2011 Grand National – Quotes

Yes, Present M’Lud, or something like that won at Taunton or Exteter. So you’re not backing Denman in the Scottish National then?

The Accordions are still the first ones off my list. . .

2010 GRAND NATIONAL – JOCKEYS’ VERDICT

By Press Association Sport Staff

Tony McCoy (Don’t Push It, first): "If you get enough goes at something and you keep going, once you’re in there you’ve always got a chance. I’m delighted for JP (McManus, owner) as he’s the best supporter this game has ever had and ever will have, and I’m very privileged to ride a Grand National winner in his colours."

Denis O’Regan (Black Apalachi, second): "My fella’s a tremendous horse and he gave me a tremendous feel. He just loves bowling along and loves this place. He was a bit keen early on but once he settled into a lovely rhythm he was fantastic. It’s a pleasure to ride a horse like him round here."

Paul Moloney (State Of Play, third): "It was a serious run from a serious horse who’s been very good to me – and he might win it next year, please God."

Barry Geraghty (Big Fella Thanks, fourth): "That was brilliant. He galloped from end to end, the best ride I’ve ever had round here. But if you can’t have the winner then it’s good to see AP (McCoy) win it."

Sam Twiston-Davies (Hello Bud, fifth): "That was brilliant. The horse has been a real star and has jumped from fence to fence."

David Casey (Snowy Morning, sixth): "He ran super, made a couple of mistakes but jumped great and travelled well."

Nina Carberry (Character Building, seventh): "He couldn’t lay up and the plan was to give him a chance. I thought I had a really great chance of being in the money and in the first three over the Canal Turn, but he got tapped for toe and in the end I just got done for sixth. He ran a great race had it been softer he might have come back to them a bit more. Hopefully he’ll come back next year."

Jason Maguire (Cloudy Lane, eighth): "He was too far out of his ground to get into the race."

Richard Johnson (Tricky Trickster, ninth): "He gave me a good ride. He was just taken off his feet a little bit on the good ground."

Joe Tizzard (Joe Lively, 10th): "He got the trip really well, but he had a lot of weight for a little horse. He ran a blinder."

Davy Russell (Cerium, 11th): "Everything went smashing, but they went a little bit too quick and we couldn’t get the forward position that I wanted. He made a mistake at the fourth-last or fifth-last and that thumped him and any small chance that we had."

Timmy Murphy (Comply Or Die, 12th): "He was grand, he gave me a super ride, but he is getting older and had a lot of weight."

Johnny Farrelly (Piraya, 13th): "He jumped fine, but he didn’t travel well enough between the fences. It was a brilliant experience."

Phillip Enright (Preists Leap, 14th and last): "He missed at the water, but at least we got round."

Andrew McNamara (Ballyholland, pulled up before 28th): "I had a great spin round but he was probably doing a bit too much all the way."

Roger Loughran (Vic Venturi, brought down 20th): "He did well to stand on his feet at the first, but after jumping two or three more he started giving me a great spin. I was following Tony (McCoy) and Tom Scudamore (on Madison Du Berlais) early on. My lad was really travelling and enjoying it but then Davy Condon’s horse (Backstage) made a mistake, unseated him and I went into the back of them. It was unlucky, I really enjoyed it to that point." [ Actually, Backstage BD by the riderless My Will.]

Brian Hughes (Beat The Boys, pulled up 19th): "He wouldn’t take a cut at the fences."

Nick Scholfield (My Will, fell fourth): "We only got as far as two fences before Becher’s on the first circuit."

Niall Madden (Made In Taipan, fell fifth): "We fell too early on in the race."

Wayne Hutchinson (Eric’s Charm, fell first): "I only got as far as halfway over the first."

Tom Molloy (Ollie Magern, pulled up before 29th): "We pulled up before two out, but he ran a great race."

Paul Townend (Arbor Supreme, unseated 15th): "We went at the Chair."

Danny Cook (Pablo Du Charmil, fell second): "We came down at the second – too early."

Tom Scudamore (Madison Du Berlais, fell 19th): "He gave me a great ride. He made one mistake, frightened himself a little bit and dropped his hind legs in the last ditch. I wouldn’t have won, but thought I was going to be in the first six."

Nick Skelton (Niche Market, pulled up 29th): "He just couldn’t go with them on the second circuit – you need a real speed horse – but I had a great time."

Aidan Coleman (Mon Mome, fell 26th): "He was never really travelling and I was never happy."

Tom O’Brien (Dream Alliance, pulled up 24th): "He travelled well early but then never really picked up."

Daryl Jacob (Maljimar, fell 22nd): "He was travelling well, but just got in too close to Becher’s second time round."

Andrew Tinkler (Flintoff, pulled up 21st): "He just didn’t enjoy it."

