The Aintree Festival 2026 is a popular horse racing event held at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool.

Each of the three days features seven races, with the first race starting at 1:45 p.m. and the final at 5:15 p.m. It is one of the most popular National Hunt horse racing festivals every year.

Check out the British Racecourses Aintree Festival Tips for each of the 3 days.

The first day has some high-class racing, where the best of Britain take each other on, the second day of the Aintree Festival is Ladies Day, held on Friday 10th April, and the final day on the 5th of April is The Grand National race, which attracts millions of viewers for the iconic race.

In the British Racecourses Aintree Festival guide, we highlight everything you need to know about the famous Aintree horse racing festival:

Contents

1 Aintree Festival Day One Races – Grand National Thursday
2 Aintree Festival Day Two Races – Ladies Day Friday
3 Aintree Festival Day Three Races – Grand National Saturday
4 Popular Questions
5 Summary of the Aintree Festival
6 Related 2026 Aintree Articles

Aintree Festival Day One Races – Grand National Thursday

Here are all the day one racing events for the Aintree Festival.

MANIFESTO NOVICES’ STEEPLE CHASE

The Manifesto Novices Chase is the opening race on day 1 of the Aintree Festival, taking place at 1.45.

If you are looking for Aintree 1.45 tips, check out our guide to Day One Aintree Festival Tips.

The Manifesto Novices’ Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase available to horses aged five and above. It is held at Aintree over a distance of 2 miles and 4 furlongs, with 16 hurdles to jump. The race is for novices and takes place every year in April during the Grand National meeting.

The Manifesto Novices’ Chase is a Grade 2 race that involves horses who have often previously competed in the Arkle and the JLT Novices’ Chase.

The event was upgraded to Grade 1 level in 2012.

THE BOODLES ANNIVERSARY 4-Y-O JUVENILE HURDLE RACE

The 4-Y-O Novices’ Hurdle is a race that takes place on the 1st day of the Aintree Festival at 2.20.

For Aintree 2.20 tips, check out our Aintree Festival Day One Tips.

The Anniversary 4-Y-O Novices’ Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle competition for horses aged four years and up.

It is run at Aintree over a distance of approximately 2 miles and 1 furlong, with nine hurdles to be jumped. The race is for novice hurdlers and takes place every year in early April during the Grand National meeting.

The race was initially known as the Lancashire Hurdle in the 1960s and early 1970s, and it has since been sponsored under various names.

It was initially classified as Grade 2 but was upgraded to Grade 1 in 2005.

THE BOWL STEEPLE CHASE

The Aintree Bowl takes place at 2.55 on the first day of the Aintree Festival.

Our Day 1 Aintree Tips guide will help you find the best leads.

The Aintree Bowl race is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase for horses aged five and above.

It is contested at Aintree across 3 miles and 1 furlong, and there are 19 obstacles to jump during the course.

AINTREE HURDLE RACE

At 3.30 on Day 1 of the Aintree Festival, the Aintree Hurdle will take place.

For the best tips for Day 1, check out our Aintree Festival Day 1 Tips.

The Aintree Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle for horses aged four and higher. It is raced at Aintree over a distance of about 2 miles and 4 furlongs, with eleven obstacles to be cleared during the race.

The race was first held in 1976 and was initially run over a distance of 2 miles and 512 furlongs.

In 1988, it was shortened to its current length.

The event took place on the final day of the three-day Grand National meeting, which is typically held on Saturday; however, in 2013 it was relocated to Thursday, the first day of the festival.

THE FOXHUNTERS’ OPEN HUNTERS’ STEEPLE CHASE

The Foxhunters Chase will start at 4.05 on day one of the Aintree Festival.

If you’re looking for Day 1 tips, check out our Day One Aintree Festival Tips guide.

The Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase is a National Hunt steeplechase for amateur riders available to horses aged six and up.

It is raced at Aintree over a distance of about 2 miles and 5 furlongs and is hosted every year in April.

The Foxhunters’ is one of only three races held at the Aintree Festival that take place over Grand National fences, the other two being the Topham Chase and the Grand National itself. Randox Laboratories is the current sponsor of the race.

RED RUM HANDICAP STEEPLE CHASE

At 4.40 on day 1 of the Aintree Festival, the Red Rum Handicap Chase will take place.

