Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Day 2:
1.45 Langer Dan (nb)
2.20 Jonbon
2.55 Bravemansgame
3.30 Hitman (nap)
4.05 Mac Tottie and Killer Clown
4.40 Banbridge
5.15 Whizz KidThanks BigG!
1.45 War Lord
2.20 Pied Piper
2.55 Conflated (NB)
3.30 McFabulous
4.05 Jett (Nap)
4.40 Gunsight Ridge
5.15 Lady ExcaliburRelieved I backed Farclas NRNB – glad I now have the chance to get on Fortescue. Probably not at 66s though…
I was lucky enough to walk the course on Grand National morning in 1983. As Ian said earlier, the fences took your breath away.
It is a very special venue. I can thoroughly recommend John Pinfold’s book “Aintree: The History of the Racecourse”, which was tipped up on here a while back. Marvellous read for those who love the old place.The four I fancy at this stage are:
Farclas – ran a stormer as a seven-year-old last year, hasn’t been knocked about this season.
Fortescue – I really liked his win at Ascot, hope he sneaks in at the foot.
Cloth Cap – went well for a very long way last season, has had a wind op since – though I’m very aware he hasn’t torn up any trees this season.
Snow Leopardess – partly because a grey mare winning it would make a right old mess of the trends!Interesting to hear Ed on ITV say he’d never heard booing like that at Cheltenham before. He must have missed the 2005 Champion Hurdle then!
Nap: Allaho
Lay: Honeysuckle. I wasn’t wild about her last run, and Appreciate It could be a monster.
EW: Sky Pirate in the Grand Annual. Too much weight to win but never runs a bad race here these days.
I remember that, Colin. The Hennessy start was delayed because the aptly-named Jack Madness got loose. The Beeb cut to the rugby and I seem to remember Julian Wilson having a major strop about it in the days that followed.
I was out and about this afternoon and got a text alert that O’Leary was fuming again about Tiger Roll’s weight.
I assumed that he’d been handed 11-9 or 11-8. You know, something befitting a dual Grand National winner who won a race at the Cheltenham Festival by 18 lengths less than a year ago.
Now I’ve seen the weights and it’s confirmed the long-held impression that the owner is a weapons-grade, 12-out-of-ten idiot.
What weight would have satisfied him? 11-0? 10-10?
And if he’d been allotted 10-10, and then won with his head in his chest, how crazy would that have looked?
It’s pathetic. I can’t think of another owner who would have behaved so ridiculously and made himself look such an utter fool as he has the last two years.That was my point, Troy; everyone watching could see the horse didn’t settle, and it surely contributed to her defeat – for a commentator to miss it completely in a three-horse race was pretty poor.
Ruby is different class – spots the things we don’t see as well as the stuff we do.Love Ruby, though. His first comment after the Morgiana was that Echoes In Rain had run too keen. Handy, because the commentator managed not to mention it at all in running.
Hi Simon, I was at Plumpton yesterday and there was a bit of chat about this around the place during the afternoon. I heard one suggestion that this was going to be referred to the BHA… was that just racecourse gossip, or might this go farther?
I remember Juveigneur (trained by Mr Henderson) winning a novices’ hurdle at Plumpton in February 2007 at 1-20.
Ruby really is extraordinarily good, Ian. He previewed one chase last winter and suggested the odds-on favourite might have an issue because of the way he’d changed his legs approaching several fences last time out, a point he backed up with video. I’d never seen a piece of analysis like it. Sure enough, the favourite duly got turned over.
I watch virtually none of the content between races on ITV but I will in the winter if Ruby’s on.
That’s a fair point, Marlingford. I’d be very interested to know how many actual members or followers AA has – but they are very adept at getting their message heard and are, as you say, treated as an authority. And yes, our beloved sport really does not help itself very much on that score.
My heart sank when I heard that the programme featured Animal Aid, a fringe group of misguided lunatics whose overall aim, lest we forget, is the abolition of horse racing.
Yes, it has to be said that if horses are being systematically mistreated, all of us as racing lovers should of course be concerned and upset.
But there is an agenda here, certainly on AA’s part. This isn’t about simply highighting an issue, it’s how that issue serves their long-term goal.
I don’t think racing has always been very good at uniting behind a strong rebuttal of some of AA’s ludicrous outpourings. As previous posters have suggested, there is still the powerful whiff of the old boys’ club around the sport.
It’ll be interesting to see how the sport responds on this. But I’ll be watching through clasped fingers tonight.
