2017 Randox Health Grand National Trophy Statue unveiled at Aintree Racecourse
2017 Randox Health Grand National Trophy Statue unveiled at Aintree Racecourse
A giant replica of the 2017 Randox Health Grand National trophy is being installed at Aintree Racecourse ahead of the world’s greatest horse race. The design was unveiled for the first time today during the Northern media lunch.
The statue standing at almost 6 meters, which will be seen by over 600 million people during the three day festival, depicts the same level of detail as the real trophy. The stunning piece is solid silver gilded with gold, and depicts horses galloping through strands of DNA.
A spot will be marked out near the statute directing race-goers where to stand to get a picture of them ‘holding’ the trophy. It is part of Randox Health’s plan to get the nation to #FeelLikeAWinner during the festival, even if they won’t be at Aintree. They hope people at the racecourse will share the trophy images on social media with people at home posting selfies with their cherished trophies!
Dr. Peter FitzGerald, Founder and Managing Director of Randox Health, commented;
“With the Randox Health Grand National being the greatest horse race in the world we wanted to give everyone a chance to feel like a winner throughout the festival. We’re very proud of the trophy and its one people can enjoy too. We want to give everybody the opportunity to feel part of this year’s festival even if they’re not here, which is why we’re encouraging them to share their own trophy selfies with the racing fans at Aintree. The Randox Health Grand National is a national occasion we want to share and we hope that we can encourage that.”
John Baker, Managing Director for Aintree Racecourse, commented;
“We’re delighted and honoured to work with Randox as a long term partner and we look forward to many years of success. With less than three weeks to go until the Randox Health Grand National Festival, we’re in great shape with the Aintree site looking tremendous and ticket sales going very well. We’re anticipating three days of thrilling racing with high quality entries and we look forward to plenty of fun and excitement off the track as well. The Aintree and Randox teams are working extremely hard to put on the best possible experience for our racegoers so we look forward to opening the gates on Thursday 6 April and welcoming everyone for a fantastic three days.”
The official reveal of the trophy statue has come after the announcement that for each of its five years of sponsorship, Randox Health, the title partner of the Randox Health Grand National, will create a unique winner’s trophy, and each member of the winning team – trainer, jockey and groom – will receive their own trophy in recognition of the teamwork that goes into achieving such monumental success.
The coveted trophy was unveiled by Sir Anthony McCoy and Dr Peter FitzGerald at the Weights Evening Reception at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
For more information about Randox Health Grand National Horse please contact Randox PR on 028 9445 1016 or email RandoxPR@randox.com
Randox Horse Tales | Katie Walsh on the partnership with Seabass that made her the most successful female jockey of all time
With less than three weeks’ to go before the Randox Health Grand National, we’re really starting to feel the excitement!
Those who’ve ridden over the famous fences at Aintree never forget it. The most successful female jockey of all time, Katie Walsh, shares her memories of Seabass in the 2012 Grand National, when she came third.
I remember every single bit of it. You don’t forget things like that.
It was a fantastic time and I had some brilliant months in the lead up to it. I won a couple of good races in the build up to the Grand National.
And for Seabass to be the horse that I rode that day, made it all the more magical. This is definitely at the top of my list.
He’d been trained by my father and we’ve been involved with horses for so long that we know how hard it is to have a horse for the Grand National – things can change every day. It’s like someone saying, “I’m going to be President.” That’s how slim the chances are for it to all work out, so I really appreciate how lucky we were to be there.
Seabass is a gorgeous horse and I absolutely love him.
The biggest difficulty we had was keeping him sound. Seabass was a lovely horse but he wasn’t the easiest to keep sound. You see that a lot in elite athletes – sometimes it’s just incredibly difficult to stay fit. And to be in with a shot of getting into the National, you have to keep a horse high enough in the handicaps so it’s constant work – you’ve got to be really careful what you do and how you treat them.
If you look back at his record, Seabass was off for a couple of seasons simply because he has legs of glass, he’s really fragile. There were many different problems over the years which had to be treated and we did a lot of swimming with him. A lot a lot of work went into minding his legs!
The actual race – I could tell you every moment. It was like a dream, the whole ride was fantastic and everything worked out super! Seabass travelled so well – it was a competitive year that year and on another he might have won.
But I was over the moon when we crossed the line in third.
