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  "path": "/2026/04/09/time-grand-national-2026-start-watch-iconic-race-tv-27909135/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-04-09T09:49:06.000Z",
  "site": "https://metro.co.uk",
  "tags": [
    "Sport",
    "Aintree Racecourse",
    "Grand National 2026",
    "Horse racing",
    "Grand National",
    "Aintree",
    "Nick Rockett",
    "taking to the start line",
    "ITV",
    "Paddy Power",
    "Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source"
  ],
  "textContent": "The Grand National is the highlight of the racing calendar (Picture: Getty)\n\nAll eyes will be on the Grand National this weekend with the 178th running of the iconic steeplechase taking place at Aintree.\n\nBut there will be no repeat of last year’s result, with the 2025 winner Nick Rockett dramatically declared a non-runner on Thursday morning after being found with a cough.\n\nBut despite the blow to trainer Willie Mullins, who completed a 1-2-3 in the race 12 months ago, the legendary Irish trainer still dominates the field with eight horses taking to the start line for the three-time winner.\n\nHere is your complete guide to the Grand National 2026, including when it starts, how to watch along on TV and those all-important odds.\n\n##  Guide overview\n\n  * Start time\n  * How to watch on TV\n  * Runners\n  * Race distance and fences\n  * Odds\n  * Prize money\n\n\n\n## Start time\n\nThe Grand National will begin at 4pm on Saturday, April 11.\n\nThe three-day Grand National meeting gets underway today, with Ladies Day taking place on Friday.\n\n## How to watch on TV\n\nThe race, as well as the entire festival, will be shown live on ITV1 and Racing TV.\n\nViewers will also be able to live stream the action on ITVX.\n\n## Runners\n\nA total of 34 horses will compete in Saturday’s showdown.\n\nLast year’s winning jockey, Patrick Mullins, has switched to the 2025 third-placed horse, Grangeclare West, whilst Paul Townend will once again be in the saddle of I Am Maximus.\n\nThe size of the Grand National field was reduced from 40 to 34 in 2024 in an attempt to improve horse safety by reducing congestion at fences.\n\n##  Confirmed runners and riders\n\n**1. I Am Maximus**\nJockey: Paul Townend\nTrainer: Willie Mullins\n\n**2. Pied Piper**\nJockey: TBC\nTrainer: Gordon Elliott\n\n**3. Banbridge**\nJockey: JJ Slevin\nTrainer: Joseph O’Brien\n\n**4. Grangeclare West**\nJockey: Patrick Mullins\nTrainer: Willie Mullins\n\n**5. Gerri Colombe**\nJockey: Jack Kennedy\nTrainer: Gordon Elliott\n\n**6. Haiti Couleurs**\nJockey: Sean Bowen\nTrainer: Rebecca Curtis\n\n**7. Spillane’s Tower**\nJockey: Simon Torrens\nTrainer: Jimmy Mangan\n\n**8. Firefox**\nJockey: Keith Donoghue\nTrainer: Gordon Elliott\n\n**9. Monty’s Star**\nJockey: Darragh O’Keeffe\nTrainer: Henry de Bromhead\n\n**10. Spanish Harlem**\nJockey: Brian Hayes\nTrainer: Willie Mullins\n\n**11. Lecky Watson**\nJockey: Sean O’Keeffe\nTrainer: Willie Mullins\n\n**12. Champ Kiely**\nJockey: Danny Mullins\nTrainer: Willie Mullins\n\n**13. Iroko**\nJockey: Jonjo O’Neill Jr\nTrainer: Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero\n\n**14. Favori de Champdou**\nJockey: Danny Gillgan\nTrainer: Gordon Elliott\n\n**15. Three Card Brag**\nJockey: Jordan Gainford\nTrainer: Gordon Elliott\n\n**16. Oscars Brother**\nJockey: Daniel King\nTrainer: Connor King\n\n**17. Mr Vango**\nJockey: Jack Tudor\nTrainer: