It’s the race where almost anything can happen - where a 100/1 outsider can outwit the bookies, where a horse trained on the nearby Formby sands can run to victory three times, where a cancer-survivor named Champion can come in first on a horse with tendon trouble.
In its 180-year history, from the days when its obstacles comprised a stone wall, a stretch of ploughed land and two hurdles, the Grand National has cemented its reputation as the most exciting horse race in the world.
And it’s not just the racing that thrills. It’s also one of the best events for people-watching, as racegoers arrive in outfits that have taken months of planning.
Those who travel from all across the globe to enjoy the three-day meeting at Aintree Racecourse are given a glorious Liverpool welcome - from banners celebrating their arrival to dancing on the trains.
And when times are tough, such as when the race was stopped by an IRA bomb threat in 1997, local people work together to make the city a place of unity and strength.
Click below to discover 53 reasons the Grand National is the greatest race in the world - and share your reasons for loving the race in the comments section.
