This week brings us the Punchestown Festival and brings the jump season to an end with style as the jump seasons finest horses, jockeys and trainers make the journey to Kildare from both Ireland and the UK.
With 11 Grade 1 races, Punchestown is unrivaled for its heart pounding excitement and promises a week of top notch racing. The highlight of the festival is the famous La Touche Cup, run over the cross country course it is sure to thrill experienced and novice race fans alike.
Tuesday kicks off the event with Champion Chase Day and includes three Grade 1 races; The Boylesports.com Champion Chase, the Evening Herald Champion Novice Hurdle over 2 miles and the Growise Novice Chase over 3 miles.
Wednesday is Gold Cup Day and is the highlight of the chase calendar with the 3 mile Gold Cup. Other races include the betchronicle Champion Bumper and the Grade A Handicap Chase.
The World Series Hurdle day is on Thursday and has 2 Grade 1 races for you to enjoy including The Ladbrokes World Series Hurdle and the Ryanair Novice Chase over 2 miles not to forget the thrilling La Touche Cross Country race.
The biggest crowds of the festival are expected on Friday for the famous party atmosphere of the Champion Hurdle Day.
Finally Saturday brings the festival to a close with the AES Champion 4 year old hurdle showing us possible champions of the future. The day is typically enjoyed by a family oriented audience and there is plenty for the kids to do with bouncy castles, pony rides and face painting.
2012 was another exceptional year for the Grand National as it enjoyed record attendances, an unprecedented number of previous winners in the field and the closest finish of the races history. Neptune Collonges added its name to history by beating Sinnyhillboy by a nose. The official winning distance of a nose was only added a few years ago and until now has never been used. Third place went to Seabass ridden by Katie Walsh who narrowly missed out on becoming the first female jockey to win the Grand National.
Although trainer Paul Nichols has many champion horses with Gold Cup, King George and World Hurdle wins, he had yet to add the National to his list even after having 53 previous entries. However jockey Daryl Jacob rode Neptune to become the first Grey in 51 years to win the race in a thrilling photo finish.
The race didn’t pass without controversy however as two horses had to be put down during the race; Synchronised, who had earlier unseated his jockey Tiny McCoy before the race began, raising questions about the horses suitability to run the race and According To Pete who sustained a broken leg after falling at Becher’s Brook.
This is the second year in a row that two horses have died during the race even after measures had been taken to improve safety. Around £250,000 had been spent including changes to three fences and stricter pre-race screenings. The drop on the landing side of Becher’s Brook had been reduced as part of the safety review changes but the RSPCA has called for further changes to the Grand National. Gavin Grant, the chief executive of the RSPCA, said the grueling race is ‘clearly not safe enough’ adding ‘Becher’s Brook has claimed another casualty and perhaps it’s time for that to go.’
Looking for the perfect way to pick a horse for the Grand National? Well if we are honest there isn’t one, not a sure fire way to pick a winner anyway. In fact the Grand National is one of the most unpredictable horse races of modern times and while the traditional method of studying the form can narrow the field for you it is time consuming and can take the fun out of betting for many of the novice punters who gamble on the National every year. So we have laid out below a selection of alternative, fun ways to pick your horse.
Try a horse that has the same name as someone you know such as family, friends or even your favourite pop star. It doesn’t matter so long as there is some kind of connection, maybe horses such as According to Pete or Junior have that connection for you.
Choose a ‘grey’ (the colour of the horse for all you novices) this will make it easy to choose your horse as there were only 4 greys who lined up in 2011. Now while the last grey to win was Nicolaus Silver in 1961 but King John’s Castle was runner up in 2008.
It could be that you have noticed a connection to your favourite sporting team or player, maybe the connection is the strip colour or the home ground, it doesn’t matter so long as you pick it. Horses such as Cappa Bleu, Becauseicouldntsee, West End Rocker or even Organisedconfusion could ring true to you.
Could the Jockey’s Clothing (known as silks) ring any bells? If the colours have significance to you then cross your fingers that the jockey is on a good horse.
