Aintree drone ban to thwart cheats and drug drops

THE Grand National racecourse at Aintree will become a drone no-go zone from today - to foil punters seeking a live betting boost.

- By Chris Riches

The restricted airspace during the three-day meeting will thwart gamblers wanting to place large in-play bets and hoping to get quicker live feeds than those supplied by official broadcasters.

But it also stops animal rights protesters looking to repeat their 2023 disruption to the famous race by spotting weak points from the air, as well as dealers seeking to fly drugs in and avoid security searches.