Aintree Racecourse opened its doors to students to help boost attendance as the National Hunt season got underway.
The meeting was the first of three remaining at the racecourse this year, before the season concludes with the famous Grand National meeting in April 2026.
While we didn’t see the equestrian stars on show that we can expect later in the season, Aintree’s Head of Marketing James Rennard was happy with the day overall, as prioritising students helped to increase attendance.
He told MerseySportLive: “We were delighted to work alongside INVADES to drive a record 8,055 students to the raceday, many of which will have been attending for the first time… both to the racecourse and the sport of horse racing. As a result, we saw a 7% increase in attendance this year.”
That increase reflects the pattern seen across horse racing in the first half of the year, with attendances on the rise and cancellations suggesting a better product is being made available.
Students Alex Roberts and Rocco Cook were beneficiaries of INVADES’ partnership with the racecourse, helping them to get tickets for a cheaper price.
Roberts’ is a regular at Aintree, but he believes cheaper tickets helped to get more of his friends to come along for a great day out.
He said: “It was a good day out; it always is at Aintree. It’s one of my favourite days in the calendar going to the races as it’s always set up well to socialise with mates whilst also enjoying sport.
“I’ve been quite a bit, but (this time) tickets were fairly priced for us students which only encouraged more of us to come along.”
Cook echoed these thoughts on ticket pricing but did question the price of a pint inside the famous racecourse.
He said: “It was a good day all round, it seemed busy and we all had a good time. The tickets were fairly priced for us but I can see where they’re making their money back when you look at some of the prices inside.
“£7.80 for a Carling just seems like a bit of a robbery when lots of the day is geared towards students, but I suppose that’s what inflation has caused.”
Rennard admits he understands the struggles of the current economic climate but believes his team are providing solutions to help racegoers get fairer prices as the season goes on.
He said: “We’re very aware of the tough economic climate and pressures upon our customers’ disposable income.
“This year, for the first time, we incentivised customers to purchase early for The Randox Grand National 2026 and receive the best value ticket which is cheaper than their 2025 equivalents. This has led to strong ticket sales so far.”
Considering Aintree’s positive impact on the Merseyside community and beyond, Rennard is implementing these improvements throughout the season to help ensure Liverpool continue to boast one of the best racecourses in the world.
