When is the Grand National 2026? Date, time, runners and Aintree race details

The Grand National 2026 takes place on Saturday 11 April at 4pm at Aintree Racecourse, with the three-day Aintree Festival running from Thursday 9 April to Saturday 11 April. With the race now taking place this week, attention is turning to the key dates before the big one, from declarations and weights to the bookmakers already offering Non-Runner No Bet.

The race itself is now just days away, and this is the point when the Grand National market begins to sharpen properly. Anyone thinking about backing a horse early will want to know not only when the race is run, but when the field starts to take shape and which firms are already offering some protection if their selection does not make the final line-up.

What are the key Grand National 2026 entry dates and declaration stages?

The build-up to the Grand National is shaped by a series of key dates, and they matter almost as much as the race day itself for anyone looking at the market early. The weights for the 2026 running were published on Tuesday 17 February, while the five-day confirmation stage came on Monday 6 April. Final declarations are then due on Wednesday 8 April under the 72-hour declaration system, giving punters a much clearer picture of the final field before Saturday’s showpiece.

With the field capped at 34 runners and reserves waiting in the wings, plenty can still change before the line-up is confirmed. That is why the ante-post market attracts so much interest at this stage of the build-up, especially for punters who want to secure a price before the final declarations are made.

Grand National 2026 Weights and Racecard

The publication of the weights is one of the most important moments in the Grand National countdown. In a race as demanding as this, over four miles and a half-furlong around Aintree’s famous fences, every pound is examined closely. The top of the handicap always draws attention, but the bigger debate usually centres on which horses lower down the list may have been given a chance by the assessor.

There is also an added wrinkle for punters to keep in mind. Once the weights have been published, a horse that wins afterwards does not receive an extra penalty for the Grand National itself. That can leave some runners looking particularly well treated if they advertise their form in a prep race on the way to Aintree.

The latest runners, weights and full race details can be found on our Grand National racecard.