Where?: Aintree racecourse
What Distance?: 4m 2½f
How Many Fences?: 30
How much Prize Money?: £1 million (£500,000 to the winner; the second to receive £200,000, the third £100,000, the fourth £65,000, the fifth £40,000, the sixth £30,000, the seventh £20,000, the eighth £15,000, the ninth £10,000 and the tenth £5,000)
Age restrictions and race conditions: for seven-year-olds which, prior to March 28, have started in a steeple chase during the current season, and have been placed first, second, third or fourth in a steeple chase with an official distance description of 'two miles seven and a half furlongs' or more, at any time during the horse's career. Horses must be also allotted a rating of 125 or more by the BHA Handicapper. To qualify, horses must have run at least six times in steeplechases.
Facts and figures
Modifications: In recent years the Grand National fences have been modified and race shortened, from 4m 4f. The handicapper has also tended to compress the weights - helping the highest-rated contenders. Prize-money has also increased. Many of the longstanding trends/statistics are no longer credible.
Runners: There is a maximum field size of 40 due to safety restrictions. The most runners came in 1929, when 66 went to post. In 1883, only 10 runners contested the race - the lowest on record.
The going: The going has either been "Good" or "Good to Soft" in 18 of the past 20 runnings. The exceptions were "Soft" (2016) and "Heavy" two years later. Watering nowadays prevents firm ground.
Female jockeys: Rachael Blackmore became the first female jockey to win in 2021 aboard Minella Times. The best placing by a female jockey before her had been Katie Walsh, when third on Seabass in 2012.
Biggest shocks: There have been five 100-1 winners: Mon Mome (2009), Foinavon (1967), Caughoo (1947), Gregalach (1929) and Tipperrary Tim (1928).
Oldest winning jockey: The oldest jockey to have won is amateur Dick saunders, 48, on Grittar in 1982.
Youngest winning jockey: Bruce Hobbs was 17 when winning on battleship in 1938. He had also ridden in the 1937 renewal.
