THE people of Aintree can be forgiven for being a little blasé about living within a short gallop of one of the greatest sporting events.

In the case of the Grand National, familiarity doesn't breed contempt with the locals, but a continuing amusement and curiosity at the human zoo which descends on the place for three days every April.

Outside of the course itself, the best arenas to people-watch are, of course, the nearby pubs one of the best of which is the Blue Anchor, or the Bluey, as it is more affectionately known.

The Bluey has always held a special place in the hearts of Yours Truly and his twin Our Kev.

It's where we had our first pints as under-age drinkers (we were big lads) over 30 Christmasses ago.

Fuelled up by a reservoir of disgusting Whitbread bitter, rum and blacks and celebratory Castella cigars served by head bar steward Alf ( who proudly wore his brewery blazer like some regimental sergeant major) we shambled back to Chapple Towers to crank up the stereo and rock, Smashie and Nicie style, to You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet.

All those years on and we still regularly pop in there for a pint or five, although mercifully Bachman Turner Overdrive is now a thing of the past.

The Bluey has had its ups and downs in that time, but under the most recent stewardship of Anne and Kenny Houghton it has become increasingly popular and never more so than in Grand National week.

Talking of nationals, the pub was featured last year on national TV as part of brewery Greene King's advertising campaign on Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, which they sponsored.

It couldn't have come at a better time because the pub had just reopened after a massive £500,000 revamp.

The shape of the pub has changed on many occasions in the decades since we first started frequenting it, but the Bluey now seems to be nearing its final and definitive incarnation.

The large back room, ostensibly used for serving food, has been extended to fit in a smokers' gazebo. A 14-foot heated smokers' shelter is also planned for the side of the building so that when the blanket ban on crashing the ash in an enclosed public space is imposed at the start of July, the Bluey will be properly prepared.

The car park has also been extended to cater for the burgeoning family traffic attracted by its growing reputation for serving cheap but quality nosh.

Especially popular, maintains Kenny, are the themed meals.

For £16.95 a head, you can have a three-course meal and be serenaded by a Stars In Your Eyes-style impersonator.

"Rod Stewart, Robbie Williams, Phil Collins . . . they've all played the Bluey," says a wry Kenny.

Personally, I'd rather hack me head off with a teaspoon than endure such torture, but Kenny insists the punters are lapping it up.

This week, they've also been "liking" (to borrow WAG speak) Kenny and Anne's pre-race champagne breakfasts.

These have been completely sold out, with the pub opening its doors at 9am to cater for 150 revellers on both Thursday and Friday, and a whopping 200 today.

"We're going to be completely snowed under - we get people from all over the country, Scotland and Ireland who prefer to come here every year," says the affable co-manager who will have 10 staff behind the bar to cater for today's demand.

He will be so busy that he and Anne will barely have a chance to watch the race itself, although he will sneak out at some stage to place a customary 50 quid wager on the nag of his choice.

"But I haven't decided which one yet," he says.

Whatever it is, there can be only one safe bet on National day.

And that's the Bluey.

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