The Grand National is coming. One of the most famous horse races in the world takes place next Saturday, 11 April 2026, at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, and the build-up is already well underway. With the final declarations set to be confirmed on Wednesday 8 April and the betting markets heating up, here is everything you need to know about the 2026 renewal of the world’s most famous steeplechase.
Grand National 2026 Date and Time
The Grand National 2026 is scheduled for Saturday 11 April, with the race itself set for approximately 4:00pm BST. As is traditional, the race forms the centrepiece of a full day’s racing at Aintree, with supporting cards throughout the afternoon building to the main event. The Grand National meeting runs across three days — Thursday 9, Friday 10 and Saturday 11 April — offering a full festival of jump racing in the north-west of England.
The Course and the Challenge
The Grand National course at Aintree is unlike any other in British racing. The race covers 4 miles and 2½ furlongs, and the field — capped at 34 runners — must negotiate 30 distinctive fences over two circuits of the course. Sixteen fences appear on the first circuit and fourteen on the second, with iconic obstacles including Becher’s Brook, The Chair, and Canal Turn demanding a particular combination of jumping ability, stamina and luck.
No other race in the world asks quite so much of horse and jockey, which is exactly why the Grand National has captured the public imagination for nearly two centuries. It is genuinely unpredictable in a way that few major sporting events can claim to be — a 100-1 outsider can win; a favourite can fall at the first. That uncertainty is central to its appeal.
Grand National 2026 Runners and Favourites
The final field of 34 runners will be confirmed at the 72-hour declaration stage on Wednesday 8 April, but 55 horses have been entered for the 2026 race, ensuring a competitive short-list to draw from. Among the current favourites is I Am Maximus, trained by Willie Mullins. The 10-year-old bay gelding has an excellent record over big fences and is regarded by many handicappers as the most likely winner, though at this stage of the season the market can shift dramatically as the declaration stage approaches.
Grangeclare West, who finished third in last year’s renewal, is also prominent in the betting following an impressive victory in the Bobbyjo Chase. Cheltenham Festival winner Johnnywho enters the race off the back of a high-profile success and will attract significant interest from the public, though carrying a penalty weight could prove a factor over such a gruelling trip.
How to Watch the Grand National 2026 on TV
ITV holds the broadcast rights for the Grand National in the United Kingdom and will provide live, free-to-air coverage of the race and the wider Aintree Festival across the three days. Coverage of the big race itself will begin well in advance of the 4:00pm scheduled start time, with expert analysis, stable visits and interviews with jockeys and trainers building the atmosphere through the afternoon. ITV’s Grand National coverage traditionally pulls in one of the largest television audiences of the British sporting year.
Betting on the Grand National
The Grand National is the single biggest betting event in the British calendar, with millions of people placing a wager who would not normally back a horse in any other race. Most major bookmakers offer each-way terms of four or five places for the race, reflecting the large field and the genuine possibility of an outsider threatening. Please gamble responsibly — the Grand National is best enjoyed as part of the occasion rather than as a serious financial exercise, given the unpredictability that makes the race so unique.
How to Get to Aintree
Aintree Racecourse is located on the outskirts of Liverpool and is accessible by Merseyrail, with a dedicated race-day service running from Liverpool Central to Aintree station. Train tickets should be booked in advance, particularly for Grand National day, as services fill up quickly. Road access is also available, with the course signposted from the M57 and M58 motorways, though parking is limited and early arrival is strongly advised.
- Race date: Saturday 11 April 2026
- Approximate race time: 4:00pm BST
- Venue: Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool
- TV: ITV (free-to-air, UK)
- Final declarations: Wednesday 8 April 2026
- Maximum field: 34 runners
The Grand National is one of those rare sporting occasions that genuinely belongs to the whole country — watched in living rooms, bet on in workplaces, and followed with genuine affection by people who barely follow horse racing at any other point in the year. Mark Saturday 11 April in your diary and enjoy the spectacle.