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The course is nearly two and a quarter miles in length and has 16 unique fences. Horses and riders have to contend with drop fences that is to say that the landing side of the fence is lower than the take off side and this means the horse approaching the fence is unaware of this fact until in the air. There are also fences where the landing side is higher than the take off side and this is an extra test of ability for the horses that run in the race. Halfway through the course is a fence with a 90 degree turn after the jump which is another chance to test a horse and riders ability to stay balanced and at the end of four and a half miles there is a long run in to the finish line which when tired can take a lot of getting. All this adds up to a true test for horse and jockey and that is why The Grand National is the race that most jockeys owners and trainers want to win BackgroundThe Grand National is seen as one of the toughest horse races in the world.
Indeed even in the national hunt field in the UK, The Grand National is not contested by the best jump horses. Because The Grand National is a handicap race, horses of very high class would have to give weight away to horses that they would meet in, say the Gold Cup at Cheltenham at level weights. This is another reason why a Grand National win is so prized, as a horse has to keep improving to win The Grand National but in standard championship races they will often just need to keep their form to get the better of their rivals. Perhaps this is the reason that we do not often get multiple winners of the Grand National. Information at The Grand National WorldSince the first running of The Grand National in 1836, What I hear you say, the first Grand national was in 1839, Well officially that is true but there was three races before the 'Official First Race' anyway since the first running of The Grand National the Grand National has been full of interesting stories.We have set out a whole section on the stories or tales, which include the great horses that have run in The Grand National like: We have also tried to cover the human interest in the connections of Grand National runners with stories on The Grand National's first women jockeys and the first female trainer Jenny Pitman to win the National. Also covered here is information on other events that have made The Grand National so interesting like the 1993 Race that was called void after false starts. We also have archive previews, race reviews, results and post race analysis dating back to 1998. The Grand National World also covers important information on Aintree racecourse, the home of the Grand National horserace. There is also information on the viewing areas and the Grand National fences, as well as a pictorial tour So now please browse and enjoy The world of The Grand National. |
Often called the world's greatest steeplechase, The Grand National is one of the most famous steeplechases in the world. It is a unique test of horsemanship for the rider and also a test of a great significance for a horse.
Many People in racing have tried and failed to win The Grand National, but despite this, The Grand National is still one of the most sought after prizes in the racing world. This is perhaps surprising as it is a steeplechase rather than a flat race. We should add to this the fact that The Grand National is run in by older horses and the male horses have been gelded therefore there is no stud value for horses that have won The Grand National. Unlike the major flat races and certainly the British classic races whose winners are often worth many millions of pounds in stud value, the winner of The Grand National has no real future value.
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