Without wishing to be too Grinch-y, here are a few reasons why 17 April may not be workable for the Aintree showpieceThere was a rare show of unity between trainers and bookmakers on Tuesday as leading names including Nigel Twiston-Davies and Evan Williams lent their support to an idea floated by the betting industry that this year’s Grand National should be put back a week to 17 April, five days after betting shops are due to re-open in England.And it is not, on the face of it, a bad idea at all. Online betting is all very well, but when it comes to the National, walking out of a shop clutching a slip which could turn into hard cash later...
‘Everything needs to go perfectly,’ says trainer Dan Skelton as veteran chaser works his way back from ligament injuryBlaklion faces a race against time to be fit for one last tilt at the Grand National, the race for which he seemed made but which now seems destined to elude him. The 12-year-old was listed among the 106 entrants for this year’s race, published on Wednesday, but it then emerged he has had a setback since he was last seen, at Ascot in October. Related: Talking Horses: dire warnings issued over affordability checks for punters Tips by Chris Cook Continue reading...
Sandy Thomson eyes Aintree for chestnut, the latest veteran chaser to be cheered up by life at his Borders stableThe Grand National is on the agenda for that hugely talented enigma Yorkhill, who brought tears to the eyes of his owners by winning Saturday’s Rehearsal Chase at odds of 66-1. The chestnut has become the latest evidence of Sandy Thomson’s skill at reviving sulky old racers, with the rugged beauty of the Borders countryside having also played a part. Related: Cloth Cap fits for Jonjo O'Neill to win Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury OMG!!! Yorkhill!!!! @NewcastleRaces @captainnash @LambdenRacing Ryan Mania . Well done team. Crying and lost my voice shouting at the tv. Class is permanent!The King of the North enjoying...
‘He never went a yard,’ says official handicapper, who is not minded to slash star horse’s rating in the wake of Friday’s runConnections of Tiger Roll will be disappointed to learn that the British handicapper is not minded to make a significant adjustment to the horse’s rating, following his flop at Cheltenham on Friday. It means the veteran steeplechaser will have to beat a very high rating of around 169 if he is to win a third Grand National next year, as he is not expected to race over fences again before the National weights are fixed in mid-February. Related: Talking Horses: time for racing industry to talk about motherhood An upset in the Cross Country Chase @CheltenhamRaces as 11-year-old...
Tiger Roll makes a surprise return on the Flat as the chaser starts his build-up to a bid at Grand National historyTiger Roll, the Grand National winner in 2018 and 2019, already has strong claims to be the most versatile National Hunt horse in training as well as the most popular, and he will attempt to break new ground once again on Thursday by recording his first win on the Flat at the age of 10.“It’ll be a racecourse gallop and he’ll come on plenty for the run, but it’s a nice starting point for the season,” his trainer, Gordon Elliott said on Tuesday. “We don’t think he’s going to be winning it, we just want him to have a...