This week you need to know all about . . .

The Grand National

The most famous horse race in the world has a habit of causing surprises: 2009’s winner, Mon Mome, was a 100-1 shot. Its steeplechase, the focal point of the three-day event, takes place at 4.15pm today and will draw up to 600 million viewers worldwide. It’s also the most valuable National Hunt event in the UK, offering a total prize fund of £950,000 – more than €1 million.

The race has always been run over the same course at Aintree, in Liverpool. It involves two circuits of 16 fences, the first 14 of which are jumped twice, over a distance of four miles and four furlongs – the longest of any National Hunt race in Britain.

Spotting a potential winner is difficult: it’s more likely to be a horse aged between eight and 12, weighing 11st 1lb (70.3kg) or less, that has won or competed strongly in similar top-staying races, such as the Scottish, Welsh and Irish Nationals. Last year’s hero Don’t Push It, ridden by Tony McCoy, is strongly tipped, although the last horse to complete back-to-back wins in the National was the great Red Rum in 1974. Walsh’s sister Katie will ride Our Monty, making for three pairs of siblings – the others are Robbie and Andrew McNamara and Paul and Nina Carberry – a Grand National first.

The favourite, however, is likely to be The Midnight Club, partnered by Ruby Walsh, who won the National in 2000 and 2005.