Choose the horse with a name that might have meaning for you such as ‘Seabass’ for all you anglers out there or maybe for the terminally single ‘On His Own’, alternatively for those with a partner that has to have the last word ‘Always Right’.
This is well worth doing, pick an Irish Jockey, Horse or Trainer and if at all possible all three! The reason being that 6 out of the last 12 National Winners have had an Irish connection so it is a good bet to put your money on. Midnight Club or Alpha Beat could be in with a chance this year and worth having a punt.
Steer clear of the French! This isn’t racist propaganda from the BNP it is simply and observation that a French bred horse hasn’t won the National for over a hundred years. With that being said if the horse has been trained in the UK it could be in with a chance as Mon Mome was trained by Venetia Williams and won in 2008.
And if there isn’t anything amongst these suggestions then you could always stick a pin in a list of the runners.
Once you have selected your horse you should place your bet with a bookie that has a Free Bet offer (there will be conditions). Paddy Power are giving a Free 20 Pound bet if you open an account on line and stake 10 Pounds of you’re own money. It wont feel half so bad if you lose using someone else’s cash and as they pay out on the first 5 horses (instead of the traditional 4) you have a better chance of collecting some cash.
Make sure you bet ‘Each Way’ this ensures you pick up some cash even if your horse comes in as low as 4th (5th with Paddy Power).
For those of you who love a good statistic or just like to have a few facts for pub banter then take a look at the excellent Grand National Race Guide infographic by www.grand-national.me.uk. The graphic features great facts such as all the 100/1 winners, beer consumed at the event, why fences are named and how much is bet each year. All presented in the form of a Grand National board game, so take a look and brush up on your knowledge.
Once you have absorbed the facts on the “greatest steeple chase in the world” maybe you can have a go at picking this years winner. There are some great horses going through to the final cut that look like strong contenders for this years trophy, such as Chicago Grey, trained by Gordon Elliot or maybe this is the year for Junior who just missed out on a place in 2011.
No matter which horse you go for the 2012 Grand National is shaping up to be a fantastic race and if you can’t make it to Aintree then you can watch the great event live on the BBC with coverage starting at noon with the big race starting at 4.15pm.
The 60 year relationship with the BBC and Horse Racing has come to an end as Channel 4 scooped the rites to show the sport from 2013. The BBC had reduced its coverage in 2010 to just 13 days of racing and they have now lost the jewels in the crown of live horse racing. The budget ordinarily used for the sport will be redirected to keep other premier events such as The Six Nations, The Open and Formula One which is shared with Sky.
A spokesperson for the BBC has said ‘We are of course disappointed that we have lost the rights, but we are pleased that all the races in the contract remain free to air.’
‘We of course still look forward to broadcasting the Grand National next month and then of course the Derby and Royal Ascot which have special significance in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee year.’
With continuos coverage of horse racing remaining on terrestrial television it is hoped that the sport will remain in the minds of fans and viewers alike and grow that fan base further. Also with the length of the deal it should provide a strong platform for horse racing to tap into the typically younger viewers of Channel 4.
There is a risk involved however, particularly for the Grand National, as last year it attracted 8.5million viewers, the biggest audience in the racing calendar and there is concern that the switch from the BBC could damage its profile. The other side to that argument is that the sport has been enhanced by horses such as Killyglen and Always Right and is now more commercially attractive for broadcasters as bookmakers have been allowed to advertise.
This week sees the arrival of the ringing with it a week of top quality jump racing that culminates with the highlight of the British and Irish Jump Season, ‘The Gold Cup’.
The Gold Cup has a fantastic history and has seen some truly fantastic Horses, Jockeys and Trainers over the years. The race was first run in 1924 and since then seen many legends past the winning line. One such is Golden Miller who, in 1932 won the cup on its first attempt and went on to win a further 4 times on consecutive years.
However it is the recent history that you will want to know if you are someone who enjoys a bet on this prestigious event. Of particular interest is the news that Kauto Star will be running after he was all but ruled out after a nasty fall during training in February.