For the best tips on Day 1, go to our Aintree Day One Tips page.

The Red Rum Handicap Chase is a Grade 3 National Hunt steeplechase for horses aged five and up. It is run over a distance of around 2 miles on the Mildmay course at Aintree, with 12 obstacles to jump. It is a handicap race that takes place every year in early April.

The race is named after Red Rum, a three-time Grand National champion during the 1970s.

It was previously known as the Aintree Chase, but in 1997 it was renamed the Red Rum Chase.

THE GOFFS NICKEL COIN MARES’ STANDARD OPEN NATIONAL HUNT FLAT RACE

On the first day of the Aintree Festival at 5.15, the Mares’ NH Flat Race will be run.

This is the final race of Day 1 at the Festival.

The Aintree Festival 2026 is a popular horse racing event hosted at Aintree Racecourse .

The Nickel Coin Mares’ Standard Open NH Flat Race is a Grade 2 National Hunt flat race held in the United Kingdom for fillies and mares aged four to six years old. It is held each year at Aintree over a distance of approximately 2 miles and 1 furlong, during the Grand National meeting in early April.

Nickel Coin, the winner of the 1951 Grand National and the most recent mare to win the Grand National, is the reason this race has its name.

The race was first run as a Listed event in 2005, before being upgraded to a Grade 2 event in 2016.

Aintree Festival Day Two Races – Ladies Day Friday

Here are all the day two racing events for the Aintree Festival.

THE MILDMAY NOVICES’ STEEPLE CHASE

The Handicap Hurdle is the opening race of Day 2 at the Aintree Festival.

If you’re interested in day 2 tips, then check out our Day 2 Aintree Festival Tips.

The Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle is a Grade 3 National Hunt handicap hurdle for horses aged four and up. It is held at Aintree over a distance of approximately 2 miles and 4 furlongs and is held every year in April.

The event was initially held in 1989, and in 2014 it was upgraded to Grade 3.

Oddbins sponsored it from 1991 to 2002, and it has subsequently had several sponsors, the most recent being Pertemps in 2021.

THE WILLIAM HILL HANDICAP HURDLE RACE

On day 2 of the festival at 2.20, the Top Novices’ Hurdle will start.

Please take a look at our Day Two Festival Tips.

The Top Novices’ Hurdle is a Grade One National Hunt hurdle race for horses aged four and up. It is held at Aintree over a distance of approximately 2 and a half miles, with nine hurdles to be jumped. The race is for novice hurdlers and takes place every year in early April during the Grand National meeting.

The field typically includes horses that have already won the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, and Browne’s Gazette was the last horse to win both championships in 1984.

From its 2016 running, the British Horseracing Authority promoted the Top Novices’ Hurdle to Grade One.

THE TOP NOVICES’ HURDLE RACE

At 2.55 on day two of the festival, the Mildmay Novices Chase takes place.

For Aintree Festival Day 2 Tips, check out our page.

The Mildmay Novices’ Chase is a Grade One National Hunt chase for horses aged five and above. It is raced over a distance of around 3 miles and 1 furlong on the Mildmay course at Aintree, and there are 19 fences to leap during the race. The race is for novice chasers and occurs every year in early April during the Grand National meeting.

The race was originally run in 1981, and the first two winners, Bregawn and Burrough Hill Lad, went on to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

In 2017, Betway became a sponsor of the event.

From 2014, it was elevated to Grade One.

THE MY PENSION EXPERT MELLING STEEPLE CHASE

The Melling Chase is taking place on Day 2 of the Aintree Festival at 3.30.

Please take a look at our Aintree Festival Day Two Tips for great leads.

The Melling Chase, now known as the Marsh Chase for sponsorship purposes, is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase for horses aged five and above. It is raced at Aintree over a distance of approximately 2 miles and 4 furlongs, with 16 hurdles to be jumped during the course. Every year, in early April, the race takes place.

Melling Road, a public road that runs through the racetrack, is why this race is called the Melling Chase. It was founded in 1991 and has maintained a Grade 1 classification throughout its existence. The event now takes place on the second of three days of the Grand National meeting.

THE TOPHAM HANDICAP STEEPLE CHASE

At 4:05 on the second day of the festival, the Topham Chase will take place.

