AINTREE SELECTIONS - GRAND NATIONAL DAY

1:45 - John Smith's Mersey Novices' Hurdle
Up and Go

2:15 - John Smith's Maghull Novices' Chase
Overturn

2:50 - John Smith's Liverpool Hurdle
Holywell
Celestial Halo (ew)

3:25 - John Smith's Handicap Chase
Opening Batsman

4:15 - John Smith's Grand National Chase
SEABASS
Cappa Bleu
Teaforthree
Balthazar King

5:10 - John Smith's Handicap Hurdle
Shotavodka

5:45 - John Smith's Champion Standard Open NH Flat Race 
Dakar Run
Purple Bay (ew)

KATIE WALSH CAN RIDE SEABASS TO VICTORY IN GRAND NATIONAL

'WILL a female jockey win the Grand National?' is the question that has been hitting the headlines this week, and I think it could happen.

Katie Walsh, sister of champion jockey Ruby Walsh, is the only woman riding in the race and she will be partnering Seabass again, who finished third last year.

Seabass almost galloped to victory last year, but couldn't quite keep up with Sunnyhillboy and eventual winner, Neptune Collonges.

But I believe Katie has come back stronger this year and will charge past the post in prime position.

My money is on her.

I remember watching the 2012 Grand National. I was at my parents' house and we had a family friend over. 

He decided to watch the race with us, and when Katie was shown on our television screen, he said: "She won't win. She's a woman."

No one really knew how to answer him. But I did. I replied that being a woman makes no difference to winning or losing, and I believed Katie would produce a world-class performance, as she always does.

And she did. Third position is great - a fantastic achievement, the best position by any female jockey in the race.

But Katie can finish in a better position this year. She can win and everybody knows it.

At the moment, Seabass is around 10/1 to win, and Katie's brother, Ruby, is currently favourite with On His Own at 7/1.

A jockey needs a lot of luck in the Grand National, but with focus and determination, I am positive Katie will do the girls - and racing - proud.

AINTREE RACECOURSE AND BHA GO AHEAD WITH CHANGES FOR THE GRAND NATIONAL - BUT AT WHAT COST?

Several recommendations and modifications have already been announced by Aintree racecourse and the BHA ahead of the 2013 Grand National, including a change to the start of the race.

In hope that the mayhem will be reduced or stop all together the start will be moved forward by 90 yards, making the distance of the National event 4 miles 3 1/2 furlongs, having previously been 4m 4f. 

Synchronised, who tragically died after last year’s Grand National, was clearly frantic at the start and many argued that the horse was not fit to run on the day.

Having the start a few yards further down the track is a step in the right direction as taking the horses further away from the grandstand will make them calmer and less troubled by the immense sounds of the crowd, therefore leading to fewer false starts.

Other changes include doubling the distance of the 'no-' zone to 30 yards from the starting tape. Research will also be taken into the design of the fences in an attempt to make its central "core" more forgiving.

Once the race begins next year, the Grand National will not look or be the same again. The reason why a review has been conducted is because of the deaths of Synchronised and According to Pete last year.

Personally, I believe the Grand National should cut the number of entries to 30. Having 40 horses on the course at once running at the speed that they do is the most dangerous aspect of the race. If a horse falls after a fence, unharmed, they are in danger’s way of another horse landing on them and causing a serious and life-threatening injury.

It is too crowded for everyone and I honestly think that that is the main reason to why there have been a number of deaths and injuries over the last few years.

But the number will not be cut and a call by Gavin Grant, the chief executive of the RSPCA for removal of Becher’s Brook has also been resisted.

I can only imagine what will happen from 2014 to the future of the Grand National. But I suppose that it will no longer be in control of the BHA. This year they succumbed to the pressure of having to react to the public and RSPCA’s outcry.

But a horse will die within the next few years of the event. No doubt about it. It is a risk that the trainers, owners and jockeys know about and are willing to take. If they weren’t, they wouldn’t even take part. When another fatal accident happens, everything will blow out of proportion again and the BHA will again feel the need to take action.

Changes to the position of the starter's rostrum and the visibility of the starting tape will also be implemented and a pre-race briefing between the starter and jockeys is also scheduled to take place.

The landing side of fences 4, 5 and 13 will be levelled out, while the wider landing side of Becher's Brook has undergone further levelling to correct the settlement which occurred following works carried out in 2011.

A further £100,000 will be invested in further improving the course's watering abilities, while another catching pen for loose horses will be tried out in the region of fence 4.

I really believe that the changes are an overreaction but I understand why they have happened. We should be thankful that the sport is attracting more people, even if they don’t follow the sport. But the Grand National is famed for its risk and fences, so why change it now? 

MY VIEW ON OTHER GRAND NATIONAL OPINIONS

Reading through a number of articles about this year's Grand National and people's opinions towards the event has made me realise that professionals and punters in horse racing now have to unite to defend the sport that they love.


