THE Grand National Festival takes place THIS WEEK.
One of the biggest few days in the horse racing calendar returns to Aintree and the Grand National is on Saturday afternoon.
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More than 150,000 people are expected to attend over the three days of action.
Last year, Willie Mullins trained the first, second and third placed horses in the flagship Grand National race.
After winning the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last month, Lossiemouth will defend her crown in the Aintree Hurdle this week.
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Paul Nicholls will also be at Aintree after enduring a horrible time at Cheltenham where he had zero winners across the four days – the British trainer has a stellar record of 93 victories in Merseyside.
SunSport has all the details for where to watch the festival, as well as the full schedule for the three days.
Where to watch the Grand National Festival 2026
- ITV will broadcast the action from Aintree for FREE on ITV1 – apart from each day’s final race.
- The coverage will also be streamed live on ITVX.
- The action will also be available to watch on Racing TV, although their coverage is subscription based.
- Alternatively, fans will be able to follow live updates from the Festival via SunSport’s live blog.
Grand National Festival 2026 full schedule
All times are in BST
Thursday, April 9 – Opening Day
- 1.45pm – Boodles Juvenile Hurdle Race (Class 1, Grade 1), 2 miles 4f
- 2.20pm – Manifesto Novices’ Chase (Class 1, Grade 1), 2 miles 1f
- 2.55pm – Aintree Bowl Chase (Class 1, Grade 1), 3 miles 1f
- 3.30pm – Foxhunters’ Chase (Class 2), 2 miles 5f
- 4.05pm – Aintree Hurdle (Class 1, Grade 1), 2 miles 4f
- 4.40pm – Red Rum Chase (Class 1), Premier Handicap, 2 miles
- 5.15pm – Mares’ National Hunt Flat Race (Class 1, Grade 2), 2 miles 1f
Friday, April 10 – Ladies Day
- 1.45pm – William Hill Handicap Hurdle Race (Class 1), Premier Handicap, 3 miles 1f
- 2.20pm – Mildmay Novices’ Chase (Class 1, Grade 1), 2 miles 4f
- 2.55pm – Top Novices’ Hurdle (Class 1, Grade 1), 2 miles 1/2f
- 3.30pm – Melling Chase (Class 1, Grade 1), 2 miles 4f
- 4.05pm – Topham Chase (Class 1), Premier Handicap, 2 miles 5f
- 4.40pm – Sefton Novices’ Hurdle (Class 1, Grade 1), 3 miles 1/2f
- 5.15pm – Debenhams Handicap Hurdle (Class 2), Conditional Jockeys’ and Amateur Riders’ Race), 2 miles 1/2f
Saturday, April 11 – Grand National Day
- 12.45pm – Maghull Novices’ Steeple Chase (Class 1, Grade 1), 2 miles
- 1.20pm – William Hill Hurdle (Class 1), Premier Handicap, 3 miles 1/2f
- 1.55pm – Mersey Novices’ Hurdle (Class 1, Grade 1), 2 miles 4f
- 2.30pm – William Hill Handicap Chase (Class 1), Premier Handicap, 3 miles 1f
- 3.05pm – Liverpool Hurdle Race (Class 1, Grade 1), 3 miles 1/2f
- 4pm – Grand National (Class 1), Premier Handicap, 4 miles 2 1/2f
- 5pm – National Hunt Flat Race (Class 1, Grade 2), 2 miles 1f