The Grand National is the most popular horse racing event in the UK. It is a world famous National Hunt race, held each year at Aintree, Merseyside.

The race is run over a distance of four miles and 856 yards, with the horses jumping 30 fences. It takes in two circuits of Aintree’s National course, on which there are 16 fences. All the fences, except The Chair and The Water Jump are faced twice.

The Chair is so named because there was once a chair sited alongside the fence, at which a judge used to sit. Other famous fences include Becher’s Brook, which is named after Captain Becher, who fell from his horse at the fence, at the first Aintree Grand National in 1839.

Some historians now believe that the first race was actually held in 1836, but as yet the Nationals run between 1836 and 38 have not been restored to the record books. The race was founded by William Phillip Molyneux, on the land he owned at Aintree.

Famous winners over the years include Foinavon, the 100/1 winner that profited from a pile-up at the 23rd fence. Foinavon was running so far behind the leading pack, that it’s jockey Johnny Buckingham was able to circumnavigate the melee and scrape victory ahead of 17 remounted horses. The 23rd fence has since been named as The Foinavon Fence.

Red Rum is the most successful horse in Grand National history, winning three times in 1973, 1974 and 1977. He also came second in 1975 and 1976. Red Rum died in 1995 and was buried at the winning post at Aintree.

George Stevens was the most successful Grand National jockey, having won on Freentrader in 1856, Emblem in 1863, Emblematic in 1864 and twice on The Colonel, which won in 1869 and 1870.

The Grand National is one of ten protected sporting events, that must be broadcast on terrestrial television in the UK. It is estimated that the Grand National is watched worldwide by over 600 million viewers.

This popularity sees many people placing a bet on the race, who don’t gamble at any other time of year. There is normally one horse that is labeled as ‘the housewives’ choice’, due to the fact that a lot of money is bet on a horse, based on it’s name. The most expensive ‘housewives’ choice’ for the bookies, was the 1992 winner Party Politics, as the race took place in the same week as the General Election.

The 2010 Grand National was won by Don’t Push It and ridden by Tony McCoy. It was a hugely popular win amongst the public, as McCoy has been named the British jump racing Champion Jockey in every year since 1995/96, but had never won the Grand National.

Who will win the 2011 Grand National? The runners and riders have yet to be confirmed, but you can place an ante-post bet on the Grand National with totesport, by CLICKING HERE.