past winners

grand national 2006 /

Citroën Inject Horsepower Into Aintree
12/01/06
Aintree Racecourse announced today that Citroën will become an Official Partner to the John Smith's Grand National meeting, having signed a two-year deal to cover the 2006 and 2007 events.

As exclusive "Official Vehicle Supplier", Citroën will provide vehicles to the racecourse, and the courtesy service will include the recently-launched and widely-acclaimed new C6 - a luxury saloon with an outstanding design pedigree.

Two races at the meeting will carry the Citroën name - On Thursday, April 6, 2006, the Citroën C4 Mersey Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2) will be run at 4.55pm and the BBC-televised Citroën C6 Sefton Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) on Friday, April 7, will be run at 2.35pm.

Citroën will also receive on-course branding throughout the three-day meeting and will support the increasingly popular Looking Good Style Contest for racegoers, including offering a car to the outright winner.

Marc Raven, Communications Director at Citroën UK, welcomed the deal.

He said: "We are very excited to be returning to Aintree, as we were involved with the racecourse from 1989 - 1993, and have also been associated with many of the UK's other major racecourses."

"In recent years we have made major progress, and so has Aintree. We look forward to showcasing our extensive product range to the ever-increasing live audiences at the course and the huge numbers that watch on TV. This is an event which generates interest well beyond racing's usual boundaries."

Charles Barnett, Managing Director of Aintree, is equally enthusiastic. "We are delighted to welcome Citroën as an Official Partner alongside Betfair at the John Smith's Grand National meeting. Citroën is a very progressive company and has a track record of promotional activity in racing that will offer us further exciting opportunities in the promotion of the Grand National meeting. Their product range fits well with the diverse audiences the meeting delivers, so it is a very appropriate partnership."

Citroën and UK horseracing

In past years, Citroën have been associated with many of the country's leading racecourses, most significantly pioneering the introduction of giant screens for spectators in the early 1990's, technology that is now regarded as mandatory at major race meetings.

Citroën's Big Screen Roadshow programme saw associations with virtually all Britain's major racing festivals, including Cheltenham, the Grand National Meeting, Glorious Goodwood, York, Newmarket's Guineas and July meetings, Ascot's Festival of British Racing, the St Leger and Kempton's King George Christmas Festival.

Races backed by Citroën included the Citroën Supreme Novices' Hurdle at The Cheltenham Festival for six years, along with contests at Goodwood's July Meeting, Newmarket's July and Guineas Meetings and York.