Powers' irish grand national....

[glenruby]

...has just been won ingreat style by niche market ridden by Harry Skelton (sone of Nick). Nick has just said its better watching Harry win than winning 5times himself at Dublin. Nice price too - 33/1 on PaddyPower at the off.

There were a wicked load of fallers though - all seemed ok after. I thought it was a higher quality of horse looking at the runners beforehand - so far more fallers than I would have expected

. I remember 2 years ago we had a horse running in the national here and he was hampered by fallers (v v lucky not to be brought down)so ended up about 10th place i think but he was only a hunter chaser (albeit a cheltenham winning one!

) and still had a good chance. Standard was definitely higher than that today.

 

[latottwirl]

I'm afraid Witchita Lineman died, and possibly another, which is extremely sad given his wonderful effort at Cheltenham.

Brilliant effort by Skelton, huge well done!

 

[Daffodil]

I thought I saw him get up from behind the screens on the run in. Or was that one of the other fallers?

 

[latottwirl]

I saw on racehorsememories that he'd broken his back - it did look like that, especially when you saw him lying on the ground when the field came round second time. Looked extremely unhopeful.

 

[latottwirl]

Sadly it reads 'dead' under his name on Racing Post. Drumconvis also lost his life.

 

[Gonetofrance]

Two gone.........

Wichita Linesman went at the first, and Drumconvis who went mid race got up as the field went past, but it looked as if it had broken something...........

Both ran well (1st and 2nd in their respective races) but had hard races at Cheltenham.

Horribly sad, especially for AP and Jonjo on the back of recently losing ED.

RIP boys, thoughts to connections.

 

[Daffodil]

Oh no. RIP two very brave horses.
Thoughts to all concerned. The part of racing that I can never come to terms with.

 

[Gonetofrance]

Me too, Daffodil. It's desperate for all concerned.

 

[glenruby]

Oh crap, i didnt realise that.

Afraid i have a big exam tomorrow (hence Im on here ) and had only a half eye on the tv. What a pity, the loss of 2 good horses. fairyhouse is a far more straightforward course than Cheltenham too. I guess its just the way things go. Have to feel sorry for Tony M too - have met him manys a time. And was lucky ( or unlucky in his case) to meet Drumconvis last year too.

 

[JCWHITE]

Fantastic for Harry,really sorry to hear about the fallers though.
JC