Brand new Merseyside Sport Q&A and Punters Panel for Festival Zone racegoer
Enhanced Champions Lounge with Sir Kenny Dalglish, Sir AP McCoy, John Barnes, Leon Osman, Sam Quek, Beth Tweddle and many more stars
Launched in 2018, Aintree Racecourse’s Celebration of Merseyside Sport will include new additions for Festival Zone customers and a course facing and enhanced Champions Lounge for this year’s Grand National Thursday, 4th April 2018.
Grand National Thursday – A Day for Champions is arguably one of the best days in British Racing Jumps calendar, and last year Aintree launched a brand new Champions Lounge hosted by BBC Breakfast’s Dan Walker with special guests including sporting celebrities representing sports synonymous to success in Merseyside.
Due to its inaugural success, Aintree have enhanced this year’s Champions Lounge and also provided a course facing area in the Hospitality Pavilion. Once again, the discussion will be hosted by Dan Walker with special guests to include Sir Kenny Dalglish, John Barnes, Beth Tweddle, Leon Osman, Sam Quek and Sir AP McCoy.
In addition to this, Aintree will be extending its Merseyside Sport offering by introducing a Merseyside Sport Q&A, hosted by Sam Quek MBE in the Aintree Pavilion before racing on Grand National Thursday. Special guests will include John Barnes, Leon Osman and Beth Tweddle. This will follow a brand new Punters Panel looking ahead to the day’s racing and the Grand National race itself with racing stars including Sir AP McCoy, Ruby and Katie Walsh.
John Barnes, Former LFC and England footballer, said: “Delighted to be part of celebrating Merseyside sport at one of the best horseracing racing festival in the world. I’ve been a big Grand National fan since childhood and having played for Liverpool FC, I’ve enjoyed going to Aintree to watch the iconic race. When the fixtures came out as players, the first thing we looked at was what game we had on Grand National Day. Grand National Thursday is a fantastic day of racing and I really like that Aintree are using this platform to celebrate the best of Merseyside Sport – really pleased to be part of it.”
Last year, Liverpool was voted as Britain’s greatest sporting city and Aintree is looking to celebrate that by ensuring as many sports as possible are represented on the day.
Beth Tweddle, Olympic medalist and 3-time World Champion, said: “I’ve always been a Grand National fan – every year I make sure I watch the Grand National race – it’s the race that stops the nation. When I ask people about Grand National Thursday, they always say what a fantastic day it is, superb racing and their best day of the three. I’m delighted to be part of Aintree’s celebration of Merseyside Sport – we certainly have a lot of talented people across many sport which I’m sure will be showcased really well on the day.”
Tickets for the Champions Lounge on Grand National Thursday are limited and priced at £299 + VAT. To purchase go to www.randoxhealthgrandnational.co.uk or call 0151 522 2911.
