The John Smith Grand National, also called the National, is a celebrated National Hunt horse race. It takes place yearly at the Aintree Racecourse close to Liverpool, from the 12th to the 14th of April. The race is a handicap steeplechase over a length of four miles and 856 yards. The horses jump thirty fences over two rounds of the National Course at Aintree.
The steeplechase is the focal point of three-day event and is only one of four at Aintree during the racing season. It is the most expensive of the National Hunt events occurring in Britain. The prize will be £975,000 in 2012. The National is fashionable for people who do not bet on other horse races regularly.
A new direction in the race’s recent history occurred in 2005. John Smith’s replaced Martell as the primary sponsor of the Grand National and other races during the three days at Aintree.
The John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree is close to Liverpool. Because the city is famous for its cultural and maritime history, as well as two football clubs, it offers many attractions for visitors attending the Grand National.
The architecture of Liverpool is fascinating, particularly with the revitalization of the City Center. The Royal Liver Building, built in 1911, is a skyscraper that symbolizes the waterfront. The well-to-do merchants constructed St. George’s hall on Lime Street for the people of the city. Visitors will find one of the finest church organs in Europe along with murals on the outside of the refurbished neo-classical style building. Other worthy architectural buildings are Walker Art Gallery, the Liverpool Central Library and the Bluecoat, the downtown’s oldest building that functions as a gallery and auditorium.
Visitors should check out a tourist guide to Albert Dock as it offers many attractions. Albert Dock, located on the riverside, contains old warehouses renovated into apartments, stores, hotels, restaurants, art galleries and museums. It is also the location of Tate Liverpool, which presents the story about the Beatles, International Slavery Museum and the Mersyside Maritime Museum. From the docks, visitors can take a city on the water side and city on either the Yellow Duck Marine or Yellow Boat Cruise.
Visitors will discover a variety of
hotels in Liverpool. Their costs vary from economical lodges and guesthouses to luxury offerings. These are both in the city centre as well as the airport.
