Grand National

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Oscar time for me.

[Brend'Watkins]

Some of your posts have been good in the last 12 months but I don't think any of them deserve an award.

[Dave Javu]

It'll be a turkey.

[Yeltzer]

I'm going for Dusty Carpet.... never been beaten

[pauliewalnuts]

For work reasons, I hate the Cheltenham -> Grand National period.

[Archbishop Herbert Cockthrottle]

If Tim the Villan is reading this....

Don't go for a curry in Liverpool the week after the Grand National as the meat is sourced from Beechers Brook.

I hear that one year at the Toxteh Tandoori they found a horses ear in the Chicken Madras.

[peter w]

Oscar time for me.

The Councillor is running?

[Villa'Zawg]

Form                Horse                                       Age/Wgt           Owner                          Trainer/Probable Jockey

1) P1-P000 DON'T PUSH IT (IRE)  11-11-10  J P McManus  Jonjo O'Neill/Tony McCoy

2) 04-3226 TIDAL BAY (IRE)  10-11-09  Andrea & Graham Wylie Howard Johnson/Brian Hughes

3) 211-524 WHAT A FRIEND  8-11-06  Ged Mason & Sir Alex Ferguson Paul Nicholls/Daryl Jacob

4) 1B-0044 VIC VENTURI (IRE)  11-11-06  Seamus Dunne  Dessie Hughes IRE/Andrew Lynch

5) U62/1-31 MAJESTIC CONCORDE (IRE) 8-11-05  Dr Ronan Lambe Dermot Weld IRE/Mr Robbie McNamara

6) 42F14 OR NOIR DE SOMOZA (FR) 9-11-05  Filsal Stadeg Racing David Pipe/Tom Scudamore

7) 1F24-41 DOONEYS GATE (IRE) 10-11-04  Jackie Mullins  Willie Mullins IRE/Mr Patrick Mullins

14-2F44 BIG FELLA THANKS  9-11-01  Crossed Fingers Partnership Ferdy Murphy/Graham Lee

9) 205-244 THE TOTHER ONE (IRE) 10-11-00  Graham Roach  Paul Nicholls/Mr Ryan Mahon

10) 111-112 BALLABRIGGS (IRE)  10-11-00  Trevor Hemmings Donald McCain/Jason Maguire

 11) 3133-21 THE MIDNIGHT CLUB (IRE) 10-10-13 Susannah Ricci  Willie Mullins IRE/Ruby Walsh

12) 20P-F50 NICHE MARKET (IRE)  10-10-13 Graham Regan  Paul Nicholls/Harry Skelton

13) 121-001 SILVER BY NATURE  9-10-12 Geoff Brown  Lucinda Russell/Peter Buchanan

14) 0BP-500 BACKSTAGE (FR)  9-10-12 MPR & Capranny Syndicate Gordon Elliott IRE/Paul Carberry

15) 11-053F  CHIEF DAN GEORGE (IRE) 11-10-12 Maurice Chapman Jimmy Moffatt/Paddy Aspell

16) 4-56242 CALGARY BAY (IRE)  8-10-10 Camilla Radford Henrietta Knight/Hadden Frost

17) 2P-2536 KILLYGLEN (IRE)  9-10-10 David McCammon Stuart Crawford IRE/Robert Power

18) 152-263 OSCAR TIME (IRE) 10-10-09 Robert Waley-Cohen/Sir Martin & S Broughton Martin Lynch IRE/ Mr Sam Waley-Cohen

19) 10-1131 QUINZ (FR)   7-10-08 Andrew Cohen  Philip Hobbs/Richard Johnson

20) 500423 NORTHERN ALLIANCE (IRE) 10-10-08 Irish Rover Syndicate Tony Martin IRE/Barry Geraghty

 21) 2212-42 BECAUSEICOULDNTSEE (IRE) 8-10-08 Noel Glynn  Noel Glynn IRE/Davy Russell

22) 000-06P COMPLY OR DIE (IRE) 12-10-08 David Johnson  David Pipe/Timmy Murphy

23) F-FF25P QUOLIBET (FR)  7-10-08 J P McManus  Jonjo O’Neill/Mark Walsh

24) 1FP10P GRAND SLAM HERO (IRE) 10-10-07 Walters Plant Hire Ltd Nigel Twiston-Davies/Aidan Coleman

25) 6/454-P6  ROLL ALONG (IRE)  11-10-07 Bryan & Philippa Burrough Nigel Twiston-Davies/Wayne Hutchinson

26) 0/144/P3- STATE OF PLAY  11-10-06 William & Angela Rucker Evan Williams/Paul Moloney

27) 11-11P5 KING FONTAINE (IRE)  8-10-06 Trevor Hemmings Malcolm Jefferson/Denis O’Regan