It meant a lot to people that a female jockey had done so well. It featured heavily in the interviews I did afterwards and still does to be honest.
The whole family were there– Ruby wasn’t actually riding himself that day, he’d had a fall earlier. So they were all watching. We’re a pretty special unit – very close – and they were thrilled for us.
Once it was over though, I went straight into the usual routine. In fact I jumped in the car and went to Newmarket. Life goes on!
But once you’ve achieved something like that in the Grand National life does change. Off the back of it I became an Aintree ambassador which is a huge honour and something that I absolutely love.
I can’t wait for the Randox Health Grand National this year!
For more information about Randox Horse Tales please contact Randox PR on 028 9445 1016 or email RandoxPR@randox.com
Randox Horse Tales | Oliver Sherwood shares his memories of Many Clouds, The People’s Horse
There was only one horse that Oliver Sherwood wanted to write about when he was asked to take part in Horse Tales – his 2015 Grand National winner Many Clouds. He was the horse of a lifetime for the Lambourn-based trainer who was hooked the moment he saw him. Clouds tragically died earlier this year and Sherwood says he misses him every day.
The minute I saw him, I knew there was something special. Of course, we all think that. But there was something about Clouds that I just liked from the start.
I had come to look over Mr Hemmings’ young horses when I first saw Clouds. He was a raw, barely broken three year old, and I saw an individualism about him, a character that appealed. From that moment I wanted to be the one to train him.
I’m sure other trainers saw Clouds’ potential too but every time I went to Mr Hemmings’ place, I’d mention to Mick Meagher, the manager, how much I liked him. However I really didn’t expect to get him, so when Mr Hemmings started allocating his horses and Mick called to say they were sending him to me, I was surprised and delighted.
When we started the serious training, I thought he was above average. You can’t be certain – I’ve seen before how horses show form but then can’t perform on the racecourse. That didn’t happen with Clouds. He won on his debut at Wetherby in February 2012, crossing the line 10-15 lengths in front. Right then I knew my gut had been right – he was going to be special. I started hoping and planning for the Hennessey Gold Cup.
He had a summer holiday after that and thickened out. When he came back, he won a handful of hurdles, and came second in the EDF Final the Saturday before Cheltenham, carrying top weight. We were certain that hurdles would be a stepping stone for him.
He was a natural chaser. In 2014 – 15 he won at Carlisle and then won the Hennessey. The rest is history. He won at Cheltenham in January though disappointed in the Gold Cup. But then he won at Aintree in 2015 and that put him on a different level.
As with so many fairy tales from the National, it was unexpected. I’d thought it was too soon for him, but I was persuaded to give it a go. It was a sensational victory. It was the second fastest time – 8 minutes 56.8 seconds, and he did it with 11 stone 9 pounds – almost the top weight. In fact no other horse had carried a higher weight and won at Aintree since Red Rum in ’74. His jockey – Leighton Aspell – said it was the best ride he’d ever had over the fences.
I was staggered by how worldwide the National is. For many trainers you want to win the Gold Cup, it’s the 100m sprint, but when I was being interviewed for the first time by broadcasters in Australia, the US and Japan after winning in 2015, they saw it as the pinnacle.
One thing is absolutely true though – you’ll never forget it. You try to explain to people who have never had horses – but you simply can’t express the thrill of seeing your horse in your colours pass the finishing post in the lead. It was Sir Fred Pontin trying to get that across to Mr Hemmings that got him into racing in the first place. He’d won with Specify in 1971, and showed Mr Hemmings the trophy. He ended up bequeathing it to him in his will – by which stage Mr Hemmings had already won one himself with Hedgehunter.
God puts you on this planet and you are what you are. Clouds, he was a performer, a competitor. He loved to race. He was a nervous horse, a bit spooky but he got more confident as he grew older. He was the proverbial gentle giant, he always wanted to please. He loved his work, he was always very keen to get out and race. Leighton was the only one who schooled and raced him.
Clouds’ last race was his best ever performance. He won by a head in a photo-finish in the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham but suddenly suffered a severe pulmonary haemorrhage and despite the best efforts of the team on the course, he died just afterwards.
