Hi Mr K & colleagues - nice to be out of hospital after shoulder operation; will be first live show for over a week tonight. Typinh has hopefully improved a lilttle but I'm still going to be in a sling for several weeks yet.
Anyway, some random National observations:
The top 2 in the weights would both be fantaatic stories if they won (Tidal Bay & Long Run) but they both seem to be past their best to me. Tidal Bay though does seem relatively well in comparing this partcicular handicap to the official ratings
Triolo D'Alene has the stamina & the jumping ability to go well, but a lilltle concerned by how quickly thr others raced away from him late in the Gold Cup
Colbert Station or Double Seven? Which will McCoy ride? I've had a small bet on the latter as I think he's value at the moment, which will disappear if AP chooses him
Balthazar King didn't stay on the decent ground last year, no reason to suggest he will do so on worse ground this time around
Wayward Prince looks a lively outsider, but you're guessing on whether his stamina will hold out
Mr Moonshire - have the same colours ever been by two different winning horses in successive years? If not, it won't be this year either.
Teaforthree has obvious chances but the current price is too skinny. If you faancy him, leave it until early on Saturday when most bookies will be offering some promotional early odds
Battle Group - can't fancy any horse that has failed to finish any of his last three races
Monbeg Dude has obvious claims, which will increase even further if the going is on the softer side
Big Shu - good jumper and with stamina claims, but needs to improve to place in this
Burton Port has the class if you look back far enough; but the ground will be too soft for him
The Rainbow Hunter got impeded and unseated rider last year; decent chances if he gets a clear round but that's a big if
Hawkes Point would have been an interesting contender in nationals of old, but is likely to get outpaced early on and you don't win this from a long way back these days. May plug on for a place though
Pineau De Re has come in for some support in recent days but fall in the Becher Chase over these fences is a concern
Twirling Magnet may be worth a small investment each way if you like a speculative punt at a long price
Lost Glory never looked like he enjoyed it last year and I see no reason why things would be different this time around
One In A Milan represents Evan Williams who has an excellent record in getting horses placed in the race but has only once won a race and it would take some imagination to see him making it two here.
i got up extra early (4 a.m) because my dad gets up at 5
i got his car keys removed his car out of the garden parked it a few
streets down an he didnt notice it was gone till he was about to go to work (8 a.m)
he went mad phoned the police like you do by this time i was on my way to work just got in from work now
and his car was in the garden so i asked him where it was and he said the police found it and it could not of been stolen because it looked fine and it was locked so i told him what i did and he chased me around the house
This leads onto my question for the panel to discuss and give their opinion on... When a horse is put down after a fall/collision, does this not question the ethics of the sport? The National is always high lighted as a race where there is a high fatality rate. Not sure how it compares with others but it often gets a bad press. Have a good show Posted by MAXALLY
I think the National will always receive bad press about cruelty!
but if you look at the horses that fall on Saturday, most will continue to jump fences for fun, even though they have the opportunity to leave the course after every fence.
My local cricket club has had two fatalities in recent years, Where were the protesters? Should cricket be banned? or bowlers forced to bowl underarm because it's such a dangerous sport?
My Question to the team is:-
Do the panel think the additional safety measures started last year, have made the National soft and just a longer distance handicap chase
Or do they think it retains its appeal. If the latter, surely Chance du Roy Has to be better than the 33/1 currently on offer!
Evening all, 2 questions regarding the GRAND NATIONAL.
Firstly for you all, what did you think of the channel 4's coverage last year of the world’s most famous horse race, for me I loved the idea of channel 4 winning the rights to show the race, they deliver week in week out great horse racing coverage. I was worried that they would show other meetings, but this was not the case, and has for me improved as a racing spectacle; the build up to the race with focus of all runners is great too.
Secondly a question for Sean Boyce, with the inclusion of LONG RUN in this year’s race (gold cup and twice king gorge winner) and the forever alterations to the Aintree fences (for health and safety reasons) do you see owners and trainers of many staying superstar horses now trying to win this great race for the future?
On a final note: After the tragedies of four equine fatalities at an attritional Cheltenham Festival last month, jumps racing badly needs a controversy-free National.
In 1985 I was looking in the paper at the horses for the Grand national, my Wife had picked hers, and my 5 yaar old son said he wanted one too, so I said ok and he picked one. I tried pointing out it had no chance but he insisted, so I put I pound each way on Last Suspect for him. Mine is still running
Comments
Anyway, some random National observations:
The top 2 in the weights would both be fantaatic stories if they won (Tidal Bay & Long Run) but they both seem to be past their best to me. Tidal Bay though does seem relatively well in comparing this partcicular handicap to the official ratings
Triolo D'Alene has the stamina & the jumping ability to go well, but a lilltle concerned by how quickly thr others raced away from him late in the Gold Cup
Colbert Station or Double Seven? Which will McCoy ride? I've had a small bet on the latter as I think he's value at the moment, which will disappear if AP chooses him
Balthazar King didn't stay on the decent ground last year, no reason to suggest he will do so on worse ground this time around
Wayward Prince looks a lively outsider, but you're guessing on whether his stamina will hold out
Mr Moonshire - have the same colours ever been by two different winning horses in successive years? If not, it won't be this year either.
Teaforthree has obvious chances but the current price is too skinny. If you faancy him, leave it until early on Saturday when most bookies will be offering some promotional early odds
Battle Group - can't fancy any horse that has failed to finish any of his last three races
Monbeg Dude has obvious claims, which will increase even further if the going is on the softer side
Big Shu - good jumper and with stamina claims, but needs to improve to place in this
Burton Port has the class if you look back far enough; but the ground will be too soft for him
The Rainbow Hunter got impeded and unseated rider last year; decent chances if he gets a clear round but that's a big if
Hawkes Point would have been an interesting contender in nationals of old, but is likely to get outpaced early on and you don't win this from a long way back these days. May plug on for a place though
Pineau De Re has come in for some support in recent days but fall in the Becher Chase over these fences is a concern
Twirling Magnet may be worth a small investment each way if you like a speculative punt at a long price
Lost Glory never looked like he enjoyed it last year and I see no reason why things would be different this time around
One In A Milan represents Evan Williams who has an excellent record in getting horses placed in the race but has only once won a race and it would take some imagination to see him making it two here.
Posted by MAXALLY
Evening all, 2 questions regarding the GRAND NATIONAL.
Firstly for you all, what did you think of the channel 4's coverage last year of the world’s most famous horse race, for me I loved the idea of channel 4 winning the rights to show the race, they deliver week in week out great horse racing coverage. I was worried that they would show other meetings, but this was not the case, and has for me improved as a racing spectacle; the build up to the race with focus of all runners is great too.
Secondly a question for Sean Boyce, with the inclusion of LONG RUN in this year’s race (gold cup and twice king gorge winner) and the forever alterations to the Aintree fences (for health and safety reasons) do you see owners and trainers of many staying superstar horses now trying to win this great race for the future?
On a final note: After the tragedies of four equine fatalities at an attritional Cheltenham Festival last month, jumps racing badly needs a controversy-free National.
Have a great show guy’s.
Looking forward to the show,
in for the last longer please.
Last longer please,
Thanks
Ian
Watching the show until midnight
Good Luck to you and the community
Thanks
POKEY2011
Chris