Our best tips can be found in our Tips For The Aintree Festival Day 2 guide.

The Topham Chase is a Grade 3 National Hunt handicap chase held in England for horses aged five and up. It is held at Aintree over a distance of approximately 2 miles and 5 furlongs and is held every year in April.

THE SEFTON NOVICES’ HURDLE RACE

The Oddschecker Sefton Novices’ Hurdle will take place on day 2 of the festival at 4.40.

Check out our page for Day 2 Aintree Tips.

The Cavani Menswear Sefton Novices’ Hurdle takes place in the UK as a Grade 1 race. It is held at Aintree Racecourse during the Grand National meeting, with a distance of 3 miles and 149 yards.

THE HALLGARTEN AND NOVUM WINES HANDICAP HURDLE RACE

The Handicap Hurdle will take place at 5.15 on day 2 of the festival.

This is the final race of day 2 at the Aintree Festival.

For day 2 tips, take a look at the Aintree Day Two Tips guide.

The Park Palace Ponies Handicap Hurdle takes place at Aintree Racecourse during the Grand National meeting, with a distance of 2 miles and 103 yards.

Aintree Festival Day Three Races – Grand National Saturday

Here are all the day three racing events for the Aintree Festival.

THE WILLIAM HILL TOP PRICE GUARANTEE HANDICAP HURDLE RACE

The Bridle Road Handicap Hurdle is the opening race on Day 3 of the Festival at 1.20.

For day 3 tips on the festival, check out our Day 3 Festival Tips.

The Bridle Road Handicap Hurdle is a Grade 3 National Hunt hurdle competition held for horses aged four and up.

It is run at Aintree over a distance of approximately 3 miles and a half furlongs, with thirteen hurdles to be jumped along the way. It is a handicap race that takes place each year at the Grand National meeting in early April.

THE TURNERS NOVICES’ HURDLE RACE

The Turners Mersey Novices’ Hurdle is held on Day 3 of the Festival at 1.55.

The best day 3 festival tips can be found in the Aintree Festival Day 3 Tips guide.

The Turners Mersey Novices’ Hurdle is a Grade One National Hunt hurdle competition held in the United Kingdom for horses aged four and up.

It is held in Aintree, Merseyside, over a distance of approximately 2 miles and 4 furlongs, with eleven hurdles to be jumped.

THE WILLIAM HILL HANDICAP STEEPLE CHASE

The William Hill Handicap Steeple Chase will take place on Day 3 of the Aintree Festival at 2:30 pm.

Check out the Aintree Festival Day 3 Tips guide for tips on this race and many others.

The William Hill Handicap Steeple Chase is a Grade 3 race with a distance of 3 miles and 1 furlong.

The race will take place at Aintree Racecourse during the Grand National Festival.

THE LIVERPOOL HURDLE RACE

The Liverpool Hurdle takes place on Day 3 of the Aintree Festival at 3.05 pm.

Our day 3 tips are in the Aintree Festival Day 3 Tips guide.

The Liverpool Hurdle, now known as the Ryanair Stayers Hurdle due to sponsorship reasons, is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle competition held in the United Kingdom for horses aged four and up.

It is run at Aintree over a distance of approximately 3 miles and a half furlongs, with thirteen hurdles to leap along the way.

Each year, the race will be held at the Grand National meeting in early April.

THE RANDOX GRAND NATIONAL HANDICAP STEEPLE CHASE

The Grand National is the most important race at the Aintree Festival. The race starts at 4.00 pm.

For tips on the Grand National, check out our Day Three Aintree Festival Tips.

The Grand National is a National Hunt horse event contested annually in Liverpool, England, at Aintree Racecourse. It is a handicap steeplechase run over an official distance of roughly 4 miles and 212 furlongs, with horses jumping 30 obstacles over two laps. It was first run in 1839.

THE ROSCONN GROUP MAGHULL NOVICES’ STEEPLE CHASE

On day 3 of the festival at 5.00, the Maghull Novices’ Chase will take place.

Check out the Day Three Festival Tips page.

The Maghull Novices’ Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase held in the United Kingdom for horses aged five and up. It is held at Aintree over a distance of around 2 miles, and there are twelve fences to jump during the race. The race is for rookie chasers and takes place every year in early April during the Grand National meeting.