| Class: | Premier Handicap |
| Horse Race: | Midlands Grand National |
| Location: | Uttoxeter Racecourse, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, England |
| Inaugurated: | 1969 |
| Race Type: | Steeplechase |
| Sponsor: | Marston's Brewery |
| Website: | uttoxeter-racecourse.co.uk |
| Distance: | 4m 2f 8y (6,847 metres) |
| Surface: | Turf |
| Qualification: | Five-years-old and up |
| Weight: | Handicap Maximum: 12 st |
| Purse: | £150,000 (2023) 1st: £84,405 |
|}The Midlands Grand National is a Premier Handicap National Hunt race in Great Britain. It is a handicap steeplechase and is run at Uttoxeter Racecourse in March, over a distance of about 4 miles and 2 furlongs (4 miles, 2 furlongs and 8 yards, or 7488yd). During the race there are 25 fences to be jumped. The race held Listed status until 2022 and was re-classified as a Premier Handicap from the 2023 running when Listed status was removed from handicap races.[1]
The first race was run on 3 May 1969.[2] The race was initially run over 4m2f and was increased up to 4m4f in 1977. During this period it would have been, assuming accurate measurements, by 24 yards or approximately the length of a cricket pitch, the longest race in the NH calendar. In 1991 the distance was dropped to 4m, before being upped to 4m2f in 1993. The distance of the race was then reduced to 4m1½f in 2004 before being returned back to 4m2f in 2018. It is now the second-longest race in the British calendar, after the Grand National at Aintree.
The 1977 winner Watafella finished third in the race but was promoted to first place after the first and second, No Scotch and Evander were disqualified after it was realised they failed to meet the conditions of the race, along with three other runners.[3]
The race was not covered on television in its early years but was shown by Channel 4 during the 1980s and up until 1998. The BBC took over coverage between 1998 and 2005 before the race returned to Channel 4, who continued to show it until their coverage of British racing ended in 2016. It is now broadcast on ITV Racing.
Most successful horse:
Leading jockey (2 wins):
Leading trainer (4 wins):
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| Year | Winner | Age | Weight | Jockey | Trainer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Happy Spring | 13 | 09–11 | Ken White | J Wright | |
| 1970 | Two Springs | 8 | 10-06 | R Edwards | G Owen | |
| 1971 | Grey Sombrero | 7 | 09-07 | Graham Thorner | David Gandolfo | |
| 1972 | Proud Percy | 9 | 10-00 | G Faulkner | Arthur Stephenson | |
| 1973 | Rip's Lyric | 8 | 10-06 | Ken White | W Whiston | |
| 1974 | Fighting Chance | 6 | 09-08 | Bill Shoemark | Gay Kindersley | |
| 1975 | Rag Trade | 9 | 10-10 | John Burke | Arthur Pitt | |
| 1976 | Burrator | 7 | 10-01 | J Decker | A Jarvis | |
| 1977 | Watafella | 7 | 09-11 | Bryan Smart | Jenny Pitman | |
| 1978 | Kick On | 11 | 10-08 | R Hyett | K Lewis | |
| 1979 | Jimmy Miff | 7 | 09-10 | S Kemble | I Wardle | |
| 1980 | Pacify | 10 | 10-00 | Steve Jobar | Stan Mellor | |
| 1981 | Master Brutus | 9 | 10-02 | John Goulding | Caroline Mason | |
| 1982 | Bridge Ash | 9 | 10–13 | Keith Johnson | J I Johnson | |
| no race 1983 | ||||||
| 1984 | Mr Mole | 9 | 10-00 | A Webb | John Webber | |
| 1985 | Northern Bay | 9 | 11-10 | Philip Hobbs | Tom Bill | |
| 1986 | The Thinker | 8 | 11-06 | Ridley Lamb | Arthur Stephenson | |
| 1987 | Midnight Madness | 9 | 09-13 | Derek Morris | Dai Bloomfield | |
| 1988 | Knock Hill | 12 | 11-07 | George Mernagh | John Webber | |
| 1989 | Gallic Prince | 10 | 10-01 | Peter Hobbs | Philip Hobbs | |
| 1990 | Willsford | 7 | 11-00 | Mark Pitman | Jenny Pitman | |
| 1991 | Bonanza Boy | 10 | 11-10 | Peter Scudamore | Martin Pipe | |
| 1992 | Laura's Beau | 8 | 10-08 | Conor O'Dwyer | Francis Berry | |
| 1993 | Mister Ed | 10 | 10-03 | Derek Morris | Roger Curtis | |
| 1994 | Glenbrook d'Or | 10 | 10-00 | Brian Clifford | Jim Wilson | |
| 1995 | Lucky Lane | 11 | 10-00 | Norman Williamson | Philip Hobbs | |
| 1996 | Another Excuse | 8 | 10-00 | Brendan Powell, snr | Eugene O'Sullivan | |
| 1997 | Seven Towers | 8 | 11-04 | Peter Niven | Mary Reveley | |
| 1998 | Miss Orchestra | 7 | 09-09 | Barry Geraghty | Jessica Harrington | |
| 1999 | Young Kenny | 8 | 11-06 | Brendan Powell, snr | Peter Beaumont | |
| 2000 | Ackzo | 7 | 10-00 | Adrian Maguire | Ferdy Murphy | |
| no race 2001 | ||||||
| 2002 | The Bunny Boiler | 8 | 10-00 | Norman Williamson | Noel Meade | |
| 2003 | Intelligent | 7 | 10-10 | Robbie Power | Jessica Harrington | |
| no race 2004 | ||||||
| 2005 | Philson Run | 9 | 10-02 | Paul Carberry | Nick Williams | |
| 2006 | G V A Ireland | 8 | 10-03 | Ruby Walsh | Francis Flood | |
| 2007 | Baron Windrush | 9 | 10-09 | Jason Maguire | Nigel Twiston-Davies | |
| 2008 | Himalayan Trail | 9 | 10–00 | Tjade Collier | Sue Smith | |
| 2009 | Russian Trigger | 7 | 10–12 | Jack Doyle | Victor Dartnall | |
| 2010 | Synchronised | 7 | 11-05 | Tony McCoy | Jonjo O'Neill | |
| 2011 | Minella Four Star | 8 | 10-00 | Conor O'Farrell | David Pipe | |
| 2012 | Master Overseer | 9 | 10-03 | Tom Scudamore | David Pipe | |
| 2013 | Big Occasion | 6 | 09-07 | Mikey Ennis | David Pipe | |
| 2014 | Goulanes | 8 | 10-03 | Richard Johnson | David Pipe | |
| 2015 | Goonyella | 8 | 10–12 | Jonnny Burke | Jim Dreaper | |
| 2016 | Firebird Flyer | 9 | 11-05 | Adam Wedge | Evan Williams | |
| 2017 | Chase The Spud | 9 | 10–12 | Paddy Brennan | Fergal O'Brien | |
| 2018 | Regal Flow | 11 | 10-12 | Sean Houlihan | Bob Buckler | |
| 2019 | Potters Corner | 9 | 10-07 | James Bowen | Christian Williams | |
| 2020 | Truckers Lodge | 8 | 10-07 | Lorcan Williams | Paul Nicholls | |
| 2021 | Time To Get Up | 8 | 10-10 | Jonjo O'Neill Jnr | Jonjo O'Neill | |
| 2022 | Screaming Colours | 11 | 10-06 | Conor Orr | William Durkan | |
| 2023 | Major Dundee | 8 | 10-02 | Rex Dingle | Alan King | |
| 2024 | Beauport | 8 | 11-04 | Jordan Nailor | Nigel Twiston-Davies |