Grand National History

The Grand National is one of the most famous steeplechases in the world and has come a long was since that first race back in 1839. The spectators that enjoyed that first race probably would not believe that it would still be enjoyed almost 180 years into the future. That first race was along a four mile course that included jumps over fences, walls and brooks. Part of the course also required horse to race over a field that had just been ploughed. The course has not altered that much over the years as there are still jumps and difficult terrain to negotiate.

The first official Grand National is widely considered to be the Grand Liverpool Steeplechase which was first held in February 1839 at Aintree Racecourse. This race was won by a horse named Lottery and this seems fitting given that winning the Grand National is generally down to having good luck on the day. Jockeys and trainers have made their fortunes with just one win on the Grand National. It is one of the hardest courses in the world to race along and takes great skill as well as some good luck to be a winner.

There have been many notable winners of the Grand National throughout the years. The record for the most wins is held by Red Run who won it three times between 1973 and 1977. In the two years that he did not win he came second. He is often credited with saving the Grand National as interest in the race was beginning to wane before he reignited it. When he died in 1994 he was buried near the winning post at Aintree.

One of the reasons why the Grand National has remained so popular over the years is that it is a race that is always completely open. It is not guaranteed that one of the favourites will win and there have been many occasions where the winner has been a horse that has previously been unheard of. The Grand National is always an exciting race and is one that many people will have a bet on, even if they do not usually follow horse racing.

There are many races that are held at Aintree during the racing calendar but it remains best known for being the host of the Grand National. It's history is entwined with that of this famous race and it has certainly had its ups and downs over the years. The course was threatened with closure in the 1970s and if it were not for the revival in interest in the Grand National due to Red Rum's success. A fund was started to raise enough money for the Jockey Club to buy Aintree and there was a lot of public support for this and enough donations were made for the purchase to be made.

It is quite feasible to believe that the Grand National will continue to well beyond 2039 which will make it one of the only races in the world which has a history going back over 200 years.