How Many Fences Are Jumped In The Aintree Grand National? Full Guide To Every Fence

The Grand National is one of the few races on planet earth that stops a nation and its fences are a unique factor which make it an iconic staple of sporting history.

It’s estimated around 600 million people worldwide watch the Aintree Grand National each year and in the region of £250 million is staked on the 4m 2½f handicap steeplechase.

Whether you’re a fan of horse racing or not – you probably know of the Grand National and there’s every chance you’ll sit down to watch the drama unfold on Saturday, April 5.

You can find our full runners guide and five-star ratings for every horse in the race here.

Grand National Fences Guide: Some Changes Have Been Made Since 2013

The Grand National fences are what makes the race so iconic. They are the most famous obstacles in jump racing and present a rigorously unique challenge to both the horse and jockey.

The fences are so difficult to navigate that only around 40% of the horses that begin the race will finish it out past the finishing post – if you do make it over the last, you face a gruelling 494-yard run-in.

Since the first renewal in 1839, adjustments have been made to make the race safer. In 2013, the timber cores of the fences were removed and replaced with plastic birch to make it easier for horses to get their legs through the fence if they got in a bit low.

Fences have also had their landing areas levelled and the orange take-off boards have been increased in height. The average number of finishers is increasing every year due to these changes.

From 2024, the maximum field size was reduced to 34 from 40.

How Many Fences Are Jumped In The Grand National?

The Grand National is the longest race on the UK calendar, staged over an incredible 4m 2½f and there are 16 fences on the course. 14 of them are jumped twice, with 30 to be tackled in total.

Grand National Fences Explained

Fence 1 and 17 (4ft 6in high, 2ft 9in wide)

This is the first fence jumped in the Grand National and is the smallest on the course which gives the horses a nice introduction to the race and eases them in gently. Jumped twice.

It’s not foolproof however, evidenced by last year’s defending champion and 15/2 shot Corach Rambler unseating jockey Derek Fox and heading for an early bath.

Fence 2 and 18 (4ft 7in high, 3ft 6in wide)

Slightly higher than the first fence but comes in wider at 3ft 6in. Takes a bit more scope to get over this one but is also a mild challenge. Jumped twice.

Fence 3 and 19 (5ft high, 7ft wide)

The first of three open ditches in the race and standing at 5ft tall, this fence is taller than both of the first two. The ditch spans 1.83 metres and is jumped twice.

Fence 4 and 20 (4ft 10in high, 3ft wide)

Moderately shorter than the previous fence. Jumped twice.

Fence 5 and 21 (5ft high, 3ft 6in wide)

This fence was adjusted in 2013 to level out the landing side, making it safer to jump. Jockeys sometimes drift out wide when tackling this fence to prepare for the next.

Fence 6 and 22 – BECHER’S BROOK (4ft 10in high, 7ft 6in wide)

Slightly shorter than the previous fence but plenty of room to get over, spanning 7ft 6in wide. Jumped twice.

It’s been modified on a few occasions, levelling out the landing side during the 1990s and most recently after the 2011 renewal.

There is a confusing drop on the landing side which sees horses pecking on landing and if coming in too steeply, it can cost them their race.

Most jockeys will chose to jump this fence towards the centre because the drop isn’t as steep as on the outside of the fence.

Fence 7 and 23 – FOINAVON (4ft 6in high, 3ft wide)

Ordinary fence, standing at just 4ft 6in high and 3ft wide. See further below for the interesting story behind it. Jumped twice.

Some horses can slip up here following the tough question Becher’s Brook asks just before.

Fence 8 and 24 – CANAL TURN (5ft high, 7ft wide)

Canal Turn has a sharp, 90-degree left-handed turn immediately after its jumped.

Due to the nature, horses tend to try and jump this fence at an angle – usually from the outside and cut across to save ground. Jumped twice.

Fence 9 and 25 – VALENTINE’S BROOK (5f high, 7ft wide)

This fence, Valentine’s Brook, features a 5ft 6in brook on the landing side. Jumped twice.

Fence 10 and 26 (5ft high, 3ft wide)

Jumped twice.

Fence 11 and 27 (5ft high, 10ft spread)

The second of three open ditches. It became famous when one of the shortest Grand National favourites in history, Golden Miller (9/2), refused to jump it and fell.

Golden Miller won the race in record time the year prior alongside landing the Cheltenham Gold Cup. This fence is jumped twice.

Fence 12 and 28 (5ft high, 5ft 6in ditch on landing side)

This fence is sometimes referred to as the ‘Booth,’ named after John Booth who led Aintree Racecourse’s maintenance team during the 1970s.

Featuring a 5ft 6in ditch on the landing side, this fence is jumped twice.

Fence 13 and 29 (4ft 7in high, 3ft wide)

This fence is another to have been modified, with its landing side smoothed out ahead of the 2013 renewal. Jumped twice.

Fence 14 and 30 (4ft 6in high)

This fence is one of the smaller obstacles in the Grand National fence, intended to be an easier task before tackling the toughest on the course next.

Jumped twice.

This is the final fence on the second circuit – and Hedgehunter fell here in 2004 when he was disputing third and making a challenge for the win. Luckily for him, he made up for it by winning in 2005.

Fence 15 – THE CHAIR (5ft 2in high, 5ft ditch before fence)

The Chair is the highest and toughest fence on the circuit, standing at 5ft 2in tall and featuring a 5-foot ditch before it. It presents a unique challenge with a raised landing side.

Jumped once on the first lap. There is a 15 centimetre rise on the landing side of the fence – almost the complete opposite of Becher’s Brook.

Probably one of, if not the most difficult fence in racing.

Fence 16 – WATER JUMP (2ft 6in high)

The water jump is the final fence on the first circuit and the lowest of the 16 fences. It features a wide stretch of water on the landing side.

Jumped once on the first circuit. Some horses can drag their hind legs through and make a splash, stunting momentum and causing them to lose ground.

The Famous Grand National Fences

The Chair

It is named after the chair the distance judge used to sit in and gauge the official distance between the winner and runners behind.

If you want to find the original ‘chair’ on your visit to Aintree, it’s located in the Red Rum Garden.

Becher’s Brook

The most famous Grand National fence of all. It’s named after Captain Martin Becher who landed in the ditch during the first running of the Grand National in 1939 after being unseated by Conrad.

Captain Becher hid in the water on the landing side of the fence as the other runners jumped over him.

Valentine’s Brook

Originally known as Second Brook, it was renamed after a horse called Valentine was believed to have jumped it hind legs first all the way back in 1840.

Canal Turn

The name Canal Turn is derived from the nearby Leeds-Liverpool canal. It caused a huge pile-up in 1928 and again in 2002 when eight horses were taken out by a jockey-less Paddy’s Return.

Foinavon

Shot to fame in 1967 when Foinavon was the only horse to successfully clear it after a massive pile-up saw every other runner taken out.

Foinavon, a 100/1 poke, went from last to first and won the race.

Water Jump

This fence was first introduced in 1841, replacing a stone wall (which was 16ft wide at the time).

2025 Aintree Grand National Race Details

📅 Date: Saturday, April 5th 2025
⌚ Time: 4:00pm
🏇 Racecourse: Aintree
🔄 Trip: 4m 2 1/2f
💷 Winner: £500,000
📺 TV: ITV / Racing TV

See here the full 2025 Aintree Grand National Festival race schedule, running order and TV channels.

As per the best horse racing betting sites, Irish Grand National hero Intense Raffles is currently the 7/1 favourite to win the race.

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