The History of The Grand National | Fences and Famous Wins

The Grand National is the most famous steeplechase in the world. It is run every April at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, and horses jump 30 fences over roughly 4 miles 2½ furlongs. An estimated 500 to 600 million people in more than 140 countries watch it, including many who never follow racing at any other time of year.

The history of The Grand National is full of 100/1 winners, heartbreak on the run-in and horses that became household names. This guide covers how the race began, the fences and moments that made it famous, and how it has changed over nearly two centuries.

How The Grand National Began

William Lynn and the Birth of Aintree

The race started with William Lynn, the owner of Liverpool's Waterloo Hotel. Lynn leased land at Aintree from the Earl of Sefton, laid out a course and built a grandstand. Lord Sefton laid the grandstand's foundation stone on 7 February 1829.

The 1836 to 1838 Debate

A race called the Liverpool Grand Steeplechase was first run in 1836. Captain Martin Becher rode the winner, The Duke. The Duke won again in 1837, and Sir William won in 1838.

These early races were long ignored because people believed they took place at Maghull rather than Aintree. Some historians now argue that they were run over the same Aintree course. Even so, attempts to add them to the record books have failed.

Lottery and the First Official Race in 1839

Three changes turned a local contest into a national event in 1839. The Great St Albans Chase, which clashed with the Aintree race, ended after 1838. A new railway link connected Liverpool with London and Birmingham, so racegoers could travel from across the country. A committee was also formed to organise the event properly.

On 26 February 1839, Jem Mason rode the aptly named Lottery to victory. The race took 14 minutes and 53 seconds, which is still the slowest winning time on record. It is recognised as the first official Grand National.

A True Cross-Country Race

The first course looked nothing like today's track. Runners raced across open farmland towards the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, jumping gates, hedges and ditches marked with flags. They faced a stone wall, a stretch of ploughed land and two hurdles near the finish. Commentators still call the far side of the course "the country" because of these roots.

The Topham Era

Edward William Topham, a respected handicapper, turned the race into a handicap in 1843. For its first four years it had been a weight-for-age race. Under the handicap system, stronger horses carry more weight, which gives the whole field a fairer chance and makes the result harder to predict.

Topham took over the land lease in 1848, and his family bought the course outright from Lord Sefton in 1949. The Topham family played a central role in the race for about 125 years.

The Grand National Through Two World Wars

The First World War

The War Office took over Aintree during the First World War. From 1916 to 1918, replacement races were run at Gatwick Racecourse, on land that is now Gatwick Airport. Many winners' lists leave these races out.

The Second World War

The 1940 race went ahead as normal. Aintree was then taken over for defence use, so no Grand National was held from 1941 to 1945. When the race returned in 1946, it was run on a Friday. From 1947 it moved to a Saturday at the request of Home Secretary James Chuter Ede, who wanted working people to be able to watch. It has been a Saturday fixture ever since.

The Famous Grand National Fences

The National course has 16 fences. Fourteen are jumped twice, which makes 30 jumps in total. The fences were once built from natural thorn hedges. Today they are dressed with spruce from the Lake District and built around softer plastic cores that are more forgiving for horses.

Becher's Brook

Becher's Brook is the most famous fence in racing. It is named after Captain Martin Becher, who fell here in 1839 and hid in the brook while the rest of the field jumped over him. The landing side is lower than the take-off side, and the drop often catches horses by surprise.

The Canal Turn and Valentine's Brook

The Canal Turn forces horses to make a sharp 90-degree left turn as soon as they land. Before the First World War, loose horses sometimes ran straight on and ended up in the canal. Valentine's Brook is named after a horse called Valentine, who is said to have jumped it hind legs first in 1840.

The Chair

The Chair stands 5 feet 2 inches high and is fronted by a wide ditch. It is only jumped once. In 1862 jockey Joe Wynne fell here and died, the only human death in the race's history. The ditch was added afterwards to slow horses on the approach.

Foinavon

The seventh fence is one of the smallest on the course. It was renamed in 1984 after one of the most unlikely winners the race has ever seen.

Unforgettable Moments in Grand National History

Tipperary Tim in 1928

The 1928 race was run in mist on very heavy ground. A pile-up at the Canal Turn wiped out most of the 42 runners. Only two horses finished, which is still a record, and Tipperary Tim won at 100/1.

Devon Loch in 1956

Devon Loch, owned by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, jumped the last fence five lengths clear. Just 40 yards from the finish, he leapt into the air and collapsed on his belly. E.S.B. went on to win. The Queen Mother famously responded, "Oh, that's racing!" In Britain, "doing a Devon Loch" still means failing just before certain victory.

Foinavon in 1967

A loose horse veered across the leaders at the 23rd fence and caused chaos. Horses refused, fell or even ran back the wrong way. Foinavon was so far behind that jockey John Buckingham could steer around the mess and jump cleanly. He won at 100/1. His owner had so little faith in him that he went to Worcester races that day instead.

The Race That Never Was in 1993

The starting tape tangled around a jockey, and a false start was called. Poor communication meant 30 of the 39 riders did not realise and set off anyway. Seven horses completed the course, with Esha Ness first past the post, but the result was declared void.

The Bomb Threat in 1997

Two coded IRA bomb threats forced the evacuation of 60,000 spectators. Around 20,000 people were left without their cars, and Liverpool residents opened their homes to strangers. The race was run two days later on the Monday.

