The Grand National is one of the most-backed horse races in the world, as the Aintree spectacle is also one of the toughest challenges there is.
That’s from a horse and jockey perspective, as well as a horse racing betting one.
With a huge field, a massive trip and 30 daunting fences to get over, the Grand National is one of the most thrilling and often unpredictable races around.
We take a look back at some of the history of the race as we look forward to the 2022 Grand National which is set to take place on Saturday, 9th April 2022.
Table of Contents
- 1 Grand National winners: Last 20 renewals
- 2 Aintree Grand National Early Years
- 3 Aintree Grand National Modern era
- 4 Latest Grand National odds 2022
- 5 Horse Records Held at the Grand National
- 6 Jockey Records Held at the Grand National
- 7 Trainer Records Held at the Grand National
- 8 The Prize Pot of the Cheltenham Gold Cup over the years
- 9 Grand National FAQ’s
- 10 Coral beaten by a length offer
Grand National winners: Last 20 renewals
| Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Odds |
| 2021 | Minella Times | Rachel Blackmore | Henry de Bromhead | 11/1 |
| 2020 | CANCELLED | – | – | – |
| 2019 | Tiger Roll | Davy Russell | Gordon Elliott | 4/1F |
| 2018 | Tiger Roll | Davy Russell | Gordon Elliott | 10/1 |
| 2017 | One For Arthur | Derek Fox | Lucinda Russell | 14/1 |
| 2016 | Rule The World | David Mullins | Mouse Morris | 33/1 |
| 2015 | Many Clouds | Leighton Aspell | Oliver Sherwood | 25/1 |
| 2014 | Pineau De Re | Leighton Aspell | Richard Newland | 25/1 |
| 2013 | Auroras Encore | Ryan Mania | Sue Smith | 66/1 |
| 2012 | Neptune Collonges | Daryl Jacob | Paul Nicholls | 33/1 |
| 2011 | Ballabriggs | Jason Maguire | Donald McCain, Jr | 14/1 |
| 2010 | Don’t Push It | Tony McCoy | Jonjo O’Neill | 10/1 JF |
| 2009 | Mon Mome | Liam Treadwell | Venetia Williams | 100/1 |
| 2008 | Comply Or Die | Timmy Murphy | David Pipe | 7/1 JF |
| 2007 | Silver Birch | Robbie Power | Gordon Elliott | 33/1 |
| 2006 | Nimbersixvalverde | Niall Madden | Martin Brassil | 11/1 |
| 2005 | Hedgehunter | Ruby Walsh | Willie Mullins | 7/1F |
| 2004 | Amberleigh House | Graham Lee | Ginger McCain | 16/1 |
| 2003 | Monty’s Pass | Barry Geraghty | Jimmy Mangan | 16/1 |
| 2002 | Bindaree | Jim Culloty | Nigel Twiston-Davies | 20/1 |
| 2001 | Red Marauder | Richard Guest | Norman Mason | 33/1 |
| 2000 | Papillon | Ruby Walsh | Ted Walsh | 10/1 |
Aintree Grand National Early Years
There is such a rich history when it comes to the Aintree Grand National. The first edition was hosted back in 1839 and it was designed for only amateur jockeys. However, there were professionals for hire that were drafted into the race.
The 1839 race, which was known as the Grand Liverpool Steeplechase was won by a horse called The Duke who went on to follow up the next year.
Neither of those first two editions was handicap editions.
During World War I the race was moved to Gatwick racecourse, which is no longer in use, for three years. The racecourse was set up to be just like Aintree for those editions, but they had one fence fewer than the Aintree editions.
Aintree Grand National Modern era
Getting a little more up to the modern era of the Grand National winners, the first real superstar came along in the 1970s.
There is really one name synonymous with the Grand National and that is Red Rum.
The brilliant thoroughbred is still the only horse that has won the Grand National three times.
He first got off the mark in the 1973 renewal when Red Rum set a new record of nine minutes and 1.9 seconds.
Remarkably Red Rum had been 15th lengths behind front-runner Crisp at the last fence.
But he pulled it back in one of the most astonishing finishes ever to win by three-quarters of a length.
Red Rum followed that up the following season and then after back to back second-place finishes in 1975 and 1976, he finally got that third Grand National success in 1977, completing the feat as a 12-year-old by 25 lengths.
In 1975 female jockeys were allowed to take part for the first time, with Charlotte Brew the first-ever woman to line up in the race.
Geraldine Rees became the first female jockey to complete the race in 1982.
After superb finishes from Carrie Ford, Katie Walsh and Nina Carberry, Rachael Blackmore became the first-ever female jockey to win the Grand National when she rode Minella Times home successfully in 2021.
Latest Grand National odds 2022
Any Second Now 8/1
Delta Work 10/1
Escaria Ten 10/1
Snow Leopardess 12/1
Enjoy D’Allen 14/1
Fiddlerontheroof 16/1
Minella Times 16/1
Longhouse Poet 16/1
Burrows Saint 20/1
Farclas 20/1
Run Wild Fred 20/1
Noble Yeats 25/1
Cloth Cap 25/1
Kildisart 33/1
Discorma 33/1
40/1 bar
* (odds recorded at 20:53 GMT on March 28th, 2022 at Coral)
Horse Records Held at the Grand National
Of course, there have been records that have come and gone over such a long history of this brilliant National Hunt feature race.
Mr Fisk holds the record time posted in a Grand National when he romped to success in 1990.
