GRAND NATIONAL ON SATURDAY ANY THOUGHTS, HERE'S MINE.

[clivealive1]

UPDATED: well here are my thought:
current ground on national course is good to soft (good in places) - (more good ground patches than 3 days ago)

'Monbeg Dude'   (12/1)  - (now 14/1)
has a lot going for it.
right age, he has a good weight , can go on any going and stays well.  (had a bet on him at 20/1 now down to 12/1)
also got famous owners so price likely to shorten further.

'Chance Du Roy' likes good or soft going, stays (33/1) (lve bet EW) -  (now 25/1)

outsider with a shout : 'Alvarado' stays and goes on any going. (40/1) (ive bet EW) -  (now 33/1)


'Balthazar King'  (25/1)  - (possible bet)  - (ground still drying So could be a player)
won well at cheltenham and stays well.
needs the ground to dry out a bit more as it likes good going.
so will wait until we know whats the grounds like.
if its good (good to soft in places on the day he could run a big race)
only minus would be it rare for a  recent cheltenham winner to win the national.
trainer will pull him out the race if going is to soft (dont back until the day)

'Lion Na Bearnai'  (possible bet)
stays well , likes good to soft to heavy ground , if the rain comes hes up there.  (33/1)

'Mountainous' (40/1) and 'across the bay'  (40/1)   would both have a shout if the rain comes as they both prefer soft going.  (ground still drying so unlikely bets)


others :
'teaforthree' backed him last year (3rd) - lead until the last and run out of puff badly on the run in . currently 8/1 favourite , might regret it but not for me this year.
Tidal bay - top weight and 13 years old been a long time since a 13 year old won the national - also red rum last horse to win with top weight -  big ask, not for me.
long run - previous gold cup winner - class horse of the race - again big weight and will he stay ? - big ask, not for me.

Summary if going good or good to soft   (likely)
'Monbeg Dude' ,  Chance Du Roy & 'Alvarado'  -  add  'Balthazar King' if good or good/ good to soft in places ground.

summary if soft to heavy
'Monbeg Dude' , 'Lion Na Bearnai' , 'Mountainous' and 'across the bay'

well thats my take and we will see how i get on, on the day

any thoughts, whats ur idea of the winner.

[Phoenix .]

You seem to know a lot about horse racing clivealive1 ?
Personally I would like to see it banned, I am not a horse lover but an animal lover, and to my mind it is cruelty at it's best at it's worst it is barbaric, wonder how many poor horses are going to lose their lives this year...in the name of Sport.?

[clivealive1]

They have done all they can to make it easier on the horses making the fences a lot easier and there were no issues last year with all horses coming home safely.
millions love the grand national and hopefully it will be the same this year as knowone likes any issues.

[fiddles]

Apr 1, 2014 14:35:37 GMT Phoenix . said:

You seem to know a lot about horse racing clivealive1 ?
Personally I would like to see it banned, I am not a horse lover but an animal lover, and to my mind it is cruelty at it's best at it's worst it is barbaric, wonder how many poor horses are going to lose their lives this year...in the name of Sport.?

Ditto

[BrenD]

Apr 1, 2014 14:35:37 GMT Phoenix . said:

You seem to know a lot about horse racing clivealive1 ?
Personally I would like to see it banned, I am not a horse lover but an animal lover, and to my mind it is cruelty at it's best at it's worst it is barbaric, wonder how many poor horses are going to lose their lives this year...in the name of Sport.?

I'm not a racing fan, although I am an animal lover, but I don't think it is fair to write the sport off as cruel and barbaric.

Were the horses not as well looked after, then maybe, but almost all are treated brilliantly.  You also have to consider the fact that the horses were bred and trained to race and enjoy what they do.

[clivealive1]

This was written as a discussion of who was gonna win , not if its barbaric or not.
BrenD thanks for a less diggy comment.
The horse 'the rainbow hunter' fell early last year yet continued for a circuit and a half to finish second (3 miles) (without a jockey)
he did this because he wanted to and was clearly enjoying himself , else he would have gone back to the stable or stopped running.
I hate it as much as anyone when a horse get hurt.

[sammy13]

The national has always had these two sides to the argument.
I was on the high street today, and heard all this bleating, I turned round to see a wagon of sheep going down the road.
Going to be slaughtered????
Probably, and why??
In the uk we have enough food resources, we do not need to eat meat, other countries where food is scarce and they have to catch an animal to survive is different.

If a horse doesn't want to run or jump, believe me - it wont.
If a sheep , pig or cow wants to live in its field/ barn / pen minding its own business it has no choice but to be rounded up , crammed into a van and slaughtered to feed the already obese uk nation.

[beeper]

I don't like it that they're whipped to make them run faster and I dread reading about fallen horses being killed after such races.

[lenny59]

I think the original question was who do you fancy to win

But as usual all the "Do Gooders" jump (No pun intended ) in on the conversation......

[sammy13]

Apr 1, 2014 22:22:42 GMT beeper said:

I don't like it that they're whipped to make them run faster and I dread reading about fallen horses being killed after such races.

The whips are mainly used to make a noise in the air, it may look like it is hitting the horse hard but it is hardly touching it, most of the geeing up is done by the jockeys legs.
The whip is also used to steer the horse otherwise there could be colissions.
There are strict rules, if a whip is over used or used with force the jockey is in big trouble.

Regarding the killing of a horse, well my dads was shot on the course and it is the most heartbreaking thing for the trainers, owners ( usually ) and regular jockey.
If a horse has a broken neck, back, leg though there is nothing that can be done, keeping it alive would be cruel.

Don't get me wrong there are owners who are in it for the money and jockeys such as McCoy who I wouldn't let near any animal of mine, ever wondered why they all throw him off and he spends so much time on the floor? The horses only run if they want to

[clivealive1]

thanks for some support , who's gonna win anyone ?

[sammy13]

Apr 1, 2014 23:02:58 GMT clivealive1 said:

thanks for some support , who's gonna win anyone ?

Not McCoy he  will be thrown off
Watch him win now, leave it with me I will have a gander

[sammy13]

Quick look , like tidal bay,lay long run

[Debbie13]

Not looked as yet but will be doing, not a fan as such BUT the horses are trained to do this and on my understanding they love it. I WILL be having a bet...only do it once a year...on this race....
I show dogs, another animal sport that gets bad press from all angles......you get bad apples in ANY sport.....but the majority of horses look well cared for and love racing! My heart skips a beat when a horse is down, I do feel upset that some are shot as there is no other option...all this said....let me have a gander and get back with my prediction......not as indepth or knowledgeable as yours clivealive1 and some may be picked on name alone Will be back

[Debbie13]

Ok back after a quick check on Facebook, a nosey on the runners of the Grand National and my 3 are Tidal Bay, Threefortea and Prince De Beauchene....