Comment: Aintree can hit fresh heights

Apr 7 2008 Liverpool Daily Post

MANAGEMENT at Aintree were rightly congratulating themselves over the weekend, after a memorable three-day festival of racing concluded with yet another classic Grand National, watched by millions upon millions worldwide.

Crowds poured into the fabulous stands to enjoy what has become, thanks to the unstinting efforts of the Aintree team, one of the globe’s greatest sporting spectacles over the past few years.

But one thing they must not do, in the wake of yet another unqualified success, is to sit back on their laurels and simply hope that next year’s event will be just as spectacular.

Further success and fresh growth have to be earned, and, even though Aintree’s fame has spread to every corner of the world, it is interesting to hear Northwest Development Agency chief executive Steve Broomhead concede that more could still be done in marketing terms to attract even more visitors.

The Middle East, for instance, where there is a strong and flourishing racing fraternity, could be targeted in the drive to attract attendances capable of beating some of the records set in recent years.

So far at Aintree, it is the Irish contin- gent who have been most noticeable on the course, in their enthusiasm to sink a few pints and find a few winners – and long may that continue.

But is there anyone, anywhere, with an interest in racing, who could fail to be mesmerised by the magical Aintree atmosphere?

It is difficult to see how marketing campaigns aimed at those racing fans with thus far little more than a basic knowledge of the Grand National could do anything but yield huge dividends.

Saturday’s race was Liverpool’s Capital of Culture Grand National – we shall never see its like again.

So we must be sure we make the most of it. This was our global shop window, our chance to shine.

The Grand National is worth around £20m a year to the Merseyside economy. But we can surely build on that in the years to come.