We’ve been overwhelmed by the reaction from people. There have been over a thousand letters – never mind emails and Facebook messages – from all over the world. My wife has responded to every single one of them. People responded to him- they saw he was a trier and they loved that. People could relate to him – in a way he became the people’s horse.
When he won at Aintree thousands of people came out to see him when he came home. Everyone celebrated his win, and that depth of feeling continues today. Our local open day has been renamed after him, and in the village a bench will be placed in his memory thanks to the local council and the Jockey Club. At a party on Saturday here, we still had kids coming up and asking about Clouds. It’s just staggering the impact he had and the inspiration he gave to so many. I am certain he’s bringing a lot of new people into racing.
He was cremated and his ashes were returned to the Isle of Man where Mr Hemmings lives. His shoes will be mounted on a wooden plaque, and his best races inscribed on it. We’ve still got the plaque which was mounted on his box after the won the Grand National.
I’ll never forget Clouds. He will always be in my memories and those of the whole team here in Rhonehurst. Yet I’m glad he went out on a high. I’d rather that than have him suffer an injury. Death happens to us all – I would love to go as he did.
For more information about Randox Horse Tales please contact Randox PR on 028 9445 1016 or email RandoxPR@randox.com
Randox Horse Tales | Mike Hughes and “The Greatest Horse of Aintree”
This week in the third edition of Horse Tales we are thrilled to hear from Mike Hughes, Sports Broadcast Journalist for BBC Radio Merseyside.
Mike talks about Red Rum, “The Greatest Horse of Aintree,” and how the race conditions have changed since the millennium bringing with them the best chasers competing to win the world’s most famous race:
Even a cursory glance down the list of previous Grand National winners will highlight some seriously talented racehorses. Factor in the way the race conditions have changed since the new millennium, not to mention the incredible prize money on offer, then it’s not surprising that the very best chasers around are now competing to win the world’s most famous race.
But whatever the future holds for the race that sits at the centrepiece of the three day Aintree festival, there will only ever be one horse that can lay claim to being “The Greatest” that the famous old course has ever seen.
The Red Rum story is a remarkable one by any sporting standards. His love affair with the Grand National knew no bounds. In 1973 he came from “another parish” to pounce and steal victory on the run-in from Australian wonder horse Crisp. He became a National Hero from that point onwards. He broke the course record that year and the time has only been bettered once since.
Red Rum defended his Grand National title in 1974 with an incredible performance. Under the guidance of Brian Fletcher, he pretty much cruised around Aintree as if he owned the joint. He won the race with a swagger and poise that hasn’t been seen since. It was also an outstanding weight carrying performance. Red Rum was top weight in 1974. No horse carrying top weight has won it since.
In the 1975 & 1975 Grand National’s Red Rum was a gallant second. Firstly running a previous Gold Cup winner L’escargot close and then finishing runner up to the well handicapped Rag Trade.
By the time of the 1977 Grand National surely the passing of the years would diminish the chances of another Aintree ” day to remember” for Red Rum. Despite carrying another welter burden and being now aged 12, he put in yet another display of near faultless jumping over the toughest of fences and delivered another emphatic Grand National success. The only horse to win the race three times.
The courage of the horse is highlighted by the fact that he was engaged to run in the Grand National in 1978, but withdrew on the eve of the race due to a minor injury.
If the romantic notion of a horse who was housed in a stable behind a used car showroom in Southport, isn’t enough to convince you of Red Rum’s place in the pantheon of sporting greats then consider this.
If it wasn’t for Red Rum, then the Grand National as a sporting spectacle beyond compare, would probably not exist.
Red Rum and his loveable and outrageous trainer Ginger McCain began writing folklore history at the very same time that the world’s greatest race was under real threat of losing its Aintree home. The owners of the course in the mid 70’s were The Walton Group, property developers who outlined various proposals for Aintree, none of which would have allowed the Grand National to continue.
Red Rum became the popular galvanising force that made ordinary people take notice of this once a year event again. He was the horse and the story that put the Grand National back on the front pages of the world’s newspapers.
When we remember this year as the fortieth anniversary of Red Rum’s third and final Grand National victory we need also to think back ten years earlier, April 7th 1967. It was the horse’s first ever Aintree appearance, as a two year old in a five furlong flat race. Red Rum was never known for his flat racing pedigree, but this was the day he fell in love with this very special racecourse. He dead-heated for first place.
