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What made me think she was was the fact that – until this year it would now appear – the race was always open to amateur riders (either as well as or instead of conditionals), I think with the intention of giving whichever fully fledged professionals had been involved in the National all the time they needed for post-race interviews and the like.
The Post archive gives the following as the race after National for the years from 1988 onwards:
1988-96: 2m4f AR/CJ novices’ handicap chase
1997: nothing (rescheduled National)
1998: 2m4f AR/CJ novices’ handicap chase
1999-2003: 3m1f novice hunter chase
2004-06: 2m4f AR novices’ handicap chase
2007-08: 2m4f AR/CJ novices’ handicap chase
2009-15: 2m AR/CJ handicap hurdleI did say that I haven’t yet seen the race programme for Aintree this year, so this change to conditionals-only – which of course does now exclude Ms P – was entirely news to me, and disappointing news at that.
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
I can now confirm that the handicap hurdle at Aintree can be contested by BOTH conditionals and amateurs. This is part of the reason for the swift u-turn by the BHA which will allow Sam Waley-Cohen and Nina Carberry to ride in the National.
Whether VP has any longing to ride in a hurdle or a horse to ride are unconfirmed.
…….surely a banker for next year!
How did that go off at 16-1?
....and you've got to look a long way back for anything else.
Would Pasha De Polder have been a double Foxhunters winner with that jockey on last year?
Raymo, I had Victoria Pendleton to win last year (I think before being given the Pacha ride), and actually had a few quid on. It was agonising to watch as he was clearly a winner that got away.
I didn’t forget though, and bet Pacha Ante-Post this year (put up on here beforehand). The only sting in the tail was he was available at 22’s during the day yesterday. Didn’t quite get it, and to answer your question, I’ve no idea how he managed to go off 16’s, I thought he should be fav. Did I put my money where my mouth was, and top up at the 22’s……..no I bloody didn’t
Not the best ride from Katie Walsh in my opinion. Didn’t have a bean on it but leaving yourself that amount of ground to make up…..
Pulled this up as there’s an interesting profile/interview published today in which her exploits at Cheltenham feature in a couple of places.
I enjoyed following Victoria Pendleton’s progress, and am really pleased to hear that it was such a positive experience for her.
Was concerned this might be being mentioned again now as she was reporting a negative experience of learning a new skill intensively, similar to what some of the former contestants on Strictly Come Dancing have been doing recently.
She did a great job and I’m glad she looks back on it fondly.
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