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It goes without saying, that everybody will disagree on certain positions, so on it’s first posting I didn’t bother posting any queries. However, seen a couple of people asking, so I thought I’d give a couple of my own.
Near the bottom, how can Jumbeau, one run fell first, be at 1555, yet Mount Oliver, one run, brought down at 9th be at 1587. One of my old faves, Solihull Sport is at 1583 having one run and a first fence fall, yet Zabenz is way down at 1611, having had to pull up (with a broken leather) after Bechers, and then getting as far as water jump with next attempt.
From nearer the top, how can winners Mr Frisk (record time), and Seagram, be well below Him Of Praise, 1 attempt, ref 27th, and Beau, 2 starts, 2 falls. I know both winners both PU on subsequent attempts, but they still both got further than Beau ever did.
Being polite, you might need to tweak this just a little.
It definitely doesn’t need anymore changes. It’s been changed enough, and if there is anymore, it just won’t be a Grand National. I don’t think moving it to another time of year would work. I think we can do without the risk of any postponements, which would inevitably happen. Reducing the number of runners would also be a no-go. The Grand National is about many things, one of them being, that it is a spectacle. Look back to 96 when there were 28 runners, poor Rust Never Sleeps broke a leg lobbing a way at the back of the field in plenty of space. Fatalitles will happen anywhere be it in a 40 runner national, a 10 runner chase, or a 7 runner sprint, not to mention on the gallops. 40 runners has absolutely no bearing on the risk to horses.
As for raising the height of fences, I’m actually in favour of that, but understandably, I think it would kick up too much controversy.
As I said, it just needs leaving alone!
I think they’ll give it a go, and despite my previous post, I really like him, he’s a smashing big horse.
I just have my concerns over him around there.
dave, I feel your pain, but I’m sure there’ll be loads of us in the same boat. I had Maljimar as my main fancy, and he was running a blinder till he fell. I’m also of the opinion though, that it is irrelevant, as hand on heart, i don’t think he would have beaten Don’t Push It. I could give you a few hard luck stories on my slelctions over the years, 3 brought downs, falling when cantering etc….but, jumping is the name of the game, and as you have followed Black Apaplachi, you will know that it had already fallen in it’s 2 previous starts in the National, so it was a marked improvement in jumping to get round.
Despite his win in The Becher, he’s just not an Aintree horse, and I wouldn’t back him to jump round if he ran in it again.
rich…..you’re right to have a pop at the Camera Angles, i’m glad that it would appear I’m not the only one who feels the same. It is important to people. Not one of the new angles improve the coverage of the race.
A new camera angle was tried at Bechers during the 70’s, and after a few years, they binned it, because it was totally missing the action. Who makes these decisions? I believe that to the vast majority, it doesn’t really matter, but to a good few it really does. Think about it this way, how many viewers/racing fans have, over the years, wanted the camera angle moved at Bechers, elsewhere so that they can miss the action. NOT ONE. I don’t want to see arty producers messing with it, I just want to see the race. My final (surely) thought on the camera angle issue. Would they show the FA Cup Final with a camera posted by the Corner Flag. Of course they wouldn’t, it would be daft!
After a horror show by McGrath on Thu/Fri, I thought he was passable on Sat, although surely he’s skating on thin ice now! I honestly think he’ll struggle to recover after this week! I’ve already said that I’ve missed Hamner and Wilson, but that said, both Bartlett, and Owen, were very, very good, and to be fair to them, they have been for the last few years.
Of the rest, I wouldn’t get too worried about Lizzie Hughes. She’s just the latest flavour of the month! Clearly a friend of someone in high places at the BBC, or her agents working overtime! Expect to see her involved in a lot more sporting shows before she disappears on to Mainstream shows in a couple of years. There was no point to her being there, as is the case with her role on The Football League Show! It’s not her fault, it’s just the way it works!
Joncol, I disagreed with you yesterday on "a couple of things", Ha, but I’m with you on this one. To others it may be petty, but I agree, it just seems very lazy to me.
Craig, I hate to see change just for the sake of it, and as far as I’m concerned, the Grand National has been tinkered with enough. I agree with you on the whole watering thing, certainly would make things safer, but I think there would be an unproar, probably quite rightly from trainers and supporters from good ground horses. Your point above though is very interesting. I never thought I’d see the day when I said this, as I just love seeing horses tackling the Aintree fences, but I think you might be on to something. I get more nervous for the horses watching the Topham & FH, than I do in the National, and looking back over the years, they’ve had their fare share of fatalities. I’m well aware that this happens on the flat, gallops, and hurdles, as well, but I think after this year, the additional negative publicity it brings on the eve of the GN, is something Aintree could do without.
