past winners

grand national 2007 /

Aintree To Stage Replacement Race 22/04/07

Aintree Racecourse, which had to abandon the last race on Grand National day, will stage a replacement worth £30,000 at its evening fixture on Friday, May 18.

The contest will have the same title, the John Smith’s Champion Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race, thanks to continued support from the Grand National sponsor John Smith’s as well as the Levy Board.

The original race, due to be run as the seventh race on Grand National day, Saturday, April 14, was abandoned because Graphic Approach, who ran in the big race, was still being treated on the course.

Graphic Approach, who was subsequently taken to the Philip Leverhulme Equine Hospital at Leahurst for further assessment, is on the way to a full recovery.

Charles Barnett, Aintree Racecourse’s managing director, commented: "The welfare of the horse is always our number one priority and the abandonment of the last race on April 14 was the right decision.

"We apologised at the time to the owners and trainers who had horses in the abandoned event and have been working hard since to stage a replacement at Aintree’s next fixture on May 18.

"This has now been agreed and we want to give connections of horses as much notice as possible of the replacement race which I am sure will be well supported."

The John Smith’s Champion Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (8.55pm) is additional to the scheduled programme on May 18, meaning there will now be seven races during the evening, with the first off at the earlier time of 5.35pm.

The conditions of the race are similar to the original, although it will not carry Grade Two status and the penalty structure has changed, with a winner of a National Hunt Flat race or an Irish NH Flat race carrying 4lb extra or two or more such races 7lb extra.