Grand National horse racing is justly famous because the Grand National, held once a year in England, is arguably the finest steeplechase horse race in the world. It is held at the Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, which has a long history that stretches beyond that of its American counterparts. The first race at the Aintree took place in 1836, and has been run every year since then, with the exception of suspensions during World War I and II.

Currently, the Aintree is best known for Grand National horse racing, the centerpiece of a three-day event held in the first part of April. The Grand National is a truly demanding steeplechase race, spanning four and a half miles and requiring the horses to jump some 30 gates. A few of the gates have even acquired reputations because of their particular difficulty.

Perhaps the most notorious of the gates is Becher's Brook, named for Captain Becher, who fell there during the 1839 Grand National. Often criticized as excessively dangerous, the brook had a tricky backward slope that made many horses fall. Following the deaths of two horses at the 1989 Grand National, track directors finally bowed to pressure and made changes at the gate.

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