Grand National 2016: The world’s most famous horse race in numbers

Here are the numbers behind one of the sporting calendar’s most competitive events

It’s that time to have your only bet of the year again. Your neighbour thinks he’s got the winner but all you want to do is cheer on the one with the silly name. Yes, the Grand National is here.

This year promises to be a fascinating race with last year’s winner, Many Clouds, in with a great chance. Another win for the Oliver Sherwood trained gelding would see Leighton Aspell make history, becoming the first jockey to win the race three times in a row.

The contest is a dramatic showpiece for horse racing, having 40 horses charge over a distance of four miles, two furlongs and 74 yards with 30 fences in between.

Competitors are rewarded handsomely with the prize fund totalling £1m and there have been a few shock winners of this windfall in the past.

Five different horses have won at 100/1 (largest ever winning odds), the most recent being Mon Mome in 2009.

The contest will always be associated with racing icon Red Rum, who won the race three times in 1973, 1974 and 1977.