This rarely happens, though, especially in the Grand National which is a gruelling, marathon test in horse racing terms. A handicap is a type of race where each horse is given a weight based on its previous performances that it must carry (the jockey and any additional weights added to the saddle), with the idea being that the horses should finish around the same time given that better horses are allotted more weight to carry. This makes it one of the longest races run in Britain and Ireland. The Grand National is a handicap horse race run over an official distance of around four-and-a-half miles, two-and-a-half furlongs.

Here, we bring you some key information about the race and why it’s so popular to bet on the Grand National. It is traditionally labelled the world’s most famous steeplechase and regarded as the most-watched horse race on the planet.

The Grand National is a National Hunt, or jumps, horse race run in April every year at Aintree racecourse in Liverpool, England.