"lease in 1848. One century later, the Topham family bought the course outright. Later in the century the race was the setting of a thriller by the popular novelist Henry Hawley Smart. For three years during the First World War, while Aintree Racecourse was taken over by the War Office, an alternative race was run at Gatwick Racecourse, a disused course on land now occupied by Gatwick Airport. The first of these races, in 1916, was called the Racecourse Association Steeplechase, and in 1917 and 1918 the race was called the War National Steeplechase. The races at Gatwick are not"
"However, some historians have unearthed evidence in recent years that suggest those three races were run over the same course at Aintree and were regarded as having been Grand Nationals up until the mid-1860s. Contemporary newspaper reports place all the 1836-38 races at Aintree although the 1839 race is the first described as ""national"". To date, though, calls for the Nationals of 1836–1838 to be restored to the record books have been unsuccessful. The Duke was ridden by Martin Becher. The fence Becher's Brook is named after him and is where he fell in the next year’s race. In 1838"
"stables. Symbole fell at Becher's Brook, incurring a fatal cervical fracture. 1946 Grand National The 1946 Grand National was the 100th renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 5 April 1946. It was the first true Aintree Grand National since 1940 due to World War II. It was the last Grand National to take place on a Friday, which had been the traditional day for the race since 1876. The National was won by 25/1 shot Lovely Cottage, ridden by jockey Captain Robert Petre and trained by Tommy Rayson."
"1937 Grand National The 1937 Grand National was the 96th renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 19 March 1937. The estimated crowd of 300,000 is believed by the Aintree executive to be a record for the race, though only those who watched from the racecourse proper were charged admission. In attendance at Aintree were King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. The steeplechase was won by the aptly-named Royal Mail, at odds of 100/6. The eight-year-old was ridden by jockey Evan Williams and trained by Ivor Anthony, for owner"
"2016 Grand National The 2016 Grand National (officially known as the 2016 Crabbie's Grand National for sponsorship reasons) was the 169th annual running of the Grand National horse race at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England. The showpiece steeplechase took place on 9 April 2016, the final day of a three-day meeting. A field of 39 runners competed for a share of a prize fund of £1 million. The 2016 National was won by shot Rule The World, ridden by David Mullins and trained by Mouse Morris. In second place was the joint-favourite The Last Samuri. Sixteen of the 39 runners"
"1946 Grand National The 1946 Grand National was the 100th renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 5 April 1946. It was the first true Aintree Grand National since 1940 due to World War II. It was the last Grand National to take place on a Friday, which had been the traditional day for the race since 1876. The National was won by 25/1 shot Lovely Cottage, ridden by jockey Captain Robert Petre and trained by Tommy Rayson. Thirty-four horses ran and all but one returned safely to the"
"that the race was run over a course at Maghull and not Aintree, and became the official view held by Aintree when a board listing the winners of all previous Nationals was erected underneath the stands in 1894, stating that the races of 1837, and 1838 were run at Maghull. Although it is now widely acknowledged that the race was indeed run at Aintree, it is also the official view of Aintree that the races prior to 1839 should not be included as legitimate Grand Nationals and should be regarded more as precursors. As a result, ""The Duke"" is not"
"The record for the most victories in the Grand National is held by Red Rum, who won three times in the 1970s, in addition to coming second twice. Aintree has also been used as a venue for motor racing. The British Grand Prix was staged there on five occasions, in 1955, 1957, 1959, 1961 and 1962. In addition to the Grand Prix, the circuit also held 11 non-championship Formula 1 races, known as the Aintree 200, first won by Stirling Moss in 1954 with the last winner being Jack Brabham, in April 1964. The only driver to have competed in"
"Grand National The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England. First run in 1839, it is a handicap steeplechase over with horses jumping 30 fences over two laps. It is the most valuable jump race in Europe, with a prize fund of £1 million in 2017. An event that is prominent in British culture, the race is popular amongst many people who do not normally watch or bet on horse racing at other times of the year. The course over which the race is run features much larger fences than those"
"and the 1976 winner Rag Trade were both part-owned by celebrity hairdresser Raymond Bessone. 1994 winner Miinnehoma was owned by comedian Freddie Starr. What A Friend ran in 2011 and 2013 when part-owned by Alex Ferguson, the former manager of Manchester United. Notes Sources Grand National The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England. First run in 1839, it is a handicap steeplechase over with horses jumping 30 fences over two laps. It is the most valuable jump race in Europe, with a prize fund of £1 million in 2017. An"
"1911 Grand National The 1911 Grand National was the 73rd official annual renewal of the world-famous Grand National steeplechase which took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 24 March 1911. The only moving images of the race turned up in a London auction in 2007, found by Angus Loughran, and first shown to the public in a BBC documentary ""THE BIG FLUTTER: THE GRAND NATIONAL ON FILM"" in 2011. Torrential rain caused many riders to fall. Twenty two out of the twenty six runners failed to finish. The race was won by the 20:1 shot Glenside, a broken"
"of 1.1 million on the previous year, and attracted a 59% share of the television audience. 2016 Grand National The 2016 Grand National (officially known as the 2016 Crabbie's Grand National for sponsorship reasons) was the 169th annual running of the Grand National horse race at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England. The showpiece steeplechase took place on 9 April 2016, the final day of a three-day meeting. A field of 39 runners competed for a share of a prize fund of £1 million. The 2016 National was won by shot Rule The World, ridden by David Mullins and trained by"
"on land he leased in Aintree from William Molyneux, 2nd Earl of Sefton. Lynn set out a course, built a grandstand, and Lord Sefton laid the foundation stone on 7 February 1829. There is much debate regarding the first official Grand National; most leading published historians, including John Pinfold, now prefer the idea that the first running was in 1836 and was won by The Duke. This same horse won again in 1837, while Sir William was the winner in 1838. These races have long been disregarded because of the belief that they took place at Maghull and not Aintree."
