Later start to Aintree Grand National
Sir, - There has been much debate about falling numbers attending race meetings and Channel 4 losing viewers at an alarming rate, therefore, racing is losing out in the viewing stakes to other sports on mainstream television.
So how does the racing authorities in Britain address the problem? They put the armchair enthusiasts before the genuine racing followers.
To satisfy Channel 4 and try and attract more viewers, a small majority of whom get more publicity than the race itself if there is an injury or unfortunate incident to a horse – which nobody wants to witness – are being facilitated by a later start to the 2016 Aintree Grand National – 5.15 pm – next April.
It must be said that the idea of a 5pm start to the race was first mooted by the BBC before they abandoned racing coverage already.
As someone who hopes to attend my 30th Grand National next year – and approximately 5,000 Irish travel over every year on Grand National day – it means that a police escort with blue lights would be needed to make the airport on time for the return journey on the same day!
How fair is that to racegoers who love the occasion, have been supportive for years, and are the true jump racing fans?
If you avail of an overnight stay in the wonderful city of Liverpool, there are no Sunday flights (or at least this has been the situation in the past) to Dublin until the afternoon, so it is impossible to take in an Irish racemeeting or point-to-point the next day even though you are only (in my case) three hours from home.
We fork out a minimum of £40 sterling for a basic ticket, but someone in an armchair with a dog, a cat, a budgie and an animal rights attitude in the outer suburbs of London, with neither a television set or a mobile phone, seem to be Channel 4’s target audience! Their own questions about dying viewing figures answered.
The racing authorities in Britain want to promote the Grand National as a tourism event rather that what it actually is, and I’m sure they are sincere from a marketing viewpoint, but as a sporting extravaganza they have disgraced themselves by tinkering with the image of the race and sending out the wrong message at every opportunity. They have done it again!
Money talks. The public don’t matter. Management in charge of some of our bigger race meetings in this country take note! Taking your eye off the ball ends in losing the game.
Yours etc.,
DAN WALSH
Enniscorthy,
Co Wexford
Cheltenham times will affect day-trippers
Sir, - As a regular traveller to Cheltenham,I was recently dismayed to learn from my travel agent that the changes to the race times next year have implications for Irish racegoers. The time between each race has been increased to 40 minutes with the result that the last race each day will now be 5.30pm, 15 minutes later than previous years.This may appear quite a small change but travel agents are now advising clients they most likely will not be able to watch the last race if travelling by bus to the airport as they believe the 15 minutes lost is vital.
Can you imagine travelling for one particular day’s racing and having to leave before the last race? Irish racegoers have a special interest in the bumper which next year will be at 5.30pm on Wednesday, and now face the consequence of being told to miss that race if flying home on Wednesday.
This is totally unfair and will, I believe, cause massive annoyance. If racecourse management want 40 minutes between races they could have avoided this potential problem by having the first race at 1.15pm. I understand some travel agents have contacted Cheltenham but no change is likely.
Could you highlight this issue as, at the moment, many Irish racegoers may not be aware of the problem? It is of more relevance to people travelling for one, two or three days rather than the four-day people who may not mind missing the last race on Friday. -
Yours etc.,
PATRICK CLEARY
Wexford,
Co Wexford