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
1955 Grand National Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret. Several fences had been reduced in severity following an outcry over four equine fatalities in the previous year's National. The heavy going meant the 16th fence (the Water Jump) was omitted — the first time in Grand National history that not all 30 fences were jumped. 1955 Grand National The 1955 Grand National was the 109th renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 26 March 1955. Thirty horses ran in the race, which was won by 100/9 shot Quare Times, who was ridden by