New sponsor for the Grand National
Health company Randox Health have been announced as the new sponsors of the Grand National Festival - starting after this year's event.
Healthcare company Randox Health will become the new Official Partner of the Grand National, and the three-day Grand National Festival at Aintree.
They've signed a five year deal which will start after this year's event, which takes place next month.=======================================================================================================
More than 5% of the world's population - in excess of 370 million people across 145 countries - receives medical diagnosis using Randox products each year.===========================================================================================================================================================
Randox currently has clinics in London and Belfast but plans to open several more over the next 12 months - including one in Liverpool. ========================================================================================================================================
The ÂŁ1-million Grand National currently attracts a global TV audience of around 600 million people - and when the Randox deal comes into effect in 2017, the race will be broadcast on ITV instead of Channel 4.================================================================================================================================================================================================================
Current sponsor Crabbie's will still be involved with the festival - sponsoring the Grade 1 Top Novices' Hurdle on the Friday's Ladies Day.===========================================================================================================================================
Dr. Peter FitzGerald CBE, Founder and Managing Director of Randox, said: "The Randox Health team is extremely pleased to partner the world's greatest race. The Grand National offers us a major public platform to raise awareness of preventative healthcare and to encourage people to take control of their health and wellbeing. We see this partnership as a natural fit, as both organisations invest heavily in the future and we aim to use our partnership to promote a positive lifestyle and to bring enjoyment to millions of people. We care about people's health and this is the people's race.===============================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================
"Crabbie's sponsorship of the Grand National will be a hard act to follow, but we look forward to rising to the challenge and sharing our vision for Randox Health further once the 2016 Crabbie's Grand National has drawn to a close and our rights for the world's greatest race come into effect." =======================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================
John Baker, North West Regional Director for Jockey Club Racecourses, who runs Aintree, said: "I am delighted to welcome Randox Health as our new partner from after the 2016 Crabbie's Grand National Festival. This is an incredibly exciting time to join forces with Randox because they are highly ambitious as a company and share our aspiration to promote the Grand National to the maximum number of people in the years ahead. ==========================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================
"We are already working closely with Randox Health and are excited both about their plans for the future and how they see the role of our partnership within that. Their vision, people and operation are very impressive, they love their racing and I am confident they will prove fantastic partners for our crown jewel. =============================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================
"I should also like to thank Crabbie's brand owner, Halewood International, and in particular Judy Halewood and Peter Eaton, for their very generous and beneficial support of the Crabbie's Grand National these past three years. I am very pleased they will remain involved and associated with Aintree through sponsorship of the high value Grade 1 Top Novices' Hurdle and of course before that the important 169th running of the world's greatest steeplechase in April under their banner."======================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================