Liverpool-born DJ Craig Charles says he is looking forward to playing a “really special” set when the Grand National festival returns to Aintree Racecourse this week.
The Red Dwarf actor is set to perform a live DJ set on the Red Rum Lawn on Ladies Day (April 8). The set, which is one of Craig’s first major gigs since the ending of lockdown, will be filled with “feelgood” music.
The Grand National Festival returns this week, from Thursday, April 7, welcoming racegoers again for the first time since 2019. Scouser Craig is struggling to hide his excitement in the run up to the major event.
READ MORE: Aintree couple look ahead to spectators return to Grand National
He said: “I’m really looking forward to it. I love Aintree and it will be great to see a full crowd back. I played a couple of racecourses during lockdown where the crowds were socially distanced and limited so it was just weird.
“I don’t think I’ve played Aintree before. I’ve played Doncaster, Sedgefield and Newcastle and places like that – so to play in front of a home crowd will be really special. It’s like going home for me. We’re doing the Camp and Furness on Saturday night too so it will be loads of fun.
“I’ve played a couple of big clubs since the restrictions were lifted but this one will be one with a real sense of occasion and the first I’ve played since lockdown has been over. I’m going to be playing lots of feelgood music, lots of Funk and Soul and Disco and just trying to get as many ‘hands in the air’ moments as possible.
“It’s going to be a real mix but lots of good time party tunes. I play a lot of golden era black American music, but I’ve remixed it for a modern dancefloor, so a lot of it will be tunes you know but in a way you haven’t heard before.
“There’s nothing quite like Ladies Day. A mate of mine in Bloc Party has just brought out a single called ‘The girls are fighting the boys, the boys can’t cope’ - which I might play on the day for a bit of a laugh. There’s nothing quite like Ladies Day. I’ve been there before and it’s just the best. You’ve got high heels and fake tan and hats and the fashion – I just hope the weather is alright!
“In nice weather, it’s a glorious day and it’s just nice to see people on the cocktails and the champagne and just having a nice time. Ladies Day is one of those days that brings everyone together. Even if you’re not that into the racing or the betting there’s still plenty for you to enjoy.”
Having grown up in different parts of the city during his formative years, Craig has vivid memories of the Grand National. He explained that he shares Liverpool’s collective sense of pride in the event.
He added: “It was one of those things that put my city on the map. You had The Beatles and the Grand National and growing up it was one of those times where the focus was firmly on Liverpool, so you grow to be very proud of it.
“Everyone is coming to Liverpool and talking about the place. Being a proud scouser it’s one of those things that makes you proud to be from the city. Liverpool is such a welcoming city and I think in the 80s it got a bit of a bad rep really. I think we’ve come out of that now, especially with the regeneration of the city.
“There’s so many people who come to me and say: ‘I love a night out in Liverpool.’ There’s some great clubs and restaurants and the people just want to have fun, so they welcome you with open arms.
“It’s always nice to see the occasion we can put on. We’ll put on an occasion and make people think: ‘Wow, scousers know how to do it.’ So, the Grand National is just something that makes us proud of the city.”
Craig says he isn’t much of a racing fan but revealed that the betting side of the sport played its own role in his family’s life when he was younger. He said: “We used to live on Cantril Farm and the first house which the family bought on Claremont Road in Wavertree was paid for by the racing.
“My dad landed three Yankees and a Canadian – I don’t know what that means! – but I’ll always remember my mum telling us that and he’d won the money for a deposit on our first self-owned home, so I suppose racing has been quite good to me really.”
While Craig won’t be offering any tips for Saturday’s big race he did reveal that he has a good source within the family when it comes to picking the winner of the Grand National. He said: “I haven’t any fancies yet, but I’m eagerly awaiting my source’s tip. My wife is from Galway and her brother Hughie is like a horse whisperer. He’s given me loads over the years and I’ll get that in the next few days. I’ll stick £20 each-way on it and we’ll see!”
This weekend promises to be a huge weekend of sport for the city, with Everton facing Manchester United at Goodison earlier in the afternoon on Saturday and Liverpool heading to the Etihad for a likely title decider on Sunday against Manchester City.
Craig is a self-confessed Reds fanatic and has admitted that he is nervous ahead of the big game. He added: “I’m so nervous! I won’t be watching it as I just can’t, but I’ll be able to watch it on Match of the Day if we can win. If I watch it, I think I’d have a heart attack.
“Sometimes football isn’t fun and when it gets like that it’s just too nerve wracking for me. I watch behind the couch with my fingers over my eyes! I’m just praying for a good result. if we can pull it off, you’d think the league is ours and we’ve just done so well to bring that gap back.
“This City team is one of the best to ever play in the Premier League, as are Liverpool, and it’s just unfortunate that they’re around at the same time. It’s unfortunate for both of us but it does make it interesting.
“I think it’s Liverpool’s right to be the first team to win the quadruple – forget Man United – we were the team that used to dominate. It’s all cyclical and it just feels like Liverpool’s time, so if we can grab it and become the first team to ever win the quadruple it would be fantastic. It’s just going to be a fabulous weekend of sport for the city.”
Tickets for the Randox Grand National Festival are still available here.
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