Grand National

That was the radio commentary of course, it hadn't made tv by that point. I have it on a VHS compilation somewhere (presented by Richard Pitman).

Actually I thought one of the "guest" commentators wasn't too bad. I've no idea what the standard of the regular BBC team was at the time - do any recordings exist?
 
Nice pic of Pineau de Re winding down after his exertions:

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Does anyone have any information on what happened to Triolo D'Alene? Any quotes from Henderson or Gerraghty after the race? He seemed to be going well then was suddenly pulled up.
 
Geraghty yesterday said he didn't like the ground and given that it will never be any faster because of the way it is kept at good/good to soft for safety issues he doesn't believe he will race in the GN again.
 
I'm glad to hear someone so big in the game expressing a straight opinion. Maybe if more names said it more often we'd get a fair playing field for genuine good ground horses. One of Triolo's class shouldn't have to be trained for Market Rasen in August just because he likes good ground.
 
Yeah, but he won the Topham last year on good to soft. I think ensuring good jumping ground (good to soft) is one of the best safety measures possible (for horses and riders). If you are a NH animal and cant act on it, you are going to struggle.
 
I have no truck with watering to maintain good ground. I object to deliberately watering with a view to changing it fundamentally.

There's enough soft and heavy ground naturally during the winter and connections of horses that act best in those conditions can pick and choose which races to go for. Good ground horses are obliged to wait until the summer.
 
Desert Orchid said:
I have no truck with watering to maintain good ground. I object to deliberately watering with a view to changing it fundamentally.

There's enough soft and heavy ground naturally during the winter and connections of horses that act best in those conditions can pick and choose which races to go for. Good ground horses are obliged to wait until the summer.
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Yeah. I think the argument is that the ground clerks of courses should be aiming for is on slightly soft of good, for NH horses for safety reasons. I would have hated to see Long Run's fall on any ground faster than prevailed.
 
Taking Long Run to Aintree was asking for trouble he has always made too many mistakes and Valentines strikes me as the most unforgiving fence on the track nowadays.
 
Ardross said:
Taking Long Run to Aintree was asking for trouble he has always made too many mistakes and Valentines strikes me as the most unforgiving fence on the track nowadays.
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I'd agree with that. Valentines is the one that looks daunting these days.
 
Does anyone think Rocky Creek could be a force next year, a year older and stronger, maybe on slightly better ground? He went to Aintree without a prep run this year...the immediate feeling is he didn't quite stay, but he may just have been lacking that racing edge. Thoughts?
 
Rocky Creek travelled well for a log way in the Hennessy but looked a weak finisher. He did the same in the Argento and in the National.

He will be a year older, wiser and maybe stronger next season but the handicapper will remember how well he ran here too.
 
Teaforthree as well. I backed him with the thought that he'd be held up this year a la Hedgehunter in 2005 but that's the problem with that strategy sometimes - it can result in a better chance of staying but it also means a horse can be unsighted at a fence and be more likely to fall. No way does Teaforthree come down if he'd have led like he did the year before.
 
im going to write basically the same thing i wrote for the last 4 years. what the hell is paul moloney playing at ? he never gets his horse involved until it's too late, alvarado was travelling sweet - just about 15l behind where he could have been - ditto cappa bleu and state of play (apart from the 1st state of play effort where he was badly hampered ) i just dont get what his game plan is to be honest - is it just me ? i presume rightly or wrongly i shall get a few replies saying dont back him year on year, but i really fancied the horse, surely he will get it right one year :confused:
 
Euronymous said:
Teaforthree as well. I backed him with the thought that he'd be held up this year a la Hedgehunter in 2005 but that's the problem with that strategy sometimes - it can result in a better chance of staying but it also means a horse can be unsighted at a fence and be more likely to fall. No way does Teaforthree come down if he'd have led like he did the year before.
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Richard Guest always maintained you needed to have the revs up to jump the chair. The jockey tried to pop it on Teaforthree. That just does not work.
 
istabraqfromneigh said:
im going to write basically the same thing i wrote for the last 4 years. what the hell is paul moloney playing at ? he never gets his horse involved until it's too late, alvarado was travelling sweet - just about 15l behind where he could have been - ditto cappa bleu and state of play (apart from the 1st state of play effort where he was badly hampered ) i just dont get what his game plan is to be honest - is it just me ? i presume rightly or wrongly i shall get a few replies saying dont back him year on year, but i really fancied the horse, surely he will get it right one year :confused:
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Yes and no, ifn.

In successive years on State Of Play he was in a nice enough position for most of the first circuit but managed to lose ground and drop well back before staying on well. I think (need to see it again) he did something similar on Cappa Bleu. It's almost as if he thinks/thought you need to give a horse a breather for it to get home. Maybe SOP and CB would have faded if he'd asked them to hold their place but you'd think he'd at least have taken a nothing-ventured-nothing-gained approach on one of them at some point.

I don't think Alvarado was ever prominent the other day (again, will need another decko) but he certainly stayed on well.
 
Something else I'll need to check: whether the pace slowed up a lot after Across The Bay was carried wide?
 
Paul said he was too keen so he had to take him back and settle him and feels he would have finished a lot closer on better ground. He's not an easy horse to ride from what I've heard.
 
The BHA have confirmed that they will hold an enquiry into the start of this year's Crabbie's Grand National at Aintree.

The Disciplinary Panel of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) are set to examine whether the 39 riders that took part in the Crabbie's Grand National at Aintree were in breach of Rule (D)44.4 of the Rules of Racing, in that they "attempted to line up and/or take a position for the start before being instructed to do so by the Starter."

The Stewards' enquiry was unable to be completed on the day and the Stewards therefore referred the matter to BHA.

All 39 riders have been informed and provided with evidence and details relating to the charge at a future date, though they have been instructed that it is not necessary for them all to attend the hearing.

BHA also considered events which took place after the race. On the day, having taken initial evidence from the riders and the starting team, the Stewards adjourned the enquiry to consider the matter and then in attempting to re-convene the enquiry the riders who had not been given permission to leave the course did not return to the Stewards' room.

After reviewing all available evidence and statements, BHA is not pursuing any disciplinary action in respect of the riders' failure to conclude the Stewards' enquiry on the day.

Jamie Stier, Director of Raceday Operations and Regulation for BHA, said: "Managing the start of the Grand National and dealing with any incidents that occur during this process presents a unique challenge.

"After reviewing all the available evidence we have taken the decision not to pursue any charges relating to the fact that we were unable to complete the Stewards' enquiry on the day. This is also a reflection of the scale of the challenge in conducting an enquiry in such circumstances.

"Instead, we would like to put in place a protocol, to be developed in conjunction with the jockeys, for managing such situations where a large numbers of riders are involved.

"Having reviewed all of the available evidence and footage into the incident prior to the start of the Grand National it is the view of BHA that 39 of the 40 riders in the race attempted to line up or take a position before being instructed to do so, which was before the off time of the race. If the Disciplinary Panel finds that this is the case then this would constitute an offence under the Rules of Racing.

"It is also BHA's view that the riders then moved forward towards the start and in the process knocked down the Assistant Starter, who was positioned in front of the field, advising the riders not to line up. This will also be considered by the Disciplinary Panel.

"This all occurred after riders in the Grand National had been briefed in advance of the race about conduct at the start, which emphasised the obligation under the Rules for the riders to obey the Starter's instructions.

"The Disciplinary Panel will now determine whether any of the riders in question are in breach of the Rules of Racing."
 
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