Grand National Course Guide

The horses milling around anticipating the race is about to start, jockeys vying for the position they have chosen, adrenalin pumping so hard it is difficult to think, the tape goes up and we are off.

Below is a fence by fence guide of the 2010 Grand National Course

1st FENCE: A four and a half foot high plain fence. It is amazing how many horses and jockeys have blown their chance in the race so early on at this unobtrusive fence. This will be the 17th fence on the 2nd circuit.

2nd FENCE: Similar to the first a four foot seven inch plain fence. Jockeys have made their decision where to go by now by judgement or circumstance. Two nice opening plain fences getting horse and jockey ready for what is the first real jumping challenge.This will be the 18th on the 2nd circuit.

3rd FENCE: A monster of a fence standing five foot high and with a six foot open ditch thrown in for good measure. This will be the 19th on the 2nd circuit.

4th FENCE: At four foot ten inch plain fence that should be no problem for these seasoned handicappers. This will be 20th on the 2nd circuit.

5th FENCE: As you might have noticed the plain fences have been going up slightly in height by fractions and this is five foot plain fence is a bit more formidable but not as daunting as the sixth. The jockeys know what is coming but the horses have haven’t got a clue of what is in store.This will be the 21st on the 2nd circuit.

6th FENCE: The most famous fence on the GRAND NATIONAL course this is “BEECHERS BROOK”. At four foot ten inches high, a drop of six foot nine inches on the landing side and wide spread in between makes this fence the most daunting spectacle in national hunt racing. This will be the 22nd on the 2nd circuit.

7th FENCE: Another four foot six inch plain fence to give the horse a confidence boost after what must have been a real shock to the system. This will be the 23rd on the 2nd circuit.

8th FENCE: After the seventh you will notice the field trying to tack over as far to the right hand side and the more straight they jump it, the more the jockey will fight with his mount to get the horse to turn ninety degrees that is required to get in a straight line to jump the next fence. This will be 24th on the 2nd circuit.

The next four fences down the far side come in rapid succession starting with the ninth.

9th FENCE: The first of which is the famous “VALENTINES BROOK” a five foot in height with an open ditch and a drop landing (more shallow than at BEECHERS) none the less a formidable obstacle to conquer. This will be the 25th on the 2nd circuit.

10th FENCE: A straight forward five foot plain fence which will be preparation for another big challenge in the shape of the next open ditch. This will be the 26th on the next circuit.

11th FENCE: A five foot high fence with a six foot open ditch and to cap it of a drop on the landing side, another formidable obstacle. This will be the 27th on the 2nd circuit.

12th FENCE: The last of the five foot fences down the far side is a five foot six inch open ditch with a drop on the landing side(not as severe as either VALENTINES or BEECHERS)This will be the 28th on the next circuit.

13th FENCE: This fence is a four foot seven inch plain fence and the remaining contenders know that it is one of the easier fences to contend with. This will be the 29th and the penultimate fence on the 2nd circuit.

14th FENCE: Similar to the 13th holds no surprises for either horse or jockey and will be the last fence on the 2nd circuit.

The 13th & 14th fences being two of the easier fences on the GRAND NATIONAL course means there is something special about to appear and there is nothing in jump racing anywhere in the world like the vision the of the fifteenth.

15th FENCE: A six foot open ditch with a five foot two inch fence and elevated this time on the landing side a colossus of a spectacle they have reached “THE CHAIR” probably the most difficult fence in the world of national hunt to encounter. Jumped just the once during the GRAND NATIONAL.

16th FENCE: The water jump at only two foot six inches high is the smallest fence on the course but it has an expanse of water of twelve foot six inches and many a horse has dragged its back legs in it and losing valuable strength in the process.

And now they have to go and do it all over again. WHAT A RACE THE GRAND NATIONAL IS.