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Aintree Racecourse is one of the most famous racecourses in the United Kingdom and is located on the A59 at Ormskirk Road, Aintree (Anglo-Saxon for one tree), in the northern periphery of Liverpool, just 6 miles from the city centre. The track occupies 250 acres and has two left-handed racing tracks. The first, the Mildmay Course is rectangular and opened in 1953. It is nearly one and a half miles in long, with sharp turns and chase jumps. The John Smiths Grand National race isn”t as sharp as the Mildmay course but is much more severe which is why it is known as one of the hardest races in the world – one which all horse jockeys would wish to secure entry to. The
John Smiths Grand National course is far longer than the Mildmay at more or less two and a quarter miles, and is absolutely flat, with jumps that have a decline on the landing side lower than the take-off side.

William Lynn is the chap accountable for bringing racing to the community of Aintree. Lynn was the landowner of the Waterloo Lodge, and created racing on the land which he leased from the Earl of Sefton. The main stand started being constructed in 1829 and after five months the first appointment for Flat races was held. They didn”t start hurdle horse racing until 1836, when the first Liverpool Grand Steeplechase was held at Aintree on February 29th. This race was recognised by some as being the first ever John Smiths Grand National and was won by The Duke, ridden by Captain Martin Becher. However, the more renowned Liverpool Grand Steeplechase of 1839 is celebrated as the first, and was won by Lottery, ridden by Jem Mason. The steeplechase of 1839 was a four miler, across country, and the directive was that ”no rider to open a gate or ride through a opening, or more than 100 yards along any road, causeway or driftway”.

The track was handed over to the War Office in 1915, and after the 1940 National it was again taken over by the war office. Steeple chase racing resumed in 1946 and in 1949 the track was bought by Messrs Topham Ltd; who had leased the property for almost a century; from the Earl of Sefton for 275,000. Mirabel Topham, an innovative soul, went on to create the Mildmay course and a racing car circuit which held the European Grand Prix and five British Grand Prix.

Bill Davies bought the track in 1973 for 3 million and in 1975 Ladbrokes saved the John Smiths Grand National, which was in threat of disappearing, by managing and administering it for 7 years at a yearly rent of 250,000. In 1983 the track was deemed secure when the Jockey Club bought it.

Aintree is now more fit for purpose with transport links vastly improved. In the start it had been accessed by rail and paddleboat, but now it is reached by car, coach or air. There is a 6 acre field for landing by copter or the John Lennon airfield 20 minutes drive away, meaning that those both home and abroad can share in the celebrations.