Category : Sport;
Five
Live; Radio
Merseyside; North
West TV
Date : 25.03.2004
Printable version
The 2004
Martell Cognac Grand National
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With live coverage on 91Èȱ¬ ONE and 91Èȱ¬ TWO, 91Èȱ¬ Radio
Five Live and the 91Èȱ¬ Sport Website - as well as comprehensive coverage
in the North West on 91Èȱ¬ Radio Merseyside and North West Tonight - the
91Èȱ¬ ensures that not a moment from the 2004 Martell Cognac Grand National
is missed.
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The 91Èȱ¬'s top team for the 157th running of the world's
most famous steeplechase is once again led by Sue Barker and
Clare Balding, who will introduce three days of top quality racing
action from Aintree.
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Sue and Clare will be joined by Richard Pitman,
Peter Scudamore, Norman Williamson and Lydia Hislop
who report and provide analysis from the paddock.
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Rishi Persad and special guest John Parrott
will be out and about reporting from around the course, and Angus
Loughran will provide viewers with all the latest betting and form
news.
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The 91Èȱ¬'s expert commentary team is led by Jim McGrath,
who is joined by Ian Bartlett, Tony O'Hehir and Darren
Owen for the big race.
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As host broadcaster, providing live coverage across
the world, the 91Èȱ¬'s 52 camera operation includes Rider-cams
on three jockeys, as well as cameras mounted on four of the fences.
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The 91Èȱ¬'s Racing Editor Carl Hicks says: "The Grand
National really is an event that draws in the whole nation, with people
around Britain and the world stopping for 15 minutes at 3.45pm.
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"The 91Èȱ¬ television coverage across three days
at Aintree includes 14 live races as well as taking in the electric
atmosphere that makes the Grand National Meeting one of the world's
sporting highlights."
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Live 91Èȱ¬ television coverage from Aintree will include
five races each day on Thursday and Friday.
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Saturday's Grand National Grandstand will include
live coverage of four races including the Grand National, followed by
a full re-run with expert analysis.
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On Friday evening (7.30pm, 91Èȱ¬ TWO), the 91Èȱ¬'s Grand
National Preview follows a number of the key characters in the lead
up to the event, including twice Grand National-winning jockey Carl
Llewellyn and Aintree Managing Director Charles Barnett.
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There's also a special Grand National A Question
of Sport (Friday 2 April, 7.00pm, 91Èȱ¬ ONE) hosted by Sue Barker.
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John Parrott returns as a team captain for this one-off
programme, reunited with the opposing team captain Ally McCoist.
The teams will consist of special Grand National guests.
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Radio Five Live has full live coverage of all
three days of the Grand National meeting.
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On Saturday the build up starts in Breakfast
with Brian Alexander co-presenting live from Aintree from 6.30am,
with Rachel Burdon back in the studio.
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Luke Harvey will join Brian at the course giving
his hourly racing bulletins with top tips and Cornelius Lysaght
will have the latest on the runners and riders, course news and interviews
with the top names in the business.
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Mark Pougatch will present Sport on Five
live from Aintree, soaking up the atmosphere leading up to the big race.
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There will be interviews with jockeys, trainers and
owners throughout the afternoon and the Grand National will be live
at 3.45pm.
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John Hunt will head up the commentary team which
includes Dougie Fraser, Peadar Flanagan and newcomer Matt
Hill.
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There will be live coverage of the 2.20pm and 2.55pm
races whilst the 1.45pm will be played straight after the FA Cup semi
final.
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Five Live will have live coverage from Aintree on both
Thursday and Friday in both Mayo and Drive.
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On Thursday the races covered will be 2.35pm Martell
Cognac Cup Chase, the 3.10pm Martell Anniversary 4 YO Hurdle, the 3.45
Martell Cognac Fox Hunters' Chase and the 4.20 Martell Cognac Red Rum
Chase.
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On Friday the races include the 2.35pm Martell Top
Novices' Hurdle, the 3.10pm Martell Cognac Melling Chase, the 3.45pm
Martell Topham Chase and the 4.20pm Martell Cognac Sefton Hurdle.
