REALLY SAD, CROSSED FINGERS TIME AGAIN & NEARL THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN.

It seems a long period of time since Trials Day at Cheltenham, the day Sir Gino fractured his pelvis in the Bula Hurdle or whatever it is titled these days. The initial prognosis was that the fractured pelvis would heal and he would return to action the following season. Alas, it was not to be. The superbug type of infection that had laid Sir Gino low the previous season, and which he was lucky to survive, returned during his latest spell in the 'horse hospital' and after a long struggle to defeat this infection, the vets treating him were left with no option but to euthanise that most handsome of horses.

We all die sometime and as you get older, as I do daily - yes, no matter your age we 'all get older on a daily basis, but believe me, when you pass six score years the downward spiral in bodily functions, in energy levels, in brain power, is more marked than when aged half those six score years - the deaths of acquaintances, family members, pets and the friends of friends, becomes a natural occurence of living. Yet, somehow, the deaths of humans, even those of the same blood, I can navigate with a nonchalance that annoys others and perplexes me. But the death of a racehorse tears at my heartstrings. It is wrong, isn't it, that they should die in action or while in the care of skillful vets? And when a horse as notable as Sir Gino dies I question, for a few moments, how and why I can love this sport so much.

When I read the headline that Sir Gino had died, I hoped he had laid down in his hospital stable and passed away quietly. The sadness at the news was intensified when I learned his owners, the Donneleys, who had dedicated as much money as was required to save his life, had to concede to the vets advise that nothing more could be done to keep Sir Gino alive. There are so few horses of the quality of Sir Gino, and now there is one less. With the exception of the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, did anyone see a horse at the Festival with the same potential for greatness as Sir Gino?

Tonight at Kempton Park, chapter two of Constitution Hill's rehabilitation continues. Oisin Murphy is confident that he will reproduce the scintillating form he wowed as all with at Southwell and Kempton are confident that Constitution Hill's presence will swell the numbers attending. Ryan Moore has the honour of riding the great horse tonight and his words of wisdom will be used to determine the plan going forward. Oisin hinted that Constitution Hill has no need to go beyond 12-furlongs, even suggesting 10-furlongs would be within his remit. This would seemingly, if Ryan is of the same opinion, rule out all those Cup races which his breeding and all those hurdle victories suggest would be right up his street. Crossed-fingers all goes well tonight.

Aintree will soon be upon us. For all my adult life, and plenty of my younger years, the Grand National (as was) was the epitome of my year. Sadly, that expectation and anticipation has dwindled away as the great race has been slowly but surely, like the lobster in the pot on the hob being so slowly boiled it does not recognise its imminent death, had the life and soul of it taken from it, the cash-cow saved as a handicap very much like every other major handicap, the fences of legend reduced to imitations of what they should be. Not that I do not enjoy the new race, the Aintree National, it is just not by a wide margin the wonderment of my youth, the race of Crisp and Red Rum of Foinavon, Neptune Collonge, Mon Mome, Freddie, Manifesto or Battle Ship.

55 remain in the race, with Panic Attack now certain of getting in. As is Marble Sands, my outsider for the race and no forlorn shot. In my opinion, it is not as classy a race as last year, though I suspect a case could be made for the majority of the present top 34. If the ground does not have soft in its description then Mr. Vango will not participate and if there is too much soft in the description I doubt if Banbridge will run. If the ground is good, then I doubt if Spillane's Tower will run, given he was taken out of the Gold Cup on the morning of the race due to the ground being only good-to-soft. I doubt if this year's race will take as much winning as last year. So that will be a 1, 2,3, 4 for Willie Mullins, then!