26.07.10 - THE GRAND NATIONAL, RACING AT AINTREE, EVENTS

Aintree honoured by Liverpool John Moores University with Corporate Award

Aintree Racecourse further cemented its place in Liverpool culture last Friday when it was awarded the Liverpool John Moores University Corporate Award at its annual Graduation Ceremony, presented at the city’s Anglican Cathedral.

Aintree Racecourse’s Managing Director, Julian Thick, and members of the Aintree team were present at the ceremony to accept the award, which had been given to the racecourse in recognition of portraying a positive image of the Liverpool City-Region, and the vital role the racecourse plays in encouraging sustained investment in the city of Liverpool in terms of both tourism and business.

The racecourse was commended for preserving the heritage of the world’s greatest steeplechase, the Grand National, which has been running at the course since 1839. The event was acknowledged as being a positive showcase both for Liverpool and British Jump Racing, as well as delivering a major financial and cultural contribution to the city of Liverpool and the wider region.

Aintree was also praised for the wide range of activities that the course hosts throughout the year outside of its nine days of racing, including motorsport, golf, show-jumping within Aintree’s International Equestrian Centre, plus the racecourse’s Conference and Events offering, which annually accommodates 5,000 Liverpool John Moores University students for examinations.

The racecourse was also acknowledged for supporting the John Moores University Formula Student Racing Team, by giving them an area to practise at Aintree and enabling them to get to the right level to race at Silverstone and enter the 2010 Formula Student event. The team came 21st out of 76 places.

Commenting on receiving the award, Aintree’s Managing Director, Julian Thick, commented, ‘We are delighted to receive such an accolade from such a thriving, Liverpool institution. Through the dark days of false starts, void and rescheduled races and bomb scare evacuations, we have always been able to count on the support of the City, its people and its institutions, which is why we are so proud and grateful to receive an award such as this.’

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For further information, please contact Sarah Driscoll, Marketing and PR Executive on 0151 522 2915 or email sarah.driscoll@thejockeyclub.co.uk