Grand National in front of the stands. The majority of the race therefore took place not on the actual Aintree Racecourse but instead in the adjoining countryside. That countryside was incorporated into the modern course but commentators still often refer to it as "the country". There are 16 fences on the National Course topped with spruce from the Lake District. The cores of 12 fences were rebuilt in 2012 and they are now made of a flexible plastic material which is more forgiving compared to the traditional wooden core fences. They are still topped with at least of spruce for the horses
1919 Grand National 1919 Grand National The 1919 Grand National was the 78th renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England on 28 March 1919. It was the first true Aintree Grand National since 1915, with the intermittent races being cancelled due to World War I and substituted by a 'Racecourse Association Steeplechase' and later a 'War National Steeplechase' at Gatwick Racecourse. The 1919 National was won by the Poethlyn, ridden by Ernest Piggott. The pair had won an unofficial National at Gatwick in 1918 and on the back of this started 11/4 favourites,