What is the Grand National?

Watched by an estimated worldwide television audience of 600 million, the Grand National is the most famous steeplechase in the world and, as such, requires little introduction. The first ‘official’ running of the Grand National took place at Aintree Racecourse, in Merseyside, North West England, in 1839. Modifications to the course, fences and race conditions mean that the modern incarnation of the celebrated steeplechase is a far cry from those pioneering days but, while the Grand National is a safer proposition than was once the case, it remains the ultimate test of endurance for horse and jockey.

Four-and-a-quarter miles and thirty, idiosyncratic fences – some of which have become famous, or infamous, in their own right – stand between any horse and Grand National glory. Winning the National once is no mean feat, but Red Rum, trained by Donald ‘Ginger’ McCain won an unprecedented three times, in 1973, 1974 and 1977, and finished second in 1975 and 1976. More recently, Tiger Roll, trained by Gordon Elliott, won the National in 2018 and 2019 and was denied the opportunity to complete an equally unprecedented hat-trick when the race was cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Grand National is famously unpredictable and, in 172 runnings, has thrown up five winners at 100/1, four at 66/1, four at 50/1 and seven at 40/1. Perhaps the most famous outsider to win the Grand National was the 100/1 chance Foinavon who, in 1967, took advantage of a pile-up at the twenty-third fence – which now bears his name – to establish an unassailable lead.

How do I place a bet?

Traditionally, placing a bet on horse racing involved visiting a licensed betting shop, in person, writing your selection(s) on a betting slip and handing it, together with your stake money, in cash, to a cashier behind the counter. Placing a bet face-to-face, in this way, remains fairly popular and offers the opportunity to ask a member of staff any questions you may have, which can be reassuring if you are unfamiliar with the workings of a betting shop. Nowadays, licensed betting shops are no longer ‘cash only’ and you can pay your stake money with a debit card, but not a credit card, if you so desire. In return, you’ll receive a copy of your bet, which acts a receipt, which you’ll need to hand back to the cashier to collect your winnings, if your bet is successful.

Of course, the other alternative for stay-at-home punters is to place a bet online, on one of the plethora of bookmakers’ websites. It pays to do some research beforehand, so that you rest assured that your chosen bookmaker is trusted, secure and suitable for your betting needs. Beyond that, registering with an online bookmaker is straightforward; you simply need to provide some basic personal details, a payment method, such as a debit card, and fund your account. To make your selection(s), click on ‘Horse Racing’, click on the appropriate race time and click on the name of the horse, or the odds next to it, to add it to your betting slip. Click the appropriate bet type, enter your stake and click ‘Place Bet’.

What is Flat Racing

As the name suggests, Flat racing is the discipline of horse racing in which participants race ‘on the level’ and are not required to negotiate obstacles of any kind. In Britain, Flat racing is staged over distances between five furlongs and two-and-threequarter miles and horses aged two years and upwards are eligible to compete, depending on individual race conditions. With a few exceptions, Flat races start from numbered starting stalls, which ensure a fair, even start; the position of each horse in the starting stalls is predetermined by a random draw performed by the racing authorities on the day the horses are declared to run.

Traditionally, the Flat racing season ran from the Lincoln Meeting at Doncaster in late March or early April to the November Meeting at the same South Yorkshire venue in early November. Nowadays, the ‘official’ Flat racing season, during which the Flat Jockeys’ Championship is decided, runs from the start of the Guineas Festival at Newmarket in late April or early May to British Champions Day at Ascot in mid-October. However, since the advent of so-called ‘all weather’ racing, which is staged on synthetic surfaces, in 1989, Flat racing actually takes place all year ’round.

Flat horses tend to be smaller and more athletic than their National Hunt counterparts. A lucrative breeding industry means the best Flat horses are often whisked off to stud at the end of their three-year-old, or four-year-old, campaign. Thoroughbred racehorses typically peak at four, or five, years and few Flat horses race on beyond this stage of their careers.

What is a Classic?

In British horse racing, the term ‘Classic’ refers to any one of the five oldest and most prestigious races in the Flat racing calendar, namely the 1,000 Guineas, 2,000 Guineas, Derby, Oaks and St. Leger. Unsurprisingly, all the Classic are classified at the highest Group One level and are contested only by three-year-old horses; the 1,000 Guineas and Oaks are restricted to fillies, while the 2,000 Guineas, Derby and St. Leger are open to both sexes, excluding geldings.

The final Classic of the season, the St. Leger, run over a mile-and-threequarters at Doncaster in September, is also the oldest, having been inaugurated in 1776. The Oaks, run over a mile-and-a-half at Epsom in June, was inaugurated in1779, followed by the Derby, run over the same course and distance, also in June, a year later. The 2,000 Guineas and 1,000 Guineas, both run over a mile at Newmarket in May, were later additions to the calendar, being staged for the first time in 1809 and 1814, respectively. Indeed, the ‘Classics’ were not known as such until 1815.

The 2,000 Guineas, Derby and St. Leger constitute the so-called ‘Triple Crown’, last won by Nijinsky in 1970, while the 1,000 Guineas, Oaks and St. Leger constitute the so-called ‘Fillies’ Triple Crown’, last won by Oh So Sharp in 1985. In either case, the three races are staged over a mile, a mile-and-a-half and a mile-and-threequarters, on three different racecourses, over the space of five months, so winning all three requires an outstanding performer.

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