Starting The Countdown To The Big Day...
As we start the countdown to Race Day, we thought we’d keep you updated on things you need to know, things you probably don’t, and generally cover what it takes to win the Grand National and get a fic or picture all to yourself. You may think it’s just a case of having the fastest horse on four legs, but that's really a minor issue. For a start, you need a horse/jockey with a story, so that the newspapers the day after the race can cover their front page with tails (tales;)) of how the horse lives on a diet of Guinness and likes to sleep with a goat in his stable, while the jockey … Well, perhaps we’ll leave that one to your vivid imaginations.
Fortunately every horse and jockey in the race always has a story. Some of them you just find out afterwards.
We thought we’d start by highlighting three horsey contenders so you can see who you’d like to get in the draw and do some early bonding.
Longshanks - One of the main English hopes. No relation to Edward I, but he has got very long legs, which should help him over the jumps in theory. This horse has been trying to run in the race for the last four years and met with every disaster going. This year everything has gone smoothly … right up until the weekend, when he somehow trod on a stone in a stoneless area, and bruised his foot. He’s now putting his hooves up at a famous equine spa, under-going emergency swimming treatment. His nerve-wracked trainer wishes he was.
Simon - Pony sized, very brave, and ridden by the tallest jockey, presumably with the theory six legs are better than four. He’s also owned by an eighty-seven year old widow of a famous trainer, and the TV companies would love this one to win as she gives great, eccentric interviews about everything and everyone and, very occasionally, the horse. The jockey, Andy Thornton (known, almost affectionately, as John Wayne), is one of the best-looking ones, and still appears to have his own hair and teeth. As does Simon.
Hedgehunter - Handsome Irish horse who fell at the last fence when in the lead in 2004, won in 2005, and was second last year. Has one of the best jockeys in the world on board, Ruby Walsh, who is also one of the better looking ones, is prematurely grey and lined in his late twenties, and possibly likes pink-haired Aurors? Hedgehunter is a bit of a celebrity star in the equine world and has his very own website, started by adoring fans, The Hedgehunter Tribute Site But this year the star has been suffering from pesky colds and not been able to run much ...
That’s all for now, but you may also like to bear in mind that they’ve got the watering cans out at the racecourse. After a very wet winter, there’s been very little rain recently, and all the form for this year has been achieved in the mud. Shock result, anyone?
Fortunately every horse and jockey in the race always has a story. Some of them you just find out afterwards.
We thought we’d start by highlighting three horsey contenders so you can see who you’d like to get in the draw and do some early bonding.
Longshanks - One of the main English hopes. No relation to Edward I, but he has got very long legs, which should help him over the jumps in theory. This horse has been trying to run in the race for the last four years and met with every disaster going. This year everything has gone smoothly … right up until the weekend, when he somehow trod on a stone in a stoneless area, and bruised his foot. He’s now putting his hooves up at a famous equine spa, under-going emergency swimming treatment. His nerve-wracked trainer wishes he was.
Simon - Pony sized, very brave, and ridden by the tallest jockey, presumably with the theory six legs are better than four. He’s also owned by an eighty-seven year old widow of a famous trainer, and the TV companies would love this one to win as she gives great, eccentric interviews about everything and everyone and, very occasionally, the horse. The jockey, Andy Thornton (known, almost affectionately, as John Wayne), is one of the best-looking ones, and still appears to have his own hair and teeth. As does Simon.
Hedgehunter - Handsome Irish horse who fell at the last fence when in the lead in 2004, won in 2005, and was second last year. Has one of the best jockeys in the world on board, Ruby Walsh, who is also one of the better looking ones, is prematurely grey and lined in his late twenties, and possibly likes pink-haired Aurors? Hedgehunter is a bit of a celebrity star in the equine world and has his very own website, started by adoring fans, The Hedgehunter Tribute Site But this year the star has been suffering from pesky colds and not been able to run much ...
That’s all for now, but you may also like to bear in mind that they’ve got the watering cans out at the racecourse. After a very wet winter, there’s been very little rain recently, and all the form for this year has been achieved in the mud. Shock result, anyone?