The rules of entry to the Grand National have changed greatly over the years, and today the race is restricted to horses over the age of five, with a British Horseracing Authority rating of at least 110. Each entry to the race costs £450, closes in January and in February the allotted weights are announced. A horse who is not qualified for a rating in either Great Britain or Ireland may be eligible at the discretion of the handicapper as long as the handicapper is satisfied that the horse would merit a minimum rating of 110 and he has run at least three times in chases run under the Rules.

In recent years more safety measures have been introduced due to criticisms that the race has been exposed to. All runners in the race now have to pass a pre-race veterinary examination. It is also now compulsory that if a horse has not run at least six times over fences in Britain then they have to be discussed by the Jockey Clubs Entry Review Panel.

In principle the rules are regarded as excellent but in practice they sometimes don't work as well. In 2002 there was a record entry of 144 which produced no fewer than 16 horses that had not run six times over fences in Britain. This included a six year old handicap hurdler Majed, who had never raced over fences in Britain and was still a novice despite seven attempts at Auteuil as a four year old trained in France. The weights allotted allowed Majed to enter yet there were other horses who had won races such as the Tote Becher Chase and the Grand Yorkshire Chase who were excluded.

However the rules of entry have made the game safer, and not just for the horses. Since 1990 jockeys also have to pass a medical examination and have to have ridden 'not less than 15 winners in steeplechases or hurdles'. This was introduced when the 300-1 outsider Brown Trix, ridden by a 52 year old amateur suffered a very upsetting end when he slithered into the ditch after falling at Becher's Brook. Until 2002 you could apply for special dispensation form the 15 winner rule and it was with this allowance that amateur Joe Tizzard was able to race Straight Talk in 1997. After this, the rule was strictly applied, much to the disgust of Martin Pipe who approached the Jockey Club to seek permission to use the 18 year old amateur Jamie Moore, who, in the week before the Grand National had a career total of 10 winners. The request was politely declined. However the jockey managed to ride two trebles to qualify with four days to spare, and he finished 13th at Aintree on Royal Predica.

In the Autumn of 2006 the rules of entry were slightly relaxed when the Licensing Committee decided they would consider applicants on an individual basis if they had ridden ten or more winners over fences.

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