Long Run is curently the favourite over Kauto Star but not by much. Burton Port is also up there at 7/1 with Weird Al looking worth a punt at 10/1 after an impressive win in the Charlie Hall Chase last October.
The middle of March sees the 2012 Cheltenham Festival take place and the eyes of the racing community will be turning to one of the nations greatest sporting extravaganza.
The world’s greatest jump horses will be coming to Cheltenham in search of a place in the record books and the heroes from last year’s festival will be waiting in defense of their crowns after exhilarating victories last year.
Tuesday is Champion Day and the anticipation is palpable until the tape rises on that first race and the tension is popped with a mighty cheer that lets us know the wait is over and the Festival is under way. Wednesday is Ladies Day giving you an opportunity to have some fun with the Ladies Day fashion awards. The power of the Cheltenham Festival is apparent as they move a national saints day forward, dubbing the 15th as St. Patrick’s Thursday. Friday brings us the climax to the festival and the jump season, the Betfred Gold Cup which brings to a close arguably one of the best race days of the year.
The Irish Grand National horse race is a National Hunt steeplechase held at the Fairyhouse Racecourse in Ratoath, County Meath, in the Republic of Ireland. This annual race is held every Easter Monday during the Fairyhouse Easter Festival. As the biggest steeplechase and one of the most prestigious races in Europe, the Irish Grand National attracts some of the best quality racehorses in the region. This handicap race is only open to horses at least five years of age.
The Fairyhouse Racecourse
The famous Fairyhouse Racecourse has hosted the Irish Grand National throughout the race’s entire long history. This course is a grueling 3 miles and 5 furlongs long and the horses must jump 23 difficult fences by the time they cross the finish line. Because the Fairyhouse Racecourse is so challenging, European trainers like to test their horses out on this course. Horses that perform well at Fairyhouse typically have the stamina needed to excel at other European racecourses.
Brief History of the Irish Grand National Horse Race
The Irish Grand National was established way back in 1870. A horse named Sir Robert Peel won the very first race. Because it is held on Easter Monday, the event attracts many racing fans from Dublin, which earned this race the nickname of “The Dub’s Day Out.” The Irish Distillers sponsored this race under various names for much of the race’s history, but Ladbrokes took over the sponsorship in 2010.
Legends of the Irish Grand National
The horse named Brown Lad is the Irish Grand National’s most successful racehorse, winning three times in 1975, 1976 and 1978. Pat Taaffee is currently the event’s most successful jockey, winning the race six times on six different horses from 1954 to 1966. The most successful trainer during the history of the Irish Grand National is named Tom Dreaper. Mr. Dreaper trained ten winning horses from 1943 to 1966.
Several of the Irish Grand National winners went on to win the Grand National race held at the Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, but no horse has won both races in the same year. The first horse to complete the double was named Ascetic’s Silver, who achieved this feat in the early 1900s. More recent double winners include the horses named Bobbyjo, Numbersixvalverde and Rhyme ‘n’ Reason.
The Irish Grand National’s Top Jockey Family
The Carberry family has had several family members perform successfully as jockeys in the Irish Grand National horse race. Tommy Carberry began the family tradition when he was a jockey in the 1960s and 1970s. He was the overall champion Irish jockey twice before retiring in 1982 to train racehorses.
Tommy’s son, Paul Carberry, also won the champion title twice. Paul took the Irish Grand National in 1998 on Bobbyjo, a horse that his father trained. Tommy’s son Paul has also won this prestigious race, jockeying to victory in 2006. The most recent Carberry to win the Irish Grand National is Tommy’s daughter, Nina Carberry, who won the race in 2011 on Organisedconfusion, a horse trained by her uncle, Arthur Moore.
Having been a trainer and driver of racehorses; having witnessed 1000’s of races over the course of the past 30 years, anything can occur before the race starts. With this knowledge, here are some tips that may assist you in making a good bet, while using your brains instead of your gut reaction.
