Aintree 2010

del boy

del boy

Senior Jockey
Joined
Nov 16, 2005
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I have decided that im going to the Aintree meeting next year, fancied Cheltenham but it clashes with work, so thats a no go, but happy to go to Aintree for the craic anyways.

Just looking for some info/advice from people on here who may have been already.

Probably the main thing i want to know is where to stay, Hotel or Guesthouse, somewhere someone can recommend from experience etc.

I have been told that the track is easy to get to from the City Centre etc, anyone shed any light on that?

Any other do's and dont's? Il be flying from Ireland, so any of the lads that have done it from here might help me out, Dublin or Belfast etc!! Any advice is much appreciated folks, cheers.
 
Can't recommend a hotel but anywhere in the city centre would be ideal - the train is about 20 minutes from Liverpool Lime Street - the train station is directly opposite the racecourse entrance though as you'd expect it does get kind of busy on race days.

I've done Liverpool to Dublin before - you can get a bus direct from the airport to Liverpool city centre - don' think it would take any more than 25 minutes to the centre and once you're there it's easy enough to get around.

Now for bars I can recommend a few of those :)
 
I imagine getting bars recommended to me will be the least of my problems!!

Just want to make sure i get somewhere good to stay, i dont know if there will be many with me, i have to sort that out too. Cheers for the info on the times from airport and to the course, sounds very handy in fairness, so thats a big bonus.
 
del boy said:
Il be flying from Ireland, so any of the lads that have done it from here might help me out, Dublin or Belfast etc!! Any advice is much appreciated folks, cheers.
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So there's no airports in Monaghan then, I take it? :D

I'd also be interested in any info, as I'm considering doing Betfair/Becher double this year.
 
I remember someone mentioning the tickets at Aintree - the UK racecourses do it different to Irish ones in that there are far many different type of enclosures than here? So would imagine going cheap on the tickets might restrict your viewing - but I am sure there are others that have attended that will know better.
 
Good point Gal, i have heard the same, so will need advise on the ticket situation too!!

No Airports unfortunately trackside!! We now have fully tarmaced roads in nearly 50% of the county though, so it wont be long before we do have a runway!!
 
Tatts tickets gets you in with the riff raff so to speak - there's various stands too. Last time I went there was the West Tip enclosure which is up past The Chair, so about 2 out on the Mildmay course and then there's the main stands - they'd be about £50 or £60 per day. Whatever you do don't get "Steeplechase Enclosure" tickets for National day - it's dirt cheap but down by the Canal Turn.

Prices: http://www.aintree.co.uk/pages/john-smiths-grand-national-tickets-and-badges/
 
If you can't get into Liverpool, Del Boy, try one of the towns a bit further out such as Southport or Formby. The train service is really good, more like a bus service, every 15 minutes, to both Liverpool (change at Sandhills for Aintree - the racecourse is just over the road from the station) and Manchester if you want a night out in the cities. Southport has several good nightclubs and a casino. The hotels are good and so are many of the B&B's. Everyone is very helpful and friendly.

If you are staying in Liverpool the train goes direct to Aintree from Liverpool Central. Again, lovely place to stay, some terrific pubs and clubs in the City centre and down by the Albert Dock, and great people.

PS - I have a couple of complimentary tickets for Becher Chase day (just basic admission, so you will have to upgrade), so if anyone is interested please PM me.

If you upgrade I can recommend the Earl of Derby Stand. Although it is not right by the finishing line, it runs alongside the horsewalk and the Saddle Bar runs directly above the horsewalk, overlooks the paddock, horsewalk and the National starting line - quite a view!
 
Southport like Redhead says is a good option too - the Aintree train runs from Liverpool Central (my mistake earlier) to Southport so either end of the track would do :)

If anyone does go to the Becher IMO it's an awesome days racing - just one flat fee for Tatts and you can go in any stand and on top of the Princess Elizabeth Stand (National day it's £100+ for tickets up there). :)
 
When you get one of the local birds back to your room dont turn your back.
 