Obviously, a lot of people will disagree with this (still can’t believe I’m saying it myself), and I think we would be in the minority with this view anyway. However, I think you made a very good point, and I, for one, (reluctantly) agree!
raymo, I’m talking through my pocket as well, but thought Maljimar was going very well. I think it might have been interesting. However, I’m pretty certain that the best horse won, and I think it would have been a repeat of Cheltenham last year, a brave performance, only to be outfought by AP in the JP colours, as happened with Wichita Lineman. He’s a difficult horse to predict Maljimar, but I still think he’ll be of interest next year.
AG…you’re ok, it was his 15th attempt.
BW…glad I’m not alone with my thoughts to SPOTY. It’s one of the TV lowlights of the year for sport. Wish I’d used "tedious and tired". Sums it up.
Himself, ditto Wayward Prince yesterday.
It’s a shame, as he comes across a really decent bloke, but he has not had a good week.
RD…I totally agree with you, I’ve obviously not explained my point too well (nothing new there). The point I was making was that I’ve never see reaction to fatalities quite like that of yesterday, and I think that was down to the uniqueness of the images captured yesterday. Basically, if they had been killed hunting round the back, out of sight, there would not have been the same reaction, and what I feel is that any horse dying is a tragedy, wherever it is.
I’d love to see someone from the BBC explaining why it was not OK to show Schindlers Hunt fall in the highlights, but prefectly alright to show Plaisir D’Estruval, or Prudent Honour in the Topham. Baffling!
As for the fences, I totally agree with you, been saying it for years!
I look forward to the Grand National every year, way too much probably, but it’s massivley important to me, and has been since I was a nipper. After watching racing at Aintree for years, I have seen some horrible falls, and lost some very old faves. I also put, I think, in "the Greatest Tragedy thread" that I felt kinda cursed, being an animal lover, and also being a NH racing fan. It can be difficult, and is a strange situation to be in. I’ve been on this Forum a very short time, but have really enjoyed it since I joined, but since todays Topham, I have stayed away, I just didn’t want to read posts about todays race. It was a sickening sight, and I’ve not been in such a lull the Night before the national, since One Man died in 98. I’m sure it pales into insignificance, though compared to what connections are going throught tonight!
Today was horrific, that incident will not go out of my mind any time soon, but can I ask one question? Would there be the same outrage if the traditional camera angle at Valentines had been used, and those poor animals demise had not been caught so vividly? I for one, think not! Any horse that dies be it on the Gallops, Flat, or over hurdles is tragic. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like todays incident before, and I hope I don’t again.
I’ll probably opt for Khachaturian, who normally runs well at this meeting, or Song Sung Blue at a decent EW price.
Yup, forgot to add my agreement on that post. Hamners voice, was the voice of The National to me too, sorely missed along with Julian Wilson.
Rb………thanks for that, I knew it!!! Thought I was going mad for the last few years and was the only one who had noticed it. It just seems so pointless, as well as extremely annoying.
As for rest of coverage, i agree with the comments about the Josh Gifford piece, just not enough of it, it was over before it began.
The camera used at Bechers, as expected, was just wrong. Sorry to nag on about this, but the old camera angles used to cover the race unfolding perfectly!
I forget her name, the girl who does the Football league Show on BBC, her segments were woeful. Bartlett and Owen, were very good, they seemed to capture most of the fallers, but as for McGrath today. Not good was it?
Took Maljimar and The Package ante-post. Normally stick with ante-post selctions, but will prob have a small bet on something else. If I do bet anything else it will be from these, after reluctantly leaving out Don’t Push It, and My Will.
State Of Play – My ante-post selection from last year, ran well enough and I was getting excited for a while. A horse I’ve always liked and followed, Hennessy run was poor though, albeit injured! Looks as nailed on as you can be at this stage to place, and that’s from someone who tries to avoid horses who’ve ran in it before.
Hello Bud – On the face of it, 50-1 looks about right for a 12yo, who hasn’t done much this season, but if STD can get him into the kind of rhythm he was in at Ayr last season, he could run a seriously big race, and sneak a place I think.
Character Building – My ante-post selection from 2 years ago, such an unlucky horse with his injuries. Thought he won with a bit to spare at Cheltenham last year, and conversely, poor this year! Could have seen him running a big race and I was definitely leaning towards him, but the inexplicable booking of Nina Carberry is enough for me to leave him out. She’s very over-rated, and I’m not sure what connections are playing at? If he was mine, I’d have kept Codd, who’s a much better jockey than Carberry…….it’s a bewildering choice to be honest, they had a real chance of winning, but now they’ll have to settle for seventh or eighth, after she gives it too much to do.
Ps Cheltenham Specialist, if you’re really a serious enough punter to put £750 each way on a horse, then you wouldn’t be stupid enough to put it on one ridden by Nina Carberry. I’m sorry, I don’t believe you.