Fun? A self-explanatory scene from the 2011 Grand National.
Aintree Racecourse, the home of one of the United Kingdom’s premier jump racing festivals could be labelled the thrilling fields, or simply the killing fields. It all depends where your passion and loyalties lie. One either loves it or hates it.
The full-house signs have already gone up for Saturday’s festival highlight, the John Smith’s Grand National, which is run over an energy-sapping and soul destroying 7200m and 30 jumps. On Liverpool Day, held on Thursday, the impressive Paul Nicholls-trained gelding Big Bucks made horseracing history by becoming the first jumper to register seventeen wins on the trot. Ladies Day was held on Friday the 13th.
The race that has captured an international public imagination is a poignant and heady mix of everything that is good and bad in life and in racing. Last year millions of television viewers watched in horror as Ornais fell at the fourth fence, breaking his neck, while Dooneys Gate broke his back minutes later at Becher’s Brook.
World Record! Big Bucks scores his seventeenth straight jumps win on Liverpool Day.
In a subsequent rather bizarre conspiracy theory, the BBC was accused of a cover-up as the race-caller made no reference to the two horses – referring to them as ‘obstacles’, with tarpaulins being hastily erected around the two jumps. The second circuit was thus run only over 28 jumps for the first time in history.
Jockey Peter Toole also landed up on life-support after an accident in an earlier race. He has made a miraculous recovery against all odds.
Despite the tragedy and some undeniable cruelty, the race is a dream of sponsorship and marketing success come true and has a passionate following. It is simply a sporting event that inevitably dishes up drama and great stories. England’s equivalent of Australia’s Melbourne Cup – it literally stops a nation in its tracks.
Some of the countless memorable moments include, Devon Loch’s phantom leap in the 1956 contest, Foinavon’s shock 100-1 win in 1967 and the brilliance of Red Rum, who took the chase in all of 1973, 1974 and1977.
Champ. Bob Champion and Aldaniti.
In 1981 Aldaniti and Bob Champion completed a heartwarming recovery when winning the race, as Aldaniti had recovered from a career-threatening injury while jockey Champion had battled back from cancer.
Last season the race provided another fairytale story as Donald McCain emulated his father and Aintree legend Ginger when winning with Ballabriggs – and that came just a year after champion jockey Tony McCoy finally gained victory in the race at the fifteenth time of asking.
This year forty runners go to post, with the 7-1 favourite Synchronised to be ridden by Tony McCoy. He is trained by Irishman Jonjo O’Neill.
The big Grand National success story lies with its sponsors. 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 an unbelievable half a million pints a day.
Already a long-term backer of horseracing, John Smith’s teamed up with the country’s favourite race in 2005 when John Smith’s was unveiled as the title sponsor of the Grand National.
Magic Marketing. Taking ownership to the people...
An initial three-year agreement installed John Smith’s as the biggest financial supporter of racing from outside of the sport and, in November 2006, the partnership with Aintree was entrenched as it was extended until 2010. A further extension for three years, covering 2011 to 2013, was announced in October 2009. .
The great race had total prize money of £600,000 in 2004, the year before John Smith’s sponsorship started. The stake for the 2012 running is £975 000.
In an intriguing initiative and twist, the sponsor has offered its’ customers the opportunity to become racehorse owners for the price of an ale. The ‘Pony For A Pint’ promotion has captured the hearts and minds of folk from all corners of the UK.
Smithy The Horse, is trained by Donald McCain junior. He literally is the ‘people’s horse and has thousands of owners who have become involved, literally, for the price of a pint.
This new racing partnership gives the horses’ many co-owners a role in the journey Smithy and his team take in the racing season and key decisions about his progress are put to the vote of Smithy’s ‘shareholders’ along the way.
The campaign is intended to demystify the Sport of Kings and give John Smith’s drinkers an insiders’ view of the world of racing – without the financial stress that goes with racehorse ownership.
If it’s your cuppa tea or glass of John Smith’s, enjoy it. If not, don’t watch it.
The race will be screened live on Dstv channel 206 (Supersport 6) from 17h00 to 17h45. The going is likely to come up soft.