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Galileo said:
I remember someone mentioning the tickets at Aintree - the UK racecourses do it different to Irish ones in that there are far many different type of enclosures than here? So would imagine going cheap on the tickets might restrict your viewing - but I am sure there are others that have attended that will know better.
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The area underneath Ogden's horse where the flags are, that's where I always go. And if you get in position early enough it's a fine view.
Aintree_Racecourse_Apr_08_LI.jpg
 
I hear liverpudlian lasses wear high heels and mini skirts to go to their local off licences/corner shops! Heard it from my female cousin who went to university there!

Forget posh hotels, if you want a really good time just get yourself in a B&B on top of a cornershop lol. If your Irish maybe you could wave the flag outside your window in the hope of persuading them your a good craic...
 
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del boy said:
No Airports unfortunately trackside!! We now have fully tarmaced roads in nearly 50% of the county though, so it wont be long before we do have a runway!!
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That's progress anyway, del! I usually fly out of my local, ultra-private Gormanstown airstrip when making interenational jaunts - strictly for high rollers only though...

More seriously, have a look around for cheap flights in Manchester & Leeds-Bradford as well as Liverpool. If you can get a substantially cheaper flight to either it really is worth it, as the train services (as redhead said) make it pretty handy.

I often used to get a 11.30 flight to Leeds for a 3.00 kick-off at Old Trafford and make it there with plenty of time (two pints, to be precise!) to spare.
 
trackside528 said:
That's progress anyway, del! I usually fly out of my local, ultra-private Gormanstown airstrip when making interenational jaunts - strictly for high rollers only though...

More seriously, have a look around for cheap flights in Manchester & Leeds-Bradford as well as Liverpool. If you can get a substantially cheaper flight to either it really is worth it, as the train services (as redhead said) make it pretty handy.

I often used to get a 11.30 flight to Leeds for a 3.00 kick-off at Old Trafford and make it there with plenty of time (two pints, to be precise!) to spare.
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Just priced flights with Ryanair and they are going to be around the €90 mark return all in, i think.... But may look into the other options if its too expensive.
 
It's true lads, the girls wear hardly any clothes up there! Lots of goosebumps when the wind is off the sea, but not much else.

My cabbie asked me what I thought of Ladies' Day in April and said "They look a million dollars when they go in, but coming out I wouldn't give a fiver!" Cheeky fella.

They do love to dolly up and they do love to party.
 
Could get the ferry if you guys really fancy doing some serious drinking - ferry to Hollyhead and train to Liverpool, an extra 6 hours of drinking time freed up :)

On a serious note - Ryanair's online check in flights often give better value ie. no taxes.
 
redhead said:
It's true lads, the girls wear hardly any clothes up there!
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Up there!

You need to come to the NORTHEAST Redhead!

No taste in music but boy do they know how to tart it up!

At least the Scouse girls probably have a bit of taste in music and throw some nice shapes on the dancefloor.
 
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I understand that Manchester airport is more handily located for flying to Aintree.

I haven't necessarily found a hotel I'd recommend in the Liverpool area; none of them were bad but they weren't that great either. Actually scratch that; the Thistle in the docks area was very good, with plenty of good places to eat and drink within walking distance. I've eaten in quite a few decent places in Liverpool as well; there's plenty about.
 
I can see what the lasses are like Martin, but what about the lads (more my thing)? (I do love a Geordie accent!)

Visited Newcastle year before last for the Fighting Fifth. Another lovely city. Creased up when I overhead a waitress in the restaurant tell a young chap showing off to his girlfriend "It's Ciabatta man! If you want Macdonalds, go down the road!"
 
Well i've been up here for 6 years, moved up when I was 18. Used to live and was brought up in North London but things weren't great for me down South and i've ended up building a life for myself up here, shit happens etc and people even at my age move on and about! Still got maties down there and they keep me informed.

That said, I do get paranoid that i'm starting to talk like one of the geordie natives (which doesn't appeal to me). That said, the main reason I never pull is because they all think i'm some posh snob from down South (which I probably am lol!).
 
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I hope your not implying i'm a tart as well Tracky.

For what it's worth i've had about 5 partners (ahem one night stands) in as many years.:ninja:
 
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