Grand National 2024 new start time, TV channel, latest odds and full list of runners

The 176th edition of the Aintree Grand National is here.

34 runners will take part in the iconic race during the three-day festival at Aintree Racecourse. Corach Rambler, who won the race last year, is named amongst those runners and is favourite.

It's a 4.5 mile challenge for the riders and runners, and is the longest jump race held in the UK. There are a total of 16 fences, with 14 of those being jumped twice. This equates to a total of 30 jumps for those involved.

Here's everything you need to know about the Grand National.

What time does the Grand National start?

The Grand National starts at 4pm on Saturday, April 13 at Aintree Racecourse.

What TV channel is the Grand National on?

The Grand National will be shown live on ITV1.

Coverage starts on Thurday, April 11 for the first day of the action. It runs from 2pm to 5pm on Thursday and Friday, with coverage starting slightly earlier at 12.55pm on Saturday.

You can therefore live stream the Grand National on ITV X. You will need a TV licence and ITV account for this option.

Why is the Grand National starting early?

The Grand National is starting at 4pm instead of 5.15pm because ground conditions are more optimal at this time and it improves safety.

Sulekha Varma, the Jockey Club’s north west head of racing , said: “We leave no stone unturned in providing world-class standards of welfare for our participants and undertake a review after every Grand National.

“These reviews look at a wide range of factors and the learnings from the process drives a number of changes, large and small, annually. In October we announced that one of the changes being made from 2024 would involve bringing forward the start time of the race, which has been 5.15pm since 2016.

“This was a decision we took after a number of participants and other racing stakeholders raised concerns about the long build-up to the race throughout the day and heightened tension as a result. These were not issues which had been identified as a problem when the race was previously staged at 3.45pm and 4.15pm.

“Bringing forward the start time of the Grand National by 75 minutes to 4pm will also help us to maintain optimal jumping ground, as warm or breezy conditions can dry out the racing surface.”