We very much hope to welcome Owners on course at Aintree for the Randox Grand National Festival 2021.

Regrettably, due to the Government restrictions on hospitality which will still be in place, we will be unable to offer the full raceday experience that Owners will be used to at Aintree this year. Owners will be based in an Amber Zone, which will include access to the Earl of Derby and Queen Mother Grandstands. Unfortunately, we are not permitted to allow access to the Parade Ring, Winners’ Enclosure or to walk the track.

Sadly HRI are not able to support the attendance of Irish Owners at Aintree because of the ongoing non-essential travel ban in Ireland enforced by their government. Therefore Owners resident in Ireland will not be permitted to attend.

Six Owners’ Badges will be available per runner, , for Owners who are permitted to attend. However, due to the restrictions placed by our local authorities, it will not be possible to issue or purchase any additional badges. Badges must strictly be used only by the named/registered Owner or their immediate family.

Badges cannot be transferred to the Owners of other horses, Owners without runners or other guests. All badges must be booked via the PASS System by 4pm on the day before racing by the named/registered Owner. We regret we will not be able to take badge bookings received by phone/email sent by the Trainers’ Office.

VIEW THE FESTIVAL DETAILS 

Our Owners’ Liaison, Carly Sage, is available to assist and answer any questions you may have. She can be contacted on 0151 522 2959 or alternatively by email carly.sage@thejockeyclub.co.uk.

All owners attending a fixture are asked to sign up to the Owners’ Code (https://racecourseassociation.co.uk/experiences/owners/) and should complete the owner health screening process. This includes an online learning module (https://www.roa.co.uk/raceday/covid19/return/elearning.html) and personally administered health assessment to be completed in advance of raceday followed by health questions and a temperature check on arrival at the racecourse.

Please be aware that there are two separate zones for owners and trainers. Please see below.

Amber Zone – Owners

Green Zone – Trainers, Jockeys

Face coverings must be worn at all times, unless specific exemptions apply. Face coverings should be triple layered (in line with specifications set out here by the World Health Organisation) to provide maximum protection.

Children can attend as one of the owners/representatives if pre-registered.  All children attending will undergo the entry screening process as standard. 

If you have reduced mobility or a disability of any kind and require additional assistance on raceday, please notify us directly once you have registered your attendance through PASS and we will assist you.

Please note that if your horse is declared a non-runner, you will not be permitted to attend the fixture.

For assistance with the PASS system, please contact the PASS helpdesk on 01933 270333 or by email: pass@weatherbys.co.uk.

Please note, metal badges or car park labels, such as BHA, ROA, JCO, NTF, PJA and RCA, are NOT applicable at The Randox Grand National Festival.

Due to the restrictions of behind closed doors racing, we regret that Owners will not be permitted to access the Parade Ring, Weighing Room or to walk the course this year.

However, Owners will have access to all other areas of the racecourse including viewing areas from a number of different grandstands. Please ask a member of staff if you are unsure.

Please ensure that any travel arrangements you make are in compliance with the current Covid-19 restrictions as issued by the British Government and any jurisdiction from which you may travel.

Owners & Trainers

Owners attending fixtures should travel to, and arrive at, the racecourse alone or in household bubbles and follow government guidance. If on arrival, one person does not pass the screening checks, everyone in the vehicle will be requested to leave the site. This is to help protect the health and wellbeing of other raceday attendees.

We also ask that owners and trainers do not travel to the racecourse in the same vehicle, as they will be entering different infection control zones on arrival at the racecourse. We know that the more interactions between different people from different households (and particularly from different areas of the country), the greater the risk of transmitting the virus.

Gates open at 12.30 pm each day 

Trainers & Jockeys Access

Parking for Green Zone attendees’ vehicles will be at the ‘Railway Club’ off Melling Road (normally Owners & Trainers Parking), Sat Nav Postcode L9 OLD. Attendees will then enter the racecourse on foot and will need to complete the BHA’s Screening Process before entering the racecourse.

