Des and 'the day the nation goes racing' - how Grand National coverage changed the face of sports broadcasting

There must be plenty of racing fans whose introduction to the Grand National was accompanied by Carl Davies's score to the film Champions, and who thus greatly appreciate ITV's reverential use of the theme for its own coverage. 

The way we consume televised sport now across a multitude of channels and events owes a great deal to the BBC's pioneering coverage of the National, which lead presenter Des Lynam would introduce as "the day the nation goes racing".

Aintree was one of the rare venues for which the corporation's regular Saturday afternoon Grandstand programme would leave Shepherd's Bush and go on the road. Big Wembley or Hampden Park occasions such as cup finals or the home internationals were anchored from a studio in the stadium, and the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race was arguably the only other show presented 'in the wild'.