Grand National

[Canada Bob]

Just a few days off the race now, and although it's not a race to be looking for a tip in...

We spent a fair bit of time in County Mayo and had more than the odd pint with the connections of Kilbeggan Blade.

They said the horse is a good jumper, stays for ever, has a handy weight, it's won more than it's fair share, has a good jockey and at 25/1 is a "rattling good bet". The lad telling me all this rides the horse cross country, he don't jump any fences on it, just lets the horse run as far as it wants toover the fields, he said every time he takes the horse out he gets tired before the horse does !

I'll be having a few quid on it, be hellish to have been drinking with them and to miss the thing if it wins...

Canada Bob.

[MrsICTFC]

Just a few days off the race now, and although it's not a race to be looking for a tip in...

We spent a fair bit of time in County Mayo and had more than the odd pint with the connections of Kilbeggan Blade.

They said the horse is a good jumper, stays for ever, has a handy weight, it's won more than it's fair share, has a good jockey and at 25/1 is a "rattling good bet". The lad telling me all this rides the horse cross country, he don't jump any fences on it, just lets the horse run as far as it wants toover the fields, he said every time he takes the horse out he gets tired before the horse does !

I'll be having a few quid on it, be hellish to have been drinking with them and to miss the thing if it wins...

Canada Bob.

Who has it at 25/1? Paddy power have it at 20/1.

Last year I did e/w betting on snowy morning, comply or die and slim pickings. 3/4 wasn't bad!! Not sure who I will do this year. The only reason I picked snowy morning last year was due to the fact it was snowing here!

[Canada Bob]

I haven't had a look at the betting since we left Ireland yesterday, but it was 30's on Betfair on Sunday.

Latest odds on Kilbeggan Blade

Kilbeggan's Form

Maybe we should put our heads together and pick a horse or two for the race ? be nice to think we were all shouting for the same horse...

Here's a bit of info I just found on the web about Kilbeggan...

Tom George is looking forward to running Kilbeggan Blade, winner of three of his four starts this season.

?I see that Kilbeggan Blade is now set to carry 10st 4lb and it looks like we will definitely get into the National,? said George.

?The race has been the plan since he won his second London National (at Sandown) in December.

?That was his only start over fences this term and we not only did this to protect his mark, but also because he seems to run better over fences after a spin over hurdles.

?His two victories at Sandown came on the back of hurdle appearances and he really enjoys a bit of a change.

?His run at Warwick should have put him just right for Aintree and it was a matter of getting a run into him rather than expecting him to win.

?He?s only had four starts all season and he?ll be going into the National a fresh horse which is the key to him.?

The horse that stands out for me is the Tom George-trained Kilbeggan Blade, who has gone up a total of 28lb for winning his last three starts but is unexposed and there?s a good chance that the handicapper hasn?t got to grips with just yet, plus he gets in here off a nice racing weight of 10st 8lb and will have been freshened up by a two-month break.

The eight-year-old has barely touched a twig in completing his hat-trick and recorded the most impressive of those victories over this very course and distance last time when dishing out a nine-length beating to Truckers Tavern in the Tim Molony Handicap Chase. In the process, Kilbeggan Blade also demonstrated his aptitude to act in the mud.

Has bags of stamina and hails from a yard at the top of its form so it's not surprising that Kilbeggan Blade has been mentioned in some quarters as the 'dark' horse of the 2009 Grand National. Fits the trends of some of the recent placed horses in that he has raced over extreme distances and does not come from a high profile training yard. Has been campaigned very shrewdly in 2008/09 by Spearing and has racked up two wins in long distance novice hurdles and an excellent win over fences at Sandown. May have a preference for softish ground which could be a worry for Aintree in April but defintely a big player in the 2009 Grand National.

Canada Bob.

Edited March 31, 2009 by Canada Bob

[CaleyD]

My parents are heading down for the weekend on one of those coach tour type things. Staying in Blackpool Friday and Saturday (The Savoy I think). Dad knows his way around a horse and the bookies, Mam hasn't got a clue (picks her horses based on the Jockey colours she likes best!!!) so I've written this one down for her and told her not to share it with the old man

[Canada Bob]

My parents are heading down for the weekend on one of those coach tour type things. Staying in Blackpool Friday and Saturday (The Savoy I think). Dad knows his way around a horse and the bookies, Mam hasn't got a clue (picks her horses based on the Jockey colours she likes best!!!) so I've written this one down for her and told her not to share it with the old man

Most of the Hotels have deals on right now, even down to offering half price ale for pensioners, what next.

Anyway, what's with everyone, I thought I few colours would have been nailed to the National mast by now, what's your call on the race Don ?

[Libero]

usually i just pick names i like when it comes to the national. fancy Darkness or comply or die.

just looking at form/jockeys/breeding/stables, talk about confusing!

[CaleyD]

When it comes to horses the only thing I'm certain of is that I don't know enough about them to be throwing my money away backing them.

[Libero]

i gave up studying stats, closed my eyes and pick at random might be my best bet!

[Hiro]

Rambling Minster for me although I'll put a few quid for Darkness each way.

[Guest TheFalcon]

L'ami wins this at a good price.

[Tichy_Blacks_Back]

I fancy BIG FELLA THANKS and IRISH INVADER for a top 4 finish....

[Tichy_Blacks_Back]

Well well - Mon Mone at 100-1

From BBC Text - 1630: Mon Mome wins at 100-1, the biggest-priced winner since Foinavon in 1967, and the first winner trained by a woman (Venetia Williams) since the days of Jenny Pitman. The winning jockey is Liam Treadwell, who sounds shell-shocked. The horse came 10th in this last year, and carried 11 stone in this race - it was Treadwell's first ride in the race. The bookies have made a fortune.

Edited April 4, 2009 by Tichy_Blacks_Back

[Tichy_Blacks_Back]

4:15 Aintree Result

1 - 15 Mon Mome (L Treadwell, 100-1 );

2 - 5 Comply Or Die (T J Murphy, 14-1 );

3 - 11 My Will (R Walsh, 8-1 joint-2nd-fav);

4 - 13 State of Play (Paul Moloney, 14-1 );

40 ran. 17 Butler's Cabin (A P McCoy, 7-1 fav); 31 Rambling Minster (J Reveley, 8-1 joint-2nd-fav);

[Caley Braveheart]

Kilbeggan Blade pulled up at Fence 21

[Tichy_Blacks_Back]

17 finishers - some others were:

Cerium 5th (another 100-1 shot)

Big Fella Thanks 6th

Butler's Cabin 7th

Southern Vic 8th

Snowy Morning 9th

Arteea 10th

and Cornish Sett was 17th and the last confirmed finisher....

[Canada Bob]

What a result for the Bookies, the shop I was in this afternoon took over 2,000 quid, and didn't pay a single bet out !!!

Notice how quiet the Bookies are about this embarassing win for them, they must have picked up Millions...

I dropped 300 quid on the race, but Chelsea pulled me out of the mire today, hope you got my texts on that Clacher ?