Grand National Runners

There is a maximum field of 40 runners for the Grand National and it is a race that is often over subscribed. There will be many more horses entered than actually take place and it is the best 40 horses that take part, that is the 40 that have the most weight for the race.

Grand National Horses

The 40 Grand National runners that take their chance on the day will all have had different campaigns. The horses who have already achieved enough weight to get in to the race will often be lightly campaigned over distances too short or over hurdles to protect their handicap mark. The whole season for the horse will have revolved around the Grand National and they don’t want to hamper the horse’s chances by making it carry too much weight.

Which Grand National Runners take part

Other, more progressive horses, will be vigorously campaigned in order to make the horses handicap mark go up as much as possible so that the horse stands as much chance of getting in to the race as possible. The more good runs and wins they have before the Grand National weights are announced each February, the more they will go up in the weights.

2008 Grand National Runners

Check out the list of 2008 Grand National runners on the right of this page. Place a bet on the grand national runner you fancy.