Being one of the most popular sporting events in Britain, the Grand National has a long and interesting history. The steeplechase was actually founded by William Philip Molyneux, 2nd Earl of Sefton, on land he owned at Aintree. The history of Grand National isn’t without controversies. Experts are debating about the first official Grand National race, but it is safe to say that the official first race was held in 1836 and was won by The Duke. The Duke also won the 1837 Grand National, followed by Sir William who was the winner of the 1838 race.

Some experts also stated that the actual Grand National first official race was held in 1839, with a horse named Lottery — ridden by Jem Mason — as the winner. This is indeed debatable, with different opinions and theories being stated to support the claim.

Until today, the attempt to reinstate the 1836 Grand National as the first race still come across a lot of obstacles. There are several race experts providing evidences and claims about the first three races being held constantly at Aintree, yet the supporing evidences aren’t seem to be enough.

There are also rare occasions where the Grand National was held in a racecourse other than Aintree. For three consecutive years during World War I, an alternative race was run at Gatwick Racecourse. At that time, Aintree was closed. Again, debates are surrounding these three races, especially about the validity of these races being categorized as the Grand National.