Aintree in recent times

Liverpool’s celebration of being European Capital of Culture brought many new visitors to the John Smith’s Grand National in 2008.

They were greeted by the most modern and impressive facilities, many of which had opened in the new millenium- the twin peaks of the Lord Derby and Earl of Sefton Stands, a complete Equestrian Centre and a brand new paddock area envied by almost every other racecourse on earth.

But Aintree Racecourse had not always been as homely and welcoming.

It’s a little known fact that Aintree hosted five British Grand Prix and one European Grand Prix, with top British driver Stirling Moss celebrating three victories at the course, the first in 1957, while the last one staged at the track, in 1962, went to Jim Clark.

By the mid 1960’s the course, which staged just one three day meeting in those days featuring flat races such as the Liverpool Spring Cup and the Union Jack Stakes, was struggling and the Topham Family, which had controlled it for generations, announced it was to be sold to a property developer.

For the next 20 years until Seagram Distillers arrived on the scene in 1984 as sponsors of the National, the future of the world's greatest steeplechase lay in the balance for one very good reason - there was every chance it was about to become homeless.

In 1973, Aintree did get a new owner, Bill Davies. Two years later he tripled admission prices for the Grand National and was rewarded with the smallest attendance for the big race in modern times. The race and the course were in deep crisis.

Later that year Ladbrokes, the bookmakers, stepped in and agreed a contract with Davies for them to manage the race, but by 1982 it was clear Davies wanted to sell- and very probably to someone who would not keep the racecourse going.

In 1982, the Grand National Appeal was launched to raise the money to buy the racecourse and save the race once and for all.

Ironically in the decade during which its future was most at risk, the National enjoyed the kind of high profile many sporting events around the world could only dream of having.

First in 1973 a horse called Red Rum, trained locally by Donald McCain and ridden by Brain Fletcher arrived very late up the 494 yard run in from the final fence to deny the gallant Australian chaser Crisp of a weight carrying record and snatch victory. ‘Rummy’ was to win it again in 1974, finish second in 1975 and 1976 before setting a record unlikely to be equaled when taking the race for a third time amid euphoric scenes in 1977.

Red Rum, who had begun his racing career by dead-heating on the flat for a Selling Stakes at Aintree, is buried next to the winning post, and his grave is a much visited location by racegoers throughout the National meeting.

Then there was the most emotional of stories in 1981. Jockey Bob Champion had spent almost two years battling cancer to take the ride on Aldaniti, a horse himself almost retired through illness. In a story that was to be made into a full length film, Aldaniti prevailed, with Champion riding to victory with 54-year old grandfather John Thorne chasing him home on board the gallant Spartan Missile.

Never in the history of the great race have so many genuine tears been shed in the winner's enclosure.

The race still remained in the balance until Seagram, under racehorse owning chairman Ivan Straker, signed up. With their backing a deal was finally done with Davies and Aintree was bought by a subsidiary of the Jockey Club, who still own it to this day.

In 1992 the meeting came under the sponsorship banner of Martell Cognac, a Seagram subsidiary who presided over a golden decade when the three day Aintree meeting, featuring the Grand National became one of the world's best three day Festivals. Flat racing was gone, and in its place came top quality races like the Aintree Hurdle, and the Melling Chase, which in 1995 produced one of Aintree’s greatest races with Viking Flagship, Deep Sensation and Martha’s Son serving up a finish that will never be forgotten by those that witnessed it.

It was the Martell years that led to the establishment of the Grand National as what it is today - the race was televised live round the world and drew horses, riders, and punters from across the globe.

But there were one or two unscheduled moments.

The 1993 National was declared void after two false starts, and every penny wagered on the race, running into tens of millions of pounds had to be refunded by the bookmakers.

Then in 1997 came a different kind of drama- the evacuation of the entire Aintree complex because of a bomb alert less than an hour before the race. It was the biggest peace time evacuation in Britain. Thousands of stranded visitors were befriended by the locals of Liverpool forging relationships that still exist. The Aintree team insisted the race would be run, and after a superhuman effort by all involved, the 150th race went off at 5pm on the Monday, just hours after the Police had given the site the all clear and handed control back to the Racecourse Management.

The Millenium ended with a renaissance for the Irish. 24 years after L’Escargot had won, the prize went back across the Irish Sea when Bobbyjo, trained by Tommy Carberry who had ridden L’Escargot and ridden by his son Paul took the race.

The Martell era ended with the 2004 renewal and into the sponsorship portfolio stepped John Smith’s Brewery.

Year by year prize money has increased with the hope remaining that Aintree will soon stage the first £1 million John Smiths Grand National.

The 2008 National was a first in the Managing Director's chair at Aintree for Julian Thick, returning to a course where he started his racing career. Thick replaced Charles Barnett who moved on to Ascot having been the figurehead in the rise of the Grand National meeting. He, it was, who had the vision and the motivation skills to lead the team after the false start saga of 1993, through the 1997 bomb scare when he went on National TV to tell the BBC that even they would have to leave the site and drove through the construction of the Princess Royal Stand and the newest arrivals on the Aintree skyline, the Earl of Sefton and Earl of Derby stands.

The current Director of Racing, Andrew Tulloch, works alongside Thick and has played a crucial role in the extension of the Aintree race programme to more than just the three days of the John Smiths Grand National meeting. The November Sunday, which is the second day of the North West Masters now gives racegoers an unprecedented opportunity of seeing two races run over the famous National fences on the same day.

It is, understandably, the horses, the trainers and the jockeys who through the years capture the headlines. But the Aintree story would not be complete without mention of the key adminstrators, the current Chairman Lord Daresbury, Press Officer Nigel Payne, former Clerk of the Course Ian Renton and the late John Hughes and John Parrott, all of whom have played a considerable part in ensuring the John Smiths Grand National sits proudly as one of the showpiece occasions in British Sport in the 21st Century.