The Grand National will be shown on the big screen at Alder Hey tomorrow

Alder Hey Children’s Hospital will screen the Randox Grand National for the first time at its MediCinema on Saturday, to allow The Jockey Club’s honorary 35th runner Oliver Christie to watch the race with his family and friends.

Five-year-old Oliver, who lives with a life-limiting condition Congenital Heart Disease, with his main condition Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, was at Alder Hey on Friday, ahead of Ladies Day at the Randox Grand National Festival, for the jockeys’ special annual visit before racing takes place.

Oliver has undergone five open heart surgeries at the Liverpool-based hospital, and he is currently an Alder Hey outpatient after he underwent his fifth open heart surgery operation on March 9th, before being discharged last week.

On Saturday, Oliver, who lives in Liverpool, will be joined by 21 friends and family to watch the Grand National at Alder Hey’s incredible cinema room. The Jockey Club is also sending personalised racecards to the hospital bearing the words: “Oliver Christie’s Grand National Party” and the Racing Post newspaper is sending cupcakes with the silks of each runner on top.

His mother, Amelia Christie – who is a National Sales Executive for The Jockey Club at Aintree, where she has worked since 2019 – said:

“Oliver is really, really excited about watching the Grand National at the MediCinema.

“The cinema is brilliant. It’s so colourful, he loved it when he was an inpatient, so we thought it would be a perfect celebration to come back and watch the Grand National from the MediCinema.

“We’ve got a few little props. We’re bringing some hobby horses, and we’ve got some colouring activities and stickers for some of his friends as well, so it’ll be lovely. A really nice day.

“He had open heart surgery on March 9th and he’s recovered really, really well. It’s just absolutely brilliant that he’s able to be an outpatient and come and watch the Grand National here.

“He loved watching the races at home on Thursday, cheering all the horses on, and he’s so looking forward to watching the Grand National.

“It’s brilliant for him to be the 35th runner, especially with me working for The Jockey Club and the 25 years of The Jockey Club working with Alder Hey.

“The Jockey Club have always been so, so supportive. It’s just brilliant that we can tell our story and tell everyone how amazing Alder Hey is. Hopefully next year Oliver will be able to attend the Grand National at Aintree, once he’s fully healed.

“Oliver rides as well, for the Riding for the Disabled Association, so he absolutely adores horses. Hopefully in three months he will be back on a horse and training for the National.”

Credit: Alder Hey / The Jockey Club Oliver Christie — Credit: Alder Hey / The Jockey Club

To celebrate the milestone anniversary of working with Alder Hey, Aintree selected Oliver as the 35th runner for this year’s race.

Ahead of the Grand National, Oliver has been emulating his saddle star heroes by riding a toy horse called Prince around his house.

One of his favourite jockeys is Patrick Mullins, who recently sent Oliver a letter inviting him to his father’s stables at Clossuton, in County Carlow in Ireland, when Oliver is well enough.

Oliver will be cheering on Patrick’s Grand National ride Grangeclare West in the big race.

Patrick was among several jockeys, including Nico de Boinville, Sean Bowen, Harry Skelton, Sam Twiston-Davies, Henry Brooke, Tristan Durrell, Brian Hughes, and Richie McLernon, who took part in the annual visit at the Alder Hey Children’s Hospital Garden.

Patrick said:

“It’s great to hear Oliver will be watching the National at the MediCinema, and hopefully they can get the buzz and excitement out of watching it that we get out of riding in it.

“We saw Oliver at the Weights Lunch, so I sent him a letter and hopefully they come over. I love coming to Alder Hey, because it doesn’t feel like a hospital. Now I have a toddler at home, you see how important the work here is.”

The 2012 Grand National winning horse Neptune Collonges was also in attendance for the special annual hospital visit on Friday.

Neptune Collonges – who was inducted into the Aintree Hall of Fame last year – put huge smiles on the faces of patients and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital staff members as he posed for pictures as part of the special occasion, organised by The Jockey Club.

Oliver excitedly shouted “the horse is here” when Neptune arrived at Alder Hey and he was the first person to greet the Grand National winner.

He enjoyed patting Neptune, who had silver glitter on his hooves for his big day out, and chatting to jockeys, including Patrick and Nico.

Oliver’s mum Amelia said:

“Oliver loved meeting Neptune and feeding him a Polo. To see him and his friend Annie both go up to such a legendary horse was so lovely.”

Jockey Nico de Boinville said:

“Oliver seemed very happy. It’s a fantastic concept that he can watch the Grand National at the cinema here.

“We’re doing a very small bit for these kids and parents by being here. It’s very good for us as well. Alder Hey do a fantastic job and they really are a beacon up here. I think if you’ve got children as well it brings it home to you.”

Jockeys handed out goggles and a horse toy to Oliver and other patients, who were also given a Creme Egg treat.

Sam Twiston-Davies said:

“It’s fantastic to see what Neptune does, putting smiles on their faces. It adds something a little bit special about the three days of Aintree.

“We live in a little bubble in the racing world, and when you come here it reminds you there is so much going on in the world.”

Sean Bowen added:

“It’s the least we can do to come here. Hopefully Neptune being here has brightened up their day.”

Oliver will be watching the Grand National with his fellow Alder Hey Heart Warrior – children who are treated for Congenital Heart Defects (CHD) – Annie Howcroft, four, from Lytham St Annes, near Blackpool.

One of the youngest patients to meet Neptune Collonges was 11-month-old Matteo, who was born with a cardiac condition and first came to Alder Hey when he was just two days old. Matteo underwent open heart surgery last week, and he is now in the recovery stage.

His mum, Gemma Bevan, 38, from the Wirral, said:

“He’s never seen a horse before, so he was a bit taken aback. The horse bent his head towards him.

“It’s lovely that the horse and the jockeys have come here. They are amazing people at Alder Hey, I can’t put it into words how amazing this place is.”

Alder Hey patient Arabella Moon, 10, from Halewood, Merseyside, also loved meeting the legendary horse, who was hungry for Polos.

She said:

“It was fun patting the horse. He kept trying to see if I had any Polos. I gave him a couple.

“He looks just like my toy horse Earl. We like to do races around the ward here, and the nurses do jumps on him. It’s really fun.”