Red Marauder in 2001

Waterlogged ground caused carnage in 2001. Only four horses finished, and two of those had to be remounted. Red Marauder beat Smarty in one of the slowest Grand Nationals in a century.

Red Rum: The Horse That Saved The Grand National

A Race in Decline

By the 1970s, the race was in serious trouble. The Tophams sold Aintree to property developer Bill Davies in 1973. Davies tripled ticket prices, and the 1975 crowd was the smallest in living memory. Bookmaker Ladbrokes stepped in to manage the event.

Three Wins in Five Years

Trainer Ginger McCain bought Red Rum for 6,000 guineas. The horse had a painful bone condition in his foot, so McCain galloped him in the sea on Southport beach to treat it.

In 1973, Red Rum was 15 lengths behind the top-weight Crisp at the last fence. He caught Crisp two strides from the post and set a new course record. He won again in 1974 and finished second in 1975 and 1976. In 1977, aged 12, he won by 25 lengths. Red Rum remains the only horse to win the race three times, and his popularity helped keep the Grand National alive.

The Seagram Rescue

Canadian drinks company Seagram became the sponsor in 1984. Its support allowed the course to be bought from Davies and handed to The Jockey Club, which still runs Aintree today. Fittingly, the last Seagram-sponsored race in 1991 was won by a horse named Seagram.

Comebacks, Records and Modern Heroes

Aldaniti and Bob Champion in 1981

Two years before the race, Bob Champion was diagnosed with cancer and given months to live. His horse, Aldaniti, had recovered from serious leg injuries. The pair won by 4½ lengths, and their story became the 1983 film Champions.

Mr Frisk in 1990

Mr Frisk set a blistering pace under amateur rider Marcus Armytage. He finished in 8 minutes 47.8 seconds, the fastest winning time in the race's history.

Earth Summit in 1998

Earth Summit had already won the Scottish and Welsh Grand Nationals. His Aintree victory made him the only horse to win all three.

Amberleigh House in 2004 and AP McCoy in 2010

In 2004, Ginger McCain won again with Amberleigh House, 31 years after Red Rum's first victory. It was McCain's fourth win as a trainer, equalling the record. In 2010, Sir AP McCoy, often called the greatest jump jockey of all time, finally won at his 15th attempt on Don't Push It.

Neptune Collonges in 2012

Neptune Collonges beat Sunnyhillboy by a nose in a photo finish that took officials about a minute and a half to decide. He became the first grey to win in more than 50 years and gave trainer Paul Nicholls his first Grand National.

Tiger Roll in 2018 and 2019

Tiger Roll won a tight photo finish against Pleasant Company in 2018. He returned as favourite in 2019 and won comfortably, becoming the first back-to-back winner since Red Rum. The cancellation of the 2020 race stopped his bid for a third win in a row.

Women in The Grand National

The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 opened the race to female jockeys. Charlotte Brew became the first woman to ride in it in 1977, on the 200/1 outsider Barony Fort. Geraldine Rees was the first woman to complete the course, on Cheers in 1982.

Trainers broke through too. Jenny Pitman became the first woman to train the winner in 1983 with Corbiere, and Venetia Williams won with 100/1 shot Mon Mome in 2009. Katie Walsh finished third on Seabass in 2012, the best result by a female jockey at the time.

The biggest breakthrough came in 2021. Rachael Blackmore rode Minella Times to victory and became the first female jockey to win The Grand National.

The Grand National Today

Sponsors and Prize Money

Martell sponsored the race from 1992 to 2004, followed by John Smith's and then Crabbie's. In 2014, the race offered a £1 million prize fund for the first time, making it the richest jump race in Europe. Randox has been the sponsor since 2017.

Broadcasting

The race has been on radio since 1927 and on free-to-air television since 1960. The BBC showed it until 2012, Channel 4 took over from 2013 to 2016, and ITV has broadcast it since 2017. In 2010 it became the first UK horse race shown in high definition.

The Virtual Grand National

The Covid-19 pandemic cancelled the 2020 race. Fans watched a computer-generated Virtual Grand National instead, which was won by Potters Corner.

Changes for Horse Welfare

Aintree has made many safety changes over the years. After two horses died at Becher's Brook in 1989, the brook on the landing side was filled in. The landing was levelled further after 2011, and softer fence cores were introduced in 2012. Following protests that delayed the 2023 race, the field was cut from 40 to 34 runners in 2024, and the first fence was moved closer to the start to slow the early pace, a pattern of protest-driven redesign that Siena has worked through in parallel with its own historic bareback race.

Recent Winners

Recent years have produced more great stories. Amateur Sam Waley-Cohen won on 50/1 shot Noble Yeats in 2022, and Corach Rambler won in 2023. I Am Maximus won in 2024, and amateur Patrick Mullins rode Nick Rockett to victory in 2025. I Am Maximus won again in 2026, giving trainer Willie Mullins his fourth Grand National.

Why The Grand National Still Captures Hearts

The Grand National has survived wars, near-bankruptcy, a void race and a bomb scare. Its appeal lies in its unpredictability. Only 13 favourites have won since the Second World War, and five winners have started at 100/1. That is why office sweepstakes and family bets remain a big part of race day.

From Lottery's win in 1839 to Red Rum's three titles and Rachael Blackmore's history-making ride, the race keeps adding new chapters. Each April, another horse gets the chance to join the legends of Aintree.

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