Randox Health to become headline partner of the Grand National Festival

Global healthcare company Randox Health will become the new Official Partner of the world's greatest steeplechase, the Grand National, and the three-day Grand National Festival staged at Aintree Racecourse, in a five-year deal starting after next month's 169th running, Jockey Club Racecourses announced today.

Randox Health is a world leader in healthcare diagnostics; today 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.

Offering the world's most advanced preventative health screening in their clinics, currently in London and Belfast, Randox Health plans to roll out clinics nationally and internationally over the next twelve months, including in Liverpool, Manchester, Edinburgh and Dublin. The Randox Health checks aim to prevent illness and enhance wellbeing by running hundreds of tests from one simple patient sample.

Founded in 1982 in County Antrim by leading medical scientist and keen horseman, Dr. Peter FitzGerald CBE, Randox Health is dedicated to improving health and enhancing lives, worldwide. To achieve their goals the company is committed to an extensive research programme, investing more than £220m since 1992.

The company currently employs more than 1,400 people of forty-four different nationalities.

This research has also led to the establishment of a number of successful subsidiary companies supporting forensic toxicology, food safety and veterinary care, as well as leading developments within the pharmaceutical industry.

With around 9 million people tuning in each year in the UK, the £1-million Grand National currently attracts one of the largest live TV audiences in sport and Channel 4's largest audience of the year. From 2017, the first year with new partner Randox Health, the race will be broadcast on ITV. Worldwide the event attracts an estimated television audience of around 600 million, with more than 150,000 people enjoying the action live from Aintree Racecourse in Merseyside over the course of the three-day racing festival.

Randox Health also becomes the Official Healthcare Partner of The Jockey Club. Founded in 1750 and today British Racing's largest commercial group, The Jockey Club runs many of the sport's most iconic assets which, as well as the Grand National Festival, include the Cheltenham Festival, the Investec Derby Festival and the National Stud, with all profits going back into the sport thanks to being a company incorporated by Royal Charter.

Crabbie's, Title Partner for the 2016 Grand National Festival being held between April 7th and 9th and the previous two runnings, will retain its association with the Jump Racing spectacular, moving from 2017 to become sponsors of 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, which 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".