Aintree

[Clodagh]

Today is my favourite days racing of the year. Isn’t Monmiral just a beautiful horse, such lovely ears and an intelligent face.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Thank you for the reminder!

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Poor Tiger Roll being owned by such an ego centric person....

I do the ITV 7 as its free, I managed to win the first, 2nd in the 2nd race and its gone downhill since then!

The video of the man linked to the Irish grand national winner ?

 

[blodwyn1]

The O Leary brothers have done themselves no service letting Tiger Roll run like that!

 

[Clodagh]

I think it was demeaning to TR to show him up like that. He’s a winner who was set up to fail. O’Leary is a knob.
Great race though. I hope they retire Native River. Clan des Obeaux was amazing.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

The O Leary brothers have done themselves no service letting Tiger Roll run like that!

I'd have liked to see him retired after the cross country win, as he'd claimed they may.

Perhaps a hint of no trying to confirm O'Leary's point? Don't think TR jockey went for the whip once when he dropped back, I thought he'd at least try and cajole him along a bit.

Then to keep him going when he was tailed off. Imagine if he'd had a fatal fall just to prove a petty point!!

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

I think it was demeaning to TR to show him up like that. He’s a winner who was set up to fail. O’Leary is a knob.
Great race though. I hope they retire Native River. Clan des Obeaux was amazing.

Totally agree, imagine if he'd had a fall just so they could prove their petty point. Actually getting bored of TR and the owners! Hope he retires before he's completed flogged and the handicapper doesn't cave in and lower him.

I'd also agree re Native River retiring, I know he didn't look his lead but he didn't look happy. He'd make someone a cracking eventer or hunter. I wouldn't mind betting Richard Johnson will have him

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Tiger Roll was never going to be good enough for the Bowl today. He is a high class handicapper but he is not a Grade 1 horse. He was never going to be able to lay up with the pace of a 3mile against the very best 3milers.

Native River has more than served his time and I agree, I expect Dickie will take him home with him when he does retire.

Monmiral was spectacular! He is some horse to look at!

The race I am looking forward to watching this week is the Topham tomorrow - Bucket Heid runs! Precious Cargo - if he takes to the fences, which I have no doubt he will as he jumps for fun! He should have a cracking chance!

We have 2 runners this week there - Ain't My Fault today at 4.40pm and Ahoy Senor at the same time tomorrow.

 

[Kadastorm]

Really sad for TR. The poor boy owes them nothing, let him retire.

I absolutely love Native River and would love to see him retire also but before the race they were saying he is in the best shape so I feel like they will keep racing him.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Really sad for TR. The poor boy owes them nothing, let him retire.

I absolutely love Native River and would love to see him retire also but before the race they were saying he is in the best shape so I feel like they will keep racing him.

I'd love for him to retire safe and well, unfortunately with that owner you can tell they want him in next years grand national. Hope he doesn't get killed.

Is it me or is Beuver D'Air carrying his tail oddly?

 

[Kadastorm]

I didn’t notice. But my old pony used to carry his really strangely and used it as a propeller when jumping ?

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Not that I jump (though did actually jump in my lesson today albeit quite small) but do the GN fences look smaller than usual? I know they've been modified but Luke who is small, was taller than the chair!

Not surprised the amateur who just finished 15th in the foxhunters punched the air think I would as well!

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

The fences are smaller. The inside is a an Easyfix Fence which is point to point size, not even as big as a normal chase fence, then covered in fluff that isn't tightly packed so it literally just falls off. Sadly this means the horses and jockeys go faster and take more chances because they know they can go through the fences rather than over them.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

The fences are smaller. The inside is a an Easyfix Fence which is point to point size, not even as big as a normal chase fence, then covered in fluff that isn't tightly packed so it literally just falls off. Sadly this means the horses and jockeys go faster and take more chances because they know they can go through the fences rather than over them.

Thought they looked "small" (not that I'd jump one) is there a way they could have kept them big but more giving eg added more layers of "fluff" or even make the Easy Fix the same height as a normal chase fence, then add the stuffing on top to add the height? That way internally it's the height of a chase fence, but the fluff makes them a bit more impressive. They just looked a bit tame, I know safety is important but isn't them going faster making it unsafe whereas if they were a good height, they'd be having to jump them properly? They look even more tame when the fluff is knocked away some almost hurdle them

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

This is what is inside the last National fence. About 3.5ft at it's highest point. So not exactly substantial fences when stripped of their fluff.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

This is what is inside the last National fence. About 3.5ft at it's highest point. So not exactly substantial fences when stripped of their fluff.