Red Rum’s record and his place in history means that he really is “The Greatest Horse of Aintree”
For more information about Randox Horse Tales please contact Randox PR on 028 9445 1016 or email RandoxPR@randox.com
AP McCoy unveils 2017 Randox Health Grand National trophy at Weights Event
It stands at 45 centimetres tall, is solid silver gilded with gold, and depicts horses galloping through strands of DNA – and in just over 50 days will be presented to the winner of the 2017 Randox Health Grand National.
The sought-after trophy was unveiled by Dr Peter FitzGerald, founder of Randox, and 20-time Champion Jockey Sir Anthony McCoy at the annual Weights Reception, held this year in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The Northern Irish sporting legend won the Grand National in 2010 and has now joined Randox Health as a brand ambassador.
Dr. Peter FitzGerald, Founder and Managing Director of Randox Health, said,
“To win the Grand National is one of the crowning achievements in sport and in this our first year of sponsorship, we sought to commission a trophy which would complement this tremendous success. I am delighted with the result, as the trophy captures the heart of both the race and Randox – in the speed of the horses and the strands of DNA. I look forward to the moment this trophy is presented to the winner of the 2017 Randox Health Grand National and wish everyone taking part the very best.
“As sponsor we sought to further recognise the achievements of the winning team, which will join a cast of legends. This year for the first time and for every year of our partnership, the trainer, jockey and groom will receive a scale representation of the trophy, as we pay tribute to the teamwork that goes into achieving such monumental success.”
As the trophy was unveiled on stage in the V&A its designer, Silversmith Shannon O’Neill, explained to the audience the thinking behind her design and the work involved in creating such an iconic piece of art.
“As an artist, you search for that foothold of inspiration in every commission. With Randox, that came immediately. I wanted to depict the pursuit of glory in the race with the pursuit of health. For me, nothing is more positive than encouraging people to take control of their lives in order to achieve greatness – in whatever field they choose.
“Months of hard work have gone in to designing and creating the piece of art that will this year become the trophy awarded to the first ever winner of the Randox Health Grand National. I look forward to seeing this trophy put into the hands of the victor!”
The official reveal of the trophy has come after a number of weeks of teaser images released to the public, following its hallmarking at the Goldsmith’s Assay Office in London on the 24th January.
Guests were also given an exclusive viewing of Randox’s virtual reality film which stars Sir Anthony McCoy and reveals what goes on inside a Randox Health clinic, including a look at its revolutionary ‘Evolution’ blood screening machine.
The full virtual reality video will be displayed at the Randox Health Grand National on Thursday 6th April.
Randox are rolling out additional clinics across the country including in Liverpool and Manchester, and internationally including Dubai and in the USA.
For more information about Randox Health please contact Nicola McHugh or Amy McIlwaine in the Randox PR team by emailing randoxpr@randox.com or phone 028 9442 2413
20-time Champion Jockey Sir Anthony McCoy partners with Grand National sponsor Randox Health for new campaign to transform the health of the nation
In advance of the highly anticipated Randox Health Grand National 2017, the race’s new sponsor is launching a nation-wide campaign to encourage people to take control of their health and wellbeing, with the help of legendary jockey AP McCoy.
Global healthcare company Randox Health is offering one lucky winner the chance to join AP on its elite team of brand ambassadors, which also includes Olympic Sailor Matt McGovern. The winner of the competition will receive the world’s most advanced personalised health check – the Randox Health Signature Programme, as well as tickets to the Randox Health Grand National 2018, and an iPad Pro.
Via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, entrants have to submit a photograph and accompanying text to tell the world’s greatest jockey why they want to #FeelLikeAP and enjoy a healthier future.
AP McCoy has encouraged others to start thinking about their health and commented;
“I’m delighted to be involved with such a positive campaign, asking people to think about their health and why it is so important to them, and to take preventive action to secure it. The information I got from my Randox Health check showed I was on the path to getting diabetes and needed to address low calcium levels and malnutrition among other things which could – if left untreated – have been big problems. But I can take action now to prevent this.
“Some people may be inclined to wait until you feel ill before going to the doctor but it’s better to do what you can to prevent it from happening, if you can.”
