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It’s become just another long-distance handicap chase, albeit one with lots of coverage.
When I was a child, I would be getting butterflies in my stomach in the days leading up to the event. I was truly encapsulated by the awe and magic which surrounded it. It honestly felt magical, almost unworldly if you will. For me, it was so much bigger than anything at Cheltenham, Kempton, Ascot or Epsom all rolled together.
Then I grew hairs and perspective which slowly enhanced my appreciation for Cheltenham at the cost of the Grand National. But the National still held something special for me. Indeed, the 2001 renewal is still in my top five favourite races of all time.
The death toll during this millennia really eroded my love for the race to the point where I would have been indifferent to its passing if it wasn’t going to revert to better respected fences (firmly in the "speed kills" camp).
Now, with the modifications, it’s undeserving of its name and legacy. At the upcoming Aintree festival, there are likely to be at least seven races that pique my interest before I pay attention to that long distance handicap chase.
It’s still unique. I’d like to see fewer runners, wouldn’t detract from the race if only 30 lined up IMO and would reduce the traffic and improve sighting at fences. But I’ll still have butterflies in my stomach in the minutes before the off as the runners circle at the start.
I completely agree with BH. As a kid, it was one of the highlights of the sporting year, but now I watch it through my fingers with gritted teeth in the hope that there’s not too much carnage. I’m a sucker for a great back story though, like Mon Mome, or AP winning his first, but if one of the boring fancied horses wins, which generally happens these days, I go "meh" and go get a cup of tea……
Still wouldn’t want to miss it though. It IS the Grand National!
Its one of the few meetings I still attend but every year it gets more uncomfortable both because of the fear of fatalities, but increasingly due to the ""once a year drink as much as you can"" brigade, who enjoy nothing better than cheering when a horse falls.
My heart sinks every year seeing these idiots. and walking through the sea of their discarded beer glasses strewn all over the floor.
Voted ‘the same as always’ i.e not particularly
To quote Alan Potts, or was it Clive Holt? "I’m usually at Hereford on Grand National day" spiritually in my case though not any more, alas
Now, with the modifications, it’s undeserving of its name and legacy. At the upcoming Aintree festival, there are likely to be at least seven races that pique my interest before I pay attention to that long distance handicap chase.
And isn’t that the dichotomy of the race?
If we’d have stuck to the old fences we would have still got the thrill of a tough race, but (we are told) with the increased likelihood of death and mayhem which is obviously more and more unacceptable in this day and age.
So we have gone down the path of emasculating the race on safety grounds which leads to accusations of it being underserving of it’s name and legacy as BH says or just another long-distance handicap chase as Gladiateur points out.
I still enjoy the race but not as much as in the past. However, everything was better in our youth wasn’t it?
Mike
but if one of the boring fancied horses wins, which generally happens these days, I go "meh" and go get a cup of tea…
Last five winners:
66-1
33-1
14-1
10-1
100-1Mike
I’m not really bothered about all the rule changes, it is still an institution and I for one get very excited for it and the challenge of picking the winner. It’s what racing’s all about for me.
I voted for ‘Less than previously’ …
But then I have strong mixed feelings about the race. I might get shot at for this but I always felt that the edge of the race was blunted when Becher’s Brook was modified. That said, I did back Dark Ivy in 1987 and I was deeply gutted when he lost his life at the same fence.
I never miss the Grand National and I still get butterflies shortly before the start though not as strong in recent years.
For me, the Grand National always has the powerful spirit of Red Rum surrounding it. No matter how many fairytale endings or tragic heroes come out of it, the sheer thought of Red Rum setting the unreachable standard of three memorable wins (and two gallant seconds) when the course was at its most formidable is at the core of the race.
The race that, over the years has brought more people to the sport than any other. Maybe a victim of it’s own popularity in this age of the media in that everyone now knows of the downside to it [when I was a child I didn’t know that horses died]. Still the only day in the year when non racing friends want to talk racing with me [except when they want to talk about frocks and hats at Royal Ascot].
That’s a good point Moehat. My workmates know I’m a racing fan and always ask me who’s going to win the National. I don’t think I’ve ever got it right
And if it’s a working day, it’s the one day of the year apart from the Wimbledon final when it’s "ok" to be back late from your break because you didn’t want to miss the finish
Annoying for my family but on the day I often repeat "as they come to the last fence in the national" in a Peter O’Sullivan voice.
Growing up, national day was magical and have never lost that feeling though Clare Balding and Rishi are knocking this out of me.
I still get the lump in the throat listening to O’Sullivan on YouTube and especially around Red Rum’s era.I still enjoy the race and with the likes of long run in it this year you could argue it one of the best of recent years,will be interesting if they take as steady as last year early on but one things for sure is I’m not convinced that making the fences softer makes it a safer race.
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