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can you remember many of your bets/winners and which one was your best bet?
In early 1990 I’d had a winning bet one Saturday – can’t remember the horse – and as a 20 year old was spending my winnings in the local boozer with a bunch of mates.
The landlord, who was a dodgy character and apparently a big gambler but didn’t really follow the horses, started talking to me about the game and asked me for a tip.
I have no idea why to this day but I started rambling on endlessly about Mr Frisk ante-post for the National (I’d noticed that day that he was 40/1 at the time) . "Up with the pace so will avoid trouble, looks sure to stay, jumps an wil love the likely ground etc…" – all the usual rubbish.
Anyhow, being fairly merry I’d forgot all about the conversation untill the Sunday after the race. I went down for a couple of lunch time beers to be told that it was a free bar for me for the whole day.
I’d only had a tenner on the race at 28/1 but the landlord (mad ******) had put £500 on on the Monday after our conversation.
That will always be my favourite memory of the race.
Lee
P.S What ever happened to Uncle Merlin ?
‘Gambling is just an exciting way of making yourself more depressed’ – Simon Barnes
That is a an absolutely classic quote Colonel.
Lee
‘Gambling is just an exciting way of making yourself more depressed’ – Simon Barnes
That is a an absolutely classic quote Colonel.
Lee
I know! I’ve never understood the whole thing about being a good loser! Yeah, be a good loser when you’re playing chase the ace on Boxing Day, but why be philosphical when four [deleted] have turned you over for hard-earned?
I once backed two horses ante post when there were still about 95 horses in the race. They were Maori Venture at 50/1 and The Tsarevitch at 33/1
I was quite pleased with myself when they came home 1st and 2nd on the day.My favourite grand national winner was Mr Frisk, I thought he was an absolute certainty and I couldn’t possibly see any other winner.
A few days before the race the firm I was working at at the time organised a sweep and asked me if I wanted to be involved. I said "Has anyone drawn Mr Frisk?" and I was told they had, so I didn’t enter.
My old man used to ask me to pick 2 to back when I was a kid.
Rhyme and Reason was my first bet…good winner, lol! (actually maybe my interest would have been so diff had he not found a leg at bechers, lol).
Then Seagram, Rough Quest.
Not many winners but remember some of my placed efforts more. Encore En Feu (or whatever it was), Whats Up Boys, Royal Auclair. Actually I reckon I am up in the race not down!
My Grand National Winners are (although I had one or two in the sixties but was not allowed to bet):-
1976 Rag Trade
1977 Red Rum
1984 Hello Dandy
1986 West Tip
1989 Little Polveir
1991 Seagram
1992 Party Politics
1996 Rough Quest
1998 Earth Summit
1999 Bobbyjo
2000 Papillon
2004 Amberleigh House
2005 Hedgehunter
2006 NumbersixvalverdeAlthough my best financial result was on the 1994 race on the runner-up Just So, which I had backed each way at all prices from 50’s down to 28’s.
Remember my father shouting home Anglo listening to a crude radio in a hardware store when I was about 5. Red Alligator was the name that caught my imagination form the Foinavon year and my dad put a bob or two on for me when he won in `68. Serial failure for many years after but remember being pleased with 5th places for the likes of Astbury and Pride of Kentucky.
Next placed horse for me was The Pilgarlic in 1977 and had him onside for subsequent fine if one paced efforts in the race. (main fancy Pengrail fell athe first).Had winners with Corbiere, Maori Venture, Rhyme N Reason. cussed like hell when holding a 66/1 ticket for Esha Ness who was a third choice selection as were Miinnehoma and Royal Athlete ( had spare change on at 66/1). Earth Summit, Papillon and Comply or Die have given me a few bob back since.
I missed Aldiniti
I was doing my military service of life
in soiled underpants
on a park bench
in the red light area
of a country who tried to
claim Paw.Fist
I am slightly
the worse for weather
I may shake the foundations of
your fine opening gambit
but not tonight
oh well it is morning
on God’s day
I shall have a red rum
before getting into
bed and the National pastime
..he’s dented the firstI was on Uncle Merlin that year, Lee..as Hywel Davies said, they had a disagreement at Bechers, he went one way the horse went the other…was he the last American horse to come over for the race?
I was on Uncle Merlin that year, Lee..as Hywel Davies said, they had a disagreement at Bechers, he went one way the horse went the other…was he the last American horse to come over for the race?
Think so; I was on also and thought he was absolutely tanking at the time.
.was he the last American horse to come over for the race?
Not exactly a scoop
that came laterAll the National bets I can remember (I was only 12 in 1999):
1999- Fiddling The Facts
2000- Dark Stranger
2001- Earthmover
2002- Blowing Wind (15-y-o me couldn’t see him losing!), Ad Hoc
2003- You’llneverwalkalone, Amberleigh House
2004- Amberleigh House, Joss Naylor
2005- Clan Royal
2006- Numbersixvalverde, Inca Trail
2007- Point Barrow (AP 10/1)
2008- Comply Or Die (AP 25/1 right before the Eider IIRC, my best National result), Bewley’s Berry (got paid out having backed him e/w with Paddy Power)Don’t think that I’ve had a bet in the race this century but had previously ‘invested’ on an annual basis since the mid-70s. None of my losing bets stick in the memory but highlights were Last Suspect at (I think) 50/1 and Lucius, who I backed in an ante-post double with Captains Wings for the Lincoln, both at 25’s. If memory serves right. Captains Wings was trained by Ron Boss and the Lincoln was run on the round course that year.
Not a bad record PO
There has always been an element of luck and don’t forget over the years there have been far more losses.
Outside of the festival it is my favourite race – I just love the fences, there is something about those spruce fences that looks just right – it’s the only way to describe it.
Indeed before I was seriously into racing it was my favourite race, even above the festival.
Although I always remember watching the racing every Saturday on b&w TV as a child it was always the National, above anything else, that captured my imagination. Grand National day and Cup Final day, with all its build up, were the TV highlights of the year for me. (Although in 1963 they were eclipsed when I was allowed, as a special treat, to stay up and watch The Beatles live on Sunday Night At The London Palladium)
I can remember my mum had something like 10p each way on Team Spirit back in the 60’s and I also remember the woman in my local sweet shop asking me to give her a tip for the grand national as my dad had told her I was quite good/lucky at picking winners.
My advice? Gay Trip, and it hacked up.
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