Aintree Racecourse fear into the most professional of jockeys. All fences bar the water jump are covered with spruce, unlike at any other course in British National Hunt racing. Four other races take place over the National fences. These are the Topham Chase (formerly known as the John Hughes Trophy Chase) and the Fox Hunters' Chase at the Grand National meeting, and the Grand Sefton Handicap Chase and Becher Chase in the December meeting. Within the large National course there is also the smaller Mildmay course containing hurdles and fences. These fences are made of traditional National Hunt material. The National and
1998 Grand National backed down to joint-favourite until shortly before the start, before being sent off at 8/1. The partnership was a distant last of seven runners still standing four fences from home when he refused. Samlee was a nine-year-old who came to prominence after winning the Becher Chase over one circuit of the Aintree Grand National course in November, having been second in the Scottish Grand National earlier in the year. Another victory in a modest 3 mile 6 furlong chase at Sandown followed in December before finishing third to Earth Summit in the Welsh National and third again in the Eider