IN 1987, I made my first trip to Aintree on Grand National day. It was jam-packed, as you would expect, and the atmosphere was boisterous but it was a wonderful place to be for a racing-mad teenager. That year is memorable for a few reasons (apart from Everton winning the league): the tragedy of Dark …[Read More]
Picture: Liverpool Echo I FANCIED Highland Lodge in the Becher Chase, so much so that I put him in my usual Saturday “life-changing” multiple bet. His 20/1 success was the only winner of the six, so life hasn’t changed… although the dream still lives on. The Becher Chase was a cracking spectacle and informative in …[Read More]
AND there it was. One of the finest specimens of a National Hunt horse that you’ll ever see galloping to success in the world’s greatest race. I have adored Many Clouds since he glided to victory at Wetherby on his bumper debut a few years ago. It was obvious then he had an engine. But, …[Read More]
I’VE always been slightly suspicious of Trials Day at Cheltenham as a reliable guide to the Festival itself. The meeting is usually run on deep ground, conditions that you rarely see in March, and it can throw up a few red herrings when looking for 2015 Cheltenham Festival clues. But I would be very surprised …[Read More]
IF YOU were to design the perfect National Hunt specimen then you would probably come up with something akin to MANY CLOUDS. The leading Hennessy Gold Cup contender has been a favourite of this blog since he hosed up in a Wetherby bumper on a bitterly cold February day in 2012. His performance had pundits …[Read More]
THE RSA Chase can often make or break a horse. Yes, it has produced future Cheltenham Gold Cup winners such as Mandarin, Bobs Worth and Denman and, of course, the ultimate National Hunt icon in Arkle. But it can be a cruel race that can leave its mark on a young animal and many trainers …[Read More]
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