Backing the winner of the Grand National

fonz

fonz

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The welcome changes to the race in recent years may have made it safer and therefore more likely for horses to get round but it's still a hell of a difficult race to back the winner of, So I was just wondering how many forumites have backed the winner of the race and if so, How many times?

My tally is 2 - Minnehoma in 1994 when I was the tender age of 8 And Ballabriggs in 2011.

After nabbing 40/1 on Holywell before the weights were issued for the 2016 race I was feeling terribly smug when the day came round and he went off a fancied 11/1 shot only to go and fall at the 2nd, Which made me come to a decision to not get as involved as I did that year or in any of The years before that again, It's a super race and one to not be missed but that's all it is as far as I'm concerned.
 
Few times to be fair:

1977 Red Rum - as a fav backing little ****
1981 Aldaniti
1988 Rhyme and Reason

1998 Earth Summit
2005 Hedgehunter
2006 Numbersixvalverde
2008 Comply or Die

First three were in my pre punting one bet a year days (Only backed Rhyme and Reason because those words appeared in a Metallica song)

Actual biggest return in the race was a place bet on Kingsmark when he was fourth in Bindaree's year.
 
A few. Biggest one by far from a betting point of view was comply or die, I started backing him at the entry stage and kept going all the way through.


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If I put on here how often I've backed the winner people simply would not believe it.

But I do back several in the race every year so I expect to find the winner and I'm disappointed if I don't.
 
Several for me too. Standouts were Comply or Die and Pineau de Re both of which I tipped up to several others who’ve bought me lots of drinks as a result


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This is the first year I can remember when I have absolutely no idea which horse might win the National. I know I have loads of small bets in it but I know that, years ago I would have less bets and usually get a winner and placed horses. Of course, when half the field were running from out of the handicap it was a lot easier; plus the carrying less than 11st stat. You could usually narrow it down to a handful of horses. I've just read Go Down to the Beaten and what is interesting is how many jockeys thought their horse was going to win only for the horse to not quite last home; suffer from interference/make a slight jumping error at a crucial part of the race/have a problem with the tack etc etc Which is why I think it's impossible to pick just one horse to win. The exceptions probably being Comply or Die; Earth Summit [when everything was in his favour]; I was convinced that Hedgehunter would win the year after he fell. I also used to follow Eddie the Shoes selections when he wrote for the Observer, having ignored his advice the year that Bindaree won. I, too, feel wretched if I can't find the winner, but these days it doesn't bother me quite as much. I do think the race is much much harder to find the winner of. Thus far I've backed Blaklion, Native River, Tiger Roll and Definitly Red [who I don't think is running anyway]. Other than that I'm totally flummoxed. I blame it all on my dad for encouraging me to have bets when I was tiny, when I backed Team Spirit to win.
 
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Numbersixvalverde is the one that still bothers me. Had never heard of the horse; hadn't got a clue what his form was and, the worst bit was I hated the name. A National winner has to have a great name imo. Oh, and then there's the year when Tanlic was telling everyone that Don't Push It was going to win and I ignored him [horse won't stay says I].
 
Always loved the National. First memory is my Grandad taking us all on a family holiday because Earth Summit won the 1998 National. As a little 6 year old, these were certainly joyous scenes and my earliest memory of racing.

I remember crying the year after as I bet on Blue Charm, it came second to Bobbyjo if I remember correctly. Little did I know how much racing was to scar me in years to come.

I then got second again on Richard Johnson's ride, 'Whatsupboys' I remember it being an utterly shocking ride from the elbow onwards, couldn't tell you the winner or what year it is was though. Also point out I'm a kid here picking horses because of their names.

My first win was Comply Or Die, I backed it in the next few nationals as well and he always gave a good account of himself, still probably one of my favourite ever horses.

The angriest I've probably ever been as well was at Aintree. My second time visiting the racecourse and took my now ex girlfriend with me, she got me tickets for Christmas. I did a reverse forecast trying to be a clever ****** (I was convinced) I did Double 7 and Balthazar King in this reverse forecast and they finished second and third respectively. I was gutted at that and on the verge of tears, but the ex was celebrating like a lunatic because she had £5 on the winner 'Pineau Du Rai' because she drank Pinot Grigio wine. Words cannot describe how I felt at this precise moment. I've actually still got the said betting slip as a painful reminder, £20 reverse f/c at 10s and 14s respectively. We still came back from that national with so much, but that was mainly thanks to her and some incredible luck.
 
