Preparation for the racecourse at Aintree for the Grand National begins months before the event, with the groundsmen needing to ensure the best running surface for the horses, with the best balance between safety and speed as the faster the course, the more dangerous it is for the horses.
The Grand National betting latest sees Blaklion as the favourite to win the race although it is rare that the favourite goes on to win, with most favourites finishing in the top ten. The horses are put through arguably the most challenging racecourse in the UK, having to face challenging fences like The Chair, which is the highest fence at 5ft 2.
The fences have changed over the years to become safer for the horses to jump, with the old fences being made of solid timber which had were unforgiving to the horses and the fences that have replaced them are made from plastic, with a plastic base that is filled with upright plastic birch which has some give in it.
On a normal race day, there are forty members of the ground staff that make sure everything is in perfect order for the days racing, however this number increases dramatically for what is one of the biggest horse racing events of the year, as 225 people, the majority being volunteers, will be on hand to help prepare the course.
The groundsmen have a lot of work to get done in preparation for the Grand National and we have created an infographic which explains exactly what they have to do for the track to be ready for the most lucrative race in UK horse racing.