Horseboxes will access the course through the normal entrance from Seeds Lane. Please ensure all attendees in the Green Zone have been registered via the BHA’s Racing Administration Site for each raceday.

Owners Access

Access to amber zone (Owners) parking will be via the main Grand National Avenue (L9 5AS) entrance, NOT the usual owner's car park on the sports field/railway club.

Once parked in this area, you will be guided to the Owners Entrance by our members of staff. 

Please note that attendees accessing different zones on the raceday MUST NOT share transport. Admittance to the racecourse will be refused if this occurs.

Health questionnaires in advance of arrival, temperature testing and further health questions on arrival must be completed by all attendees. Presenting with a temperature of 37.8c or higher following two readings taken 15 minutes apart, will result in being refused admission to the racecourse

Trainers

The steppings at the front of the Lord Sefton Grandstand are available for the use of all Green Zone participants for watching the races.

Owners

The areas and steppings in front of the Earl of Derby, Queen Mother & Lord Daresbury grandstand are available for the use of all Amber Zone participants for watching the races.

It is not permitted to watch races from the centre of the course.  This is an integral part of the event security and we request your co-operation in ensuring that there are no personnel in this area.

We therefore ask that all those associated with horses return to the stands side of the course, prior to each race. This is particularly important for Trainers and Stable Staff with horses in races over the Grand National fences.

Owners

We regret that, due to the current Covid-19 regulations, we are not permitted to offer the full range of hospitality options that would normally be available at the Randox Grand National Festival.

However, canteen style catering, soft and hot drink offers will be available on course, from the Golden Miller and Papillon Suites in the Earl of Derby Stand.

Trainers

A complimentary canteen style meal service will be available for Trainers in the Green Zone. This will be located in Paddock Lodge, located at the side of the Parade Ring furthest from the Grandstands. Please ask any member of staff for directions.

Due to the need to ensure social distancing in the Jockeys’ Changing Rooms, three separate changing rooms will be in operation. These will be located in the Main Weighing Room, above the Main Weighing Room and in the ‘Station Entrance’ to the west side of the Parade Ring (mainly for the use of jockeys travelling from Ireland).

Colour bags should be delivered to the back of the Main Weighing Room (Pre-Parade Ring side) and placed in the relevant box for each race. The bags will then be distributed to the correct changing room by Aintree personnel.

Saddles should also be collected from the same location.

Entry to the Weighing Room complex is not permitted for Trainers or Stable Staff unless specifically requested by an Aintree or BHA Official.

We urge all jockeys to take the opportunity to walk the course. Any rider who has not ridden over the Grand National fences more than twice at a Grand National Festival will be required to take part in an official (mandatory) course walk with a BHA Jockey Coach.

The Professional Jockeys Association has confirmed its support. These course walks will happen before racing on each day of The Randox Grand National Festival

Riders who need to undertake a course walk will be notified by the BHA at the declaration stage.

After each race, a racecourse liaison person will be located in the pull-up area for any Trainer or member of Stable Staff wishing to enquire about the whereabouts of their horse.

You may be asked by the media to comment or give an interview which may touch on the changes that have been made to the Grand National course and also welfare.

The team at Aintree would be happy to talk to you in advance, to assist with any background details. Likewise the communications team at the BHA are available at any time ahead of the Meeting. 

An area in the centre of the Grand National Course is provided for helicopter landing.

The site will be operated by Rotary Wing Limited, 109 Gilda Road, Worsley, Manchester, M28 4BP. Contact Philip or Karen Pickford on 0161 799 6967, via email on cps@rotarywing.co.uk or by mobile on 07968 758915.

Prior notice is required in advance for landing facilities and insurance indemnity. Particular attention is to be paid to the rules of the air which govern the overflying of built up areas. No landings will be permitted 30 minutes before the first race and no take-offs will be permitted until 30 minutes after the last race.

A courtesy vehicle will collect you from the landing site and transport you to the Owners’ Entrance. Vehicles will also be available when you are ready to leave. Please advise the team at the Owners’ Entrance when you are ready to depart.