Grand National Title Sponsor (John Smith's)

The National Favourite

Owned and brewed by Heineken UK, the leading producer of beer and cider, John Smith’s is the No 1 ale brand in Britain where it sells around half a million pints a day.

Already a long-term backer of horseracing, Britain’s favourite ale saddled up with the country’s favourite race in 2005 when John Smith’s was unveiled as the title sponsor of the Grand National.

An initial three-year agreement installed John Smith’s as the biggest financial supporter of racing from outside the sport and, in November, 2006, the partnership with Aintree was enriched as John Smith’s showed its ‘staying power’ and extended the sponsorship until 2010. A further extension for three years, covering 2011 to 2013, was announced on October 24, 2009 - Aintree’s first raceday of the 2009/2010 season.

Mark Given, Brands Director of Heineken UK, said: “John Smith’s is proud to be racing’s biggest commercial supporter and our sponsorship of the Grand National is the jewel in our racing crown.

“We are delighted with the contribution the sponsorship has made towards reinforcing John Smith’s position as Britain’s No 1 ale.

“Pairing the People’s Pint with the nation’s favourite race has proved to be a winner all the way and we look forward to working with the Aintree team to grow and develop still further the world’s best-known steeplechase between now and 2013.”

Julian Thick, Managing Director of Aintree Racecourse, added: “Securing John Smith’s support for another three years at a time when many rights holders are struggling to attract sponsors is great news for the Grand National and a massive vote of confidence for Jump Racing as a whole.

“John Smith’s has sponsored the Grand National since 2005 and this latest agreement takes our successful partnership to 2013, with an option to renew for a further three years beyond that date.

“Aintree and John Smith’s have long shared an ambition to see the Grand National carry a £1-million prize fund and I am confident that we will achieve our goal within the lifetime of the new sponsorship agreement.”

The 2010 John Smith’s Grand National was worth a record £925,000.

The great race had total prize money of £600,000 in 2004 - the year before John Smith’s sponsorship started - which means its value has risen by more than 50 per cent already since then.

From Brighton on the south coast to Perth up in eastern Scotland, there are a total of 90 John Smith’s No Nonsense races spread across 27 courses throughout the UK. The high-profile sponsorships include the John Smith’s Northumberland Plate at Newcastle, the John Smith’s Stakes at Newbury, the John Smith’s Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter and the John Smith’s Scottish Borders National at Kelso. In addition, John Smith’s is a supporter of several racing welfare charities.

Most importantly, John Smith’s has successfully built on its association with racing to introduce many new faces to ‘The Sport of Kings’ through a series of innovative trade and consumer promotions.

This is now spearheaded by Smithy, the John Smith’s People’s Horse. Smithy The Horse, trained by Donald McCain junior, is a promising four-year-old with thousands of owners who have become involved for the price of a pint. The gelding, by 2003 Derby winner Kris Kin out of Priyanka, is in training with Donald McCain at the Bank House stables in Cheshire where he will be inspired by memories of Aintree legends Red Rum and Amberleigh House and the proximity of star stablemates like Cloudy Lane.

This new racing partnership gives his many co-owners a role in the journey Smithy and his team take in the racing season and key decisions about his progress being put to the vote of Smithy’s ‘shareholders’ along the way. The People’s Racehorse replaces the John Smith’s People’s Race which, after three successful years, has been discontinued in favour of a campaign that will demystify the Sport of Kings and give John Smith’s drinkers an insiders’ view of the world of racing.

Gareth Turner, Senior Brand Manager of John Smith’s, said: “We are tremendously excited by the prospect of Smithy the Horse – as The People’s Racehorse – bringing a new dimension to our racing activity and a new audience to the sport.

“Extensive research undertaken with John Smith’s drinkers told us they relish the chance to share in the ownership of a racehorse and Smithy will meet that desire in every way.”

Another new initiative is Aintree Legends. In 2011, people were given the chance to vote for their favourite Grand National horse or person and the one who attracts the most support will go into the Grand
National Hall of Fame.

2010's Legends were announced at the 2010 John Smith’s Grand National in April, and can be seen here Look out on the website for the chance to vote for your John Smith's Grand National Legend in 2011.

Find out first hand about the benefits of sponsorship at Aintree

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