28) U-3431U  IN COMPLIANCE (IRE) 11-10-05 Westerly Breeze Syndicate Dessie Hughes IRE/Leighton Aspell

29) 005P-1P HELLO BUD (IRE)  13-10-05 Seamus Murphy Nigel Twiston-Davies/Sam Twiston-Davies

30) P/00-11P WEST END ROCKER (IRE) 9-10-05  Barry Winfield & Tim Leadbeater Alan King/Robert Thornton

 31) 200010 SANTA'S SON (IRE)  11-10-05 Douglas Pryde & Jim Beaumont Howard Johnson/Jamie Moore

32) C21-046 BLUESEA CRACKER (IRE) 9-10-04 J P McManus         James Motherway IRE/Andrew McNamara

33) 01050 THAT'S RHYTHM (FR)  11-10-04 Don't Tell Henry Martin Todhunter/James Reveley

34) P2/111/-0 SURFACE TO AIR  10-10-04 Tim Urry  Chris Bealby/Tom Messenger

35) P-234PP PIRAYA (FR)   8-10-04 Terry Neill  David Pipe/Johnny Farrelly

36) 6F-0P5P CAN'T BUY TIME (IRE) 9-10-04 J P McManus  Jonjo O'Neill/Richie McLernon

37) 0-30563 CHARACTER BUILDING (IRE) 11-10-04 Patricia Thompson John Quinn/Miss Nina Carberry

38) 15/1P/-52  ORNAIS (FR)   9-10-04 The Stewart Family Paul Nicholls/Nick Scholfield

39) U2U-0P2 ARBOR SUPREME (IRE) 9-10-03 J P McManus  Willie Mullins IRE/David Casey

40) 013111- OUR MONTY (IRE)  8-10-03 Colland Sand & Gravel Ltd Willie Mullins IRE/Ms Katie Walsh


Reserves

41) P5U-42P ROYAL ROSA (FR)  12-10-03 Andrea & Graham Wylie Howard Johnson/Paul Gallagher

42) 313-011 SKIPPERS BRIG (IRE)  10-10-02 Ashleybank Investments Limited Nicky Richards/Dominic Elsworth

43) 210010 GOLDEN KITE (IRE)  9-10-02 Dr Anthony Calnan Adrian Maguire IRE/Shane Hassett

44) 006004 ALWAYS WAINING (IRE) 10-10-02 Mr & Mrs Peter James Douglas Peter Bowen/???


I fancied Surface to Air a couple of years ago before he was injured. He had made mincemeat of successive 10lb handicap rises, winning 10 lengths each time including the Midlands National at Uttoxeter. They have given him a blow out over hurdles a few weeks ago. If he's fully fit, he could go well for a place at a big price.

[VillaZogmariner]

Ever wondered why Becher's Brook at Aintree is so named? In the 1839 race Captain Martin Becher was thrown from his horse at the notorious fence and took shelter in the small brook beneath it while the other riders jumped over. You can see the incident in the pic below.

Captain Becher (in yellow) sheltering in the brook, after being thrown off Conrad during the first Grand National in 1839. Becher reputedly waited for the other horses to negotiate the jump before remounting and setting off in persuit of the field, only to be thrown off again at the next brook. He later remarked that he "never realised how disgusting water tasted without the benefits of whisky". Although at the time considered to be the fourth running of the Grand Liverpool chase, the three races prior to the 1839 meet were relatively poorly organised and are now merely considered precursors to the National proper. Therefore Becher, who won the first meeting in 1836, was destined not to go down in history as a National winner, but instead has forever after given his name to the course's most famous, and perilous, obstacle.

I love it when I find out little snippets of info like that and learn something new. For a start I thought it was Beeches Brook!

[andyaston]

im going for Creosote, it's good over fences 

[Nev]

I love National Hunt Racing but hate the national. The whole meeting has descended into a Ascot like fashion (of a sort) show where even the Aintree website describes the meeting as a "social event". I'm sick of seeing publicity seekers like Colleen Rooney parading about with as much interest in the racing as a pig has in a holiday brochure.

Behind all the bullshit, bluster and fake tan there is a quality race meeting taking place where, with the exception if the National, there are some cracking horses running. I shall have a punt on most races with the exception of the 4.15 on Saturday.

As my old man always says at this time of year: Grand National day in the bookies, like Christmas Day in the pub.

Give me Cheltenham any time.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

How about a H & V Grand National sweepstake, no money but just for the fun of it ?

[bertlambshank]

CALGARY BAY e/w for me.Just a heads up Paddy Power are paying the first six in the Masters.

[SX150]

Going for V-NEC, heard its a nice jumper.

[john e]

Grand Slam Hero,  66/1 yesterday,  if you like a each way bet, get on,
 you can thank me later