Aintree bid to extend overseas appeal of Grand National

Apr 7 2008 by Ben Schofield, Liverpool Daily Post

THE key to boosting attendance at the John Smith’s Grand National meeting could lie among the Middle East’s racing fraternity, it was claimed last night.

Aintree Racecourse and its partners are set to join forces to market the festival as a lucrative three-day short break to Merseyside.

And Steve Broomhead, chief executive at the North West Development Agency, identified countries like Dubai as ripe for growth.

Along with the city region’s tourist board, The Mersey Partnership, the course management and the NWDA could pour in extra resources aimed at growing the Thursday crowd and attracting more overnight visitors.

TMP says more than £40,000 is spent on marketing the event. A recent study shows it pumps more than £20m into Merseyside’s coffers.

Mr Broomhead told the Daily Post: “We need to look at whether we could do more in terms of its marketing – clearly because of the economic benefits.

“We will be happy to work with Julian Thick, Aintree’s managing director, and TMP to do more for next year. You could do more marketing to the Middle East, countries where equestrian sport is big.

“If Dubai came in with their investment in Liverpool – there would be a natural market there.”

Merseyside sport is already on the radar of one Dubai racehorse trainer.

Sheikh Mohammed, whose Dubai International Capital wants to buy a slice of Liverpool FC, is the founder of world-renowned stables Godolphin and is a lifelong lover of horses.

This year saw a high-profile campaign aimed at Ireland’s horseracing market and a TV campaign in the North West.

But all partners agree there is scope to significantly grow attendance at the opening day.

Racecourse officials are now due to pick over the 2008 event to identify areas that need to be worked on for next year.

Mr Thick, who was overseeing his first Grand National in charge at Aintree, confirmed marketing day one would be one of his priorities.

HE SAID: “There’s an opportunity to grow the crowd on a Thursday. There was a small growth issue – we were up a few hundred. We will be steadily increasing it each year. We’ve got the facilities for that.

“The quality of the horses and racing was excellent. It’s more sort of how we promote and market that day.

“We’re already thinking of things we might change. There’s always lessons to learn.”

He added that the course intends to start selling tickets for the 2009 meeting in August.

Thursday crowds have been increasing steadily year-on-year, with a record 27,608 punters through the turnstiles during this year’s opening day.

But that total represents fewer than half the turnout for either Ladies’ Day on Friday and Grand National day on Saturday.

Whereas the racecourse’s highly-praised new Lord Sefton and Earl of Derby grandstands work almost to capacity on days two and three, tens of thousands more racegoers could attend on day one.

Racecourse officials had hoped to break the 150,000 mark over the whole festival.

But with a Ladies’ day crowd of 53,146 and 68,360 at the National, the final tally was 149,114.

The course record was set in 2005 with 151,660 racegoers.

An estimated 600m people tuned in to watch the race on television.

Pundits have described last Thursday’s racecard as “connoisseur” quality, with winners from the Cheltenham Festival running.

It is hoped that quality will be sustained as a further draw for punters.

If the meeting attracted racegoers staying for all three days, Merseyside’s hotels, shops and restaurants would feel more of a boost.

Mr Broomhead, who was entertaining Chinese businessmen at Aintree as Timmy Murphy rode Comply Or Die to National victory, added: “You’re looking for more stays for people from farther afield.

“There’s scope to do more on day one. Day two has become a major national fashion event – the numbers over the years in that have gone up dramatically.

“Clearly we want to work with Aintree – as we have with investment with the International Equestrian Centre.”

Martin King, Director of Tourism at TMP, said: “Aintree 2008 has been a huge success.

“It grows from strength each year and the terrific spectacle relayed to millions upon millions of TV viewers all over the world is of enormous value to the entire destination.

“Now we’re gearing up to welcome more sports fans from around the world in July when the world’s greatest golfers return here to compete in the Open at Royal Birkdale.

“That’s going to be another hugely popular event generating another huge impact on the visitor economy.”

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