aintree Grand National

Aintree race track is one of the most well-known racecourses in the world and is situated on the A59 at Ormskirk Road, Aintree (Anglo-Saxon for one tree), in the northern suburbs of Liverpool, just 6 miles from the town centre. The racecourse occupies 250 acres and has two left-handed chasing tracks. The first, the Mildmay Course is rectangular and created in 1953. It is nearly one and a half miles in length, with sharp corners and chase fences. The English Grand National course isn’t as sharp as the Mildmay course but is much more hard which is why it is known as one of the hardest races in the united kingdom - one which all horse trainers would seek to gain entrance to. The
English Grand National course is far longer than the Mildmay at virtually two and a quarter miles, and is totally flat, with fences that have a decline on the landing side lesser than the take-off side.

William Lynn is the guy responsible for bringing horse racing to the town of Aintree. Lynn was the proprietor of the Waterloo Lodge, and started horse racing on the land which he rented from the Earl of Sefton. The main stand started being built in 1829 and after 5 months the first appointment for Flat races was held. They didn’t start hurdle steeple chase racing until 1836, when the original Liverpool Grand Steeplechase was held at Aintree on February 29th. This pursuit was claimed by some as being the original ever English Grand National and was won by The Duke, ridden by Captain Martin Becher. However, the more documented Liverpool Steeplechase of 1839 is acknowledged as the original, and was won by Lottery, ridden by Jem Mason. The competition of 1839 was a four miler, across country, and the decree was that ‘no rider to open a gate or ride through a entryway, or more than 100 yards along any thoroughfare, walkway or driftway’.

The racecourse , and after the 1940 National it was again taken over by the army. Horse racing resumed in 1946 and in 1949 the racecourse was purchased by Messrs Topham Ltd; who had rented the land for practically a 100 years; from the Earl of Sefton for 275,000. Mirabel Topham, an enterprising soul, went on to create the Mildmay course and a car circuit which held the Euro Grand Prix and five British Grand Prix.

Bill Davies purchased the racecourse in 1973 for 3 million and in 1975 Ladbrokes saved the English Grand National, which was in peril of becoming extinct, by managing and administering it for 7 years at a yearly charge of 250,000. In 1983 the racecourse was deemed safe and sound when the Jockey Club purchased it.

Aintree is now more suitable for purpose with vehicle links vastly improved. In the start it had been accessed by rail and paddleboat, but now it is reached by car, coach or air. There is a 6 acre area for landing by helicopter or the John Lennon airstrip 20 minutes drive away, merriment.|meaning visitors to Aintree have a superior experience.|meaning everyone enjoys the English Grand National festival even more.}

Grand National Race Reviews

The Grand National 2010 is the premier racing event and the most impressive racing festival in the country. Annually over 30 jockey’s line-up to tackle the awesome Aintree track. The track is four and one half miles , which has 30 big fences, the National is questionably the most dangerous test of jockey skills on the planet.

A lot of the Nationals attraction lies in the difficulty of the race. With such a tough track the odds of a favourite winning are pretty slim! This only adds to the excitement for those who watch on TV. In the last hundred years only a small percentage of favourites have gone on and won the National. In recent years the jumps have been made smaller to limit the runners and jockeys from getting injured but, it is still one of the most open races in England.

Sea The Stars Finishes On High

Following Sea The Stars’ captivating victory in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp, it has been questioned whether he is the greatest Flat racehorse ever to have existed. The horse bred from Cape Cross and mare Urban Sea has provided horseracing with one of the greatest horses to ever grace the turf. So it has come as a bit of a shock to hear that he is going to be retired. Some, although well able to admit his brilliance refuse to believe that he is one of the three greatest racehorses of all time. Joe Mercer, a former champion jockey who rode Brigadier Gerard in the early 1970s, is one voice of skepticism. He fears that we are in danger of being swept up in the momentary hype, but he remembers horses such as Galileo who won the King George in 2001. Back then everyone thought that Galileo was the best horse that had ever been seen – and as Mercer affirms: you can’t have a best horse you’ve ever seen every other year! He points out that the horse he rode, Brigadier Gerard won thirteen Group Ones, whereas Sea The Stars has only won six.

Others though have been less hesitant to vilify Sea The Stars. Pat Eddery who rode Dancing Brave to victory in the Prix de l’Arc in 1986 has said that Sea The Stars is ‘up there with the best’, and laughed at the suggestion that he might resent the current champion being regarded by many as a better horse than the one he rode.