"Aintree Racecourse Aintree Racecourse is a racecourse in Aintree, Liverpool, England. The racecourse is best known for annually holding the world-famous Grand National steeplechase. The course is home of the Grand National steeplechase, one of the most famous races in the world. Steeplechasing at Aintree was introduced in 1836, though flat racing had taken place there for many years prior to this. It is regarded as the most difficult of all courses to complete successfully, with 16 steeplechase fences including renowned obstacles the Chair, Foinavon, Valentine's, Canal Turn and Becher's Brook. These are so infamous that even their names strike"
"are closed when the course is used for horse or motor racing. It was served by Aintree Racecourse railway station until the station closed in 1962; it is now served by Aintree railway station, which is situated outside the racecourse. Aintree Racecourse Aintree Racecourse is a racecourse in Aintree, Liverpool, England. The racecourse is best known for annually holding the world-famous Grand National steeplechase. The course is home of the Grand National steeplechase, one of the most famous races in the world. Steeplechasing at Aintree was introduced in 1836, though flat racing had taken place there for many years prior"
"2018 Grand National The 2018 Grand National (officially, the Randox Health 2018 Grand National) was the 171st annual running of the Grand National horse race at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England. The showpiece steeplechase was the pinnacle of a three-day festival which commenced on 12 April 2018. The event was sponsored by Randox Health for the second time. The race was won by shot Tiger Roll, ridden by Davy Russell, in a photo finish from Pleasant Company. All 38 runners returned to the stables, although Saint Are required veterinary attention on the course and Charlie Deutsch, riding Houblon Des Obeaux,"
"1938 Grand National The 1938 Grand National was the 97th renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 25 March 1938. The steeplechase was won narrowly by American thoroughbred Battleship, a 40/1 shot ridden by 17-year-old jockey Bruce Hobbs and trained by Reg Hobbs, for owner Marion duPont Scott. Royal Danieli finished in second place, with Workman third and last year's second-placed Cooleen was fourth. Workman won the National the following year and Cooleen also finished fourth in 1939. Battleship is the only horse to have won both the Grand"
"1938 Grand National The 1938 Grand National was the 97th renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 25 March 1938. The steeplechase was won narrowly by American thoroughbred Battleship, a 40/1 shot ridden by 17-year-old jockey Bruce Hobbs and trained by Reg Hobbs, for owner Marion duPont Scott. Royal Danieli finished in second place, with Workman third and last year's second-placed Cooleen was fourth. Workman won the National the following year and Cooleen also finished fourth in 1939. Battleship is the only horse to have won both the Grand"
"1986 Grand National The 1986 Grand National (known as the Seagram Grand National for sponsorship reasons) was the 140th renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 5 April 1986. The race was won by nine-year-old 15/2 second favourite West Tip, ridden by jockey Richard Dunwoody. in a time of 9 minutes, 33 seconds for a prize of £57,254. The winner was owned by Mr Peter Luff and trained in Droitwich, Worcestershire by Michael Oliver. One hundred and nine horses were entered the 1986 Grand National of which fifty six"
"1839 Grand National The 1839 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase was the first official annual running of a steeplechase which later became known as the Grand National. It was held at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on Tuesday 26 February 1839 and attracted a field of 17 runners. Although recorded by the press at the time as the fourth running of the Grand Liverpool Steeplechase, which was renamed the Grand National in 1847, the first three runnings were poorly organised affairs. This year the race came under new management and the arrival of the railway in Liverpool made travel to the course"
"trial for that event. Two winners have gone on to win the Grand National; Amberleigh House and Silver Birch. Earth Summit won the race in 1998 following his Grand National win the previous April. One of the obstacles jumped is Becher's Brook, which is named in memory of Martin Becher (1799–1864). The Becher Chase was established in 1992, when a new race meeting was introduced at Aintree. For the twenty years prior to this, the Grand National meeting had been the venue's only horse racing fixture of the year. It is currently sponsored by the Grand National's sponsor, Randox Laboratories."