Although ante-post racing has been a huge market with betters or punters, you should be very careful when placing your bet before race day. Here is my thought on this subject. I never bet on a horse before the horses warm up or parade. I want to see if the horse I am betting on is sound e.g. healthy, not lame on the track. Thoroughbred horse racing is completely different from standardbred horse racing.
Thoroughbreds parade for approximately 10 minutes before the race. Watch for traits indicating lameness. Your horse should not exhibit any limping or favoritism to one leg. White foam, or sweat, observed on the horse’s neck is indicative of nervousness or the horse being “washed out.” Washed out is a term used for a horse that may not race well due to excessive nervousness. A positive indicator that you have a good horse to bet on occurs when the horse “empties out,” another term for “pooping” before the race. I find this to be an advantage, as the horse is relaxed and free of excessive bulk, thereby permitting him to run more quickly.
Harness horse racing is different, as you are able to watch the contenders warm up. Typically the horses are warmed up 60 minutes before the actual race time. This is a perfect time to watch your horse travel around the track. You can see if they are limping or sore. If you observe any incongruence in their running pattern do not bet on them.
An aspect to look for in both thoroughbreds and standardbreds, when determining your winning horse is, “equipment changes.” This alteration in equipment can change the way the horse runs that day. For example, if you see a horse go from blinkers to no blinkers, that horse may be prone to the distraction of his competitors and may try to outrun a horse when they see a competitor coming up, on the outside or inside of the track. There are so many variations of changes of equipment. The track must list equipment changes week to week. Make sure, if you are a serious better, that you check for changes and evaluate how this may alter the outcome of the race.
The last variance I would like to cover is track condition. Imagine you bet on a great horse that cannot lose, in your mind. On race day it rains and the track is muddy. This horse does not like the mud. Those betters who have followed the conditions as it pertains to their winning horse know about this disadvantage and pass on the horse. If you placed the bet days earlier, without this knowledge, you may have bet on a great horse that cannot triumph in mud. This great horse loses and you lose your money. You could have prevented this by not making your early bet. On the other hand, your identified winner may be a horse that loves the mud and under such conditions, may be your winner. You have no way of knowing this if you have not vetted your horse, checked the conditions, examined for equipment changes, and personally seen him parade or warm up.
As you can see, I never bet ante-post for these reasons. A common adage which I frequently refer to is, “You can beat a race, but you cannot beat the races.” However, that has never stopped me from taking the time to exert my knowledge and pick my winner! Horse racing especially races like the Grand National are exciting events that combines skill, talent, and of course - Luck!
David Pipe has made no secret of the fact that he is preparing the talented dual purpose performer Junior for a crack at the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree in April having missed the cut last term, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed that there has been support for the eight-year-old across the board with most firms having laid their 25/1 and some now offering just 16/1 about Junior winning this season’s renewal of the great race, writes Elliot Slater.
The Middleham Park Racing-owned Singspiel gelding has been a tremendous servant to connections and last summer proved himself a particularly useful sort on the level when making every post a winning one to give his owners a day to remember when landing the Ascot Stakes by five-lengths from Elyaadi. He went on to finish an excellent second to Ghimaar on the Goodwood Stakes before reverting back to the winter game with a solid effort in running third to the smart Midnight Chase in the Grade 3 Morson Group Handicap Chase at Cheltenham 12 months ago. People looking for Grand National free bets can’t rule him out.
Second on New Year’s Day in a well contested Cheltenham handicap hurdle, Junior wasn’t seen again until reappearing at the Cheltenham Festival where he put up a stunning performance in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase to run his rivals ragged over the extended three miles, scoring by a memorable 24-length from course specialist Faasel. Spoken of straight after that win as a potential Grand National winner three weeks later, there was much disappointment for ante-post backers when Pipe’s horse missed the cut but now off a much higher rating he is all but guaranteed a run.
The market support for him suggests that Junior is in very good shape at home and it would not surprise if he was campaigned over hurdles until February to protect his current rating ahead of the publication of the Grand National weights in the middle of that month.
