The 2021 Grand National

[Desert Orchid]

Yes, I'm working on the card just now.

I've now spread some money across multiple accounts at 4/1, having just missed the 9/2 that was going earlier. I got halfway through the field before concluding Le Breuil just has to win. Firstly, he needs to in order to get into the National and he needs to win well enough to go up at least 5lbs so he will be off for his life.

He's a mid 150s Class 2 horse getting in off 140 against Class 3 and Class 4 opponents who are yoyoing up and down the handicap.

I'll be surprised if he doesn't end up shorter than 2/1.

[G-G]

I’m hoping Yala Enki runs but can’t help but feel the owners won’t allow it. In previous years I’ve often found that my most successful National bets have been ones I’ve backed at 33/1 ante post. Unfortunately Mon Mome was one of those. Keeper Hill is my cliff horse this year: I hadn’t realised he’d been entered. Usually National entries/weights/race day are the highlights of my year but I can’t summon up my usual enthusiasm this year.

I backed Amberleigh House at 33s. I can't see YE not getting round if he runs. He's got to be there, thereabouts. Bryony will nurse him round. I can see it now, coming to the last on the inside, she's sitting lower but not gone for him....

[G-G]

I’m hoping Yala Enki runs but can’t help but feel the owners won’t allow it. In previous years I’ve often found that my most successful National bets have been ones I’ve backed at 33/1 ante post. Unfortunately Mon Mome was one of those. Keeper Hill is my cliff horse this year: I hadn’t realised he’d been entered. Usually National entries/weights/race day are the highlights of my year but I can’t summon up my usual enthusiasm this year.

Keeper Hill - always the target Been entered punching above his weight maybe but...means to an end.

[moe]

Bryony has become my Velvet Brown. Given that life over the past year has been pretty weird to say the least to see someone live out my childhood fantasy would somehow be like the beginning of something better. And I think it would be fantastic for racing.

[G-G]

It would be fantastic - just going to be a shame greeted with silence.

[Diamond Geezer]

Keeper Hill - always the target Been entered punching above his weight maybe but...means to an end.

Runs in the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle at Musselburgh on Sunday

[G-G]

He's the type of horse who needs to run, and there are scant few races around for his level/type.
BBB is DESPERATE to run, tomorrow called off obviously, and very , very few races around for him

[Desert Orchid]

God loves a trier (although I would die happier knowing O'Leary wasn't going to be in heaven with me):

https://www.racingpost.com/news/late...instead/472216


I couldn't help but smile at this quote:

"The handicapper has unfairly weighted Tiger Roll for the last two years in the UK. He's rated around 170 there and last won the Grand National off 159, and he's run four times since and not finished in the frame.

"He was beaten by Easysland at Cheltenham last year by 17 lengths off level weights – he is now rated 167 and yet somehow Tiger Roll is rated higher than he is.

"If the handicapper rates him fairly somewhere in the 150s then he'll run [at Aintree], but if he rates him in the 160s or 170s he won't. The plan has always been to go for the cross-country."

[granger]

DO- do you generally prefer handicaps rather than graded races?

[Desert Orchid]

DO- do you generally prefer handicaps rather than graded races?

I find the challenge of unravelling a big handicap stimulating but I like to think I appreciate quality.

[Maxbet]

Interesting how this shapes out..
Any horse not mentioned is already qualified and has a handicap mark to almost get in...Ballot if necessary...