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The 91Èȱ¬ Sport Website, at ,
provides the ultimate guide to the Grand National for both racing novices
and experts alike.
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The special Grand National site - launching on Monday
29 March - will include all the latest news, previews and profiles of
all the jockeys and trainers.
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During the meeting, there are full race-by-race reports
as they happen across the three days as well as audio and video features
- including details of where your horse fell/finished shortly after
the race.
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The 91Èȱ¬ Sport Website's resident racing expert Honest
Frank is on hand to explain all the tricks of the trade - from what
the Tic-Tac signals mean and how to bet at the bookies, to how to decipher
a racecard or organise an office sweepstake.
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There is also Richard Pitman's Grand National course
guide and a full daily diary from the track.
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On the 91Èȱ¬ Liverpool website at ,
there's a special Grand National quiz with the chance to win a VIP prize.
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In order to be in with a chance of winning the prize
- which includes a VIP trip to Aintree, full hospitality and a tour
of the course - the user must answer correctly ten tough questions that
test their knowledge of the Grand National.
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Also on the site is a 360° tour of Aintree, a virtual
trip around the famous course and all the latest travel directions and
information.
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Regionally, 91Èȱ¬ North West Tonight is providing
up to the minute coverage of the excitement building up to the race
and offering a behind the scenes look at the preparations being made
for the day.
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Throughout the Grand National 91Èȱ¬ Radio Merseyside
will be broadcasting the latest news and information for the event.
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On Thursday 1 April from 2.00 to 5.00pm Norman Thomas
will be broadcasting live from the course, on Saturday for the big race
Billy Butler's morning show will be live from Aintree from 9.30am
followed by all the action with Alan Jackson through the afternoon.
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Martin Brooks, 91Èȱ¬ North West Head of Local and Regional
Programming, said: "We are delighted to be involved with an event
which is truly a world wide spectacle and to bring the colour, tradition
and excitement of the occasion to viewers and listeners across the North
West."
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Full television
coverage details
Thursday April 1
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Racing from Aintree - 91Èȱ¬ TWO
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1.30-4.45pm Including live coverage
of:
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2.00pm - £60,000 Martell Cognac Liverpool Hurdle
(Grade 2), 3m 110y
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2.35pm- £150,000 Martell Cognac Cup Chase (Grade
2), 3m 1f
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3.10pm - £110,000 Martell Cognac Xo Anniversary
4-Y-O Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2), 2m
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3.45pm - £35,000 Martell Cognac Foxhunters' Chase,
2m 5f 110yds Grand National Course
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4.20pm - £70,000 Martell Cognac Red Rum Handicap
Chase (Grade 3), 2m
Friday 2 April
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Racing from Aintree - 91Èȱ¬ TWO
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1.30-4.45pm Including
live coverage of:
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2.00pm - Martell Cognac V.S. Handicap Chase, 3m 1f
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2.35pm - £50,000 Martell Cognac Top Novices' Hurdle
(Grade 2), 2m 110yds
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3.10pm - £150,000 Martell Cognac Melling Chase
(Grade 1), 2m 4f
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3.45pm - £70,000 Martell Cognac Topham Chase,
2m 5f 100yds
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4.20pm - £80,000 Martell Cognac Sefton Novices'
Hurdle (Grade 1), 3m 110yds
A Question of Sport: Grand National Special - 91Èȱ¬
ONE
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7.00-7.30pm
Grand National Preview - 91Èȱ¬ TWO
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7.30-8.00pm
Saturday 3 April
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Grand National Grandstand - 91Èȱ¬ TWO & 91Èȱ¬ ONE
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1.00-2.00pm, 91Èȱ¬ TWO
2.00-4.45pm, 91Èȱ¬ ONE
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Including live coverage of:
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1.45pm - £50,000 Cordon Bleu Handicap Hurdle (Listed),
2m 110yds
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2.20pm - £100,000 Martell Cognac Maghull Novices'
Chase (Grade 1), 2m
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2.55pm - £150,000 Martell Cognac Aintree Hurdle
(Grade 1), 2m 4f
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3.45pm - £600,000 Martell Cognac Grand National
Chase, 4m 4f
