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The 2025 Becher (Handicap) Chase

Your Twitter appears to restrict who can view, Ian. At least it's restricting me. If it's easy and/or non-time-consuming, can you grant access? same username

If it's hassle, obviously don't worry.
 
chaumi said:
Your Twitter appears to restrict who can view, Ian. At least it's restricting me. If it's easy and/or non-time-consuming, can you grant access? same username

If it's hassle, obviously don't worry.
Click to expand...
Yes, I have a protected account, but if you or any of my other friends here wants to send me a follow request so they can view it, I'll gladly grant access.

I don't collect followers (I've rejected far more follow requests than I've ever accepted) so if you want to view it then unfollow me I won't be offended.
 
Ian_Davies said:
Yes, I have a protected account, but if you or any of my other friends here wants to send me a follow request so they can view it, I'll gladly grant access.

I don't collect followers (I've rejected far more follow requests than I've ever accepted) so if you want to view it then unfollow me I won't be offended.
Click to expand...

I don't even have Twitter but Im going to follow you forever and ever.
 
it’s probably due to lack of any deep enough ability to interact with said platform ( which I do have to say I - perhaps unreasonably - abhor, except for use cases such as this), but I don’t know what the username to follow is. The video links don’t show it for me. A search for ‘Ian Davies’ gave 8 or so results. None of which looked right. It was a mildly amusing exercise, given the first one listed himself as a professional bingo caller.

Can anyone who has successfully followed The 1–2-3 Magician give me some education?
 
I’ve been banned from my Facebook account ( which I used to follow Ian on) no idea why. However I joined instagram which I much prefer but have just been locked out of that, too. I follow ( or used to) lots of people on them and am lost without that access as I’m a stay at home Billy no mates…
 
chaumi said:
it’s probably due to lack of any deep enough ability to interact with said platform ( which I do have to say I - perhaps unreasonably - abhor, except for use cases such as this), but I don’t know what the username to follow is. The video links don’t show it for me. A search for ‘Ian Davies’ gave 8 or so results. None of which looked right. It was a mildly amusing exercise, given the first one listed himself as a professional bingo caller.

Can anyone who has successfully followed The 1–2-3 Magician give me some education?
Click to expand...
I'm @Ian_Davies_ on there.
 
maureen said:
I’ve been banned from my Facebook account ( which I used to follow Ian on) no idea why. However I joined instagram which I much prefer but have just been locked out of that, too. I follow ( or used to) lots of people on them and am lost without that access as I’m a stay at home Billy no mates…
Click to expand...
How on Earth can you have been banned on ANYWHERE, Maureen?

You're one of the most civilised and gentle people I've EVER encountered online!
 
Your Favourite Uncle Smart Arse gives his final verdict.

Mr Vango is a marvellous beast and YFUSA has liked him ever since seeing him win at Horseheath (clip above).

But he's on a career-high mark and, with fitness and well being to prove, he can win without YFUSA's money on him tomorrow.

Gaboriot may be the most likely winner (which isn't the same as being the best bet, though Mr "Just Back f$%^ing Winners" may understandably tell you otherwise from time to time).

Gaboriot ran a cracker in the Grand Sefton and, a winner at 4m, this longer trip will suit.

If the yard was in better form he might have been the value despite the single-digit odds.

Excello also ran a blinder in the Grand Sefton, but the Jury is out on him at this trip.

Mahons Glory also has stamina to prove, which is a shame as he too ran well in the Grand Sefton, despite things not exactly going to plan at the Canal Turn.

Mr Vango might go thundering off like Crisp, though, so Mahons Glory might not get things his own way up front this time.

So, for the value bet, YFUSA is sticking with Twig.

You gotta love a Badbury Rings winner (again, clip above) and he's done plenty under rules since, including a tenth place finish in the Grand National in April.

YFUSA has only actually been racing at Aintree once - the Thursday of the 1986 Grand National meeting.

Dawn Run fell at the first, Wayward Lad couldn't then beat Beau Ranger and YFUSA watched the Topham in the Stands and decided it was a particularly lousy viewing course, not least because they race away from you all the way to Becher's Brook, there's not much of an actual back straight side on to you - just Foinavon, really - then they're racing back towards you from Valentines a bit like that run of fences at Warwick.

Walking the Grand National course (YFUSA sacrificed seeing a 3m handicap hurdle on the Mildmay Course to do that) was the highlight of the day and that was indeed magical seeing as YFUSA had been watching the Grand National on TV since he was 11 and felt he knew every blade of grass on the unique circuit.

Becher's Brook back then was terrifying - "How does any horse jump that? How did Red Rum jump it TEN times?" YFUSA remembers thinking at the time, while stood looking at it on the landing side.

But that's not a cue to start slating the course as it is today - times change and it's still absorbing to watch.

