The Randox Grand National will move to 72‑hour declarations from 2026, and while that sounds like a small tweak on paper, it quietly reshapes how trainers, bookmakers, and fans build up to the world’s most famous steeplechase.
It also comes with more reserves and a slightly rejigged Grand National day schedule, all in the name of clarity, planning, and a bit of extra pre‑race excitement.
What Has Actually Changed?
From 2026, the final declarations for the Grand National will now be made three days before the race, rather than the traditional 48 hours.
For this year’s renewal, on Saturday 11 April 2026, that means the field of horses and jockeys will be locked in on Wednesday 8 April instead of Thursday.
The race remains a 34‑runner contest following the recent safety‑driven changes to the maximum field.
However, the number of reserves is being increased from four to six, with any non‑runners able to be replaced up to 1pm on the day before the race.
Why Aintree Wanted 72‑Hour Declarations
Aintree’s clerk of the course Sulekha Varma has been clear that the move is designed to give everyone involved a bit more breathing space.
The extra 24 hours should provide greater clarity for owners, trainers, jockeys, broadcasters, and, crucially, fans trying to work out which horse they’ve actually backed in the sweepstake.
There is also a sense of keeping up with the racing Joneses. The Jockey Club has already made 72‑hour declarations permanent for the Betfred Derby, and globally, major races like the Melbourne Cup and Kentucky Derby operate on similar lines.
The Grand National now joins that club, while remaining the only British jumps race to use the 72‑hour system.
What It Means For Trainers And Horses
From a trainer’s point of view, the change is a mixed bag, but a fairly logical one.
On the plus side, having declarations done on the Wednesday allows for more settled planning around travel, staff, tactics and jockey bookings, particularly for yards juggling multiple runners across the three‑day Aintree Festival.
The obvious downside is that weather and ground conditions can shift between Wednesday and Saturday, especially in early April on Merseyside.
A horse declared on good to soft could end up facing soft or worse, and the 72‑hour window does slightly increase the risk of late non‑runners through going changes or minor setbacks.
That is where the extra two reserves are meant to earn their keep.
More Reserves: Six Safety Nets Instead Of Four
Acknowledging that a longer declaration period might push the non‑runner rate up a notch, Aintree has expanded the reserve list from four horses to six.
Those reserves sit just outside the final 34, ready to step in if any horse comes out before 1pm on the day before the race.
The aim here is simple: maximise the chance of a full field lining up at the tape without asking trainers to roll the dice on marginal decisions too close to the race.
For connections of horses hovering around the cut‑off point, being one of six reserves rather than four also makes the “will we get in?” game mildly less nerve‑shredding.
Tweaks To Grand National Day Itself
The move to 72‑hour declarations comes alongside a slight reshuffling of the big day’s running order.
The Grand National itself stays in its 4pm slot, a start time introduced as part of wider race‑day changes after the 2023 running.
What does change is the shape of the supporting card.
From 2026, the first race on Grand National day will be brought forward to 12.45pm, rather than the previous 1.20pm, and both Grade 1 races on the day will now be run before the National.
The only race after the big one will be the Grade 2 bumper at 5pm, which should give everyone – human and equine – a slightly gentler comedown from the main event.
Fans And Punters
For racegoers, TV viewers, and once‑a‑year punters, the new system has a very obvious benefit: you now know the final field a day earlier.
That gives more time to study the form, argue about “plots” that definitely aren’t plots, and work out how to pronounce at least one of the Irish runners correctly in the office sweep.
Broadcasters and media outlets gain an extra 24 hours of certainty on runners and riders, which should translate into tidier coverage and more focused build‑up pieces.
The Jockey Club has openly said it hopes the extended window will help “get people excited and engaged in the race from an even earlier stage,” whether they live in Liverpool or Lagos.
How It Fits Into The Bigger Picture
In isolation, shifting declarations from 48 to 72 hours might sound like the sort of admin detail that only clerks of the course get excited about.
But in the context of recent changes that include a smaller field, fence tweaks, and start‑time adjustments, it is another step in the ongoing evolution of the Grand National.
The race remains a Great British institution and a global TV fixture, broadcast to around 170 countries with a huge worldwide audience, so every change is about balancing tradition with practicality.
Moving declarations back a day, adding more reserves, and tidying up the running order are all attempts to make the big Saturday smoother for the runners and clearer for the millions watching.