Sara Bradstock\n\n**18. High Class Hero**\nJockey: James Bowen\nTrainer: Willie Mullins\n\n**19. Stellar Story**\nJockey: Robbie Dunne\nTrainer: Gordon Elliott\n\n**20. Beauport**\nJockey: Sam Twiston-Davies\nTrainer: Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies\n\n**21. Captain Cody**\nJockey: Jonathan Burke\nTrainer: Willie Mullins\n\n**22. Jagwar**\nJockey: Mark Walsh\nTrainer: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero\n\n**23. Perceval Legallois**\nJockey: Harry Cobden\nTrainer: Gavin Cromwell\n\n**24. Gorgeous Tom**\nJockey: Sean Flanagan\nTrainer: Henry de Bromhead\n\n**25. The Real Whacker**\nJockey: Gavin Sheehan\nTrainer: Patrick Neville\n\n**26. Quai de Bourbon**\nJockey: Donagh Meyler\nTrainer: Willie Mullins\n\n**27. Answer To Kayf**\nJockey: John Shinnick\nTrainer: Terence O’Brien\n\n**28. Jordans**\nJockey: Ben Jones\nTrainer: Joseph O’Brien\n\n**29. Final Orders**\nJockey: Conor Stone-Walsh\nTrainer: Gavin Cromwell\n\n**30. Marble Sands**\nJockey: Kielan Woods\nTrainer: David Killahena and Graeme McPherson\n\n**31. Panic Attack**\nJockey: Harry Skelton\nTrainer: Dan Skelton\n\n**32. Top Of The Bill**\nJockey: Toby McCain-Mitchell\nTrainer: Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies\n\n**33. Johnnywho**\nJockey: Richie McLernon\nTrainer: Jonjo and AJ O’Neill\n\n**34. Twig**\nJockey: Beau Morgan\nTrainer: Ben Pauling\n\n## Race distance and number of fences\n\nThe race will be held over two laps of the Aintree course, giving a total race distance of four miles and two-and-a-half furlongs.\n\nThe horses and jockeys must navigate over 30 fences in total; 16 are jumped in the first lap and 14 are jumped in the second.\n\nThe runners and riders must make their way around the tricky course (Picture: Getty)\n\nSeveral changes to the course have been introduced over the years to aid with horse welfare, including reprofiling landing areas, lowering the height of certain fences and softening the structure of others.\n\nThe average winning time in the Grand National is 9m 10s. The only horse to complete the famous course in under nine minutes is Mr Frisk, ridden by Marcus Armytage, on firm ground in 1990.\n\n## Odds\n\nThe 2024 winner, I Am Maximus, is the favourite at 7/1.\n\nThe 10-year-old bay gelding tops the list ahead of the likes of Grangeclare West (9/1), Panic Attack (9/1) and Jagwar (10/1).\n\n##  Grand National odds\n\n  * **I Am Maximus** – 7/1\n  * **Grangeclare West** – 9/1\n  * **Panic Attack** – 9/1\n  * **Jagwar** – 10/1\n  * **Iroko** – 11/1\n  * **Haiti Couleurs** – 12/1\n  * **Johnnywho** – 12/1\n  * **Oscars Brother** – 14/1\n  * **Montys Star** – 16/1\n  * **Captain Cody** – 16/1\n\n\n\n_For full odds visit Paddy Power_\n\n## Prize money\n\nA prize pot of £1m will be split between the top ten finishers with the winner taking home £500,000.\n\nRacehorse owners receive around 80% of the money with the remainder shared between trainers, jockeys and stable staff.\n\n##  Grand National prize money\n\n  * **1st** – £500,000\n  * **2nd** – £200,000\n  * **3rd** – £100,000\n  * **4th** – £65,000\n  * **5th** – £40,000\n  * **6th** – £30,000\n  * **7th** – £20,000\n  * **8th** – £15,000\n  * **9th** – £10,000\n  * **10th** – £5,000\n\n\n\nComment now Comments \nAdd Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source\n",
  "title": "What time does the Grand National 2026 start? How to watch iconic race on TV this weekend"
}