Dr. Peter FitzGerald, Founder and Managing Director of Randox Health, launched the new health campaign by saying;
“AP McCoy has a special place in the hearts of millions of people across the world – those who shared his passion and were inspired by his commitment and drive. By spreading the Randox message of preventive health, he is giving back to those supporters by giving them the tools to live not just a long life but a healthy one too.
“Right across society, too many people suffer from preventable illnesses, and almost a quarter of all deaths under 75 in the UK are avoidable. The solution is to reduce the risk of becoming ill and we achieve that through preventive health. It’s no longer enough sto say you’re healthy today. The diagnostics exist and are being used in our Randox Health clinics to tell you how to be healthy in the future as well.
“This is not just a competition we are launching with AP, but a nationwide campaign which I hope will create a sea-change in how we view our health.”
To enter the #FeelLikeAP competition and be in with a chance to join AP as a Randox Health brand ambassador, win a Randox Health Signature Programme, 2 tickets to the Randox Health Grand National 2017, and an iPad Pro, you must:
- follow Randox Health on either Facebook, Instagram or Twitter
- upload a photo
- tell AP and Randox Health why your future health matters to you. Don’t forget to include the hashtag #FeelLikeAP.
More information about the #FeelLikeAP competition visit http://www.randox.com/feel-like-ap-mccoy/
For more information about Randox Health please contact Nicola McHugh or Amy McIlwaine in the Randox PR team by emailing randoxpr@randox.com or phone 028 9442 2413
Horse-racingās most successful jockey AP McCoy joins Grand National sponsor Randox Health
In time for the return of the highly anticipated jump season, Randox Health, the new sponsor of the Grand National has unveiled the 20-time Champion Jump Jockey Sir Anthony McCoy as its brand ambassador. It signals a new era of sponsorship for the racing industry and is an active move to promote a healthier and more positive lifestyle for jockeys and fans alike.
Randox is a world leader in the promotion of effective preventive care and long-term wellbeing. The global diagnostics company, the new sponsor of the Randox Health Grand National and the Official Healthcare Partner of The Jockey Club, is opening healthcare clinics across the UK, Ireland, US and Middle East which will revolutionise healthcare through the use of its patented biochip array technology.
Using a comprehensive range of blood tests and biochip arrays, Randox enables early and accurate diagnosis of a wide range of clinical conditions and can carry out risk assessments on longer term threats including Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Sir Anthony McCoy commented;
“My days of competitive horse racing might be behind me, but I’ve no intention of slowing down. I always try and enjoy life to the full, and staying healthy is key to that. You’re happiest when you’re healthy, and that’s why I’m delighted to be an ambassador for Randox Health. They’re leading the field in preventive healthcare and can give you an entire breakdown on not only how healthy you are now, but also on future risks and how best to maintain your health.”
Randox founder Dr Peter FitzGerald welcomed the announcement;
“AP McCoy didn’t leave any aspect of his racing career to guesswork and he is making sure the next stage of his life is no different. He is recognised around the world as an incredible sportsman who pushed his body to its limits during his career. I am delighted now that he is working with Randox Health to ensure not only that he stays healthy, but that his fans do too. Our goal is to transform global healthcare – it’s not enough to achieve long life on its own, we must strive for long health too. Given the choice, few people will leave that to chance. By joining forces with the world’s most popular jockey and the world’s most popular horse-race, we believe we can share that message and improve people’s health across the world.”
One of the central pillars of the partnership between AP McCoy and Dr FitzGerald is a shared love of horses. Randox has worked for over 20 years with the equine industry in delivering products to ensure the health and well-being of endurance racehorses. The complete equine health programme includes tests that minimise the risk of injury to horses by measuring the impact of training. Randox has worked with the Irish Equine Centre and 15-times National Hunt Champion, Martin Pipe.
Randox Health Clinics are currently located in London and Belfast, with ambitious plans to roll out a number of new centres across the UK and internationally including in LA and Dubai. Using the latest blood science technology, Randox’s scientists analyse over 350 different indicators of your body’s wellbeing across a range of different areas including cancer surveillance, fertility, heart, nutritional, digestive and diabetes health. Not only do you find out how healthy you are now, but you are also empowered with the knowledge of how you can stay healthy for years to come.
For more information contact the Randox PR team on 028 9445 1016 or email nicola.mchugh@randox.com or amy.mcilwaine@randox.com.