My Claim to fame even before it crossed Jonjos mind ON TRF I put up "Don't Push It will win the Grand National" 60/1 in October of the previous year.

I backed him at silly odds several times during the following months.

On the day the bookies decided to make him subject of a fake massive JP gamble which was ignored by the exchange.
He had gone 10/1 on the books and I backed him again at 21 he was returned at 19 almost twice the odds

To top that off I did a 3 cross along with Don't Push It Peddlers Cross and Khyber Kim

What also put some icing on the cake is I was trying to lay some off during the race but the price was dropping so fast and my nerves going a million miles an hour I didn't.

Most nervous 5 fences I ever watched being jumped in my life..mass kept leaving my seat on it's own at ever jump over the last 5 fences.

Other less taxing on my heart were

Amazingly I backed locally Red Marauder. Smarty Blowing Wind and Beau who fell and beat me for the first 4 home...backed them aLL ew not big money but he never took another bet off me

Weird as hell when you do something like that and your thoughts are I wish I had done the Powerball lottery instead

Aldaniti (had backed him on his return at Ascot (I think was there) gave me tremendous pleasure but had no idea about Bob Champion cancer at the time..just loved the horse to bits.

Mr Frisk

Rhyme and Reason

Gay Trip

Others I should have backed but never

Rubstic I was riding out at Harry Bells knew John Leadbetter very well and had visited the horse at his yard (calling it a yard was being kind)..Even had a few pints with him in Denholm a week before the race...John god bless him couldn't train a pig to be dirty..put me right off. Living proof some horses train themself LOL

Highland Wedding...did a complete analysis of every horse which took me weeks, giving them points for each race they had ran in, Highland Wedding came out miles in front.......then like an idiot I backed something else

Little Polveir had 300 quid on him when he won the Scottish Grand National at double figure price..was kinda out of it and didn't even know he was in the big one until I was watching the race

Biggest disappointments

What A Myth..never showed with a chance

Freddie who was trained locally at the time,

Most stupid

Apart from betting in the race in the first place

I laid Red Rum for 10 quid at 10/1 not to be in the first 3 when he won his 3rd National.
 
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Thanks for the memories, Tanlic - some great stories there.

I’m not far off your age, so I’m bound to have had the winner a few times, but Numbersixvalverde stands out for me. Watching the race in Tenerife in front of my wife’s family, I’d put my money down before we came out, and was hailed as a tipster genius when he scooted in. Bobbyjo, the morning of the race at 25/1, was my biggest winner.
 
I have NEVER backed the winner...

Not the biggest surprise as big field hcap chases are not really my thing - love them as a spectacle, but not from a punting perspective. Has cost me plenty over the years as always chuck a few darts and last year with Cause of Causes EW was one of the few where I got a run for my money
 
My biggest win by a long way was Mr Frisk as it was the first ever ante post bet I had and had taken 40/1

Second biggest win Neptune Collonges as I was at Sandown the race before and became convinced he'd go well despite his likely weight so got a nice price AP.

Other than that the wins are few and far between and the only other winners are Rough Quest at a short price and Pineau De Re in the pub sweep.

God that's depressing.
 
Geez Moe I remember Just so......what a popular horse he was''think I lost about 1/4 of a testicle on him due to senintmental foolishness
 
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Tanlic said:
Geez Moe I remember Just so......what a popular horse he was''think I lost about 1/4 of a testicle on him due to senintmental foolishness
Click to expand...

Not only had we backed him but one of us had him in the works sweepstake as well...
 
moehat said:
How many of us were on Just So [Slow] I wonder?
Click to expand...

Remember it well. A good mate and I realised it was ****ing down all over the country so rushed out to get the last of the 50/1. Think he went off at 20s or so. Just got outclassed from the Elbow if memory serves


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