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Only 8 fixtures at Aintree racecourse in 2017. Is this too little for a course with great facilities and a good track? Probably hosts more concerts than race meetings
That’s more than there used to be isn’t it? At one point I think it was only used 3 times a year. Could do with having a few more meetings imho, even if the Grand National course isn’t used. It still has a good fence and hurdle course those meetings could make use of.
I worked there 20 years ago when there were just three meetings – May, November and the National meeting. In the mid-60s the track had between 17 and 20 meetings (flat too). But one by one Mrs Topham (the owner) surrendered them as most fixtures were losing money. Once a fixture is surrendered, it’s very difficult to get it back.
When I was a wee lad I remember being taken to the 1959 British Grand Prix at Aintree: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1959_British_Grand_Prix
I remember being shown “Beeches Brook” and thinking how on earth can anything jump over that.
It’s not used between early December and the National meeting so a fixture in early to mid February would fit ideally. However, there is no point in adding such unless it is a decent class card and at that time of year there are already several well established meetings of that ilk offering horses, among other things, a springboard to the Cheltenham festival. I cannot see that, for example, Haydock, Warwick, Newbury, Kempton, Ascot or even Kelso and Musselburgh would want to give up a fixture date. Perhaps it is best that the administration and groundstaff keep the three months plus they have clear to prepare for the National festival.
In Ireland during the summer we have three decent festivals where summer jump horses have decent prizes to run for. Galway, listowel and Killarney. Nothing really like that in Britain. Maybe there would be a gap in the market for Aintree to put on a few listed, or valuable handicaps similar to the types of jumps races at galway, and maybe even make a 2/3 day festival at the beginning of august or something like that
Makes me splutter to contemplate it but they could probably handle some flat fixtures
Aintree racecourse would be a housing estate if it was not for Red Rum fact
That’s not true. None of the local authorities concerned would agree to Aintree’s development solely for non-racing purposes circa 1975 and nor would Harold Wilson have allowed it. Then Ladbrokes stepped in with a seven year lease. So the real crunch point didn’t come until six years after Red Rum’s last victory when money for sponsorship by Seagram enabled the Jockey Club to gather enough dough to buy out Bill Davies.
Makes me splutter to contemplate it but they could probably handle some flat fixtures
There would probably have to be Mixed cards to bring TWM’s summer festival idea to reality. However, I cannot see Aintree going back down that road and, as TWM points out, there is just not the tradition of such festivals in Britain – they are very much an Irish thing. It would take a while to establish one and at first it would likely be dominated by Irish trained runners until British trainers began long term planning to aim their better good ground horses at it. Would be an expensive prize money investment by the BHA to commit to this. I’m not sure what effect it would have on the current higher class British summer Jumps races which are spread around several courses – would these increase in relevance as part of a programme of which this theoretical Aintree meeting was the crown or would they diminish in quality as everyone saved their horses for Aintree?
Was the flat track closed down in the 1970s due to drainage problems caused by the former Grand Prix track?
Is the area used still there? I have always thought it would be ideal for an all weather track, it’s near two major cities and would surely get patronage. I’m not keen on all weather myself but they serve a purpose and I would have thought Aintree an ideal place for the north.Was the flat track closed down in the 1970s due to drainage problems caused by the former Grand Prix track?
Is the area used still there? I have always thought it would be ideal for an all weather track, it’s near two major cities and would surely get patronage. I’m not keen on all weather myself but they serve a purpose and I would have thought Aintree an ideal place for the north.Flat racing became unpopular, various attempts to revive a summer meeting (in the late 50’s & mid 70’s) did not attract crowds or many horses and the state of the course meant that when the Jockey Club introduced grading the Flat course only got Grade 3 status. Possibly it was partly a drainage problem also that persuaded John Hughes to decide there should be no more Flat racing in 1976 and likely, with advancements, that could be fixed now. However, since the Mildmay course was realigned in 89-90 to ease the tight bend at the canal and provide a straight finish up the course the Aintree executive have not felt a Flat course feasible with the configuration of the NH track.
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