Grand National reduced to 34 runners

archie said:
I've seen a suggestion elsewhere that they should consider "win and you're in" qualifying races. This would encourage competition amongst horses who might otherwise miss the cut. Suggested races include the previous season's Irish and Scottish Nationals, the Coral (Hennessey) Gold Cup, Welsh National, Eider, Becher and one in Ireland (the Troytown?).

I'm sure there are downsides but it works for races like the Melbourne Cup.
Click to expand...

I could live with that Archie.
What I cannot live with is a situation where dual Foxhunters Chase winner Salsify did not qualify to run in Foxhunters after being off for a year.
One qualifier in Ireland is a bit rich though.
 
Desert Orchid said:
Thinking about this a bit more, I have to say it goes against the grain with me but I think they do need to think about limiting owners/trainers to a max of three runners in the race.

It isn't too difficult to envisage a scenario in which Mullins, Elliott and De Bromhead each have ten in the race. They could actively pursue that approach with a view to eliminating the rest of the competition.
Click to expand...

I've just got round to actually reading the latest Weekender but I see Tom Segal has expressed an opinion very close to mine, for the same reasons and with the same motives.
 
HdB ran 3in 2021-the First two home and Chris's Dream who was travelling well when unseating five out.Restricting the number of runners a trainer/owner can have is a thinly veiled swipe at the top Irish trainers.
 
It would indeed be controversial, and, as I said, it very much goes against the grain with me.

I'm not a poker player because I've always thought if I go into a game with £100 playing money I could be up against somebody with £1000 playing money and they could effectively rook me just by betting me out of it. (Maybe showing ignorance of how poker works there but that's how it worked playing brag at school.)

But if they can run three and have prospects of having the first three then limiting them to three won't do them much harm.

Irish runners in the race are a huge attraction but owners and trainers of ordinary means are being marginalised in the biggest event of them all.
 
Last edited:
Yes, but which is the real joke? Only five runners from every other stable in Ireland for such a big handicap?
 
Everytime I win a few quid I am having 10% on Corach Rambler as I am convinced he can win it again.

Unless the wheels fall off he won't be 20/1 on the day.
 
Tanlic said:
Everytime I win a few quid I am having 10% on Corach Rambler as I am convinced he can win it again.

Unless the wheels fall off he won't be 20/1 on the day.
Click to expand...

I was talking to the brother about this horse last week. He also strikes me as a potential dual-winner, having won pretty comfortably this year and with the potential for more to come. They can afford to run him down the park a few times and get him back into the Ultima off not too much higher than last time knowing that his GN mark is going to be some way higher regardless but they can at least pick up £100k for winning that just in case and miss a penalty.

He could be called the winner a fair way out last season.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top