John Smith´s To Sponsor The Grand National Aintree Racecourse announced today (Tuesday, November 9) that the UK´s number 1 selling ale, John Smith´s, is to sponsor the Grand National meeting in a new three-year multi-million pound title sponsorship agreement. The very first John Smith´s Grand National meeting will take place on Thursday 7th - Saturday 9th April 2005. John Smith´s, the Scottish & Newcastle owned brand, will add the Grand National meeting, one of the ´Crown Jewels´ in the British sporting calendar to its current portfolio of sponsorships within British horseracing. The Grand National race itself will become The John Smith´s Grand National for the duration of the sponsorship agreement, 2005 - 2007 (inclusive), with an option to extend for a further three years. Announcing the new sponsorship agreement, Managing Director of Aintree Racecourse, Charles Barnett said: 'We are thrilled to have forged a relationship with such a powerful brand as John Smith´s and are extremely excited about the prospect of working together to take the event to new levels over the next three years.
