Grand National Festival 2026: Dates, how to watch on TV, trainers and jockeys to watch

One of Britain’s most-highly anticipated events of the year gets underway next month, as the 2026 Grand National Festival begins. 

The 21 races – headlined by the running of Europe’s most-valuable jumps race – will see the eyes of the nation turn towards Merseyside for three days of unmissable action. 

Highlighting the event is the Festival’s namesake and showpiece race, the Grand National, which is the penultimate race of the meeting.

The Festival is one of the most talked-about social events of the year, with the meeting a household tradition for those that don’t know the first thing about horse racing. 

On course, racegoers can expect a vibrant atmosphere and grandstands packed with people from all walks of life.

From the gathering of families around televisions across the country, to the loud cheers of the stands, to the thunderous hooves raging towards the winning post, there is nothing like the Grand National Festival. 

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When is the 2026 Grand National?

The Boodles Anniversary four-year-old Juvenile Hurdle is the curtain raiser on three days of elite racing action.

It is the opening race of seven on Day One’s racecard and is due off at 13:45pm, on Thursday, April 9. 

The race precedes a card that features three of the meeting’s 11 Grade One contests, including the Aintree Bowl and Aintree Hurdle. 

Day two is nicknamed ‘Ladies Day’, where the seven-race card is headlined by the running of the Melling Chase and Topham Handicap Chase.

The meeting culminates with seven races on Saturday, April 11, which is when the 2026 Grand National is set to take place.

The contest is due off at 16:00pm and is the penultimate race on a day that also sees the Liverpool Hurdle take place. 

Trainers to watch

Paul Nicholls endured a disastrous Cheltenham Festival, in which he saw none of his runners win a race and only two of them place. 

He will hope that a return to Aintree can spring some life into his yard, given his brilliant record on Merseyside. 

His (93) all-time winners at the course is bettered by only Nicky Henderson, who has recorded 96 winners in Liverpool. 

It is a similar story over the last five seasons, with Nicholls training 16 course winners – a total bettered by only Dan Skelton, who has trained 24 winners at Aintree and leads the Trainers’ Championship by almost two million pounds in prize money.

Henderson is Skelton’s nearest pursuer, and he is just ahead of renowned Irish trainer Willie Mullins, who has also trained 16 winners at the course over the last five seasons. 

Mullins will arrive here having enjoyed a Cheltenham Festival that saw him saddle eight winners, which were enough to see him crowned the Festival’s Champion Trainer for the 13th time. 

He has trained the Grand National winner in each of the last two seasons, with both I Am Maximus and Nick Rockett hailing from his yard. 

The latter was ridden by his son Patrick, who won the race for the first time in his career, at a price of 33/1. 

Ben Pauling is another trainer to watch at this year’s meeting, having recorded a greater winning percentage than other of the top five course trainers so far this season. 

Olly Murphy is just ahead of Pauling in the Trainers’ Championship, as all of the aforementioned trainers make up the top six in the standings. 

Jockeys to watch

Harry Cobden is still yet to assume the position as owner JP McManus’ retained rider and after a Cheltenham Festival that saw him ride only one winner, he will be desperate for a return to form.

He has shown ability at this course in the past, having ridden 16 horses to victory over the past five seasons, presumably most if not all of them for Nicholls. 

Cobden is currently outside the top five jockeys in the Jockeys’ Championship standings, though trails Ben Jones by only one winner and James Bowen by two. 

The latter won his first and second Cheltenham Festival race in consecutive rides last week, beating his brother and Champion Jockey Sean Bowen to his maiden Festival winner. 

Sean Bowen leads the Jockeys Championship by over 100 wins, as he looks certain to win the title in back-to-back seasons. 

Harry Skelton is his nearest pursuer and he is another with course form over the last five seasons, riding three more winners than Cobden. 

He has also ridden four winners at Aintree so far this season, one more than any other jockey. 

How to watch the 2026 Grand National Festival?

ITV will screen all the action live and for free on terrestrial TV, on their ITV Racing programme. 

Racing TV will also broadcast coverage of the event, though their coverage is subscription based.

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