The Grand National 2026 takes place on April 11 at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, with the first race of the three-day festival on April 9 and the main event going to post at 4:00 PM BST. Run over four miles and 30 fences with a £1,000,000 purse, it draws a global television audience of 600 million people. It is the most watched horse race in the world.
Nearly Two Centuries of Drama
First run in 1839, the Grand National is the race that made steeplechasing a spectacle. Red Rum’s three victories (1973, 1974, and 1977) are embedded in British sporting folklore. His duel with Crisp in 1973, when he overhauled a horse that had led by 30 lengths, remains the most replayed finish in racing history. Aldaniti’s victory in 1981, ridden by Bob Champion who had recovered from cancer, is one of sport’s most moving stories. Tiger Roll became the first horse since Red Rum to win back-to-back Nationals in 2018 and 2019, cementing his status as a modern legend. And in 2021, Rachael Blackmore became the first female jockey to win the Grand National aboard Minella Times, a moment that changed the face of the sport.
The Course and Its Challenges
The Grand National course is unique in racing. The 30 fences include legendary obstacles that every racing fan knows by name. Becher’s Brook, with its fearsome drop on the landing side, has been the scene of countless dramatic moments. The Chair is the tallest fence on the course at five feet two inches, with a six-foot ditch in front of it. The Canal Turn requires horses to make a sharp 90-degree turn immediately after jumping. The distance of four miles and two and a half furlongs (approximately 6.9 kilometers) makes it one of the longest races in the world, a test of stamina, jumping ability, and sheer courage.
The 2026 Aintree Festival
The Grand National is the climax of a three-day festival. Day 1 on April 9 features the Aintree Hurdle at 2:50 PM BST. Ladies Day on April 10 showcases the Melling Chase. Grand National Day on April 11 builds through the afternoon before the main event at 4:00 PM BST, with up to 40 runners expected to line up.
Timezone Guide for International Viewers
For viewers in the United States, the 4:00 PM BST post time lands at 11:00 AM EDT on the East Coast, a perfect late morning slot. West Coast fans get the race at 8:00 AM PDT. European viewers on the continent get a 5:00 PM CET start (5:00 PM CEST during summer). Australian fans in Sydney face a 1:00 AM AEST start on the early hours of April 12, a tough ask but one that dedicated racing fans accept for the National. Japanese viewers in Tokyo can watch at midnight JST. For fans in Dubai, the race goes off at 7:00 PM GST, an ideal Saturday evening watch.
The Atmosphere at Aintree
Aintree on Grand National Day is unlike any other sporting occasion in Britain. The 75,000-strong crowd includes everyone from seasoned racing professionals to once-a-year punters who have come for the spectacle and a flutter. The atmosphere builds through the day, reaching a crescendo as the runners parade before the race. The noise as the field approaches the first fence is extraordinary. And the roar when the leader jumps the last and races up the long run-in to the finish is one of the great sounds in sport. Liverpool itself embraces the occasion, with the city buzzing for the entire festival weekend.
What to Watch For in 2026
The Grand National is famously unpredictable. Handicap marks, jumping ability, stamina, and luck all play a role, and at odds of 50-1 or longer, any horse in the field can win. Irish-trained horses have dominated in recent years, with trainers like Willie Mullins, Gordon Elliott, and Henry de Bromhead sending waves of runners across the Irish Sea. The key to finding the winner often lies in identifying horses that have run well in the race before or that have proven form over extreme distances.
For the current time in Liverpool, check Liverpool time. For more on UK time, see United Kingdom time.