Corporate entertainment may be the inevitable accompaniment of present-day race night events, but the Grand National on Saturday showed that even the privileged may be forced to suffer some of the indignities borne so stoically by Joe Public. Almost 70,000 people crammed into the archaic racecourse just up the road from Liverpool town centre, and most must have been appalled by the abject misery of facilities offered for a minimum £15 per head in the enclosures. Heads were about all you could see in most places, unless you were seven feet tall. The alternatives were to pay £27.50 for a ‘place’ – no seat guaranteed – in the County Stand or, for £50, a more definite spot on the roof of the race night venue. Other vantage points at more competitive rates give only a fragmental view of proceedings, especially the thrills and spills of the race night itself. Firms, clubs and race night enthusiasts, bent on enjoying ‘a good day out’ have latched on to British Rail’s race night package. At only £85, it obviously doesn’t include admission to the actual race night itself, but it does include breakfast, dinner and transfers to the racecourse. Two and a half hours from Euston to Liverpool is pretty good, but it was here that me and my friends were to experience the vicissitudes of life. The convoy of buses set off in dilatory fashion from Lime Street, but still reached the entrance to the race night around midday. However, what we did not know was that Liverpool’s trusty police force did not sanction any disembarkation before the official coach park, which happened to be in the middle of the Grand National course, about six furlongs from the stands. This part of the journey took a further 45 minutes.