There are three courses at Aintree: the Grand National course, the  Mildmay steeplechase course, the Hurdles' course
The Grand National course is a left-handed triangular shaped course of about 2 miles 2 furlongs, with 16 fences, including three open ditches and a water jump.
The fences range in height from 4 ft 6 ins to 5 ft 2 ins ('The Chair', one of the open ditches, and the largest fence on the course).
Some of the fences have a  drop - a lower landing side than take off side, the most famous example being the 6th and 22nd fence in the Grand National, Becher's Brook, although the drop has been reduced in recent years.

It is regarded as the most difficult of all courses to complete successfully, with the fences including renowned obstacles such the Chair, Foinavon, Valentine's, Canal Turn and Becher's Brook.
All fences bar the water jump are covered with spruce, unlike at any other course in British National Hunt racing.

Four other races take place over the National fences.
These are the Topham Trophy Chase (reverting to its original name in 2002 after being known as the John Hughes Trophy Chase since 1989) and the Fox Hunters' Chase at the Grand National meeting, and the Grand Sefton Handicap Chase and Becher Chase in the December meeting.

The fences have been modified down the years to make them less severe.
In 1961 all the plain fences were sloped on the take-off side.
In 1990 the brooks at Becher's and Valentine's were filled in, while the landing side of Becher's was raised to reduce the drop.

In 2011 the drop on the landing side of the first fence was reduced, and the height of the fourth fence was reduced by two inches for 4 ft 10 in.
In the same year the drop at Becher's was reduced again, by four to five inches.

The Mildmay Course was named in honour of Lord Anthony Mildmay, who was champion amateur jockey four times and rode in four Grand Nationals.
He felt there should be a 'nursery' course at Aintree, with smaller versions of the 'National' fences to provide an introduction to potential future runners in the Grand National to Aintree's unique fences.

The course opened in December 1953 with a two-day Yuletide meeting.
The benefit of the Mildmay course was that it enabled Aintree for the first time to stage all National Hunt cards.
Previously it could hold only flat progammes or mixed meetings of flat and jumps races.
The course, a left-handed oval, was a little over 1 mile 2 furlongs round, with eight fences, two of which were used in the Grand National: fence number 13 and 29 in the Grand National, which was the second of the four plain fences in the home straight on the Mildmay Course, and the water jump.
There were three fences along the back straight: an open ditch, a plain fence and another open ditch.
Races were run over two distances: 2 miles 80 yards, and 3 miles 1 furlong 130 yards.
The course was regarded as sharp.

The course was not popular with most trainers; the races on the Mildmay course attracted small fields.
The Mildmay course was used only once at the Grand National meeting, for the Mildmay 'Chase, a race over 2 miles 80 yards for novices, on the second day of the meeting.

In 1975 Bill Davies replaced the spruce fences of the Mildmay course with standard birch fences.
             In 1990 the Mildmay course was changed: the water jump was no longer used, while a 'cross fence' on the bend into the home straight replaced one of the plain fences in the home straight, creating a long run between the final two fences.
There were now four fences down the back straight, including an open ditch.

The Hurdles' Course was the flat course, and is the oldest of Aintree's three courses.
It is a left-handed oval of about 1 mile 3 furlongs, with sharp bends.
There are six flights of hurdles: three down the back straight, three in the home straight.

The final flat race at Aintree took place on the first day of the Grand National meeting in 1976.
Flat races of five furlongs were run on a straight course which ran diagonally across the centre of the Mildmay course.
The running rails for this course remain
There are three courses at Aintree: the Grand National course, the  Mildmay steeplechase course, the Hurdles' course
The Grand National course is a left-handed triangular shaped course of about 2 miles 2 furlongs, with 16 fences, including three open ditches and a water jump. The fences range in height from 4 ft 6 ins to 5 ft 2 ins ('The Chair', one of the open ditches, and the largest fence on the course). Some of the fences have a  drop - a lower landing side than take off side, the most famous example being the 6th and 22nd fence in the Grand National, Becher's Brook, although the drop has been reduced in recent years.
It is regarded as the most difficult of all courses to complete successfully, with the fences including renowned obstacles such the Chair, Foinavon, Valentine's, Canal Turn and Becher's Brook. All fences bar the water jump are covered with spruce, unlike at any other course in British National Hunt racing.
Four other races take place over the National fences. These are the Topham Trophy Chase (reverting to its original name in 2002 after being known as the John Hughes Trophy Chase since 1989) and the Fox Hunters' Chase at the Grand National meeting, and the Grand Sefton Handicap Chase and Becher Chase in the December meeting. 
The fences have been modified down the years to make them less severe. In 1961 all the plain fences were sloped on the take-off side. In 1990 the brooks at Becher's and Valentine's were filled in, while the landing side of Becher's was raised to reduce the drop.
In 2011 the drop on the landing side of the first fence was reduced, and the height of the fourth fence was reduced by two inches for 4 ft 10 in. In the same year the drop at Becher's was reduced again, by four to five inches.
The Mildmay Course was named in honour of Lord Anthony Mildmay, who was champion amateur jockey four times and rode in four Grand Nationals. He felt there should be a 'nursery' course at Aintree, with smaller versions of the 'National' fences to provide an introduction to potential future runners in the Grand National to Aintree's unique fences.
The course opened in December 1953 with a two-day Yuletide meeting. The benefit of the Mildmay course was that it enabled Aintree for the first time to stage all National Hunt cards. Previously it could hold only flat progammes or mixed meetings of flat and jumps races. The course, a left-handed oval, was a little over 1 mile 2 furlongs round, with eight fences, two of which were used in the Grand National: fence number 13 and 29 in the Grand National, which was the second of the four plain fences in the home straight on the Mildmay Course, and the water jump. There were three fences along the back straight: an open ditch, a plain fence and another open ditch. Races were run over two distances: 2 miles 80 yards, and 3 miles 1 furlong 130 yards. The course was regarded as sharp. 
The course was not popular with most trainers; the races on the Mildmay course attracted small fields. The Mildmay course was used only once at the Grand National meeting, for the Mildmay 'Chase, a race over 2 miles 80 yards for novices, on the second day of the meeting.
In 1975 Bill Davies replaced the spruce fences of the Mildmay course with standard birch fences.              In 1990 the Mildmay course was changed: the water jump was no longer used, while a 'cross fence' on the bend into the home straight replaced one of the plain fences in the home straight, creating a long run between the final two fences. There were now four fences down the back straight, including an open ditch.
The Hurdles' Course was the flat course, and is the oldest of Aintree's three courses. It is a left-handed oval of about 1 mile 3 furlongs, with sharp bends. There are six flights of hurdles: three down the back straight, three in the home straight.
The final flat race at Aintree took place on the first day of the Grand National meeting in 1976. Flat races of five furlongs were run on a straight course which ran diagonally across the centre of the Mildmay course. The running rails for this course remain
Aintree Racecourse