Thanks that's really interesting could they not make that inside bit higher, then add the fluff? How big did they used to be and how are they compared to hurdles?

I know there's the fluff but 3'5" isn't very high, I've probably jumped the odd sj style jump at 3 foot when I used to jump, so "only" 5 inches smaller than these GN jumps! Obviously completely different context but I was expecting at least 4 foot!

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Hurdles aren't much small in height but they aren't as wide and obviously fall over easily. I suppose there is only so much fluff you can add before it all just falls off.

On another note - Ain't My Fault has just ran better than I thought he would! Finished 7th in that closer to the winner than I expected!

 

[Clodagh]

Wonderful interview with the trainer, Joe O’Shea. I’m so pleased a ‘big boy’ didn’t win an amateurs race.
As for the fences, I said to OH I could have jumped the last! (Probably couldn’t but you know what I mean).

 

[Kadastorm]

The national is definitely not as impressive as it used to be but as @Elf On A Shelf said, they just go faster and take more risks.

and congrats Elf! Good horse ? glad he is home safe and well.

 

[Clodagh]

I’m in Owners Group. Getaway Trump isnt one of mine. What a horrible looking fall, so glad to see him up and walking afterwards.

 

[humblepie]

I really liked the horse of the Moore’s - Editeur du Gite. Was willing him to hang on.

 

[Clodagh]

I really liked the horse of the Moore’s - Editeur du Gite. Was willing him to hang on.

He was great. Him and Jamie really looked to be enjoying themselves.

 

[Smitty]

Clodagh, so am I. Watched GT hoping and got very excited, but was so worried when he fell. So relieved to see him being led back.

I LOVED the big dark horse (Mondail or something) that won early on. So sorry for Tiger Roll. He looked completely pissed off...

 

[jules9203]

I wish they would retire Tiger Roll.
I did agree with Anthony McCoy that really he doesn't compare with Redrum re the GN. Harsh but true.

 

[Clodagh]

Clodagh, so am I. Watched GT hoping and got very excited, but was so worried when he fell. So relieved to see him being led back.

I LOVED the big dark horse (Mondail or something) that won early on. So sorry for Tiger Roll. He looked completely pissed off...

Who do you have? I have Stage Star (my first), Will Carver, Getaway Lily Bear and the Carpenter. Thats me done for now.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

My gran has a share in Getaway Trump. His first/second season he earned enough prize money that it covered her rejoining fee.

 

[Smitty]

Will Carver, my first and only who I got March 2020!! Am thinking of getting another Aug/Sept thus spreading the renewals out a bit!! I love The Carpenter ...

Am loving my involvement and friends of mine have another 5, so it gives us loads of interest. We all think it is amazing value for money and are just hoping that any of our horses run reasonably locally at some stage? although we are not expecting to get Owners badges, it will just give a bit of extra excitement to a day at the races ???

 

[Smitty]

I think Will has earned a bit now with a 3rd and 2nd, but not sure about covering any rejoining fees ?

 

[AdorableAlice]

AP didn't mince his words, fair play to him and he is so right.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

I wish they would retire Tiger Roll.
I did agree with Anthony McCoy that really he doesn't compare with Redrum re the GN. Harsh but true.

I wish they would retire him too.

I'm getting a bit fed up of all the O Leary nonsense around him as well. All the petty games hes playing with the handicapper, and almost using TR as a pawn in his game to prove his point.
I don't think they care about him, they care about the publicity he brings. If they "cared" he'd have been retired a while ago, or after his xc win last month.

I was in total agreement with AP too, fair play of him to say it instead of the almost hero worship some of the others do of TR. Also, you can't compare the fences TR had to jump to Red Rum. Would TR have made it over the fences RR did? I'm not sure. They looked so small today, especially when the fluff falls off. It was interesting reading EKW post about them.

I think Native River is starting to fall out of love with racing too. I don't jump and have never hunted but I wouldn't mind having him to hunt or even event...