The Grand National

One of the top two for me - Synchronised or Shakalakaboomboom.

Thoughts?

I like the look of Shakalakaboomboom 14/1, last 4 races 1st, 1st, 2nd, 2nd, i know that counts for nothing in the National, but the horse is a stayer. £5 e.w for me.

I've put a cheeky little each way bet on On His Own - never write off Ruby Walsh.

Okay, now you can write off Ruby Walsh

Good day for the bookies.

1. Neptune Collonges (D A Jacob) 33-1

2. Sunnyhillboy (R P McLernon) 16-1

3. Seabass (Ms K Walsh) 8-1 Jt Fav

4. Cappa Bleu (Paul Moloney) 16-1

5. In Compliance (N Madden) 100-1

The favourite Synchronised & According to Pete were sadly killed in the race

[JLP]

My daughter picked out the winner. She studied the form studiously for ages then decided she would back it because it was a grey horse.

Oh pipe down Brian.

[Kes]

Imagine you're a racehorse.

You've got a six foot high hedge in front of you, no f*cking problemo, you're a bloody racehorse.

As you go through the hedge, you find that some bastard has put a row of fairly solid and well secured pine poles INSIDE that hedge, that can only be designed to break the joints on the end of your feet, that is, if you EVEN think about not actually clearing the hedge. Add to that, your six foot high fence is only six foot high on the side you see, it's actually double that, or more, going down the other side. The race kills horses because if you try to land on two broken feet, it breaks them that bit more, and they don't so much fall, as collapse, sometimes the neck taking the main of the impact.

Now, I'm not exactly totally against the odd slaughter, but I really do think people "should" know the reasons why this race kills horses, and ones on the flat don't seem to kill quite so many. A heart attack is fair enough, a broken neck because somebody's compromised your ability to land after a jump, isn't quite so fair.

Add to that, your six foot high fence is only six foot high on the side you see, it's actually double that, or more, going down the other side.

That's a bit of an exaggeration. The drop on the other side of Becher's Brook is about 6ft9. Still pretty big of course.

[Kes]

Nevertheless, over the years, the race has been a pretty effective method of culling nags at the back end of their careers. Free euthanasia, and disposal of the carcass.

I can't actually think of a similar styled event in the Western world of equestrian sports, that carries such a risk, if you're a horse. I bet they don't get judges watching CCTV footage to see if they were competent in their decision making process to enter the race. It's a bit like Warhorse, only instead of dodging the German guns, these poor f*ckers have to avoid breaking their legs on hidden pine poles (unless they've stopped doing that in the last few years too).

Horses have to cross an actual road during the Grand National as well!

(They throw a fair bit of sand down before the race)

[Kes]

Well, I suppose they "could" make it a bit more dangerous, and not shut the road.

At the end of the day, I suppose it's a better way for them to go, than in a dark abattoir somewhere. At least they won't be thinking "Oh f*ck!" as they get led in.