The annual Grand National will go ahead as planned on Saturday 4 April, but in the form of a pre-recorded simulation. Using CGI animation, 40 horses and riders will run two laps of Liverpool’s Aintree racecourse, which has a total distance of 4 miles and 2.5 furlongs with 30 fences en route.
In another change to previous year’s events, bookmakers have pledged that all profits will go to NHS Charities, an umbrella organisation that covers more than 140 individual charities.
This isn’t the first time the Grand National in its standard form has had to be called off, with both WWI and WWII causing a brief hiatus in the otherwise annual event that has been running since 1839.
Broadcast live in the UK on ITV, you can also watch a live stream of the Grand National online at ITV’s website or via its mobile app (for iOS or Android). Coverage begins at 5pm BST, with the race itself at 5.15pm.
ITV Hub+ offers an ad-free experience at £3.99 per month, with a seven-day free trial. It also can be viewed from outside the UK in EU countries. Unfortunately this applies only to catch-up and not live broadcasts, which isn’t helpful if you’re wanting to watch the big race live.
An alternative, if you are watching from abroad, is to fool your web browser into thinking you are in the UK by installing a VPN. Our pick of the best is NordVPN.
If you are placing a bet on the Grand National, you will also be able to live-stream the race through that bookmaker’s mobile app.
Which horses are running in the 2020 Grand National?
| Number | Horse | Jockey | Weight | Odds |
| 1 | Tiger Roll | Davy Russell | 11-10 | 5-1 |
| 2 | Bristol De Mai | Daryl Jacob | 11-8 | 20-1 |
| 3 | Aso | Charlie Deutsch | 11-2 | 66-1 |
| 4 | Elegant Escape | Jonjo O’Neill Jnr | 11-2 | 20-1 |
| 5 | Anibale Fly | Barry Geraghty | 11-2 | 20-1 |
| 6 | Top Ville Ben | Tom Dawson | 11-2 | 45-1 |
| 7 | Beware The Bear | Jerry McGrath | 11-0 | 33-1 |
| 8 | Peregrine Run | Kevin Sexton | 10-13 | 66-1 |
| 9 | Jett | Sam Waley-Cohen | 10-13 | 50-1 |
| 10 | Alpha Des Obeaux | Richard Johnson | 10-13 | 25-1 |
| 11 | Total Recall | Paul Townend | 10-13 | 40-1 |
| 12 | The Storyteller | Keith Donaghue | 10-12 | 40-1 |
| 13 | Magic Of Light | Robbie Power | 10-12 | 18-1 |
| 14 | Talkischeap | Tom Cannon | 10-11 | 25-1 |
| 15 | Yala Enki | Bryony Frost | 10-11 | 28-1 |
| 16 | Ballyoptic | Sam Twiston-Davies | 10-11 | 25-1 |
| 17 | Burrows Saint | Rachael Blackmore | 10-10 | 12-1 |
| 18 | Definitely Red | Brian Hughes | 10-10 | 14-1 |
| 19 | Sub Lieutenant | JJ Slevin | 10-9 | 33-1 |
| 20 | Ok Corral | Derek O’Connor | 10-9 | 25-1 |
| 21 | Tout Est Permis | Sean Flanagan | 10-9 | 80-1 |
| 22 | Vintage Clouds | Danny Cook | 10-8 | 33-1 |
| 23 | Crievehill | Tom Bellamy | 10-8 | 66-1 |
| 24 | Lake View Lad | Henry Brooke | 10-8 | 50-1 |
| 25 | Jury Duty | Mark Enright | 10-8 | 40-1 |
| 26 | Pleasant Company | David Mullins | 10-7 | 28-1 |
| 27 | Acapella Bourgeois | Danny Mullins | 10-6 | 33-1 |
| 28 | Shattered Love | Lisa O’Neill | 10-6 | 66-1 |
| 29 | Any Second Now | Mark Walsh | 10-6 | 10-1 |
| 30 | Potters Corner | Jack Tudor | 10-6 | 18-1 |
| 31 | Dounikos | Luke Dempsey | 10-5 | 50-1 |
| 32 | Kildisart | Nico de Boinville | 10-5 | 50-1 |
| 33 | Death Duty | Gavin Brouder | 10-5 | 50-1 |
| 34 | Ramses De Teillee | Tom Scudamore | 10-5 | 66-1 |
| 35 | Valtor | James Boween | 10-4 | 66-1 |
| 36 | Saint Xavier | David Maxwell | 10-4 | 66-1 |
| 37 | Warriors Tale | Harry Cobden | 10-4 | 80-1 |
| 38 | Double Shuffle | Jonathan Burke | 10-4 | 100-1 |
| 39 | Kimberlite Candy | Richie McLernon | 10-4 | 16-1 |
| 40 | Walk In The Mill | James Best | 10-4 | 16-1 |
Grand National winners
The Grand National has been an annual event at Aintree since 1839, save for a brief hiatus between 1916 and 1918 during World War 1, and between 1941 and 1945 during World War 2.
To this day Red Rum is the only horse to have won the Grand National three times, in 1973, 1974 and 1977, with trainer Ginger McCain also going on to successfully lead Amberleigh House to victory in 2004. His son Donald then brought in a fifth win with Ballabriggs in 2011.
Last year’s winner, Tiger Roll, won the National for the second year in a row – as the current favourite, will he make it a third in 2020?
Here are the horses who won the £1m prize in the 21st century:
- 2019: Tiger Roll
- 2018: Tiger Roll
- 2017: One For Arthur
- 2016: Rule The World
- 2015: Many Clouds
- 2014: Pineau De Re
- 2013: Auroras Encore
- 2012: Neptune Collonges
- 2011: Ballabriggs
- 2010: Don’t Push It
- 2009: Mon Mome
- 2008: Comply or Die
- 2007: Silver Birch
- 2006: Numbersixvalverde
- 2005: Hedgehunter
- 2004: Amberleigh House
- 2003: Monty’s Pass
- 2002: Bindaree
- 2001: Red Marauder
- 2000: Papillon
Where to bet on the Grand National 2020
Not all bookmakers will be allowing bets on the virtual Grand National, but William Hill, Bet365, Unibet and BetVictor are among those that are.
Each is paying up to five places on Each Way bets. We advise you to select whichever bookmaker has the highest odds for your horse of choice.
Via Techadvisor