They’re off! English fizz gallops ahead of champagne at Aintree

ENGLISH sparkling wine is set to oust champagne from the winner’s enclosure at this year’s Grand National for the first time in the race’s 180-year history.

As the three-day festival at Liverpool’s Aintree racecourse kicks off today, the fizz will be offered to winning owners and trainers as part of an agreement between The Jockey Club and winemaker Coates &

Seely. It is victory once again for homegrown bubbly English winemakers who enjoyed an 89 per cent increase in sales in the five years to 2017.

Hampshire-based Coates & Seely has also been given ‘pouring rights’ as the only English sparkling wine supplier for 14 of The Jockey Club’s 1 racecourses, including Epsom Downs and Newmarket. The only exception is Cheltenham which already has a deal with winemaker Nyetimber. Nicholas Coates and Christian Seely, co-founders of Coates & Seely, said: ‘We are delighted to have been appointed an Official Partner by The Jockey Club.’

Paul Fisher, the chief executive of Jockey Club Racecourses, added: ‘We look to support British producers on our menus and wine lists wherever we can and I’m sure our racegoers will be impressed with this sparkling wine.’