Saturday at Aintree

[Gamebird]

Apologies for starting a new thread early for Saturday- the Friday one has been crashing for me all day and won't allow me to post.































Congratulations on your winner Elf - I missed it as I had one in the previous race. I think we were both hiding in the canteen at the same time, but HHO wouldn't let me reply without crashing .

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Thanks! Good Luck tomorrow!

I was tucked up in the corner under the TV screens chatting to the horse catchers whilst I picked at lunch for something to do I'm so glad the rain went off for my race. There's nothing worse than getting soaked leading up.

We have Corach in the national and a lovely little grey bumper horse who is at surprisingly big odds for what he has done so far.

Then we have 3 yokes at Newcastles dirt racing so I will be there.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Today is the day! And I have managed to get us banned from "liking" and responding to comments on our fb page for a few hours fb let you like 200 or so comments in quick sucession before they stop you "to protect the public from spammers"

 

[Mynstrel]

Good luck both! It's a beautiful day for it but by god it was cold this morning, we're about half an hour away and there was quite a frost first thing.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

ITV had better show the parade of former winners (they didn't bother last year). I'd far rather see them than betting man/drunk idiots/ fashion....

They must be there prior to the parade, why not do a little feature with each of their handlers asking what they're up to nowadays.... Hasn't Tiger been doing some showing and Pineau eventing? So why not do some little features on how they've been retrained for these things?

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Silver Birch is over parading. He is 26yo. I don't actually agree with that. It's not like he lives 10 miles down the road. Hopefully this will be his last and he can stay home and enjoy watching the National from his paddock in future years.

The RoR horses yesterday were great! There were a pair playing around with a bit of horseball in the paddock and on the track. You couldn't get a better example of a retrained racehorse if you tried. I will add some pics in a tick when I have resized them.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Walk In The Mill had such a lovely big swinging walk on him.

 

[Maddie Moo]

Current going at Aintree. My boss messaged me last night asking for tips

 

[Sandstone1]

Fingers and toes crossed that they all get home safe.

 

[Gamebird]

It's an odd day for us. A lot of sitting around waiting, then all the action at once. We have one runner mid afternoon, then nothing until 5 in the National and 2 in the bumper afterwards. It was weird having breakfast after riding out etc and knowing it was 9 hours until the bumper horses run!

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Walk In The Mill had such a lovely big swinging walk on him.

Oh don't they look fantastic! Thank you for these photos, wish ITV would have given them some air time as the fact they're all doing so many different things shows how versatile the ex racehorses can be. Several well known ones too. But nope, we get drunken idiots and fashion... Yawn!

There was a lovely clip of Silver Birch and Tiger playing at GE's yard, where I presume they go prior to festivals, but SB did look rather creaky. I seem to recall there was one, maybe Lord Gylene or Bindaree who when he was too old to join the parade they sent a little video of him at home in and they showed that instead during his slot

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Oh don't they look fantastic! Thank you for these photos, wish ITV would have given them some air time as the fact they're all doing so many different things shows how versatile the ex racehorses can be. Several well known ones too. But nope, we get drunken idiots and fashion... Yawn!

There was a lovely clip of Silver Birch and Tiger playing at GE's yard, where I presume they go prior to festivals, but SB did look rather creaky. I seem to recall there was one, maybe Lord Gylene or Bindaree who when he was too old to join the parade they sent a little video of him at home in and they showed that instead during his slot

I put a load up on the RoR Scotland fb page. The main Retraining of Racehorses fb page shared a load of pics too. They all looked fab!

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

I put a load up on the RoR Scotland fb page. The main Retraining of Racehorses fb page shared a load of pics too. They all looked fab!

Ooh thank you just gone and had a look at them - the horseball ones look half asleep!

When they were introducing the presenters, could see the previous winners behind Rishi so let's see if we get more than that glimpse of them...

What do you do with all the winners rugs you must accumulate?

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Ooh thank you just gone and had a look at them - the horseball ones look half asleep!

When they were introducing the presenters, could see the previous winners behind Rishi so let's see if we get more than that glimpse of them...

What do you do with all the winners rugs you must accumulate?

Some owners like to take them home. Some staff take them home. Mostly they sit in a big trunk in the racing kit room. I have a few Jeff won nearly 20 years ago.

The Aintree rosettes go up in the owners cabin and the sash Arthur got adorns this massive great big metal horse statue we have in the cabin.

 

[Kadastorm]

good luck today Elf!

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Some owners like to take them home. Some staff take them home. Mostly they sit in a big trunk in the racing kit room. I have a few Jeff won nearly 20 years ago.

The Aintree rosettes go up in the owners cabin and the sash Arthur got adorns this massive great big metal horse statue we have in the cabin.

Thank you that's really interesting!

Hope Dark Raven is ok, his back end didn't look great when he stood up, I think Cool Survivor got up from a crunching fall so hopefully he's ok

 

[Jenko109]

I wish they would tell us already.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

I wish they would tell us already.

Exactly, hoping they don't sweep it under the carpet - they told us about the one the other day. They're about to do a hurdle race now, so unless they miss a hurdle for him to be treated they must know

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Update - Dark Raven was PTS.

 

[Maddie Moo]

Confirmed Dark Raven was put down.

There is a process they go through before informing the media etc, that’s why it can take time for the information to filter through. It’s only been half an hour since the race. For some reason, people on social media want answers literally as the race ends.

 

[Jenko109]

Confirmed Dark Raven was put down.

There is a process they go through before informing the media etc, that’s why it can take time for the information to filter through. It’s only been half an hour since the race. For some reason, people on social media want answers literally as the race ends.

For some reason? Because they're concerned. It's not difficult to comprehend.

 

[Maddie Moo]

For some reason? Because they're concerned. It's not difficult to comprehend.

Well obviously but they refuse to accept the fact that a vet actually has to assess a horse and discuss options with connections (if feasible), which clearly takes time. Not to mention they need to inform the stewards, contact the horse ambulance etc. But expecting that to all happen and then inform the media within a minute of the race finishing is clearly never going to happen.

 

[bonny]

What a star Sire de Berlais is, that was down to the horse that he won that, brilliant.

 

[humblepie]

Dark Raven caught my eye at Cheltenham. So sad.

 

[Mrs B]

Good luck, Elf! Good luck, everyone - may all come home safely.

 

[AmyMay]

Just switched on. @Elf On A Shelf all the luck today, but safe home to all xx

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Stop with the drunken idiots!!!

Are they even watching the racing or just clubbing?!

Regretting not including the Skeleton horse in my mini bets

 

[bonny]

Stop with the drunken idiots!!!

Are they even watching the racing or just clubbing?!

Just having a day out

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Who's the guy doing the into with the champions music? I've seen him before and it's really bugging me. Is he a boxer?

 

[Fools Motto]

Just a question, why is the national on so late? I'm sure it used to be about 3.30?