A Toi Phil…Needs to win, no entries…3m hcp somewhere?
Acapella Bourgeois
Achille …Needs to win, unlucky behind Notachance at Warwick…only got raised 4Lb….3m hcp somewhere?
Aforementioned
Agusta Gold …
Al Roc …
Alpha des Obeaux
Ami Desbois
Anibale Fly
Another Venture
Any Second Now …
Articulum…
Aso
Balko des Flos
Ballyoptic …
Battleoverdoyen …
Beau Bay …
Bellow Mome
Bellshill
Beware The Bear…
Blaklion…
Brahma Bull
Bristol de Mai…
Burrows Saint …
Cabaret Queen
Canelo
Cap du Nord Probably Needs to win to get in...Kim Muir?
Captain Drake
Champagne Classic …
Chris's Dream
Class Conti
Cloth Cap
Crievehill
Death Duty
Definitly Red …
Deise Aba...Needed to win and to qualify…won 17/2…should get in
Delta Work…
Discorama …Out for the season
Double Shuffle
Dounikos….
Easysland
Fagan
Farclas …probably needed to win…tried, failed …still needs to win…Out
Fingerontheswitch
Fitzhenry…
Flying Angel
Give Me A Copper
Glen Forsa .
Golan Fortune
Gold Present
Hear No Evil
Hogan's Height..
Hold The Note
Jerrysback …
Jett …
Kauto Riko..Never run over 3m+ ..Needs to qualify
Keeper Hill
Kimberlite Candy
Lake View Lad Already
Le Breuil….Needed to win to get in the race…flopped..cross country chase only entry?
Lord du Mesnil
Magic of Light
Milan Native
Minella Times...probably needed to win…tried, failed …still needs to win…Out
Minellacelebration
Mister Malarky
Monbeg Notorious …
Moyhenna
Musical Slave Needed to win to get in the race…fell….gambled on..out
Ok Corral
One Style …
Plan of Attack …Needs to win big
Potters Corner
Presenting Percy
Prime Venture
Pym
Roaring Bull
Robin des Foret…
Rocky's Treasure
Run Wild Fred ...Probably needs to win to get in...Kim Muir?
Saint Xavier
Santini
Saturnas
Secret Reprieve
Shantou Flyer …Needed to win big…won't get in?
Shattered Love
Some Neck
Soupy Soups…
St Barts
Storm Control
Sub Lieutenant
Takingrisks
Talkischeap .Needed to win and to qualify…won 40/1…should get in
The Conditional
The Hollow Ginge
The Jam Man
The Long Mile …
The Storyteller
Tiger Roll…
Tout Est Permis
Treacysenniscorthy …ran on the 8th in a race short of qualifying distance…needs to win big to qualify….watch this space..3m hcp somewhere???
Valtor…
Vieux Lion Rouge
Yala Enki
Yorkhill

[Desert Orchid]

Forgive me, Maxbet, but that list reads as though nearly all of them still have to qualify? That can't be right, surely?

(No Airplane ripostes, please )

[Maxbet]

Forgive me, Maxbet, but that list reads as though nearly all of them still have to qualify? That can't be right, surely?

(No Airplane ripostes, please )

If they haven't changed the rules, then it is right...which they have, so it isn't right, and you are Do....The current season was amended to career

They are blaming the qualification rules for the lowest amount of entries....




The Review Group proposed that the
the minimum age for a horse to be eligible to race
in the Grand National be raised to seven
years. While trainers supported the status
quo of six-year-old horses racing, the Review
Group did not find evidence of six-year-old
horses greatly contributing to the success of
the race.

• The Review Group recommended that future
participants in the Grand National must have
placed no lower than fourth in a recognised
Steeplechase event of three miles or further
at some point in their career. Moreover, the
Group felt that the suitability of a horse
should be assessed in the light of expanded
criteria, including Steeplechase experience,
staying ability, previous injuries or declining
performance.

• It is also recommended that the current
Rider eligibility criterion in the Grand
National should be expanded to require at
least 10 of the minimum 15 previous
Chase/Hurdle career wins to have been in
Steeplechases.

[Desert Orchid]

But surely the likes of Yala Enki and Yorkhill have already qualified?

[Maxbet]

But surely the likes of Yala Enki and Yorkhill have already qualified?

The top line reads...Any horse not mentioned is already qualified and has a handicap mark to almost get in...Ballot if necessary...

[Maxbet]

If Delta Work stands his ground...Bottom weight will be no less than 10-04

Expect a mark of no more than 166...

allows bottom-weight in off 10-00

[Desert Orchid]

The top line reads...Any horse not mentioned is already qualified and has a handicap mark to almost get in...Ballot if necessary...

That's what caused me the confusion, Maxbet. It implies those mentioned still aren't qualified.

Yala Enki won over 3m4f recently, Yorkhill's win at Newcastle in November got him qualified, if he wasn't already. I only mentioned them because they were the first names I saw as I scrolled back up the screen so I'm jumping to the conclusion that there will probably be many others on the list that have already qualified.

[Diamond Geezer]

Weights to be streamed on the ITV Facebook page 11.30AM Tuesday

https://www.facebook.com/racingitv

[Desert Orchid]

If I'm reading it correctly it's also live on RTV at 11.30am.

[Desert Orchid]

I wish to fvck they would stop fannying about with inane, fawning interviews and just get on with the weights!