Grand National Festival 2022 guide: When is it, times, big races, top horses, trainers and jockeys
- Jonathan Doidge
- 1 April 2022
The Grand National Festival isn't just about the world's greatest steeplechase...but it plays a big part. Planet Sport's Jonathan Doidge delivers our guide to the big races, trainers, jockeys and more
Whether you like horse racing or not the whole world will turn its attention towards the Grand National on Saturday, April 9 at 5:15pm. It's the horse race everyone and their granny have a bet on, with stakes ranging from 50p each-way to hundreds of thousands of pounds.
But the Grand National Festival, also known as the Aintree Festival, is not just about one massive race. It's three days of top quality racing and all the big names from the sport will be in attendance.
Planet Sport's racing team will guide you through the Festival and point you in the right direction when it comes to all the action and importantly make you sound like a pro when talking to your friends.
When is the Grand National Festival?: Over three days, April 7-9 inclusive.
The opening day (Thursday, April 7) is known as Grand Opening Day, while the second day (Friday, April 8) is Ladies' Day. The final day, or day three as I like to call it, is known as Grand National Day.
Where is it?: Aintree racecourse, Liverpool, UK.
The Grand National is the longest National Hunt (jumps) race in Britain, contested over 4 miles 2½ furlongs and a maximum of 40 horses are allowed to race.
Other big races at the Grand National Festival
Thursday, April 7: Racing begins at 13:45 and the last of seven races is scheduled to start at 17:15.
Friday, April 8: Racing begins at 13:45 and the last of seven races is scheduled to start at 17:15.
Saturday, April 9: Racing begins at 13:45 and the last of the seven races is scheduled to start at 18:20.
There are three Grade 1 races on the final day of the Aintree Festival, many people wrongly assume that the Grand National is a Grade 1 race but it's actually a Grade 3.
Red Rum
Dual Grand National winners
Tiger Roll (2018 and '19) is the only horse since Red Rum (1973 and '74) to win the race twice in succession.
Youngest and oldest horses to win the Grand National
The oldest winning horse was Peter Simple, aged 15 (1853) which is 48 in human years. The youngest were Alcibiade (1865), Regal (1876), Austerlitz (1877), Empress (1880), Lutteur III (1909), all aged 5, which is 23 in human years.
So be careful if you are backing anything under the age of five, it'll be a record breaker if it wins.
Golden Miller
In 1934, Golden Miller became the only horse to complete the Cheltenham Gold Cup-Grand National double in the same year.
The other horse who came closest to doing so was Garrison Savannah, who was second in the Grand National in 1991, having won the Gold Cup a few weeks earlier.
Grey horses at the Grand National
Everyone loves a grey horse don't they. Especially as they are easier to pick out at a distance. But be warned, betting on a grey is a tricky business. Only three greys have won the Grand National.
The Lamb (1868 and '71 - also the first horse to regain the crown); Nicolaus Silver (1961) and Neptune Collonges (2012). Suny Bay finished second in successive years, behind Lord Gyllene (1997) and Earth Summit (1998). King Johns Castle also finished runner-up second in 2008.
The misery of the mares
You might want to steer clear of backing a mare too. No mare has won the Grand National since Nickel Coin, in 1951. A total of 13 have won the great race.
Top Grand National jockeys
Top Grand National trainers
Three different women have trained winners of the Grand National; Jenny Pitman, Venetia Williams and Sue Smith.
Pitman's historic first win came with Corbiere, in 1983. She won it again with Royal Athlete in 1995 and also trained the winner of the National that never was, in 1993, with Esha Ness. Venetia Williams was successful with 100/1 chance Mon Mome in 2009, whilst Sue Smith-trained the 2013 winner, Auroras Encore, who was a 66/1 shot.
Gordon Elliott has also won the race three times, with two different horses. He was virtually unknown when preparing Silver Birch to win in 2007. He was also responsible for dual winner Tiger Roll (2018 and '19).
Horses to look out for at the 2022 Grand National Festival
Bravemansgame - Exciting novice chaser trained by Paul Nicholls, who is unbeaten this season.
Pied Piper - Third in last month's JCB Triumph Hurdle
Brazil - Won the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival
Clan Des Obeaux - Four-time Grade 1 winner, including the Betway Bowl Chase at this meeting last year
Global Citizen - won the Grand Annual at the Cheltenham Festival
El Fabiolo - Exciting novice hurdling prospect trained by Willie Mullins
Jonbon - Second in a high-class renewal of the Supreme at the Cheltenham Festival
L'Homme Presse - 5-5 over fences this year, including last month's Grade 1 Brown Advisory at the Cheltenham Festival
Fakir D'oudairies - Winner of the Grade 1 Melling Chase last year
Minella Crooner - Second to Minella Cocooner in what was probably the best stayers' novice hurdle in Ireland this season
Colonel Mustard - Classy Irish novice hurdler, third in the County Hurdle last month
Stage Star - Pulled up at Cheltenham on ground he didn't appear to handle but likely to be much better than that
Edwardstone - The best two-mile novice chaser in Britain and Ireland this season, as underlined by his Arkle win
Flooring Porter - Dual winner of the Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival
Minella Times - Last year's Grand National winner under Rachael Blackmore. The partnership is back to defend its crown
Any Second Now - Third in last year's National and one of the leading contenders again
Delta Work - Multiple Grade 1 winner, who goes for the National on the back of a Cheltenham Festival Cross-County Chase success
Snow Leopardess - Classy mare who has won her last three starts, including the Becher Chase over the Grand National fences. Will be trying to end a drought for mares in the National dating back to 1951