Wilson Renwick (Royal Rosa, unseated 14th): "They were always going too quick for him, he was always flat out and never happy. I had to ask him stupid questions to try and make lengths at the fences."

Graham Lee (The Package, unseated 19th): "He was never really going and never took to the fences."

Paddy Brennan (Irish Raptor, fell 14th): "He just got in too close and fell."

David England (Ballyfitz, fell 22nd): "He was just unlucky. I guarantee you now that if it is soft ground next year Ballyfitz will be the horse to be on. He wants soft, heavy ground, he was flat out early and was only just getting into the race when he fell."

Tom Siddall (Palypso De Creek, fell 27th): "He was flat to the boards all the way round. Unfortunately the ground just quickened up. He was unlucky to get so far and not complete."

Liam Treadwell (Nozic, unseated 20th): "I was always flat out and the horse didn’t really enjoy it. To be fair he was warming to it when a horse fell in front of me, the result was quite different from last year, but to come back as last year’s winning jockey has been a fantastic experience."

Sean Flanagan (Conna Castle, pulled up 29th): "He was brilliant but he got tired. He doesn’t get four miles and he nodded on landing over Becher’s second time round. After that we were struggling."

Richie McLernon (Can’t Buy Time, unseated eighth): "I’m fine, the horse is fine."

Davy Condon (Backstage, unseated 20th): "I was hampered by a loose horse when in ninth or 10th position."

Christian Williams (Ellerslie George, unseated 23rd): "It wasn’t bad, he jumped well up to then, but we are both all right, that is the main thing."

Oh, I’m rather shocked that you’re taking my word to cross off the Accordions, rather than check them out yourself. (Might be a good idea to exempt Character Building and Beroni from that though.)

Yes, I’ve got another idea. Just about to post it on the 2010 Grand National thread.

I take it you’ve not much luck with Accordion Prodigies

Oh, there are very high class ones, such as Albertas Run – it is just a question of whether they stay 4m+, or in some cases, 3m2f!

WILLIAMS – STATE WILL PLAY IN NATIONAL AGAIN
By Keith Hamer, Press Association Sport

State Of Play is to be prepared for a third crack at the John Smith’s Grand National following a second courageous effort at Aintree on Saturday.

The 10-year-old finished with a flourish to snatch third place and go one better than in 2009.

Now his trainer Evan Williams is already thinking about bringing him back next April.

"He’s fine, he’s grand, but he’s tired. He obviously put a lot into it," said the Llancarfan handler.

"The race was run at such a fast pace. It was a different race to last year. It was quite brutal out there, but he stayed on very well, that was the great thing.

"He was tapped for foot when they out on the second circuit, they quickened and then they quickened again.

"He just kept staying on and it was a brave performance by a very brave horse. He’s going to have a good, long holiday now.

"I did the silly thing and ran him in the Hennessy, so that may have taken the edge off him!

"Perhaps I ought to go there proper fresh with him next year. See if we can go straight there after 12 months. That might be the sensible thing to do!

"Plenty of 11-year-olds have a great record in the race. He’s been fourth and third and perhaps we can get him on the podium again. I think he’s improving with age."

Black Apalachi and Vic Venturi both enjoyed time in the paddock at Dessie Hughes’ stables on Sunday following contrasting fortunes in the National.

Black Apalachi went close to giving the Kildare trainer victory in the race by finishing second to Don’t Push It while Vic Venturi has a small cut after parting company with Roger Loughran at the 20th fence.

"They are fine and have been out in the field this morning," said the Kildare trainer.

"Black Apalachi was brilliant. He ran a terrific race and Denis (O’Regan) has given him a lovely ride.

"Unfortunately he hit the third-last and it took a bit out of him. He lost his position slightly and Denis had to use him up a bit. It took the sting out of him, but he still ran a good race."

"Vic Venturi has got a little bit of a cut, but he’s OK. It’s nothing serious.

"The two of them have finished for the season now. We’ll have to see what Mr Smith (the handicapper) does with them now for next year."

Although I had the radio on, I wasn’t listening. Hurdle race.

Looking at the pedigree, its hard to believe he will stay, isn’t it?

http://www.pedigreequery.com/deutschland2

Oh, I’m still a novice on that matter.

Going the other way, the horse might still be dangerous on the Flat . . .

Yes, the problem with the Melbourne Cup is that the field is filled up first with horses that since August 2008 have come in the first 3 in a G1,2,3 race 2300m+, or won a Listed race 2300m+ or won prize money of $60,000+ in a single race of 2300m+. Deutschland hasn’t done that yet, which I think is the reason they ran him in the Doncaster Cup last year. Because of the owner, I’m fairly sure that if they did achieve it, they’d have a go.