Later Start For Aintree Grand National The 2016 Aintree Grand National will be put back an hour in an attempt to increase the audience. The race which has started at 4:15pm in recent years will now be run as the second last race on Saturday April 9 2016 at 5:15pm. 8.9million people tuned in to watch the race on Channel 4 this year which is the largest audience the station has had for a horse race. The new time slot will facilitate better coverage on radio as it now comes after Saturday afternoon football and other sporting events. John Baker, regional director of Jockey Club North West said: "This is a very positive move for the Crabbie's Grand National and we're excited about the possibility of showcasing the greatest chase in the world to a wider national and global audience. "The Crabbie's Grand National is in a great place and we're already delighted to be Channel 4's biggest audience of the year at 8.9 million viewers, which is a fantastic figure, but any increase is also good for the sport. "We're always keen to explore ways to grow and enhance this superb three-day Festival and we believe that in collaboration with our broadcast partner, Channel 4, and with the backing of the BHA, this is another extremely positive step forward for the 'People's Race'." The 2016 Grand National will be the second last race on the day at Aintree and will be followed by a Conditional and Amateur jockeys handicap hurdle at 6:10pm. The Listed Mares Bumper will no longer take place on the Saturday. Gowran Park which races on the same afternoon will alter its race times to fit in with the new Aintree schedule.