YFUSA was last in Liverpool 15-20 years ago and made a point of driving down the Melling Road and across the track and back again - that was fun too.

But then YFUSA is easily pleased.
 
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Ian_Davies said:
Your Favourite Uncle Smart Arse gives his final verdict.

Mr Vango is a marvellous beast and YFUSA has liked him ever since seeing him win at Horseheath (clip above).

But he's on a career-high mark and, with fitness and well being to prove, he can win without YFUSA's money on him tomorrow.

Gaboriot may be the most likely winner (which isn't the same as being the best bet, though Mr "Just Back f$%^ing Winners" may understandably tell you otherwise from time to time).

Gaboriot ran a cracker in the Grand Sefton and, a winner at 4m, this longer trip will suit.

If the yard was in better form he might have been the value despite the single-digit odds.

Excello also ran a blinder in the Grand Sefton, but the Jury is out on him at this trip.

Mahons Glory also has stamina to prove, which is a shame as he too ran well in the Grand Sefton, despite things not exactly going to plan at the Canal Turn.

Mr Vango might go thundering off like Crisp, though, so Mahons Glory might not get things his own way up front this time.

So, for the value bet, YFUSA is sticking with Twig.

You gotta love a Badbury Rings winner (again, clip above) and he's done plenty under rules since, including a tenth place finish in the Grand National in April.

YFUSA has only actually been racing at Aintree once - the Thursday of the 1986 Grand National meeting.

Dawn Run fell at the first, Wayward Lad couldn't then beat Beau Ranger and YFUSA watched the Topham in the Stands and decided it was a particularly lousy viewing course, not least they race away from you all the way to Becher's Brook, there's not much of an actual back straight side on to you - just Foinavon, really - then they're racing back towards you from Valentines a bit like that run of fences at Warwick.

Walking the Grand National course (YFUSA sacrificed seeing a 3m handicap hurdle on the Mildmay Course to do that) was the highlight of the day and that was indeed magical seeing as YFUSA had been watching the Grand National on TV since he was 11 and felt he knew every blade of grass on the unique circuit.

Becher's Brook back then was terrifying - "How does any horse jump that? How did Red Rum jump it TEN times?" YFUSA remembers thinking at the time.

But that's not a cue to start slating the course as it is today - times change and it's still absorbing to watch.

YFUSA was last in Liverpool 15-20 years ago and made a point of driving down the Melling Road and across the track and back again - that was fun too.

But then YFUSA is easily pleased.
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Please ban this heretic. Only Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ gets to refer to himself in the third person.
 
I think i was on more or less the same lines Ian. I'm not sure Bradstock would want to be winning with Mr Vango if the main aim is the National this year how much higher in the handicap would she want him to go. Was it last year she was going bonkers because he only got put up 3lb for winning the Peter Marsh missed the cut by 2lbs she was absolutely livid.

Anyway that aside when you were going for Excello in the week i was just slightly favouring Gaboriot of the two ,even at the prices. Im hoping him not being from a fashionable yard will see his price go out a bit.

I see your point with Twig defintely wont mind the mud ran a cracker behind CC in the Ultima '24 in testing ground.

One who i thought was going to pick up a decent prize last term was Galia des liteaux. Looks incredibly well handicapped now but i'd given her a couple of chances last term and the way she was stopping in her races struck me as there was something wrong.

No major bets in this for me but i thinking Gaboriot is the one for my Lucky 15.
 
Danny said:
I think i was on more or less the same lines Ian. I'm not sure Bradstock would want to be winning with Mr Vango if the main aim is the National this year how much higher in the handicap would she want him to go. Was it last year she was going bonkers because he only got put up 3lb for winning the Peter Marsh missed the cut by 2lbs she was absolutely livid.

Anyway that aside when you were going for Excello in the week i was just slightly favouring Gaboriot of the two ,even at the prices. Im hoping him not being from a fashionable yard will see his price go out a bit.

I see your point with Twig defintely wont mind the mud ran a cracker behind CC in the Ultima '24 in testing ground.

One who i thought was going to pick up a decent prize last term was Galia des liteaux. Looks incredibly well handicapped now but i'd given her a couple of chances last term and the way she was stopping in her races struck me as there was something wrong.

No major bets in this for me but i thinking Gaboriot is the one for my Lucky 15.
Click to expand...
I agree on this not being any sort of betting race, I'd favour one that's tried and tested over the fences. Galia Des Liteaux is where my clumsy arrow lands, mate.
 
I went to Aintree the year that Little Polveir won the National. Standing by the elbow I hadn’t got a clue who’d won. I did ask someone how I could get to see what was happening and his reply was ‘M’dear, go home and watch it on the telly’. Which is what I’ve done ever since. Although I was quite thrilled when our coach went over the melling road, which I hadn’t realised was actually a road of sorts.
 

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