Grand National Guide 2019: history, info and trends
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The Grand National is one of the most famous and historic races in sport. And one of Great Britain’s biggest sporting events of the year.
The race – held every year at Aintree Racecourse- has been run on a near-annual basis since 1837. And 2019’s renewal will have a total prize pool of over £1m.
The Grand National has become synonymous with British sporting culture. And over 600 million people world-wide will tune in to watch this year’s race.
That’s a figure that eclipses Super Bowl showdowns and the Champions League Final combined. Many of those viewers will have a bet. Some of them for their first ever time.
When is the Grand National?
The 2019 Grand National is a three-day festival that takes place between Thursday April 4th and Saturday April 6th. The actual date and start time of the 2019 Grand National race is Saturday April 6th at 5:15pm.
Where is Grand National?
The Grand National is held at the Aintree racecourse, in Liverpool. It sits alongside the Liverpool and Leeds Canal, and is easily accessible by car or train.
The first official Grand National took place at Aintree in 1839 and has been held every year except for during the First and Second World Wars. 1993’s Grand National did go ahead but was subsequently declared void.
The race is a 4m 2f handicap steeplechase over a mighty 30 fences. Some of these jumps have gone down in legend, such as Canal Turn, Becher’s Brook and the Chair, which sits at 5ft 2in high
What is the prize money?
The Grand National is one of the richest horse races in the world.
With £1 million in total prize money again on offer in 2019, and a field of 40 runners, just 25% of the horses will see a share of the pot.
The winner of the Grand National will bank a cool £516,300 in prize money. Second-place will receive £211,100, while third-place will bag £105,500.
Which horses are favourite?
After his sensational run to victory 12 months ago, Gordon Elliott’s Tiger Roll is favourite to win the 2019 Grand National at 10/1.
The nine-year-old showed plenty of class with victory at Navan in February, and will again go as the one to beat.
Willie Mullins’ Rathvinden is also among the favourites at 12/1.
The 11-year-old won the National Hunt Challenge Cup at Cheltenham last year, seeing off Ms Parfois and Sizing Tennessee. Mullins’ raider also ran strongly to win at Fairyhouse back in February.
And after a barnstorming run to second in the 2018 Grand National, Pleasant Company is among the contenders again at 20/1.
Winners trends
When it comes to picking a Grand National winner, many observers have different strategies. But one of the most used ways is racing trends.
Keen racing punters will pore over various patterns of previous winners of a race to help navigate their selections.
And the 2019 Grand National will be no different. Here are your Grand National Winners trends:
- 1. No favourite has won the Grand National since Don’t Push It in 2010.
- 2. Five of the last six Grand National winners have weighed in at less than 11st.
- 3. Eight and nine-year-old horses have won the last four Grand Nationals.
- 4. Amberleigh House is the most recent 12-year-old to win the Grand National in 2004.
- 5. Each of the last four Grand National winners had either three or four seasonal runs.
- 6. Each of the last 24 Grand National winning horses have had 10 previous chase runs or more
You can check out all the latest Grand National odds at Coral!
How to bet on Grand National
Betting on the Grand National can sometimes feel like trying to find a needle in a haystack. With a field of 40 and favourites notoriously chinned on an annual basis, picking a winner can be hard sometimes.
And that’s exactly where each-way betting helps you out. By placing an each-way bet, you’re putting half your stake on your horse winning, and the other half on it being placed.
If your horse fails to win, but comes in second or third, your each-way bet will come up trumps and you’ll see some sort of return.
The Grand National has a huge field so Coral could pay out on up to five places in this year’s race. You can get all your Grand National news, tips and previews at Coral!
