The 2023 Grand National is now a little over three weeks away and with the three-day meeting creeping ever closer, now is a great time to keep up-to-date with the very latest Grand National 2023 news as well as the latest runners and riders.
2023 Grand National: Start Time, Where to Watch, Contenders and more
The 2023 Randox Grand National is easily the biggest and most watched jumps race in the world and on Saturday, 15th April some 40 runners will be contesting the Aintree marathon in a bid to etch their name into the roll of honour.
The Randox Grand National is the undoubted highlight of the three-day Aintree meeting which takes place between Thursday, 13th April and Saturday, 15th April 2023. Sam Waley-Cohen brought down the curtain on his excellent racing career by steering Emmet Mullins-trained Noble Yeats to a surprise 50/1 win in the 2022 Grand National.
Huge crowds will soon be heading to the famous Aintree Racecourse for three thrilling days of top-quality racing action and tickets are sold out for the main stands and terraces, however you can still watch the action live at the Festival Zone or the Embankment.
All you need to know about the 2023 Grand National
How long is the race and how many jumps are there?
The Grand National is a gruelling contest which takes place over a distance of around 4 miles 2 1/2 furlongs (4 miles 514 yards), this being the longest race of the season.
Along the way, the horses will need to negotiate 30 fences over two circuits and these obstacles have become renowned for being very testing in comparison to the more traditional fences used elsewhere. The test isn't as stiff as it once was (for safety reasons) but this remains a real challenge for both horse and rider.
Who are the main contenders?
The last British trainer to win the Grand National was Lucinda Russell with One For Arthur in 2017. She looks to have a strong hand this time around with favourite Corach Rambler who managed back-to-back victories in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in 2022 and 2023.
2022 Grand National winner Noble Yeats prepared for this year's renewal with a fourth-place finish in the Cheltenham Gold Cup earlier this month while Any Second Now (2nd in 2022) and Delta Work (3rd in 2022) triumphed in their most recent outings ahead of the 2023 Grand National.
Where can the race be watched?
For those not able to go to Aintree to watch the race, TV coverage is excellent with ITV providing UK viewers with full coverage of the three days of the festival, including the Grand National itself. In Ireland, Virgin Media 1 will show coverage of the race while those who can access Racing TV can watch here.
Alternatively, most UK and Irish bookmakers will offer live streaming of the Grand National to those with a funded account and who have placed a bet within the last 24 hours.
Are there any tickets left?
Tickets for the Grand National are always in very high demand and those for the main grandstands and terraces were snapped up in record time. Nevertheless, those wishing to watch the race live 'in the flesh' at Aintree can still obtain tickets for the Festival Zone and the Embankment although the latter won't give access to the main Aintree facilities or the parade ring.
