Enjoy Three of the Biggest Days in the British Sporting and Social Calendar at the Grand National
The Grand National is a horse race for people who don’t normally watch horse races. Much like the Kentucky Derby, the Grand National is a horse racing event that draws in legions of fans who normally wouldn’t be interested. The race takes place annually on the first Saturday of April, which gives it an exuberant spring feeling that makes it quite thrilling. And even if you do not normally bet on horse racing at other times of the year you can not resist from having a bet on the Aintree Grand National.
A Jumpers’ Race
One of the most exciting things about the Grand National is that it is a race for jumpers. The course is over four miles long and has 30 fences that the horses and their riders are required to jump over. This jumping aspect of the event is one of the things that most entices the casual fans who watch the race. There is something very exciting about watching a horse leap over tall barriers with a rider on its back.
Interesting Layout of the Course
As well as being unusual for being a very popular jumpers’ race, the Grand National also has a unique layout compared to most other horse races. The majority of horse racing tracks are laid out in an oval. However, the Grand National course is actually laid out in the shape of a triangle. The horses run two loops around the two-mile track, and it is a brutal test for horse and rider.
Most races are less than two miles in length and run for one lap. The long-distance nature and sheer number of jumps at the Grand National are considered by many to be the ultimate test of the abilities of horses and their riders. The majority of entrants in the event fail to finish the race, usually being stopped by one of the 30 jumps that are required. This means that the race is as much a test of endurance as it is of speed.
History of the Event
The Grand National has been run at the Aintree Racetrack near Liverpool since the 1830s. This magnificent event started off as a small local affair, but within a short time it began to be one of the most anticipated annual events on the British horse racing calendar. The Grand National is now one of the most popular horse racing events in the world and the most rich event in the UK, with the Cheltenham Festival coming second. It is broadcast on television screens around the world to an audience of more than 500 million viewers.
Betting
Of course, like most horse racing events, betting on the Grand National is very popular. Because of the extreme nature of the race, it is one of the most difficult races to bet on. It is a great race for bettors who like to bet on the long shot. Many years at the Grand National a long shot has come out of nowhere to surprise everyone with a victory.
