Aintree Racecards

Aintree Racecourse Guide

About

Aintree is a left-handed National Hunt course on the edge of Liverpool, best known for staging the Randox Grand National, the most famous steeplechase in the world. It is really two very different tracks in one, each asking different questions of a horse.

The Track & Course

The Grand National course is a vast, flat circuit of around two and a quarter miles carrying the sport's most famous fences, including Becher's Brook, The Chair and the Canal Turn, where bold, fluent jumping and deep stamina are everything. The inner Mildmay course is a sharper, more conventional left-hander used for most of the card, rewarding speed and a horse that travels and jumps slickly. There is no meaningful draw factor over jumps.

Going & Ground

The going is typically good to soft across the spring Grand National meeting in April, on a well-grassed, galloping surface. Stamina becomes an even bigger factor when the ground rides on the softer side.

Key Races

The Randox Grand National headlines the three-day April festival, supported by Grade 1 contests such as the Aintree Hurdle, the Melling Chase and the Bowl, plus the Topham and Becher Chases run over the National fences.