Seeyouatmidnight the Scottish National value

MOUSE Morris certainly knows how to win a National. Rogue Angel and Rule The World have already done the business in the Irish and English equivalents and now he has his eye on a remarkable and unprecedented treble. Rogue Angel is being prepared for a possible tilt at Saturday’s Scottish national at Ayr – and …[Read More]

Five 12-year-olds who won the Grand National

BY JAMES HARRISON The Grand National has been something of a preserve for horses heading towards the veteran stage of their careers in recent years. The last three winners of the Aintree showpiece – Neptune Collonges, Auroras Encore and Pineau De Re – have all been aged 11. And the two winners before that were …[Read More]

Daily Punt: Aintree Ladies’ Day

AINTREE was fabulous yesterday. Quality racing on perfect ground, and not too big a crowd, so getting to the bar was easy! Of our Daily Punt horses, Activial folded tamely but Claret Cloak ran well to be third. Maybe the race just came too soon after Cheltenham. The racing looks more open on day two …[Read More]

Daily Punt: Activial to light up Aintree

I’M off to Aintree today for the start of the Grand National meeting. It’s an excellent card although a couple of the Grade Ones have cut up a little. But one race that is almost as strong as the Triumph Hurdle is the opener. Harry Fry bypassed Cheltenham with ACTIVIAL (above) to wait for today’s …[Read More]

Grand National the holy grail for Henderson

HE MAY have mopped up most of National Hunt racing’s biggest prizes, but the Grand National remains the holy grail for leading trainer Nicky Henderson. He has hit the crossbar a few times: remember his first Aintree runner Zongalero coming second to Rubstic in 1979 (I do, I’m that old!) Or The Tsarevich chasing home …[Read More]

Grand National: Zara holds key to Monbeg Dude

THE Grand National always throws up a good tale. And if Monbeg Dude manages to win on April 5 there will be plenty of angles to go at. There were emotional scenes at Cheltenham last weekend when Tom Scudamore drove Monbeg Dude, trained by his brother Michael, to victory over Theatre Guide. The eight-year-old, winner …[Read More]

Grand National or a fixed brush novice hurdle?

JOHN Francome had it right in my book. “Make the Aintree fences bigger, not smaller. It will make the jockeys and horses slow down.” Francome was derided for his contrary viewpoint back in April amid the blizzard of animal welfare support, but he had a salient point. Saturday’s Becher Chase was an underwhelming spectacle. I …[Read More]

Saturday selections: Godsmejudge is just divine

FEWER sights were more uplifting last season as GODSMEJUDGE soaring over the last few fences at Ayr to win the Scottish National. It was some performance for a novice chaser who had been on the go since the previous October and who had already run some mighty races. Alan King’s chaser looks a ready-made Grand …[Read More]

Will Vintage Star give Mania an Aintree headache?

RYAN Mania may have a problem next April. It would probably take a huge amount to drag him away from Grand National winner Auroras Encore in next year’s big race. But VINTAGE STAR could be the cause of the headache. Today at Carlisle, in stamina-sapping ground, Vintage Star held off Buddy Bolero and Imperial Vic …[Read More]

Foinavon: The Story of the Grand National’s Biggest Upset

SO MANY stories surrounding the Grand National have gone down in racing folklore. But none have been more dramatic as that of Foinavon, the 100-1 winner in 1967. Until now the way the oddly-blinkered horse tiptoed his way around the carnage at the 23rd fence before, almost apologetically, hopping over the obstacle is one of …[Read More]