What is the Aintree Festival?
The Aintree Grand National Festival is one of the great fixtures of the British
jumps season, three days of high-quality racing on Merseyside that build,
afternoon by afternoon, to the Grand National itself. It comes hard on the heels of
the Cheltenham Festival, and the two meetings together form the spring's
championship climax, with many of the season's best horses turning out at both.
Three days of racing
While the Grand National is the headline act, the Aintree Festival is a serious
meeting in its own right. Across the three days it stages a clutch of Grade 1
races, including the Aintree Bowl for top staying chasers, the Aintree Hurdle, and
the Melling Chase, contests that frequently pit Cheltenham winners against the
horses they beat, on different terms and a flatter, more galloping track.
The Topham Chase, run over the famous National fences, gives racegoers a second
chance to see those unique obstacles tackled during the week.
How to watch the Aintree Festival
Each afternoon of the festival is broadcast on UK television, and major bookmakers
stream the races to eligible, funded account holders. Aintree confirms the full
broadcast and start-time schedule in the build-up to the meeting.
Betting at the Aintree Festival
With the Grand National as its centrepiece and Grade 1 action across all three
days, Aintree is one of the spring's biggest betting meetings. For race-by-race
analysis, see our individual hubs, starting with the
Grand National.
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When is the 2027 Aintree Festival?
The 2027 Aintree Grand National Festival is due to be held over three days in April 2027. The exact dates are confirmed by Aintree with the fixture list, the meeting traditionally runs from Thursday to Saturday.
How many days is the Aintree Festival?
The Aintree Festival runs over three days, building across the week to the Grand National itself on the final afternoon.
What is the feature race of the Aintree Festival?
The Grand National, run on the final day, is the festival's feature race and the most famous steeplechase in the world. See our dedicated Grand National hub for full coverage.
What other big races are at the Aintree Festival?
Beyond the Grand National, the meeting features a string of Grade 1 contests including the Aintree Bowl, the Aintree Hurdle and the Melling Chase, plus the marathon Topham Chase run over the National fences.
How can I watch the Aintree Festival?
Aintree Festival racing is broadcast on UK television each afternoon of the meeting, and major bookmakers stream the races to eligible account holders.