THE Grand National is the most valuable National Hunt race in Europe, and brings the UK to a standstill every year.
From Red Rum to Aldaniti, Devon Loch to Party Politics, winners of the punishing steeplechase have gone down in British folklore – while their jockeys have also become legends.
Fans pack out Aintree and punters up and down the country gather round their televisions eager to see if they can strike lucky from a field of 40 runners.
Last year the Mouse Morris trained Rule the World, ridden by David Mullins, triumphed at odds of 33/1.
SunSport gives you the lowdown on the big race that brings a nation to a standstill every 12 months.
What is the Grand National?
The Grand National is a National Hunt race held every year at Aintree, and with a prize fund of over £1million it is the most valuable jump race in Europe.
Raced over a course of 4miles 514yards, a maximum field of 40 horses take on the toughest challenge over 30 fences in the handicap steeplechase.
The race was first run in 1839 and has grown to become a national institution in Britain – the single biggest betting race of the year popular with the general public and not just regular punters.
Fences such as The Chair, Becher’s Brook and the Canal Turn have become famous worldwide due to the international interest in the race.
When is the 2017 Grand National?
The 2017 Grand National will be staged at Aintree racecourse near Liverpool on Saturday April 8.
The race will start at 5.15pm, with more than 70,000 expected to be in attendance to watch events unfurled live.
This year’s race is sponsored by Randox Health, who have replaced Crabbie’s as the official partner’s of Aintree’s three-day festival the culminates in the Grand National.
Who are Randox Health?
Randox Health is one of the world’s leading healthcare diagnostics companies, which was launched in 2010.
It specialises in using technology to help diagnose a range of medical issues and has offices in over 145 countries around the globe.
The company claim that more than five per cent of the world’s population, in excess of 370million, receive medical diagnosis using Randox products each year.
What TV channel is the Grand National on?
The Grand National will be shown live on ITV for the first time this year after the channel snapped up broadcasting rights for racing – with Ed Chamberlin to host.
The race has been broadcast on free-to-air TV in the UK since 1960, and was shown exclusively by the BBC until 2012.
But the BBC lost the rights to cover the race to Channel Four between 2013-2016 – who have now been replaced by ITV this year.
The BBC also broadcast the National live on radio every year between 1927-2013, with Talksport now holding the rights to commentate on radio.
Which horses are running?
So far, the final 40 runners are yet to be selected.
110 horses entered the race this year and were all assigned a weight by the British Horse Racing Authority Head of Handicapping.
While it’s still not 100 per cent, it’s expected horses including Vieux Lion Rouge and Definitely Red will be running, but early-favourite Minella Rocco will not be running, according to trainer Jonjo O’Neill.
What are the Grand National betting odds?
The final field of the 2017 Grand National is still to be announced, but bookmakers are already offering Ante Post odds on the race.
Vieux Lion Rouge is the narrow favourite at 10/1 with SunBets with Definitely Red, One For Arthur and The Last Samuri all available at 16/1.
Just behind them is Blaklion, priced at 18/1, with More Of That, Pleasant Company, The Young Master and Ucello Conti all at 20/1.
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