The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse, Aintree, Merseyside, England. First run in 1839, it is a handicap steeplechase over an official distance of about 4 miles and 2½ furlongs, with horses jumping 30 fences over two laps. It is the most valuable jump race in Europe, with a prize fund of £1 million in 2017. An event that is prominent in British culture, the race is popular amongst many people who do not normally watch or bet on horse racing at other times of the year.
Aintree Racecourse is a racecourse in Aintree, Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, Merseyside, England, bordering the city of Liverpool. The racecourse is the venue for the Grand National steeplechase, which takes place annually in April over three days. Aintree also holds meetings in May and June, October (Sunday), November and December.
Red Rum was an Irish champion Thoroughbred steeplechaser. He achieved an unmatched historic treble when he won the Grand National in 1973, 1974 and 1977, and also came second in the two intervening years, 1975 and 1976. The Grand National is a notoriously difficult race that has been described as "the ultimate test of a horse’s courage". He was also renowned for his jumping ability, having not fallen in 100 races.
The 1997 Grand National was the 150th official running of the Grand National steeplechase held at Aintree near Liverpool. The race was scheduled to be run on Saturday 5 April 1997, but was postponed by two days to Monday 7 April after a Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) bomb threat forced the evacuation of the course.
The 1994 Grand National was the 147th official renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 9 April 1994.
The 2011 Grand National was the 164th renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England.
The 1973 Grand National was the 127th renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at the Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 31 March 1973.
The 1990 Grand National was the 144th renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 7 April 1990. The off time was 3.20pm.
The 1991 Grand National was the 145th renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on, on 6 April 1991.
The 1989 Grand National was the 143rd renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 8 April 1989.
The 1987 Grand National was the 141st running of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 4 April 1987.
The 1985 Grand National was the 139th renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 30 March 1985.
The 1956 Grand National was the 110th renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 24 March 1956.
The 2012 Grand National was the 165th annual renewal of the Grand National horse race at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England. The showpiece steeplechase, which concluded a three-day meeting which is one of only four held at Aintree throughout the year, took place on 14 April 2012. The maximum permitted field of 40 runners ran the last 4 miles 856 yards (7.220 km) of Aintree's National Course featuring 30 fences, competing for record prize money of £975,000, making it the highest-valued National Hunt race in the United Kingdom.
The 1979 Grand National was the 133rd renewal of the Grand National horse race, which took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 31 March 1979.
The 1971 Grand National was the 125th renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 3 April 1971.
The 1965 Grand National was the 119th running of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 27 March 1965.
The 1959 Grand National was the 113th renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, on 21 March 1959.
The 1851 Grand National was, at the time, the 14th renewal of a handicap steeplechase horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 26 February 1851. However, this was later retrospectively recorded as the 13th official running by the Steeplechase Calendar of 1864 when the race of 1838 was disregarded as official.
The 2021 Grand National was the 173rd annual running of the Grand National horse race, held at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England, on 10 April 2021. The event was once again sponsored by Randox Health, although the name on the race from this year onwards was shortened to simply "Randox". The total prize fund for the race was £750,000, down by £250,000 from the last meeting in 2019.
Gordon W. Richards 
The 1978 Grand National in full BBC
