The Grand National Festival kicks off today ahead of the iconic race on Saturday, with the event set to bring excitement, fear and ecstasy to millions – ANDY HOOPER captures all the build-up and behind-the-scenes stories in photos
- Andy Hooper traveled to Aintree Racecourse before this year’s Grand National Festival kicked off
- The three-day event is expected to draw around 150,000 people ahead of Saturday’s flagship race
- His photographs capture all facets of the build and help tell the untold stories of the iconic event
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The Grand National is back this weekend – one of the most anticipated days of the year and the biggest event on the UK sporting calendar.
The three-day festival kicks off on Thursday before the showpiece race – the most famous steeplechase in the world – takes place on Saturday at 5:15pm.
An estimated 150,000 people will be in attendance over the next three days at Aintree Racecourse, six miles outside Liverpool, and their excitement, fear and elation will be felt by millions of others watching from afar.
Ahead of this year’s festival, our man Andy Hooper traveled to Merseyside to capture all the work involved in preparing the venue, along with some behind-the-scenes shots.
The calm before the storm at Aintree Racecourse on Wednesday ahead of the three-day festival that kicks off today
A horse gallops early in the morning in preparation for the Grand National which starts at 5:15 p.m. Saturday evening
The iconic Grand National trophy. The race is the world’s most famous steeplechase and was first held in 1839
At just under four and a half miles, the Grand National is by far the longest race of the entire three-day festival
A signature from Rachael Blackmore in the Owners and Trainers hospitality area. She was the first female jockey to win the race
A memorial in honor of former Irish racehorse Red Rum. He won the Grand National three times in 1973, 1974 and 1977
Final preparations are made by workers for the infamous Aintree fence chair jump, notorious obstacles in the sport
The seat is the highest fence on the track, now stands at five feet and is often a source of drama in the race
The Grand National will consist of 40 runners who must overcome 30 Grand National fences over a distance of 4 miles and 2½ furlongs
Two vets watch a horse trot to check it is healthy and if they can make it safe ahead of the race during the festival
Aintree staff are preparing for an estimated 150,000 people at the racecourse – six miles outside Liverpool – over the next three days
There has been a lot of rain this week, but the weather is expected to clear up by Saturday with good to mild weather
The three-day festival is one of the biggest events on the UK sporting calendar with interest from all over the world
Another horse is taken out for an early morning gallop at Aintree with trainers going through their last steps for Thursday
The Grand National has a total prize pool of £1 million, with the winner of the iconic race set to earn £561,300 this year
The seat is the tallest but narrowest fence on the Grand National track and has caused several horses to fall in the past
More behind-the-scenes preparations are underway ahead of the festival, with live TV coverage on both ITV and Racing TV
The finishing touches are put on a statue of the legendary Red Rum, with the Irish horse never falling in 100 career races
A close up and detailed view of a horse after taking part in the early morning gallop at Merseyside Racecourse
An estimated 500 to 600 million people watch the Grand National on TV in more than 140 countries around the world