Mention the Grand National to a British racing fan and thoughts immediately turn to Aintree, its famous fences and one of the biggest days in the sporting calendar.
Of course there familiar Grand Nationals in Ireland, Wales and Scotland, but there is also another Grand National on the other side of the Atlantic.
The American Grand National, officially the American Grand National Hurdle Stakes, is one of the most important jump races in the United States. It is staged as part of the Far Hills Race Meeting at Moorland Farm in New Jersey and regularly attracts leading American runners alongside horses sent across from Britain and Ireland.
It is a very different race from its Aintree namesake, but it has a long history of its own, stretching back more than a century.
And there is one horse who provides a remarkable link between the two races.
When Is the 2026 American Grand National?
The 2026 Far Hills Race Meeting takes place at Moorland Farm in Far Hills, New Jersey on Saturday, October 17th, 2026.
It will be the 105th running of the Far Hills meeting and once again forms one of the biggest days of the American steeplechase season.
Unlike here in the UK, the runners are not whittled down over months ahead of the race so at the time of writing they are yet to be confirmed.
The race is a Grade 1 contest over two miles and five furlongs, or 2 5/8 miles in American terms. The 2025 running had a purse of $250,000, and unlike the Grand National at Aintree, this is not a handicap in its usual modern format.
Recent editions have been run at set weights based mainly on age, meaning it is much closer to a Grade 1 championship race than the British Grand National.
Is the American Grand National Like the Aintree Grand National?
Not really, despite sharing the name. The Aintree Grand National is a handicap over roughly four miles and two furlongs and asks horses to tackle the unique Grand National fences.
The American race is much shorter and is essentially a top-level hurdle contest. American National fences are wide, padded structures topped by plastic brush.
The National Steeplechase Association describes American hurdle racing as generally taking place over distances of two to three miles, while the separate branch of timber racing uses natural wooden fences and is normally run over three or four miles.
That distinction is worth making because there is also a completely separate Grand National timber race held in Maryland during the spring.
For British racing followers, the Far Hills race is the one most likely to feature familiar horses from Britain and Ireland.
The American Grand National Dates Back to 1899
American steeplechase racing developed from much the same country and hunting traditions that helped shape jump racing in Britain and Ireland.
Early centres included Long Island, Maryland, Virginia and eastern Pennsylvania, before the sport spread into other parts of the country.
The National Steeplechase and Hunt Association was formed in 1895 to oversee the rapidly growing sport, and the American Grand National followed towards the end of the decade, with its history dating back to 1899.
During its long history, it has been associated with several major American racing venues, including Morris Park and Belmont Park, before becoming firmly established as the feature race at Far Hills.
That changing identity may explain why the race has never become particularly well known among the wider British sporting public.
Its name has not always helped either. At various times it has been known as the Grand National, American Grand National and, during its association with the Breeders’ Cup, the Breeders’ Cup Steeplechase.
Today, however, the American Grand National name is firmly associated with the Grade 1 feature at Far Hills.
Battleship Won Both Grand Nationals
For anyone interested in the connection between American and British jump racing, one horse stands above all others.
Battleship remains the only horse to have won both the American Grand National and the Grand National at Aintree.
A son of the great Man o’ War, Battleship began his career racing on the Flat before owner Marion du Pont Scott switched him to steeplechasing.
He won the American Grand National at Belmont Park in 1934, beating Arc Light, and was subsequently sent to England and placed with trainer Reginald Hobbs.
Four years after his American success, he lined up at Aintree, and due to his small stature of just 15.2 hands, was known as the “American Pony”.
Sent off at 40/1 for the 1938 Grand National, he carried 11st 6lb and fought out a thrilling finish with Royal Danieli.
Battleship got up to win under 17-year-old Bruce Hobbs, who remains the youngest jockey ever to win the Aintree Grand National.
No horse has managed to complete the same double since.
McDynamo Became the King of Far Hills
If Battleship provides the strongest link with Aintree, McDynamo is the horse most closely associated with the modern American Grand National.
Originally a Flat horse, McDynamo was switched to jump racing and quickly developed into one of the finest American steeplechasers of the modern age.
His record at Far Hills was extraordinary, winning the American Grand National five consecutive times from 2003 to 2007.
The first four of those victories came while the race carried Breeders’ Cup status, and he also set course records during his first two wins and won seven races in total at Moorland Farm, earning the nickname “King of Far Hills.”
McDynamo retired in 2007 having won 15 races over jumps and earned more than $1.3 million under National Steeplechase Association rules. He was later inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame.
European Horses Have Become a Major Part of the Race
One of the most interesting changes in the American Grand National has been the growing influence of runners from Britain and Ireland.
The race falls at an attractive point in the autumn, and the Far Hills ground can suit horses who prefer conditions quicker than they might find at home.
Trainers including Willie Mullins, Nicky Henderson, Gordon Elliott and Shark Hanlon have all sent horses across the Atlantic.
Hanlon’s Hewick provided one of the best examples in 2022. The remarkable €800 purchase arrived in America following wins in the bet365 Gold Cup and Galway Plate and produced a dominant performance under Jordan Gainford.
His American victory helped establish Hewick as an international star before he later added the King George VI Chase at Kempton to his CV.
Gordon Elliott has also become a major force at Far Hills. His Jury Duty won the American Grand National in 2018, and the trainer then returned in spectacular fashion in 2025, winning with Zanahiyr.
The 2025 Far Hills meeting was dominated by Irish runners with Gordon Elliott winning all five jump races on the card, with Jack Kennedy partnering four of those winners.
The result was another reminder that Far Hills is no longer simply an American race attracting the occasional visitor.
Could Banbridge Run in the 2026 American Grand National?
The overseas interest looks set to continue in 2026, and one possible runner would certainly catch the attention of British and Irish racing fans.
Grand National runner Banbridge is being considered for a trip to America. Joseph O’Brien’s ten-year-old already has an impressive jumping record, including victories in the King George VI Chase and Punchestown Champion Chase.
Rather unusually for a horse of his age and experience, Banbridge made his Flat debut at Gowran Park on September 1st, 2026, winning the 1m6f maiden comfortably under Joey Sheridan.
Afterwards, O’Brien confirmed that an American option was being considered, although he stressed that no decision had yet been made and Banbridge also has possible races closer to home.
The American Grand National would certainly make sense in some respects. Banbridge has always been considered at his best on better ground, while the shorter distance at Far Hills would place more emphasis on speed than an Aintree-style stamina test.
Whether he actually makes the trip remains to be seen, but his name alone shows the level of horse now being considered for Far Hills.
An American Race With Its Own Identity
Comparing the American Grand National directly with Aintree is probably unfair to both races.
Aintree’s National is longer, run under handicap conditions, and has its own famous set of fences.
Far Hills offers something quite different. It is a Grade 1 test that brings together leading American jumpers and an increasingly strong group of international visitors over a much shorter distance.
Its list of winners includes horses such as Battleship, McDynamo, Hewick and Zanahiyr, while trainers from Britain and Ireland now regularly consider the race when planning their autumn campaigns.
More than 125 years after its first running, the American Grand National remains one of the biggest prizes in US jump racing.
And with the 2026 race set for October 17th at Far Hills, there is every chance British and Irish racing fans will once again have a very good reason to pay attention.
BETFRED
