Grand National racing festival to trigger £1billion bonanza of betting, boozing and brows

The Grand Nationalracing festival will gallop into action on Thursday (April 13) – triggering a billion pound bonanza of betting, boozing and ’brows.

A third of the UK’s population is expected to back at least one horse in Saturday’s showpiece steeplechase which will be beamed to a TV audience of 600million across 140 countries. Bookies expect up to £500m to be wagered at the three-day meeting - with up to £150m going down on the big race itself.

Around 150,000 fans will descend on the Aintree course to watch the action. They are expected to sup up to 300,000 pints, 8,000 bottles of champagne and 25,000 cocktails trackside.

Caterers have installed 800 metres of extra bar space to cope with the demand. A team of 200 chefs has been drafted in to feed spectators every day who will wolf down 711kg of cheese and three tonnes of potatoes, washed down with 75,000 cups of tea or coffee.

Local fashion boutiques are expecting a 600 per cent rise in tanning lotion sales and a 65 per cent explosion in trade in fake eyelashes as race-goers prepare to dare to bare in flesh-flashing frocks on Friday's Ladies’ Day and plump up their eyebrows. In roughly nine minutes experts say the four mile, two furlong and 74 yard National will pump £12m into the UK economy in tax revenue and plough £60m into the coffers of Merseyside businesses.

Bookies say the 175th running – at 5.15pm on Saturday – is odds-on to be the most watched of all time. It is the 50th anniversary of Red Rum landing the first of his record three National victories.

The Met Office forecasts it could be cold and cloudy for the big race, with temperatures reaching just 11C. But bookies expect the action on the track - plus a crunch calendar of Premier League fixtures - will heat up the weekend into a betting bonanza.

Fans are expected to pile the pounds on the race’s stars, including the Lucinda Russell-trained Corach Rambler (6-1) and last year’s (2022) winner Noble Yeats (8-1) which is luring in coronation-crazy Royal punters. Coral’s David Stevens said: “We expect an estimated third of the adult population to have their traditional flutter on Saturday which could see up to £150m riding on the big race."

Superintendent Matthew Moscrop, of Merseyside Police, said racing revellers should follow the horses’ lead and `pace themselves’. "We know that people make a day of it and make a night of it as well," he said. "We know there will be more people in the city centre.

"For those who are going out in the evening just make sure you pace yourself. If you’re trying to be drinking all day and all night then you’re going to struggle to look after yourself and the day won’t be what you’ve planned.

"Drink sensibly so that you can enjoy yourself with friends. Whether you win or lose this Grand National our officers will be out and about to make sure that everyone can enjoy themselves."