Why is the Grand National earlier this year? What has changed at Aintree?

The famous Grand National will get underway later today at Aintree, but it’s different to editions of recent years.

After last year’s event was delayed due to protests, the racecourse chiefs – as well as the Jockey Club – have changed a number of elements at the iconic Liverpool meet.

But what has changed?

Earlier start time

The Grand National will still be on Saturday afternoon but has been shifted forward to 4pm.

Previously the race got going at 5:15pm but the change has been made in hope of securing better ground for the horses.

Fewer horses

Only 34 horses will compete in the world-famous steeplechase, down from 40 last year. This reduction in participants is hoped to allow jockeys and their horses to see fences earlier and stay out of each other’s way.

94 horses entered the race at the earliest stage but that number has now been whittled down to 34. There is a list of reserves should one drop out early enough.

Conflated, initially on the list, chose to race elsewhere and was then replaced.

The 1929 Grand National holds the record for the most horses when the race went off with 66 participants.

Aintree fence changes

There are 16 fences, made of spruce, around the course with a total number of 30 jumps in the 4m 2f 74y race.

14 of those 16 fences are jumped twice.

Beecher’s Brook and The Chair are the two most famous fences in the National.

For further safety the first fence has been moved and there will be a standing start.

Why change the Grand National?

Sulekha Varma, the Jockey Club’s north west head of racing, said in February: “We leave no stone unturned in providing world-class standards of welfare for our participants and undertake a review after every Grand National.

“These reviews look at a wide range of factors and the learnings from the process drives a number of changes, large and small, annually. In October we announced that one of the changes being made from 2024 would involve bringing forward the start time of the race, which has been 5.15pm since 2016.

“This was a decision we took after a number of participants and other racing stakeholders raised concerns about the long build-up to the race throughout the day and heightened tension as a result. These were not issues which had been identified as a problem when the race was previously staged at 3.45pm and 4.15pm.

“Bringing forward the start time of the Grand National by 75 minutes to 4pm will also help us to maintain optimal jumping ground, as warm or breezy conditions can dry out the racing surface.”