When is the 2026 Grand National?
The 2026 Grand National is raced on Saturday, 11th April at 4pm. This race is the culmination of the three-day Aintree Festival which runs from Thursday, 9th April to the day of the Grand National. The start time for the feature race was brought forward from 5.15pm to 4pm in 2024 and remains in place for the 2026 event.
Each day of the Aintree Festival has its own identity. Thursday is known as ‘Opening Day’ and its racecards are crammed with Grade 1 action. Friday is ‘Ladies Day’, which has become a hugely popular social event among female racegoers across the north-west of England and beyond.
Saturday is the main event: Grand National Day, when the biggest race in National Hunt racing takes centre stage at 4pm.
Where is the 2026 Grand National held?
The 2026 Grand National will be staged at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool. It has been the sole home of the Grand National since the festival began in 1839, making Aintree one of the most storied sporting venues on the planet.
Aintree’s course is famous for its iconic obstacles, including The Chair and Becher’s Brook, which line the 4-mile and 2-and-a-half-furlong circuit, making it a true test of endurance and bravery.
Getting to Aintree by rail is comfortably the easiest option for visitors. Aintree Station is less than a five-minute walk from the racecourse, with regular services to and from Liverpool Lime Street.
From Manchester and Birmingham, you can get direct trains to Lime Street in one hour and one hour-and-45-minutes respectively. If you prefer to drive, Aintree Racecourse is just one mile from the M57 and M58, positioned adjacent to the A59.
How many races take place at the Grand National?
On the day of the Grand National race, there are seven races on the racecard. Five of which are run before the Grand National, while the Grade 2 National Hunt Flat Race closes the festival at 5pm.
In total, there are 21 races at the Aintree Festival, with seven races scheduled for the Thursday and Friday race days too.
These include 11 Grade 1 races, two Grade 2 races and six Premier Handicap races. It’s easy to see why many National Hunt racing fanatics consider Aintree the next best thing to the Cheltenham Festival.
Grand National 2026 Race Schedule
Below, you’ll find the full race card for Grand National Day, Saturday 11th April 2026:
- 12:45pm - Hallgarten & Novum Wines Maghull Novices’ Chase (Grade 1 - 2 miles) - £120,000
- 1:20pm - William Hill Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap - 3 miles ½ furlong) - £75,000
- 1:55pm - Mersey Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1 - 2 miles 4 furlongs) - £100,000
- 2:30pm - William Hill Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap - 3 miles 1 furlong) - £100,000
- 3:05pm - Jet2 Liverpool Hurdle (Grade 1 - 3 miles ½ furlong) - £250,000
- 4:00pm - Randox Grand National Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap - 4 miles 2 ½ furlongs) - £1,000,000
- 5:00pm - Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (Grade 2 - 2 miles 1 furlong) - £50,000
Best Way to Watch Grand National 2026
If you don’t have a ticket for Aintree to watch this weekend’s Grand National, the best seat in the house could be in front of your television. The race will be broadcast on ITV1, Virgin Media One and ITVX.
ITV has been the home of the Grand National for several years now, with its Opening Show at 9:30am providing expert analysis and insight on the runners and riders.
To catch the entirety of the three-day Aintree Festival, you’ll need a Racing TV subscription. Most major bookmakers now offer live streams of horse races, as well as the best Grand National free bets, if you either have a funded account or a bet placed on the race.
Grand National 2026 Ticket Information
At the time of writing, tickets for Grand National Day (Saturday, 11th April 2026) have already sold out for general admission and the bulk of Aintree’s stands. It’s possible that some VIP hospitality packages may still be available, while resale tickets aren’t uncommon, especially in areas such as The Embankment.
Your best port of call for resale tickets or any remaining premium seats and packages is to keep tabs on the official Jockey Club website.
The cheapest tickets for Grand National Day start from £44.10 on The Embankment, with unreserved seating, bars, live entertainment and more, but no access to the main racecourse. Festival Zone tickets start from £56.70, which give you the chance to see the horses and jockeys up close and personal in the parade ring.
As it stands, there are several premium restaurant packages still available for Grand National Day. These start from £799.99 in the Papillon Restaurant, while fine dining experiences can be found, with Numbersixvalverde and Longma packages priced at £780 and £990 per person.
For £895 per person, you can get a seat at a table in the Princess Royal Stand with an unrestricted view of the finishing post.
Grand National 2026 Favourites and Odds
Odds courtesy of bet365 and Paddy Power, correct at time of writing and subject to change.
Grand National Horse | bet365 Odds | Paddy Power Odds |
I Am Maximus | 13/2 | 13/2 |
Panic Attack | 8/1 | 8/1 |
Grangeclare West | 17/2 | 9/1 |
Jagwar | 9/1 | 9/1 |
Iroko | 11/1 | 11/1 |
Johnnywho | 11/1 | 12/1 |
Haiti Couleurs | 14/1 | 14/1 |
Oscars Brother | 14/1 | 14/1 |
Captain Cody | 14/1 | 16/1 |
Monty’s Star | 16/1 | 14/1 |