THE richest race staged during the season at Thirsk takes place on Saturday May 4, with the £40,000 Cliff Stud Thirsk Hunt Cup heading the seven-race programme. The Thirsk Hunt Cup was first ran in 1859, with the intention of bringing together the country’s leading hunters, with the very first winner taking home the princely …[Read More]
SOME jockeys are destined never to win the Grand National. Jonjo O’Neill enjoyed rotten luck. John Francome never won it. Neither did Peter Scudamore. It took AP McCoy an age to gain his one and only success. Richard Johnson has been trying for 21 years and is still looking for the holy grail of a …[Read More]
by ANNIE DALE EVEN if you’re not a fan of racing, there’s no doubt that you have heard of the Grand National. It’s one of the most prestigious and iconic races in the racing calendar and thousands of people flock to Aintree Racecourse each year to witness the greatest race in the calendar. Racehorses become …[Read More]
by ANNIE DALE It’s quite a well-known fact that Ireland tends to dominate at the Grand National – whether that’s through Irish-bred horses (who have won 15 of the last 28 races), or Irish-trained horses (six wins from the last 13 years). However, in the history of the Grand National, five winners have been bred …[Read More]
THEY say if at first you don’t succeed then try again. And that’s the case with Vintage Clouds in the 2019 Randox Health Grand National. The horse agonisingly missed out on a place in last year’s race when he was 41st in the list of runners. Only 40 can run. But this year he is …[Read More]
by ANNIE DALE IT’S been almost 60 years since a mare won the Grand National, but there a few of the fairer sex with the world’s most famous steeplechase at Aintree on their agenda in 2019. Toughness and stamina are attributes which certainly aren’t confined to male racehorses, so here are four mares who could line …[Read More]
by ANNIE DALE It is estimated that about £250 million exchanged hands last year in bets on the Grand National. Given the hype surrounding the 2019 festival, it is expected that punters will invest even more in their “line of business”. The event kicks off on Thursday April 4 through to the Ladies Day on …[Read More]
WITH the Cheltenham Festival over, attention now turns to the Randox Health Grand National on April 6. The next scratchings stage for the great race is this Wednesday when the current entry list of 100 will be whittled down. The final 2019 Grand National runners will be confirmed on Thursday April 4 but until then …[Read More]
by ANNIE DALE Elegant Escape has the progressive profile of a Grand National winner – there’s no doubt about it. Already one of the best staying chasers in the business, he is still just seven years old and there is scope for further improvement. He has finished inside the top three in 13 of his …[Read More]
KAYLEY Woollacott is approaching the climax of her first full season as a National Hunt trainer after taking over the licence from her husband, Richard, who took his own life in January 2018. Having guided their stable star, Lalor, to a debut win over fences in their first outing of the campaign at the Cheltenham …[Read More]
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