24.10.08 - RACING AT AINTREE

Sport and Spooks planned for a bumper racing weekend

Aintree Racecourse is gearing up for its first official meeting of the new Jump racing season, which sees racing return to the famous Liverpool course this weekend (Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th October).  As well as the weekend’s big football games being shown at the racecourse, the opening day of the meeting will also feature a unique one-off Legends Poker Challenge during racing; with Sunday marking the return of Freaky Family Funday, Aintree’s Halloween themed family raceday.

With Saturday’s raceday kicking off a weekend of sport, Radio City’s Terrace Talk team will be broadcasting their show live from the racecourse rounding up the weekend’s football action following the Everton match (3pm – 5pm) and will also be hosting the Intercasino Legends Poker tournament.  This tournament is a one-off poker challenge for fun, which sees footballing legends John Durnin, Stuart Barlow and John Aldridge take on racing personalities Angus Loughran (BBC Presenter and Statto from Baddiel and Skinner show), Lorna Bradburne (RUK presenter), plus top tipster Paul Jacobs in addition to Aintree racegoers.

Sunday’s raceday promises a bumper day of family fun.  Children will be able to prepare for Halloween in one of the many free indoor workshops or shows or meet the Wizard of Aintree and make spooky Halloween costumes in the craft master class.  Face painters will be on hand to add to Halloween costumes for the fancy dress parade.  Children will also have the opportunity to ride the haunted fairground and land train, as well as visit the Creepy Crawly Corner, filled with all things eerie, including spiders, snakes and creepy crawlies.  There will also be a Ghost Hunt, where children can unscramble a set of clues hidden around the racecourse for the chance to win a prize.  Each child attending Freaky Family Funday will get a free goody bag (while stocks last) and even have the chance to meet our spooky roaming characters.

Over the weekend, gates open at 10.30am, with the first race of the day at 1.05pm on Saturday and 1pm on Sunday. Tickets cost just £19 per adult, accompanied children aged 16 and under go free. Admission to this meeting grants access to all public bars and unreserved seats in all open grandstands. Further details can be found on aintree.co.uk.  Hospitality packages are also available for both days within the Princess Royal Restaurant, priced at just £79 per person, inclusive of admission badge, three-course lunch and racecards, call 0151 522 2911 to find out more.