thankfully, there will be no repeat of 2001.

​To quote Richard Guest. ‘It was sheer hell out there – the going was absolutely desperate and Red Marauder must be the worst jumper ever to win the Grand National. Certainly second-time round he was climbing over most of the fences but he stays forever and being the mudlark he is, I suppose he found everything to his liking today.’
I only quote Richard Guest as I had to look up the year Red Marauder won the Grand National as I never have had the capability for remembering dates. I was surprised it was so long ago. I remember having a couple of quid each-way on him, so you would think I would remember?
Fearing the worst, I thought the 2024 Grand National would be as attritional as 2001 but after watching the Foxhunters yesterday, I doubt that will be the case. Also, and I am saddened to say this, the Grand National fences look smaller than those on the Mildmay course. And that cannot be right, can it? It is just encouragement for connections to run dodgy jumpers and removing the advantage the bold jumping horse once had.
It is what it is, though, and will be as it is for five-years, apparently. In six-years, I fear only 30 will be allowed to take part. But it is what it is. A facsimile of a facsimile or a facsimile. The days of Red Rum are gone forever more.
The Chair fence took its toll yesterday, with one amateur rider requiring medical treatment on the course before, I believe, being taken to hospital. Human casualties will receive no media attention and it is with relief that no harm came to any of the 22-horses that took part in the race.
Of course, the Foxhunters, as with today’s Topham, is only over one lap of the Grand National fences but there were enough horses entering the home straight to suggest the ground is riding more soft than heavy, though it will be interesting to find out how the jockeys viewed the going. Because it is not as attritional as I feared (or hoped) I am less inclined to tip-up Nassalam for the big race. I have ‘gone off’ horses I intended to back in the past, Rule the World comes to mind, only for them to win or be placed at long-odds, so I might be forced to have a fiver on Nassalam, just in case. Also, I would dearly love Gary Moore to train a Grand National winner. If any trainer deserves to win the biggest race of all, the most famous race in the world, it is the hard-working, call a spade a spade, Gary Moore. After all, his son cannot always be hogging the limelight and I am sure Ryan will be watching the race, wherever he might be on Saturday, with his fingers crossed and his eyes on one horse.
As of this moment, I remain wedded to the class of Minella Indo and the stamina of Galia Des Liteaux.

I make no apologies for wanting to write about the Red Rum Handicap Chase, a race that honours, but not to the extent he deserves, the greatest horse ever to honour Aintree with his presence. San Bruit will never rise to the glories achieved by the great horse but yesterday, off a lightweight and a typical bold steer by the wonderful Bryony Frost, he gave a foot-perfect exhibition of jumping. Alongside Harry Cobden and Rachael Blackmore, John Francome believes Bryony is the best of the current band of jockeys at presenting a horse at a fence and yesterday she demonstrated the art of getting a horse into a rhythm. They were as one, jockey and horse in perfect harmony. It was good to see her smiling again as for obvious reasons, the emphasis at Ditcheat this season is for Harry Cobden to become champion jockey, she has been given so few opportunities to display her stupidly underused skills. San Bruit pulls too hard and attempting to settle him at the back of the field was not working and as with Il Ridoto at Cheltenham, Bryony took the position of less resistance and allowed him to bowl along at the front. As is usually the case, the other jockeys eased back when it was obvious San Bruit was going to outjump them and put their faith in San Bruit tiring in the ground. He did not tire and after the last bounced away from a Willie Mullins trained, J.P.McManus owned runner-up.
Good on ya, Devon maid. More today, please.