In previous years they've tended to rotate round over the three days so I presume one of Machin/Johnson called the finish yesterday and the other will call home the National

The Irish national is 5pm too.
The jockey club are just reacting to modern life. Remember they also want to move the Derby to this time too (that's out of football season) but are facing a tougher fight to convince the snobs in the flat racing game.

The course commentators are the same as the past few years.
Judging from the Foxhunters on Thursday, the BBC Radio commentary team is likely to be John Hunt, Martin Harris, Darren Owen and Garry O'Brien. Last year Malcolm Tomlinson was with JH, DO and G O'B. BBC has used Matt Jones (Australian I think) in the past.

They didn't move it to appease football fans - the later the race the more revenue for the bookies both on and off course. Most football fans will still be making their way home at 5.15.

They didn't move it to appease football fans - the later the race the more revenue for the bookies both on and off course. Most football fans will still be making their way home at 5.15 as with extra time etc many games won't finish until nearly 5 pm.

Football and other sports were not the sole reason, but were most definitely a factor


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rac...e-Aintree.html


http://www.theguardian.com/sport/201...ence-channel-4

It's a long time since I've heard of an event being moved for the benefit of the radio audience. Why not move it to 7 p.m. and they'll get an even bigger audience ?

Because of the weather. Low sun would be very dangerous

I'd keep it at 4.15 personally. But it's not up to me

Because by then everyone would have switched their radios off and will be watching Britain's Got Talent!

Why 4.15 and not 3pm, 3.30 or 5?

Because I said I'd keep it at. Had it been at 3.30 I'd have said I'd keep it then but it wasn't so I didn't.

When I went to the National it was 4.15 and by that time I was ready for it. Had been in Aintree for hours already.

Don't you just adjust your day - Start out a bit later?

Simon Holt interview http://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/1441...for_Channel_4/

No because the racing still starts early. It isn't as if they have shifted everything back just the big race. The first race is at 1.45. The National is the 6th race of the day. If you are going to Aintree you do not want to be arriving late

Yeah, I thought they may have pushed the 1st race back to about half 2. Maybe they will in time.

If I was going to Aintree I would arrive early and there are always 6 or 7 races and would want to see every race there not just the National. I was at the Cheltenham Festival in March for all 4 days and they where all long days. But I wanted to see every race and it was very enjoyable despite about 70 thousand people or more there for every day of the festival.
Ian.

I think the national should be the last race.
Mind you, the 2nd biggest race in the world. The Melbourne cup is Race 7 of 10!! - Lucky Aintree don't follow that

Anyone else getting a good HD picture? All very mushy here, very compressed.

We stayed and watched every race but there is a difference. Cheltenham is a full day of quality racing, today isn't. 3 races with 7 or less ( with 3 massive odds on favourites ), one listed race and one conditional jockeys race.

3 Grade 1's not quality racing? It's not all about betting

If you believe that the majority of people there today are there to watch Thistlecrack and Yorkhill you are deluded. I know you like to argue with everything I post but this is true. The very large majority there today are there for one race only. Cheltenham is different.

Completely agree, the Grand National seems to fit in with the Epsom Derby and the King George VI as one race meetings, where as at Cheltenham and Royal Ascot it seems more balanced, each race counts.

Seems a very white person luvvy event doesn't it!?

Don't mean to play the race card but haven't seen a black person yet !

Jada Smith would probably pop her clogs at this..

I've never been to the national, purely because all I've ever heard is horror stories about the clientel. So yes I know it's all about the national for the majority.
But I thought you were a horse racing fan Darren, so if you were there today you would have enjoyed watching 3 equine superstars. Yes?

Mentioning people of ethnicity, Rishi Persad would have been part of the C4 team at Aintree, but due to the vagaries of the calendar, he's in Augusta as part of the BBC team covering the US Masters golf.