Grand National

[Twotome]

Who are you betting on this year?

Jury duty & warriors tale (I liked the names, no idea if they're any good)

Captain Redbeard and Anibale Fly Sansa?! 😂

I've gone for Tiger Roll and Anibale Fly. Always choose Irish horses for the Grand National

The lads and lasses don't do it for the money, and the jockeys don't usually do it for the money either. And most of the trainers have come from racing or equestrian backgrounds.

You have to like horses to work with them. It helps if you love them.

It is absolutely about money at the top end. The owners and investors and bookies and so on. But the stable hands could earn easier money in McDonald's. They do love them.

The equestrian industry isn't perfect. But the industry supports so many people and families, so many horses are bred and kept as royalty and it brings so much pleasure to both horses and people. It does need cleaning up and for me the afterlife of racehorses should be the focus and I would love to see more done in this area. And it's right that tracks and courses should be as safe as possible for both horses and jockeys.

I appreciate not everyone agrees with horse racing but this thread is just for a bit of fun.

35 mins to go!

DS choose A Toi Phil and Folsom Blue, I am going for the female jockeys, Tea for Two and Valseur Lido

I don't bet on animal abuse.

Here we go, good luck everyone!

I am too hiho. Cheltenham was very good for the female jocks am hoping the national is as well. Bryony Frith is a fantastic ambassador for the sport and for female jockeys, if either of the 2 place I will be happy.

Which one was that with a bitten tongue? Are they still allowed to race?

Watching that horse struggle to get up was horrible. I must say I am in two minds about its future.

Screens up at first fence so I imagine it has no future

I meant the future of the grand national

The lads and lasses who look after them ADORE them but a lot of groomsgo and work with racehorses as the pay/conditions are infinitely better than for a showjumping yard etc.

I don’t agree with racing however the general standard of horsemanship in the UK is appalling. I went to a riding school with a friends daughter recently and EVERYTHING was 2/10 lane with shit tack and beginner riders pulling at their faces.
There are some hideous training practices in a lot of horse disciplines and 3 day evening and polo have a lot of horses that breakdown but don’t get the coverage as it’s not mainstream

4/1! The bookies have just taken an absolute hammering. Let’s all shed a tear for them. Well done Tiger Roll & Davy Russell.

At least £200m apparently.....

Up for Review

How many horses have died this year?

Imagine a human race where you could bet on deaths during the race

He didn’t make it.

Still, at least it’s all lighthearted, hey! (And think of the money)

Up for Review was mine in the sweep at work.

I think Up for Review would’ve died instantly from seeing the footage. Not sure if that comforts any naysayers but he wouldn’t have known much about that. Devastating for those involved let me tell you, I have been the groom involved in the past. And yes, stable staff more often than not do it for the love of horses as the pay and conditions make it a vocation rather than a job! I certainly loved the bones of any horses I looked after.

Totally irrelevant that he might have died instantly.

Btw I am absolutely over the moon for a tiger roll and all his team. What. A. Horse.