Aintree has a new man at the helm for the 2008 running of the John Smith's Grand National meeting.

 

 

Julian Thick, 37, joined the racecourse in May last year after Charles Barnett moved south to take up the chief executive's role at Ascot. Formerly managing director at Kempton, and then, briefly at Sandown Park, it was no hardship for Thick to return to Liverpool, for in 1992 he began a three-year stint at the course as a trainee racecourse manager.

 

 

Despite the burdensome responsibility of the world's most famous jump race, Thick said: "I'm looking forward to tomorrow. Of course, there are a few butterflies, but I'm backed up by a fantastic team who have done it all before.

 

 

"We had a great first day to start the meeting, with high-class racing and a record crowd, so we got off to a good start and that helps."

 

 

Thick, who was raised in the Herefordshire town of Ledbury, says his interest in racing was inspired by going point-to-pointing. He says: "My dad and his brothers were involved in pointers trained by my uncle, Nigel Thick. I used to go along to watch as a kid and that's where I got the bug.

 

 

"I went to university in Birmingham and studied geography and politics, but only because they were plausible qualifications that didn't require a lot of hard work.

 

 

"Eventually, when I had to get a job, going into racecourse management seemed a good option and I was very lucky to be offered a position at Aintree."

 

 

Thick, who lives at Formby, added: "It's a privilege to be part of such a huge sporting occasion."

 

On Tuesday evening Thick was interviewed by sports reporter Johnny Saunders on Radio 2's Chris Evans Show.

 

 

Asked for a tip, Thick nominated Cloudy Lane, but has he changed his view as the John Smith's Grand National draws near? He said: "I'd just like the winner to be connected to a good story. A win for either of Tom Taaffe's horses, Slim Pickings or Tumbling Dice, would be a good story because Tom's father, Pat, won the race twice as a jockey. A win for Donald McCain's Cloudy Lane would be a good story because of the Red Rum connection provided by Ginger McCain - and it wouldn't be far for the trophy to travel [McCain is based at Malpas in Cheshire]."

 

 

It is only natural that while Thick is excited about tomorrow's big race, he will be glad when his first John Smith's Grand National is done and dusted. He remarked: "I will be relieved when the last racegoer walks out of the gates and the last horse goes home. But it won't be all over because I'll be attending the winners' party at Alma De Cuba after racing."

 

 

The party is part of Aintree's contribution to Liverpool's celebration as the European Capital of Culture in 2008 - all runners at this week's meeting with number eight are distinguished by the '08' logo that is the city's symbol for this year of culture and entertainment.