Grand National is a horse-racing competition that is held every year at Aintree in England. Thousands of enthusiasts from all over the UK visit Aintree racecourse to enjoy this sport which is now considered as a part of British culture. Here are some things that you should know about Grand National and its history.
Things that you should know before attending Grand National 2017
Are you ready to avail Grand National 2017 coach trips and watch the whole event live? Then here are some things that you should know about Grand National so that you don’t look like an ignorant.
The first Grand National race was held in this Aintree racecourse in 1839. Since then, it is held every year and is now considered as an integral part of the British culture.
During the World War I, the race was held at Gatwick racecourse because of some security reasons. However, during World War II the Grand National was cancelled for four consecutive years from 1941 – 1944.
Grand National is as challenging for jockeys as the tour de France is for professional cyclists. In this race, horses have to cover four and a half mile distance in the shortest time possible. They also have to jump over 30 fences all of the different heights.
In the Aintree, racecourse hats are optional to wear but it is worn by most of the attendees of the Grand National. Note that sporty outfits and fancy dresses are not allowed to be worn inside the Aintree racecourse.
The youngest Grand National winner was Jockey Bruce Hobbs; he was only 17 when he won it in 1938. The oldest winning jockey of Grand National was Dick Saunders. He was 48 when he won the Grand National in 1982.
There are many hotels near the racecourse. We recommend that you book a room in any one of the following hotels when attending the Grand National 2017. Some popular hotels near Aintree racecourse include Hope Street Hotel, Malmaison Liverpool, Hilton Liverpool and Radisson Blu Hotel.