THE GRAND NATIONAL fences are the ultimate test of horse and jockey.
The race is a steeplechase, which means it is run over fences rather than the hurdles, otherwise seen in the National Hunt season.
AFPThe Grand National fences are part of the iconic spectacle of the world’s most famous race[/caption]
The race comprises of two full circuits of a unique 2 and a 1/4 mile course.
And SunSport has the details of the most difficult element of the race – the gruelling fences.
How many fences are there at the Grand National?
In total there are 16 distinctive fences on the Grand National course, 14 of which are jumped twice along the four mile, two and half furlong distance.
Therefore, up to 40 runners and riders face 30 hedged obstacles in total.
This makes Aintree the longest jump racing distance in the UK.
AlamyNoble Yeats was a 50-1 winner of the National last year but he’s carrying a lot more weight this time round[/caption]
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What are the fences made of?
Fences used to be constructed from national thorn hedges and were known as ‘thorn fences’.
However, over the past 15 years developments in technology have helped make the barriers safer.
Aintree fences are now made from Sitka or Norway spruce, which is weaved into a plastic birch structure.
Which are the five named fences at the Grand National?
Of the 16 fences which make up the National course, five of the jumps have become famous in their own right.
Water Jump and the Canal Turn, relate to the type of fence or where the fence is located on the famous course.
Others, including Foinavon, Valentine’s Brook and Becher’s Brook, are named after famous horses that ran in previous Grand Nationals.
Which two fences are only jumped once at the Grand National?
The Chair and the Water Jump are the two Grand National fences that are only jumped once.
This is because they are the final two on the first circuit.
Standing 5’2″ high and preceded by a 6′ wide ditch, the Chair is both the tallest and broadest obstacle on the course.
What is the 8th and 24th fence at the Grand National?
The 8 & 24 Canal Turn gets its name from the fact that the Leeds-Liverpool canal runs alongside it.
To avoid the canal, the horses must turn a full 90 degrees when they touch down.
The 8th fence is the tightest corner of the Aintree racecourse.