Gaming provider Inspired Entertainment has been chosen by UK Jockey Club for a sixth consecutive year to produce the Virtual Grand National (VGN) race and Virtual Grand National Race of Champions, the company reported on Tuesday.
The virtual races are set to “kick off the excitement” of the 2022 Grand National Festival, which is slated for next Saturday, April 9. The horse race, held at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England, is the most valuable jump race in Europe and a landmark event for British culture, as well as the biggest betting day of the year for the UK industry.
Inspired Entertainment’s two races, developed in conjunction with Carm Productions, will be taking place the day before the Grand National, on April 8. The virtual competitions are set “to delight viewers before one of the most famous races of all time,” according to a press release.
The Virtual Grand National brings to life the actual 40 horses and riders, in an attempt to predict the outcome of the 2022 Grand National, explains the company. Meanwhile, The Virtual Grand National Race of Champions tests previous winners and other legendary horses as they run against each other.
The Virtual Grand National is back for 2022!
Make sure to tune in on Friday 8th April at 9:15pm on @ITV4 to see your favourite jockeys in action. #VGN22 pic.twitter.com/kmoGfgB8tp
— The Virtual Grand National 2022 (@TheVirtualGN) March 28, 2022
Arkle, an Irish Grand National, three-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner and one of the greatest steeplechasers in horse racing history, will make his debut in Inspired’s Virtual Grand National Race of Champions, the gaming provider says. Arkle will join National Hunt legends such as Desert Orchid, Dawn Run, Tiger Roll, and Kauto Star as they compete against twenty Grand National winners, led by the legendary Red Rum.
“I’m delighted to announce the return of Inspired’s Virtual Grand National races as a curtain-raiser for one of the world’s greatest horse races,” said Brooks Pierce, President and Chief Operating Officer of Inspired. “We have gained worldwide recognition for our virtual events, and the Virtual Grand National races are truly a unique product.”
The executive further expressed hopes that, once again, Inspired’s virtual races will add “a compelling experience” to its customers’ retail and digital channels, in advance of the year’s “highest-profile horse race.”
“The technology we use to produce the Virtual Grand National races is a unique predictive offering that can be applied to many other sports events,” said Steve Rogers, Chief Commercial Officer, Virtual Sports for Inspired.
Inspired’s software uses a vast array of data points, including historical performance of participants, to make predictions about who will win the 2022 Grand National, which is widely considered to be one of the most unpredictable events in the world, according to Rogers.
“We are delighted to be working with Inspired on the Virtual Grand National races for a sixth consecutive year,” said Carm Productions’ Rob McLoughlin, OBE, who devised the TV format for UK and international broadcasters. “The realism and quality of graphics in Inspired’s Virtual Grand National races deliver a premium experience.”
Inspired’s Virtual Grand National special will be broadcasted on ITV4 Friday, April 8th, 2022, at 9:15 pm (GMT) and again on April 9th at 1:00pm (GMT). “I have no doubt that viewers will be thrilled with the opportunity to watch Arkle make his debut in the Virtual Grand National Race of Champions,” added McLoughlin.