The Grand National

It’s one of those races which pulls in visitors from all over the planet – The Grand National is an iconic horse race which punishes both horse and rider, with a long history of injury for both.

Origins of the Grand National

The Grand National, or simply ‘National’ is known throughout the world as one of the toughest horse races on earth, with terrifyingly tall jumps, ditches and water troughs which pose serious threats to both horse and rider. The original course was laid out by a local hotel owner, William Lynn and a local Lord, the 2nd Earl of Sefton.

There is actually quite a bit of debate over when the first race took place, with some saying that this happened in 1836, whilst the majority saying that races before 1838 happened on a different course. It is clear that in 1838-89 the small, local race turned into a national extravaganza when the railway arrived in Liverpool, enabling a large influx of visitors to the race and an explosion of publicity.

Further Changes

The Grand National captured the imagination of the public in the UK and worldwide, however the race wasn’t originally a handicap race. This was done after … Read more at FryingPanSports