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It looks a fantastic card on Thursday, CAS, I’m sure you’ll have an amazing day and, at just £30 for what’s on offer, you’ve already got the value before they even go to post for the opener!
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Can you see a lot at Aintree? I hear the course is so vast it’s better watching it on TV.
Is there such a thing as a course where the view is better from the stands than on technology?
BUY THE SUN
While walking the Grand National course was a joy, watching the Topham in the Stands, even with good binoculars, was not.
Not only is the circuit a vast 2m2f, they race directly away from you for almost a mile down to Becher’s Brook, the actual “back straight” is basically Becher’s to The Canal Turn, then they’re racing back towards you until the turn for home.
Though others may disagree, I think races on the Grand National course are best watched on TV.
Still an amazing venue, though.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"You get a good view of the Mildmay course but – as ID says – the view of the National course is not great. From Tatts, the only fence you really get a good view of is The Chair.
I never go on the Saturday. It is much better to watch the National on television.
The only Grand National I have ever seen live was in 1997 when Lord Gylenne won and the race was run on the following Monday after being abandoned due to a bomb scare. A kindly manager let me take the afternoon off. It took about two hours to get in after queueing up and having to go through all the security. It was quite strange being there for just one race!
In some ways, the autumn meetings at Aintree are better. You can visit more parts of the track with just a general ticket, including the roof terrace of the old grandstand where you get a great view of the track and the surrounding area.
Agree with the praise for the Thursday – the last Saturday I went was the Auroras Encore one, the last Friday at least half a dozen years back. The only problem for me with the Thursday is that four of us are usually in the mix to go – only one other besides myself is a genuine racing fan but he will be the most likely to be a non runner meaning that I will be one of those ‘racegoers’ in the bar in the equestrian/concert place for most of the day though I will ask the other two to accompany me to the paddock for the first to see Bravemansgame in the flesh and hopefully for the Betway Bowl, and to the final hurdle for one race at least – though hard work when I know they’ll never be bitten by the bug.
I’m paying my first ever visit to Aintree this week. I decided to splash out and buy tickets for the rooftop terraces on each of the three main stands, a different one each day. It definitely wasn’t £30 a ticket.
I’ve always said I wouldn’t go to a National as the viewing is so much better on the telly but last year I changed my mind and thought I had to experience it in the flesh once.
Can’t wait.
Sure it’s been mentioned before but Mr Frisk’s record time can never be broken whatever the ground, due to the race being run over a distance well over a furlong shorter now. That’s without mentioning the softer and sometimes omitted fences.
I was lucky enough to walk the course on Grand National morning in 1983. As Ian said earlier, the fences took your breath away.
It is a very special venue. I can thoroughly recommend John Pinfold’s book “Aintree: The History of the Racecourse”, which was tipped up on here a while back. Marvellous read for those who love the old place.Great stuff, Broadsword, thank you.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"“Is there such a thing as a course where the view is better from the stands than on technology”?
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Salisbury from top of the Tatts grandstand.
Value Is EverythingIt is a good view at Salisbury from that Stand tbf.
And after a couple of races, most casual racegoers are too lazy to climb the stairs and you’ve got it to yourself.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Is Aintree the biggest racecourse area-wise?
I believe the BBC used more commentator spots there than anywhere else. That could partly be due to the number of runners in the Grand National, suspect something to do with the area involved too
British Grand Prix was held within Aintree Racecourse in late fifties and early sixties, so must be big.
My grandfather always said Aintree was massive; he was barracked there for a while during WWII.Value Is EverythingInteresting. Never been to Salisbury, but nearly did the year Norse Dancer (I think) beat Lucky Story in that 1m Group 3 they have. I liked Norse Dancer very much, and I was highly interested to see Lucky Story returning from a setback as I thought he may be very classy.
I enjoy a day at the midweek races nowadays, but have never attended anywherefor the reason of having a better view than watching remotely, and always re-watch any race of interest on my laptop.
I went to the National the day Ballabriggs won, and Cue Card got stuffed in the Novice hurdle. I wouldn’t ever return on National day. The parade of previous National winners in the Paddock was the highlight of the day, before racing started.
When the place filled up beyond any sensible capacity, it became a bit of a toilet to be honest. I can see the Thursday being infinitely better.
BUY THE SUN
I think Salisbury is a pleasant place to be midweek on a sunny day, TTC.
And steeped in history – Mill Reef made a winning debut there in May as a 2yo over 5f, flooring a long odds-on favourite ridden by Lester Piggott, Steve Cauthen won on Marquee Universal on his first U.K. ride and they used to have 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas trials.
They’ve gone, but the Cathedral Stakes, the Sovereign Stakes you alluded to and the Stonehenge Stakes are all decent and the 1m6f races where they start at the winning post and race the reverse way down the track and round the loop is olde worlde Flat racing and fun.
The Grand National circuit always used to be 2m2f, GT.
Although the Cesarewitch at 2m2f on Newmarket’s Rowley Mile course starts in another County, afaik only Exeter and Doncaster come close as circuits and they are both just under 2m.
Bizarrely Larkhill Point-to-Point course might be the second biggest – it’s almost 2m2f round and the 2m Bumpers are conducted over less than a circuit.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"
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