Grand National 2025, explained: Date, time, when are horses announced and more

The Grand National is arguably the highlight of the jump racing calendar - Getty Images/Michael Steele

The year has turned and that means the Grand National 2025 is now firmly on the horizon.

No other race captures the imagination quite like it and this year promises to be no different with up to 34 horses bound for the start line at Aintree.

For a rundown of the top contenders for this years race – click here

When is the 2025 Grand National? Date and time

The Grand National takes place on Saturday April 5, 2025 and is the biggest race of the three-day Grand National meeting at Aintree racecourse, starting on Thursday, April 8.

The tapes will go and the runners will be off at 4pm on April 5.

When are the horses announced

We will not know the confirmed field until 48 hours before the race but there are several hoops to jump through until we reach that point. Click here for a full list of entries for the race.

March 31 – Five-day confirmations
April 3 – 48-hour declarations and final field confirmed

Where is the Grand National held?

The Grand National, as well as the three-day meeting bearing its name, take place at Aintree Racecourse, just outside of Liverpool.

The vast majority of races held at Aintree are run over the Mildmay course, which features normal hurdle and chase tracks.

The Grand National is a triangular-shaped course, just over 2m2f long. All races on this course, including the Grand National itself, are run over the famous fences.

How many horses run in the Grand National?

Until 2023, the maximum field size for the race was 40 but that has since been reduced to 34 as part of wider efforts to make the race safer of jockeys and horses.

The deadline for entries for the race has passed and the handicap weights have been published. Click here for a full list of entries.

What is the race distance?

One of the longest races of the entire season, the Grand National is run over 4m2f – just under two circuits of the Grand Nations course at Aintree.

How long does the Grand National last?

This is very dependent on conditions. The fastest time ever was recorded by Mr Frisk in 1990, who remains the only horse in history to compete the course in under nine minutes. For what it’s worth the slowest time is still the first ever running of the race in 1839, when Lottery took 14m53s to win the race.

The average winning time all time is 9m10s.

How many fences are there in the Grand National?

The 34 runners will be asked to jump 30 fences to complete race, a number of which vary in terms of size and width.

Changes have been made to the fences over the years to make them safer for horses and riders. These include removal of solid cores to allow horses to brush through easier and increasing the height of toe boards so they are in line with normal fences.

The Grand National’s most famous fences

The race is perhaps the only one in the world to have fences that have as a big a reputation as the horses running.

Undoubtedly the most famous in Beechers Brook, the 6th and 22nd fence of the race. The fence itself is not the biggest on the course but landing area is between 5 and ten inches lower (depending on where it is jumped) than the take-off side, making it more of a challenging landing for horses. The fence itself has undergone major changes over the years in order to make it safer.

Even after safety changes, Beechers Brook presents a stern test of horse and jockey - Reuters/Nigel Roddis

The Chair is the biggest fence on the course. Not only does it stand 5ft2in tall but also features a 6ft-wide ditch in front of it. The landing side is six inches higher than the take-off side, creating the opposite effect to Beecher’s Brook.

The Chair is the biggest fence on the Grand National course - Paul Grover

The Canal Turn is another famous fence, known best for the 90-degree turn horses have to make after the landing. The fence itself is fairly fearsome as is, standing 5ft tall.

Horses must take a 90-degree turn after jumping the Foinavon fence - Getty Images/Laurence Griffiths

Another fence of note is one of the smallest on the course, Foinavon. This one gets its name from the famous pile up that occurred there during the 1967 Grand National. Foinavon was the biggest beneficiary. As the only horse who was not impeded by the chaos, he and jockey John Buckingham scooted clear to seize victory.

How much does the Grand National winner receive in prize money?

The total prize fund for the race is £1 million, with winning connections earning £500,000.

The remaining prize-money breaks down as follows:

Second place – £200,000
Third place – £100,000
Fourth place – £65,000
Fifth place – £40,000
Sixth place – £30,000
Seventh place – £20,000
Eight place – £ 15,000
Ninth place – £10,000
Tenth place – £5000

Are tickets available?

Yes, tickets are available to purchase now, with prices varying from £85 for the Festival Zone area through to £195 for a dedicated seat in the best vantage point in the grand stand.

Across the opening two days of the meeting, the tickets are cheaper, ranging from £31.50 to £130.

There are also a host of hospitality packages available. Visit www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/aintree/events-tickets/grand-national/tickets for more information.

The Cheltenham Festival is the highlight of the National Hunt season. Make the most of the spectacle with these Cheltenham free bets and Cheltenham betting offers from the UK’s leading bookmakers.

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