The Grand National at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool is one of the greatest horse racing events in the world – an estimated 600 million people are expected to tune in to this year’s big competition. It’s also one of the most valuable races, with a prize fund of £1 million up for grabs.
This year, the Grand National takes place on Saturday 14 April at 5:15pm.
Bookmakers predict that £250 million will be spent betting on the race in 2018 – so who should you be putting your faith in this year?
Since the legendary Red Rum took home his third Grand National victory in 1977, a different horse has won each year, suggesting it really could be anyone’s race. Previous winners include One for Arthur (2017), Rule the World (2016), and Many Clouds (2015).
Who won the Grand National last year and previous?
Whether you’re one to study the odds meticulously or simply place your bets based on the horse names you like the sound of, we at OddsMonkey have put together 15 facts you probably didn’t know about the Grand National to help you get into the racing spirit:
The Grand National in Numbers:
- 20/1: The average odds of a winning Grand National horse
- 40: The number of horses who line up at the start tape
- 60%: The average percentage of entrants who don’t finish the race
- 7: The number of vets who are on course and mobile during the race to treat the horses
- £1 million: Total prize money up for grabs
- 12.9 million: The number of people estimated to place a bet on The Grand National
- £250 million: The predicted total spend by punters on the Grand National 2018
- 10 million: Number of people predicted to watch the 2018 Grand National in the UK
- 152,000: The number of spectators that will attend the Aintree Grand National over the 3-day meeting
- 494: How many yards the riders must race along the home straight – the longest of any UK racecourse
- 21: The number of races that take place over the Grand National meeting
- 4: The maximum number of alcoholic drinks racegoers can buy in one round
- 75,000: The number of cups of coffee and tea that will be consumed at the event
- 527.8: The number of seconds it took to complete the fastest ever race (or 8 minutes, 47.8 seconds), won by Mr. Frisk in 1990
- 17: The age of the youngest jockey to have won the Grand National (Bruce Hobbs in 1938, with Battleship)
Media information
Sources:
- 1.,7., 8., 9., 10. https://www.grandnational.fans/
- 2., 3. https://www.grandnational.fans/race-guide/
- 4., 13. https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/z-aintree-grand-national-14327543
- https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/horseracing/7572951/Grand-National-2010-Aintree-takes-lead-in-horse-welfare-Horse-Racing.html
- 5. https://www.grandnational.org.uk/grand-national-prize-money.php
- 6., 11. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/racing/0/grand-national-2018-date-race-tv-channel-running-list-announced/
- https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/z-aintree-grand-national-14327543
- https://www.ons.gov.uk/aboutus/transparencyandgovernance/freedomofinformationfoi/ukadultpopulation (UK mid-year estimates 2016, 25% of population age 18+)
- 12. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/02/13/jockey-club-restricts-drink-races-limit-bad-behaviour-has-blighted/
- 13. https://www.ossurwebshop.co.uk/blog/24-amazing-facts-didnt-know-grand-national
- 14., 15. https://www.grandnational.org.uk/facts-figures.php
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