The Grand National steeplechase will be taking place in just a little more than a week. While some of the details remain the same, there are also some changes expected this year.
For one, fans who want to watch the Grand National will have to tune in to a different network, as the race is expected to be aired on ITV, after it has won the broadcasting rights for the race this year. Viewers will get to hear Ed Chamberlain as the presenter.
Aside from this, the competition is expected to have new and different contenders. At the moment, there are 110 horses entered in the race, which were all assigned a weight by the British Horse Racing Authority Head of Handicapping in February.
The said organization gave each horse an official rating, in which the stronger horses carry higher weight, while the outsiders have less weight. This year, the maximum weight in the Grand National is 11st 10lb, while the minimum is 10st. Owners and trainers have the option to pull out their race horses if they are unsatisfied with the ranking.
By next Thursday and Friday, the roster count is expected to be only 40, with four reserves.
Meanwhile, fans who have been following the race year-on-year will not be surprised to hear that this year's race will still take place at Aintree, a famous racecourse about six miles from Liverpool.
The Grand National is the most popular National Hunt race in Europe, held annually at Aintree's 30 national fences. The course spans four and a half miles with about 40 horses competing. It is also considered as the most valuable race, as the winner gets a prize fund of more than £ 1 million or about $ 1.25 million. Its origin can be traced back as early as 1839.
The Grand National 2017 will be held on Saturday, April 8, at 5:15 p.m.
