The Grand National at Aintree is one of the most famous horse races in the world. Here is a look at some great facts about the race in Liverpool ahead of the 175th renewal of the marathon contest this year.
Red Rum Holds the Record for The Most Wins
Even if you do not follow horse racing closely, the chances are you will have heard of the name Red Rum before. He became a household name in the 1970s after he won the race three times and finished second on two occasions.
When he died in 1995, he was buried near the winning line at Aintree Racecourse. He also has a race named after him there, such was his affection with fans of the sport.
NOBLE YEATS HAS WON THE GRAND NATIONAL FOR SAM WALEY-COHEN!
On his final ride!
Follow all the action with our #GrandNational Live Blog 👉 https://t.co/3BmGBji299 pic.twitter.com/q38xPnJDLL
— Sky Sports Racing (@SkySportsRacing) April 9, 2022
2022 winner Noble Yeats could be set to join Red Rum as a multiple winner this year. The Irish horse is 8/1 in the Grand National odds to win the race for a second time.
As you can see from the Grand National racing results, Noble Yeats prevailed with 10st, 10lb on his back last year. If he is to replicate what Red Rum did in 1974 by winning the race in back-to-back years, he will need to do so with 11st 11lb this season.
Longest Distance in The Sport
The distance of 4m2½f or 6.907km is the longest distance of any horse race in the world. This marathon trip makes the Grand National such a strong test of stamina, especially when the ground at Aintree is soft or heavy.
#onthisday in 2012, Neptune Collonges won a thrilling #GrandNational under Daryl Jacob. #ThrowbackThursday pic.twitter.com/IZVl6uANsz
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) April 14, 2016
The race tends to last somewhere between 10 and 12 minutes. Only once has a photo finish been needed at the end of the 4m2½f, and that was in 2012 when Neptune Collonges got the better of Sunnyhillboy by a nose.
Largest Field of Runners Was In 1929
Due to safety regulations, this maximum field for the Grand National is now set at 40 runners. However, the record for the most horses in the race came in 1929 when 66 horses took part that year. It was won by Gregalach who caused an upset at odds of 100/1.
The most horses to complete the Grand National course came in 1984 when 23 did so in the year that Hallo Dandy scored for legendary trainer Gordon Richards.
Mr Frisk Produced the Fastest Winning Time
The record for the fastest time in the Grand National came in 1990 when Mr Frisk prevailed in eight minutes and 47 seconds. The firm ground at Aintree that afternoon helped, but it was a huge performance from the winner.
Mr Frisk was ridden to success by amateur jockey Marcus Armytage. He was the last amateur rider to prevail in the race until Sam Whaley-Cohen’s victory on board Noble Yeats in 2022.
Peter Simple Defies Age as The Oldest Winner
The most common age of the winning horse in the Grand National is between eight and 10 years old. Peter Simple broke this trend in 1853 when he was successful at the age of 15. That record is unlikely to be broken again as horses often retire well before that age today.
Enjoy the world’s famous steeplechase on the 15th of April, and hopefully, more records and amazing feats will continue to be achieved in the fantastic race at Aintree.
