Grand National race to be televised in high-definition in the UK. In August 2013 Crabbie's was announced as the new sponsor of the Grand National. The three-year deal between the alcoholic ginger beer producer and Aintree saw the race run for a record purse of £1 million in 2014. In March 2016 it was announced that Randox Health would take over from Crabbie's as official partners of the Grand National festival from 2017, for at least five years. The Grand National is run over the National Course at Aintree and consists of two laps of 16 fences, the first 14 of which
Grand National counts the number of horse deaths over the three-day meeting from the year 2000 to 2013 at 40. In 2009, the race sponsors John Smith's launched a poll to determine five personalities to be inducted into the inaugural "Grand National Legends" initiative. The winners were announced on the day of the 2010 Grand National and inscribed on commemorative plaques at Aintree. They were: A panel of experts also selected three additional legends: In 2011, nine additional legends were added: John Smith's also added five "people's legends" who were introduced on Liverpool Day, the first day of the Grand National meeting.