When is the Grand National?

The anticipation for the Grand National continues to rise as the biggest event in the British horse racing calendar rapidly approaches.

The event at Aintree takes place on 13 April and King George VI Chase winner Hewick topped the weights at 11st 12lb when they were announced earlier this year, so now looks set to run in the Aintree Bowl instead. Meanwhile, last year’s winner Corach Rambler was allocated 11st 2lb and appears to be a red-hot favourite heading into the race.

Gavin Cromwell’s Vanillier will carry 10st 8lb and is likely to enter as one of the fancies with several bookmakers, having only been beaten by two and a quarter lengths in last year’s contest.

As it stands Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott could saddle 20 runners between them, which is more than half the field and considerably more than the entire British contingent, set to be around eight horses.

Here’s everything you need to know about the race and get the latest odds and tips here.

When is the Grand National?

The race is the highlight of the three-day Festival which takes place at Aintree Racecourse on the outskirts of Liverpool from Thursday 11 April to Saturday 13 April, with the main event on Saturday afternoon.

What time is it?

The Grand National takes place on Saturday 13 April at 4pm BST, having been brought forward from 5.15pm after controversy in the 2023 edition.

How can I watch it?

The race will be shown live on ITV1 as well as Racing TV. The race can also be streamed live on ITVX.

If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch major sporting events, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are, and also with the terms of their service provider.

How many horses run in it?

There will be a maximum of 34 horses running in the 2024 race, down from 40 in 2023 as the event tries to become safer. The number has not always been consistent, there were 66 for example in 1929.

When are the horses announced?

The final horses will be confirmed on Thursday, 11 April, two days before the race, and if a horse is withdrawn after that time they will not be replaced.

The initial entries had to be made by 6 February, and the weights were published on 20 February. There are currently 55 horses still in contention to run as of 4 April and on the Monday before the race, the number will be reduced to 50.

There are a lot of criteria for being allowed to enter the Grand National, including that the horse is aged seven or older and has completed three or more steeplechases, with at least one in the same season as the Aintree event.