This year will see the 169th Grand National, which remains a seminal sporting event for fans of all ages. Whether you are of legal gambling age or not, the National has brought together friends, colleagues and family members together through random sweepstakes, fun interaction and unbridled excitement.
The National is also an event that continues to transcend its traditional market, offering far more than just a single race every April. It has also served as the inspiration for a number of electronic and online games, including the hugely popular Frankie Detori slots, which is available through various casino platforms,
This evolution has created a legacy beyond horse racing fans, while also introducing the younger generation to the sport. In order to continue this trend, here are four fascinating facts about the Grand National for you to digest.
The Grand National is over Four miles in length
Let's start with the basics; as April's Grand National is the single largest Handicap race in the UK calendar. It is in fact classified as a Handicap Steeple Chase, traversing four miles and three-and-a-quarter furlongs in length and featuring a staggering 30, leg-sapping fences. There are also two course, and the size and nature of this course underlines why there have been so many unpredictable races down the years.
The National remains one of the oldest races on record
The National is also one of the oldest races on record, with the first instalment having been contested as long ago as 1839. This race was aptly won by a horse named Lottery, while the jockey was called Jem Mason who had a reputation for stylish and exquisite dress sense. This race was also noticeable for its slow winning time, with the duration of 14 minutes and 53 seconds nearly twice as long as the existing course record.
The Quickest National Winning Time came in at 8 Minutes and 47.8 seconds
This brings us neatly onto our next fact, which surrounds the fastest Grand National winning time in history. This was set as recently as 1990 by winner Mr. Frisk, which traversed this most challenging of course in just eight minutes and 47.8 seconds. This remains the fastest time by some distance, and as we have already alluded to it is half the time taken to conclude the first race back in 1839. Who would back against this record finally being broken before 2020?
Bruce Hobbs remains the Youngest winning Jockey in the history of the National
While the famous Dick Sanders holds the honour of being the oldest winning jockey at the National (claiming success as a 47-year old back in 1982), do you know who the youngest is? It is in fact Bruce Hobbs, who rode his way to Grand National success in 1938 when aged just 17. This is a remarkable achievement and almost unthinkable when you consider the challenging nature of the course.
