Get all the lowdown on the race that stops the nation.
When is the festival?
The 2019 Randox Health Grand National takes place on Saturday 6th April at 5:15pm. It’s the pinnacle of the Grand National Festival, which takes place over three days at Aintree in Liverpool from Thursday 4th - Saturday 6th April.
Why is it special?
Arguably the most famous race in the world, the Grand National has been run since 1839 and is the longest National Hunt race in the UK (4miles, 514 yards). Not only that, it’s regarded as one of the toughest to win, with 30 fences over two laps. It's also some of the highest obstacles to clear, testing both horse and jockey to the limit.
Who are this year’s favourites?
It’s all about Tiger Roll (4/1 best price). Gordon Elliott’s superstar is bidding to become the first horse to win back-to-back Grand Nationals since the immortal Red Rum in in the 1970’s.
He’s already won back-to-back Cross Country’s at Cheltenham, and could be the shortest price winning favourite since Poethlyn, who triumphed at 11/4 exactly 100 years ago.
What is the dress code?
Although there is no official dress code, smart is preferable. Sports clothes and fancy dress are not permitted in the Grand National stand, although with the occasion is so ‘grand’ (pun intended), most racegoers go all out to impress, with suits, dresses, hats and fascinators visible in abundance.
Where should I bet?
Although it’s tempting to wait until the day and dash to a betting shop, betting through Oddschecker is the smart option. Whether it’s desktop or our popular Oddschecker app, you’ll always get the best price for your horse and you don’t even have to leave the site with our new ‘quickbet’ feature.
You’ll be cheering your horse home knowing that you’re getting the maximum returns possible!