"race to be televised in high-definition in the UK. In August 2013 Crabbie's was announced as the new sponsor of the Grand National. The three-year deal between the alcoholic ginger beer producer and Aintree saw the race run for a record purse of £1 million in 2014. In March 2016 it was announced that Randox Health would take over from Crabbie's as official partners of the Grand National festival from 2017, for at least five years. The Grand National is run over the National Course at Aintree and consists of two laps of 16 fences, the first 14 of which"
"was not the first time a horse had seemed to jump some form of ghost fence on the run in of the National. In 1901, Arthur Nightingall's race was well won on board Grudon when his mount also made to jump a fence that wasn't there. On that occasion the pair recovered and had sufficient time to continue and win the race. 1956 Grand National The 1956 Grand National was the 110th renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 24 March 1956. It is probably best remembered for Devon"
"was Tom Olliver and on the date of the race he was riding at St Albans. For over a century the detail recorded on the honours board was accepted as fact until evidence was presented to show the real events of the 1838 Great Liverpool chase. While it is now accepted among the majority of racing writers that the 1838 race was indeed run at Aintree and not Maghull it is still the official view that the lack of prestige in the race prior to 1839 warrants its continued omission from being declared an official Grand National. http://www.grandnational.hyak.co.uk/past/grand_national_past_1838.html 1838 Grand"
"to him about a mile from home. ""Ta ta old chap. I must push on a trifle faster or the cupboard will be bare when I get there, and wouldn't disappoint old mother Hubbard for the world."" ""The only mistake he made came 200 yards from the winning post when he jumped a footpath across the course and gave me a bit of a shock."" 1901 Grand National The 1901 Grand National was the 63rd renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 29 March 1901. The race was run in a"
"Aintree railway station Aintree railway station is a railway station in Aintree, Merseyside, England. It is on the Ormskirk branch of the Merseyrail network's Northern Line. Until 1968 it was known as Aintree Sefton Arms after a nearby public house. The station's design reflects the fact it is the closest station to Aintree Racecourse, where the annual Grand National horse race takes place. Opened by the East Lancashire Railway in April 1849, then taken over by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway ten years later, it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway during the Grouping of 1923. The"
"1904 Grand National The 1904 Grand National was the 66th renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 25 March 1904. The winner, Moifaa, was the first ever non-British/Irish winner of the race. He ran in the race again the following year, when he was owned by the King. Shortly after his victory, a story emerged from the United States that the Grand National winner had come to England, the survivor of a ship wreck. The popularity of the story of the Robinson Crusoe Grand National winner gained weight through the"
"1901 Grand National The 1901 Grand National was the 63rd renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 29 March 1901. The race was run in a howling snowstorm and was won by the 9/1 chance, Grudon. Grudon was among the leading contenders on the day but with the weather conditions being what they were, most of the trainers and jockeys knew that the race would be reduced to little more than a lottery. Trainer Bernard Bletsoe hit on the idea to pack Grudon's hooves with butter in the hope that this"
"stewards for excessive use of the whip on Ballabriggs. The horse's trainer, Donald McCain, Jr., indicated that he will likely return to Aintree for the 2012 National seeking the first back-to-back wins since Red Rum in 1974: ""I'd have thought next season will revolve around the National and he may well go to the Becher Chase [in December] as well."" 2011 Grand National The 2011 Grand National (known as the John Smith's Grand National for sponsorship reasons) was the 164th renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race held at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England. The showpiece steeplechase began at"
"the betting ring by Matt Chapman and Brian Gleeson. The commentary team was Mark Johnson, Ian Bartlett and Richard Hoiles. 2018 Grand National The 2018 Grand National (officially, the Randox Health 2018 Grand National) was the 171st annual running of the Grand National horse race at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England. The showpiece steeplechase was the pinnacle of a three-day festival which commenced on 12 April 2018. The event was sponsored by Randox Health for the second time. The race was won by shot Tiger Roll, ridden by Davy Russell, in a photo finish from Pleasant Company. All 38 runners"
"2010 Grand National The 2010 Grand National (known as the John Smith's Grand National for sponsorship reasons) was the 163rd renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race that took place at the Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 10 April 2010. The main race was held at 16:15 BST and was won by Don't Push It, ridden by Tony McCoy, five lengths ahead of Black Apalachi in second, and twenty ahead of State of Play in third. It was McCoy's first win in the Grand National at his fifteenth attempt. Don't Push It started the race as 10–1 joint-favourite,"
"1956 Grand National The 1956 Grand National was the 110th renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 24 March 1956. It is probably best remembered for Devon Loch's sudden and inexplicable fall on the final straight, just 40 yards from a certain victory. The incident is almost always replayed during television build-up coverage on Grand National day. Owned by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and ridden by Dick Francis, the well-fancied Devon Loch held a five-length lead over his nearest challenger, E.S.B., on the run-in to the finishing post,"
"2011 Grand National The 2011 Grand National (known as the John Smith's Grand National for sponsorship reasons) was the 164th renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race held at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England. The showpiece steeplechase began at 4:15 pm BST on 9 April 2011, the final day of the three-day annual meeting. The maximum permitted field of forty runners competed for prize money totalling a record £950,000, making it the highest valued National Hunt race in the United Kingdom. Nineteen of the forty participants completed the 4½-mile course; of the 21 who did not, two suffered fatal"