Mr Frisk won that by 8:47.80 and interestingly at the other end of the spectrum, the slowest ever winning time was posted by Lottery way back in 1839 with a time of 14:53 in the renewal.
We have already touched on Red Rum’s triumphant three victories posted in the Grand National.
It’s a record that has never been matched and it will take something remarkably special to match that.
There have been five winners of the Grand National who delivered a score at a quote of 100/1 and there has not been a winner at longer odds than that.
The latest of those 100/1 winners in Grand national odds was Mon Mome in 2009.
The shortest-priced winner of the Grand National was Poethlyn in 1919 when he scored from a quote of 11/4.
Jockey Records Held at the Grand National
The leading jockey in the history of the Grand National is George Stevens who tallied up five wins during his career and the latest of those was in 1870.
Interestingly since 2014, there have been two jockeys who have won back to back renewals of the Grand National.
That was Leighton Aspell on Pineau De Re in 2014 and Many Clouds in 2015, while Davy Russell scored in 2018 and 2019 with the great Tiger Roll.
Richard Johnson had 21 rides in the Grand National, the most ever posted by a single jockey. Johnson never managed to get a victory on the board from all of those attempts.
Trainer Records Held at the Grand National
Red Rum’s trainer Ginger McCain is one of four joint all-time leading trainers in the Grand National.
Along with his three wins with Red Rum, McCain added a fourth in 2004 with Amberleigh House.
George Dockeray (1839, 1840, 1842, 1852) and Fred Rimell (1956, 1961, 1970, 1976) are the other trainers to have won it four times.
Coming a little more up to date, Gordon Elliott has trained three winners since 2007 including back to back wins with Tiger Roll in 2018 and 2020.
It is also worth noting that the Gigginstown House Stud produced three of the last five winners of the Grand National making them the joint-most successful owners of Grand National winners.
The Prize Pot of the Cheltenham Gold Cup over the years
The prize pot for the 2021 Grand National was £750,000 which was down from the £1m prize pot that had been in place for the 2020 renewal.
Grand National FAQ’s
What Grade is the Grand National?
The Grand National is a Grade 3 National Hunt contest. There are three Grade levels, 1, 2 & 3 that indicates the top levels of racing.
When was the first Grand National?
The first renewal of the Grand National is considered to have been the Grand Liverpool Steeplechase in 1836. It was the first of three editions that are seen as the precursors of the Grand National. The first official Grand National was in 1839 which was by Lottery which had been the 5/1 FAV.
Which is the horse with the most Grand National wins?
There is a clear leader when it comes to the most successful winner of the Grand National. That is Red Rum who was just an astonishing beast.
| Red Rum’s Grand National Record | Position | Jockey | Age | Weight | SP |
| 1973 | 1st | Brian Fletcher | 8 | 10–5 | 9/1 JF |
| 1974 | 1st | Brian Fletcher | 9 | 12–0 | 11/1 |
| 1975 | 2nd | Brian Fletcher | 10 | 12–0 | 7/2 F |
| 1976 | 2nd | Tommy Stack | 11 | 11–10 | 10/1 |
| 1977 | 1st | Tommy Stack | 12 | 11–8 | 9/1 JF |
What distance is the Grand National?
The Grand National is at a distance of 4 miles and 2 1/2 furlongs. That’s 4 miles 514 yards. It is hosted at Aintree Racecourse.
How many fences are in the Grand National?
There are 30 fences in the Grand National. The race has some of the most famous in National Hunt racing actually with the likes of Canal Turn, Becher’s Brook and The Chair. The Grand National fences are bigger than the ones in regular racing. It’s two laps of 16 obstacles and only the first 14 are jumped twice.
What was Bob Champion’s National
The 1981 renewal of the Grand National saw something quite special happen, and it’s one of the endearing stories about the National. Champion jockey Bob Champion, who had been told a couple of years before that he had only months to live, rode Aldiniti, a horse that had major leg problems, to victory.
What is the Grand National Prize Money?
The Grand National reached a £1 million prize fund in 2017 which made it the most valuable jumps race anywhere in Europe.
What happened at the 1993 Grand National?
Dubbed “The Race That Never Was” the 1993 Grand National was a farce as the race was voided. The starter’s tape wasn’t raised properly, tangling up a jockey that led to a false start. Not all the jockeys got the message though and all but 9 of the 39 jockeys carried on with seven managing to complete the entire race.
Has there been a female winner of the Grand National?
Jockey Rachael Blackmore became the first female rider to win the National as she won the 2021 renewal on Minella Times.
Coral beaten by a length offer
At bookmaker Coral, Get Money Back as a Free Bet up to £10 if your selection finishes in ANY position a length or less behind the winner.
Simply place a minimum £1 win or each-way single bet on any race at the selected meeting from 8am.
The full listings for the Coral horse racing betting offer can be found on their promotion page
18+ Please Gamble Responsibly. See bookmaker for full T&Cs
Key Terms & Conditions
This Sports Promotion is open to Coral Online, Mobile & Telephone customers aged 18+ betting in either £/€ currency and whose accounts are registered in the UK & Republic of Ireland.
To claim this Sports Promotion, place a £1 or more real money win or each way single bet on any of the selected races shown above, between 8am UK time the day of the selected race meeting up until the respective race start time.
If your horse finishes in beaten by a length or less from the winning horse*, Coral will match the win part of any win and each way single bets, up to £10 as a free bet on horse racing only. This Sports Promotion is only redeemable against your first real money Qualifying Bet per race, on the selected/named races.
T&C’s Apply on betting offers, 18+. Please Gamble Responsibly.
