The first Grand National was held at Aintree in 1839, the race was won by a horse called LOTTERY. This first running was officially called The Grand Liverpool Steeplechase and attracted a field of 17 runners.

The first Grand National was held at Aintree in 1839, the race was won by a horse called LOTTERY. This first running was official called The Grand Liverpool Steeplechase and attracted a field of 17 runners.

In 1929 a record number of horses lined-up at Aintree. 66 horses started the race and all but one made it home safely. The race was won by the 100/1 long shot Gregalach.

In 1934 Golden Miller becomes the only horse to win a Cheltenham Gold Cup and Aintree Grand National in the same year.

No one remembers the name of the winning horse in 1956, but nearly everyone remembers Devon Loch. Owned by the Queen Mother, Devon Loch was just yards from winning the ’56 race when he slipped and was passed by the eventual winner E.S.B. The phrase ‘To Do A Devon Loch’ is still use to signal exceptional sporting failure.

The unlikely winner of the 1967 Grand National Foinavon was returned at odds of 100/1. And given the horses lack of ability even those odds looked too short. Foinavon was so far behind the race leaders that when a pile-up occurred at fence 23 he was the only horse able to avoid the carnage. He went on to win despite nearly being caught by several horses which had been remounted.

1973 was the year that Red Rum scored his first of three Grand National wins. In 1974 he successfully defended his crown. Red Rum finished runner up in both 1975, 1976 but he returned to Aintree in 1977 to complete the historic treble. Red Rum died aged 30 in 1995 and was laid to rest beside the finishing post at Aintree. The epitaph reads “Respect this place / this hallowed ground / a legend here / his rest has found / his feet would fly / our spirits soar / he earned our love for evermore”

The 3rd of April 1993 is without a doubt the darkest day in the history of the famous race. After a false start the race was declared void when a number of horses could not be recalled. The TV commentator on the day declared Esher Ness the winner in “the race that never was”.

Historically the Grand National has always been run on Saturday. However, in 1997 the race was moved to Monday following a bomb threat which saw the race postponed just hours before it was due to start.

It was the closest finish in the 165 year history of the Grand National. A photo was needed to separate Neptune Collonges from Sunnyhillboy. It was deemed that Neptune Collonges had snatched victory by the slimmest of margins.