When does the Grand National start in 2027?
The Grand National is the best-known steeplechase in the world, run over the National Course at Aintree on the northern edge of Liverpool. The date of the next running is shown above.
It closes Aintree's three-day festival and is run on the Saturday afternoon. The race covers about four and a quarter miles and the field jumps thirty fences over two circuits, which makes it far longer and more demanding than an ordinary steeplechase.
The National draws an audience well beyond regular racegoers, and for many people it is the only horse race they watch all year.
The fences and the course
The race is run over two circuits of Aintree's National Course, whose fences are built differently from those on a standard steeplechase track. Becher's Brook, the Canal Turn, Valentine's and the Chair are jumped in a set order, and the race ends with an unusually long run-in after the final fence.
Fence construction, the size of the field and the safety rules have all been revised over the years, so use the official site for the current arrangements rather than older accounts of the race.