When is the Grand National 2026? Date, time, runners and race ...
When is the Grand National 2026? Key details on the Aintree showpiece including date, start time, runners, schedule and what happens this week.
www.horseracing.netHere are the latest widely reported updates on the 2026 Grand National.
- Date and venue: The Grand National 2026 took place on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at Aintree Racecourse, with a start time around 4:00 pm BST. This aligns with the traditional late-pace schedule for the Aintree Festival week.[3][4][5]
- Race outcome: The race was won by I Am Maximus, the 2024 winner, trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Paul Townend, continuing his cross-era success at Aintree.[5]
- Field and entries: The final field typically comprises up to 34 runners, with weights published earlier in the year and a five-day confirmation stage in April. The 2026 build-up included weights publication in February and final declarations around April 8, shaping the remaining contenders.[2][4]
- Key contenders and odds: Early and mid-build coverage highlighted a mix of Mullins-trained horses and other top connections, with odds shifting as declarations closed. Recent previews list notable runners and the evolving betting atmosphere ahead of the off.[6][7][2]
- Where to watch or follow: Major outlets published full lists of declared runners, rider assignments, and post-race summaries, useful for post-event analysis and future reference.[9][10]
Illustration: Imagine the field of 34 horses thunder down the Frog – the moment the tape breaks is the culmination of months of build-up, weights, declarations, and trainer strategy, with the winner often determined by tempo over the famous 4m 2½f and 30 fences.
If you’d like, I can pull a concise one-page recap with the final field, winner, and key quotes from post-race interviews, or set up a quick tracker for next year’s race with essential dates and likely training targets.