28k,56k,ISDN  |  Higher

BBC Sport Online has secured the rights to webcast the world's most famous steeplechase, the Martell Grand National, live.

The Aintree spectacular is already broadcast on BBC One and attracts an estimated worldwide television audience of 600 million.

Under a new deal with the racecourse, the BBC has won the rights to webcast races live from Aintree this year.

It will mean BBC Sport Online users will be able to watch all the drama of this year's big race, on Saturday 7 April.

BBC Sport Online editor Pete Clifton said: "Showing the Grand National live is another great coup for BBC Sport Online.

"It's probably the most famous race in the world, and I'm delighted we will be giving our users across the globe the chance to watch the thrilling action as it happens.

"Sport Online will continue to stream live audio and video whenever it can - in our first nine months we've offered a vast range of live action, including football, tennis, the Six Nations and the Boat Race. And there will be more to come!"

The Grand National, with its daunting fences such as Becher's Brook and The Chair, is one of the year's biggest sporting events.

Eleven other big races from the three-day Grand National meeting, which starts at Aintree on 5 April, will also be shown live.

And archive footage of great National finishes are available on the BBC Sport Obline website during the countdown to the big day.

Officials at Aintree remain confident the meeting will go ahead despite the foot-and-mouth crisis.

Some 73 horses have been entered for the Grand National, but only a maximum of 40 will be allowed to run.