It is now 27 years since Nicky Richards’ late father Gordon won the 1984 Aintree Grand National with the tremendously popular Hallo Dandy, ridden by Neale Doughty, and many people feel it’s about time that the Richards name appeared back on the winner’s trophy for the ‘world’s greatest steeplechase’, writes Elliot Slater. Nicky Richards has [...]
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Howard Johnson is weighing up his options with recent Cheltenham Gold Cup sixth Tidal Bay having seen his horse run another frustrating race in the outstanding Cheltenham Festival showpiece that provided us with one of the best finishes to a blue riband steeplechase in living memory, writes Elliot Slater. Although all eyes were understandably focusing [...]
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Grand National holder Don’t Push It has been trained with one thing in mind this season and that is defending his crown at Aintree in April. Jonjo O’Neill’s eleven-year-old has been campaigned over hurdles this season and his latest run at Cheltenham suggested he was reaching his peak at the ideal time. A P McCoy [...]
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Although his performance at Doncaster on Saturday made few ripples in the ante-post market for the John Smith’s Grand National on April 9, I suspect that trainer John Quinn will have been more than satisfied with the run of his Character Building who came home third to Always Right in the valuable Grimthorpe Chase at [...]
Read MoreThere was a time when intended runners in the John Smith’s Grand National prepared for the ‘world’s greatest steeplechase’ by running in a series of recognised three-mile chases and regional marathons before arriving at Aintree ready to run for their lives. These days many trainers prefer to adopt a different approach and the Gordon Elliott-trained [...]
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The Cheltenham Festival is looming and trainers are making their final decisions regarding race entries. Much of the decision rests upon warm-up performances and this has never been more evident than in the case of Bensalem. The smart Alan King-trained horse has put in a couple of tidy runs, with a promising second place in [...]
Read MoreLucinda Russell’s Silver By Nature has been allotted joint-top weight for Saturday’s Grand National Trial Handicap Chase, a race in which he triumphed 12 months ago when winning by a wide margin from the now retired Our Vic, writes Elliot Slater. Also allotted top weight of 11st 12lbs is David Pipe’s classy Madison Du Berlais [...]
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Although he has not been seen since winning the Britannia Building Society English Summer National at Uttoxeter in mid-summer 2008, plans are afoot for the Chris Bealby-trained Surface To Air to reappear in the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree on April 9, writes Elliot Slater. Surface To Air has been off the radar since [...]
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Way back in 1982 Grittar became the first hunter chaser of the modern era to win the Grand National when partnered by 48-year-old amateur rider Dick Saunders to a famous Aintree success. This year Trust Fund, a very smart hunter chaser himself, may attempt to be the first this millennium to repeat the feat, writes [...]
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Dessie Hughes is one of Ireland’s most established and skilled trainers, who has had consistent success with numerous horses over the years, most notably with Hardy Eustace. A successful jockey in his own right, he won the 1977 Cheltenham Gold Cup on Davy Lad and he also beat Sea Pigeon, riding Monksfield in his most [...]
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