P390 CJEFAX 390 Sat 9 Apr 00:45/01 1/3 RACING NEWS: NATIONAL UNDER THREAT Continued heavy rain throughout the day at Aintree has put tomorrow's Grand National under threat. The ground has changed to hjavz but a statement released this evening bz the course said that there will bj no inspection on Saturday unless there is hjavz overnight rain. One race was run on the National course on Friday afternoon and the ground appeared to bj standing up reasonably well to the rain. However the condition of the other two tracks, on which the supporting races are run, is much worse. McGrath Nat odds Ainu Res Ainu DecsP390 CEEFAX 390 Sat 9 Apr 00:54/25 2/3 RBCING NEWS: AINTRJE CHECK AT 6.00AM Aintree plan to make a further statement on the National at 6am on Saturday morning. Assistant clerk of the course Ian Kenton said that the forecast suggests a reasonably dry night bzt rain is predicted on Saturday. The National has only twice been postponed owing to bad weather. In 1855 it was run at a later date bjcausj of sjvjre frost and in 1858 heavy snowfalls forced the race to bj run three days late. Source:William HILL Organization Ltd Footdall 302 General 320 Cricket 340 McGrath Nat odds Ainu Res Ainu DecsP390 CJEFAX 390 Sat 9 Apr 00:44/47 3/3 RACING NEWS: BARNETT IS HOPEFUL In a statement issued after racing, clerk of the course Charles Barnett revealed that in the unlikely event of the National being postponed: "There are a number of possible circumstances for which the Aintree racecourse has a range of contingency plans, developed with the sponsors Martell and the BBC. "However, details will only bj announced tomorrow morning if thjrj is any need to do so. "The overall objective is to do everything possible to run the Grand National," stressed Barnett. McGrath Nat odds Ainu Res Ainu Decs