The UK’s most famous horse race has finally arrived, with the Grand National set to take place today.
Last year saw the return of fans to Aintree for the first time since the COVID pandemic, with the races cancelled in 2020 and held behind closed doors in 2021.
But the race came back with a bang as Rachel Blackmore became the first woman to win the National in 2021, while last year leading amateur jockey Sam Waley-Cohen won riding Noble Yeats, the first seven-year-old horse to win since 1940 - check out the full list of runners and riders here.
The showpiece race headlines three days of racing and UK adults are set to bet £250m on the race with the race on to find the best bets and punters will be keen to do their research with each of the 40 horses ranked and rated. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the 2023 Grand National Festival:
When is it?
The Grand National will take place at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, starting at 5.15pm BST on Saturday 15 April. It is the penultimate race of the festival, with the last race starting at 6.20pm BST.
The festival itself starts on Thursday 13 April at 1.45pm BST, while Ladies Day takes place on Friday and begins at 1.45pm BST.
How can I watch?
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the Grand National Festival live on ITV, with extensive coverage across the three days of racing. Coverage of the Grand National begins at 4.30pm BST on Saturday 15 April, with registered users able to watch online via ITVX.
The channel’s coverage will be as follows:
Thursday 13 April - ITV1, 2pm to 5pm
Friday 14 April - ITV1, 2pm to 5pm
Saturday 15 April - ITV1, 2pm to 6.15pm
How long is the Grand National?
Runners and riders complete two laps of the course and jump 30 fences, at a distance of four-and-a-quarter miles. 14 fences are jumped on both laps, but both the Water Jump and The Chair - the tallest fence at a height of five feet and two inches - are only jumped during the first lap.
Who is competing in the Grand National?
The 40-horse final field has been confirmed, with a full list of runners and odds below.
What are the Grand National odds?
- Gaillard Du Mesnil (T: Willie Mullins; J: Paul Townend) 9/1
- Corach Rambler (T: Lucinda Russell; J: Derek Fox) 9/1
- Delta Work (T: Gordon Elliott; J: Keith Donoghue) 10/1
- Ain’t That A Shame (T: Henry De Bromhead; J: Rachael Blackmore) 10/1
- Mr Incredible (T: Willie Mullins; J: Brian Hayes) 11/1
- Noble Yeats (T: Emmet Mullins; J: Sean Bowen) 14/1
- The Big Dog (T: Peter Fahey; J: Aidan Coleman) 14/1
- Any Second Now (T: Ted Walsh; J: Mark Walsh) 16/1
- Le Milos (T: Dan Skelton; J: Harry Skelton) 16/1
- Capodanno (T: Willie Mullins; J: Danny Mullins) 18/1
- Galvin (T: Gordon Elliott; J: Davy Russell) 20/1
- Our Power (T: Sam Thomas; J: Sam Twiston-Davies) 20/1
- Vanillier (T: Gavin Cromwell; J: Sean Flanagan) 22/1
- Back On The Lash (T: Martin Keighley; J: Adam Wedge) 22/1
- Longhouse Poet (T: Martin Brassil; J: JJ Slevin) 25/1
- Lifetime Ambition (T: Mrs John Harrington; J: Sean O’Keeffe) 25/1
- Roi Mage (T: Patrick Griffin; J: Felix de Giles) 25/1
- Velvet Elvis (T: Thomas Gibney; J: Darragh O’Keeffe) 25/1
- Coko Beach (T: Gordon Elliott; J: Harry Cobden) 28/1
- Mister Coffey (T: Nicky Henderson; J: Nico de Boinville) 33/
- The Big Breakaway (T: Joe Tizzard; J: Brendan Powell) 40/1
- Fury Road (T: Gordon Elliott; J: Jonjo O’Neill Jr) 40/1
- Eva’s Oskar (T: Tim Vaughan; J: Alan Johns) 40/1
- Cloudy Glen (T: Venetia Williams; J: Charlie Deutsch) 40/1
- Enjoy D’allen (T: Ciaran Murphy; J: Simon Torrens) 50/1
- Minella Trump (T: Donald McCain; J: Theo Gillard) 50/1
- Dunboyne (T: Gordon Elliott; J: Jack Tudor) 50/1
- Born By The Sea (T: Paul John Gilligan; J: Phillip Enright) 50/1
- Hill Sixteen (T: Sandy Thomson; J: Ryan Mania) 50/1
- Gabbys Cross (T: Henry De Bromhead; J: Peter Carberry) 50/1
- Sam Brown (T: Anthony Honeyball; J: Jonathan Burke) 66/1
- A Wave Of The Sea (T: Joseph O’Brien; J: Shane Fitzgerald) 66/1
- Carefully Selected (T: Willie Mullins; J: Michael O’Sullivan) 66/1
- Fortescue (T: Henry Daly; J: Hugh Nugent) 80/1
- Recite A Prayer (T: Willie Mullins; J: Jack Foley) 80/1
- Diol Ker (T: Noel Meade; J: Kieren Buckley) 80/1
- Darasso (T: J P O’Brien; J: Luke Dempsey) 100/1
- Cape Gentleman (T: John Joseph Hanlon; J: Jody McGarvey) 100/1
- Francky Du Berlais (T: Peter Bowen; J: Ben Jones) 100/1
Full Grand National Day Schedule (all times BST):
- 1:45pm: Systems Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3)
- 2:25pm: Betway Mersey Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)
- 3:00pm: Maghull Novices’ Chase (Grade 1)
- 3:35pm: Ryanair Stayers’ Hurdle (registered as the Liverpool Hurdle) (Grade 1)
- 4:15pm: Betway Handicap Chase (Grade 3)
- 5:15pm: Randox Grand National Chase (Grade 3)
- 6:20pm: Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Standard Open NH Flat Race (Grade 2)
