Grand National Racing Schedule

The Grand National is run over three days at Aintree racecourse. The event starts on Thursday and finishes on Saturday with the meeting’s climax – the Grand National Steeplechase.

Grand National Racing Schedule 2008 - Thursday April 3^rd

2:00 pm: The first race is the Liverpool Hurdle.
2:35 pm: The second race is the Betfair Bowl Steeplechase run over 3 miles and 1 furlong.
3:10 pm: The third race of the day is the Four-Year-Old Novices Hurdle.
3:45 pm: The Fox Hunters’ Steeplechase gets underway.
4:20 pm: The Red Rum Handicap Steeplechase gets underway, and sees the racehorses taking on a two-mile sprint.
4:55 pm: The Mersey Novices’ Hurdle sees young horses competing in a 2 mile 4 furlong race.
5:30 pm: The Handicap Hurdle is run over a distance of 2 miles 1 furlong.

Grand National Racing Schedule 2008 - Friday April 4^th

2:00 pm: The Mildmay Novices' Steeplechase is run over 3 miles 1 furlong.
2:35 pm: The Sefton Novices' Hurdle gives inexperienced horses a more gruelling 3 mile ½ furlong run.
3:10 pm: The Melling Steeplechase is run over 2 miles 4 furlongs.
3:45 pm: The Topham Steeplechase tests stamina as a 2 mile 5½ furlong race.
4:20 pm: The Imagine Appeal Top Novices' Hurdle is run over 2 miles ½ furlong.
4:55 pm: The Handicap Steeplechase provides another tough challenge at 3 miles 1 furlong.
5:30 pm: The Mares Only Standard Open gives the mares a chance to produce an Aintree Champion over 2 miles 4 furlongs.

Grand National Racing Schedule 2008 - Saturday April 5^th

1:45 pm: The Handicap Hurdle is run over 2 miles ½ furlong.
2:15 pm: The Maghull Novices’ Steeplechase is run over 2 miles.
2:50 pm: The Aintree Hurdle is raced over 2 miles 4 furlongs.
3:25 pm: The 3 mile ½ furlong Handicap Hurdle acts as the curtain raiser for the main event.
4:15 pm: The greatest race in the horseracing calendar, The Grand National Steeplechase is run over two circuits of Aintree.
5:00 pm: The Novices’ Handicap Chase gives amateurs the chance to race 2 miles and 4 furlongs of the Aintree racecourse.
5:30 pm: The Champion Standard Open provides a taste of flat racing over 2 miles and 1 furlong.