It is run at Haydock Park over a distance of about 3 miles and 4½ furlongs (3 miles, 4 furlongs and 97 yards, or 5,721 metres ), and during its running there are twenty-two fences to be jumped.
From 1985 to 1990 there was no race at the meeting over this distance, but in 1991 the Greenall Whitley Gold Cup was increased in distance from 3 miles (4,828 metres) to 3 miles and 4 furlongs (5,633 metres), effectively recreating the original Haydock Grand National Trial.
Subsequent sponsors included De Vere Group, Red Square Vodka and Blue Square, the race title suffixing the sponsor's name with "Gold Cup".
The Tote took over sponsorship from the 2011 running and the race title was changed to the totesport.com Grand National trial.
As the name implies, the race serves as an important trial for the Grand National.