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
2011 Grand National stewards for excessive use of the whip on Ballabriggs. The horse's trainer, Donald McCain, Jr., indicated that he will likely return to Aintree for the 2012 National seeking the first back-to-back wins since Red Rum in 1974: "I'd have thought next season will revolve around the National and he may well go to the Becher Chase [in December] as well." 2011 Grand National The 2011 Grand National (known as the John Smith's Grand National for sponsorship reasons) was the 164th renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race held at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England. The showpiece steeplechase began at