Increase in Grand National prizemoney Aintree Racecourse today announced that the total prize fund for the 2012 John Smith's Grand National will be a record £975,000 (€1,172,788). This increase of £25,000 on the 2011 total prize fund moves Aintree and Grand National partner John Smith's one step further to realising the ambition of a £1-million Grand National for the richest jump race in Europe. Race conditions, published today for the 2012 John Smith's Grand National, also reveal that prize money for the race extends to horses finishing ninth and 10th, previously covering down to eighth place. Total prize money for the three-day John Smith's Grand National meeting, which starts with Liverpool Day on Thursday, April 12, remains at £2,540,000 (€3,054,674). Despite a reduction in funding from the Horserace Betting Levy Board, further investment from Aintree and John Smith's has maintained the high prize money level. Commenting on this latest milestone for the race, Julian Thick, Aintree's Managing Director, said: "We are delighted that we have again managed to increase the prize fund for Britain's biggest jump race, the John Smith's Grand National, by £25,000. "With the valuable support of our title sponsor John Smith's, we've been able to yet again move one step closer to our goal of achieving a £1-million race in the future." Nigel Pollard, Head of External Communications at John Smith's brand owners, HEINEKEN in the UK, said: "We are delighted that in our eighth year of supporting Britain's biggest jump race and, as Britain's biggest supporter of racing, we have reached another milestone for the John Smith's Grand National with the increase in prize fund and look forward to the 2012 running in just 13 weeks' time." Entries for the 2012 John Smith's Grand National close on Tuesday, January 31 and changes to this year's race conditions include that horses entered must be aged seven or above and been placed first, second, third, or fourth in a chase of three miles or more before March 20, 2012. Weights for the 2012 race will be announced on Tuesday, February 14.
