horse aged nine or over on nine of the last 12 occasions, with ten of the last 12 winners having had at least one previous run at the track. Eleven of the last 12 winners had at least 13 previous chase runs, and seven of those 12 had at least one previous win in a Graded race.
Live races at Aintree
Upcoming races at Aintree
Live racecards from Aintree — pulled from our racing data feed, refreshed throughout the day.
No Aintree meetings scheduled in the next 14 days.
Check the UK Racing Predictor for races at other tracks today, or visit Aintree Racing Data for past meetings and statistics.
Grand National & Becher Chase — key trends
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Course statistics & betting angles
30 fences across the National, including Becher’s Brook (the famous drop), the Canal Turn (90-degree left after landing) and the Chair (the tallest fence on any UK course).
The 4m 2f trip is the longest of any UK Grade 3 handicap chase. Proven form over 3 miles or further is essential; horses winning over shorter trips routinely struggle.
Prior runs over the National fences carry enormous weight. The Becher Chase, Topham Chase and the Foxhunters all use the same fences and serve as ideal preparation.
30+ runners and 30 fences combine to create a race where luck plays a huge role. Even in-form horses can be brought down by faller chains.
How to watch racing at Aintree
Terrestrial coverage of the Grand National is available on ITV, while Racing TV provides coverage of all the action from the track including the supporting Friday and Thursday cards. The race regularly attracts a UK television audience of 10 million viewers and an estimated 600 million worldwide. For race-by-race tips and value picks, the horse.bet UK Racing Predictor publishes daily picks for every Aintree fixture.
Visiting Aintree
Aintree Racecourse is in the Aintree suburb of Liverpool, around six miles north of the city centre. Aintree railway station sits next to the course with direct services from Liverpool Central. By road, the M57 (Junction 7) and M58 (Junction 1) are both nearby. Grand National Day attracts around 75,000 racegoers, with tickets going on sale the previous summer and selling out months in advance.
Official Aintree Racecourse website →
Frequently asked questions
When is the Grand National?
The Grand National is run on the Saturday of Aintree’s three-day April Festival each year. The meeting runs from Thursday to Saturday.
How long is the Grand National?
The Grand National is run over 4 miles and 2 furlongs (approximately 4.2 miles), with 30 fences jumped across two circuits of the National Course.
What is the Becher Chase?
The Becher Chase is a Grade 3 handicap over 3m 2f run over the National fences in late November or early December. It serves as an early-season trial for the Grand National itself.
Who is the most famous Grand National winner?
Red Rum, the only horse to win the Grand National three times (1973, 1974 and 1977). His statue stands at the Aintree paddock.
Where can I find Grand National tips?
The horse.bet UK Racing Predictor publishes Grand National Day picks the morning of racing, with full-field probability ratings and value plays for every race on the card.
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