IT IS ALMOST APRIL AND TIME FOR AINTREE

You can almost taste the Grand National and Aintree now with January rolling to an end. The year has already been very rich in races and excitement and Aintree drawing close will only be more of the same as everyone from the trainers, jockeys, to fans and punters will be looking to make adjustments with an eye on that early April meeting. Aintree is not the busiest racecourse of the year, opening its doors a few times over the course of the calendar, so it is always a special occasion to be had. This year’s event is still under the threat of the coronavirus and how unpredictable the spikes have been. In that light, the authorities will always have guidelines updated for fans to follow, while hoping the vaccine makes a difference and allows for the kind of presence and energy that comes from having fans on the racecourse. For punters, there will be more than enough horse racing to get the adrenaline going over what is sure to be a spectacular three days at Aintree. 

The first day kicks off with seven races, and is known as the Liverpool’s NHS day. Te first race of the day* is the Goffs UK Nickel Coin Mares' Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race, a class 1 GBB race for mares four-six years old. The Grade 2 run will go for a distance of about two miles and one furlong, witha pot of 34,000 GBP. Official times and cards still to be released, this is where the early calendar races will come into play as punters will need those notes and stats they have been tracking for the different horses. The Doom Bar Anniversary 4-y-o Juvenile Hurdle Race follows next, as four-year-olds take to the starting line for a 75,000 GBP run of two miles and one furlong. 

Two races for horses five and above will relay the fun, as the Manifesto Novies' Steeplechase promises a 75,000 GBP prize for who can make it across the line after two miles and four furlongs, and then the Betway Bowl Steeplechase  takes over, for three miles and one furlong, the longest run of the day. The prize money comes as the second-biggest of the day at $150,000. A class 2 race sandwiches sandwiches itself amongst the two biggest races of the day, as the Randox Foxhunter’ Open Hunters’ Steeplechase runs two miles and four furlongs, for 180,000 GBP. the biggest take of the day, however, will be the Betway Aintree Hurdle Race, for four-year-old horses and above. The race will run for two miles and four furlongs, attracting a nifty sum of 187,000 GBP as prize money.