Every time I flicker through an article on the deaths of Gold Cup champion Synchronised and According To Pete, I am faced with angry people who know nothing about the sport, claiming that horse racing is cruel and unnecessary.

Photo by Meteorshoweryn (Creative Commons) from Flickr

As a person who has loved and admired the sport from an early age, I believe that now is the best and most important time for jockeys, trainers and owners to unite and defend their decisions that are made in horse racing.

Putting down a horse is a sad thing to happen but sometimes it is necessary: if those who work in the sport can understand the risk (i.e trainers and owners) then why can't other people?

Another absurd idea is to ban The Grand National. The event is the biggest jump race in Europe as the prize money is near £1 million.

Banning the race will therefore put people out of a job and Aintree, as well as Great Britian, will lose its status of being the host of a huge sporting event.

The horses who run in The Grand National spend months enduring training that their owners specifically set.

They are therefore prepared for the four mile race and are not thrown into the challenge without the training that is required.

Yes, I agree that it is upsetting when horses have to be put down as a result of a fractured leg or a broken shoulder but it is the kindest thing to do.

During a race, if a horse does fall and fracture its leg, it has so much adrenaline pumping through its body it cannot feel the pain.

As the fracture cannot be fixed and before the horse can feel the agonising pain, it is put down, a decision that trainers and owners are sometimes faced with.

But then again, they understand the risk and I hate the thought of Synchronised and According To Pete's deaths constantly overshadowing the closest finish ever witnessed.

So here's to a fantastic win by Neptune Collonges - a fantastic horse that has always been living in his stablemates' shadows - Kauto Star and Denman - but has now deservedly won the biggest race of them all.

SHOULD HORSE RACING BE BANNED? - NO

The Grand National has finished for another year and yet again the sport has created negative headlines around the country.


Two horses had to be put down after yesterday's event: Gold Cup champion Synchronised and According To Pete tragically fractured legs so it was decided that they had to be let go.


It is upsetting to see talented horses lose their lives because of such incidents, but what many people do not realise, especially those who think horse racing should be banned, is that destroying the animals after these accidents is the kindest thing to do.


When a horse races it has a lot of adrenaline pumping through it's body - as would any other athlete in different sports. 


So, before it can feel the pain of a fracture, for example, the kindest thing to do for it is to destroy it.


If a human were to fracture his/her leg, then it can easily be fixed: crutches and casts will be used for several weeks. But with a horse it is different. 


The creatures are huge and repairing a fracture is impossible. If this does happen, killing the horse is therefore seen as the best, and the right thing to do. You cannot let a horse suffer. 


Horse racing should not be banned - it is a much loved sport throughout the country and if it was to stop, then the horses will serve no purpose.


Race horses are born and bred for racing. It's their job. Those people who are ignorant enough to say that horse racing is a cruel sport should spend several weeks at a trainer's stable and watch how a horse is trained, prepared and looked after. They would then be able to see how much love and attention is put in by owners and trainers to make the sport as safe as possible for their horses.


Also, if the sport was to be banned, hundreds of people will lose their jobs. One thing that this country has always moaned about is the number of people who are unemployed. It would not help matters, in fact I believe it would make things worse. 


I hold strong opinions and even though I'm only expressing my view through words, I hope it reaches a wide audience. 


I hope non-horse racing fans will learn to appreciate the sport through this blog article and will learn that time and effort goes into the sport to ensure that horses are well treated and kept safe.


Unfortunately, like every sport, accidents happen. Horse racing has that low risk. People need to understand that. 


If the professionals understand the risk, then everyone else should. 

AINTREE SELECTIONS - DAY TWO

2:00 - Darlan
          Captain Conan (e/w)


2:30 - Champion Court
          Join Together (e/w)


3:05 - Finian's Rainbow


3:40 - Triangular 
           Chance Du Roy (e/w)


4:15 - Cotton Mill


4:50 - It's A Gimme
          Tour D'Argent (e/w)


5:25 - Call Me A Star

AINTREE SELECTIONS - DAY ONE

2:00 - Big Bucks
          Tidal Bay (e/w bet)


2:30 - Lyvius
          Grumeti (e/w bet)


3:05 - Riverside Theatre


3:40 - Boxer Georg
          My Way De Solzen (e/w bet)


4:15 - Tanks For That
          Kumbeshwar (e/w bet)


4:50 - Pepite Rose


5:25 - Oscar Prairie 

CAN SYNCHRONISED CREATE MAGIC BY WINNING THE DOUBLE?

Synchronised is on course to do the double, but can he produce that rare headline?


After winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup last month, Jonjo O'Neill's horse could become the first horse in 78 years to grab Britain's two biggest steeplechasing titles in the same season.


The only horse to ever achieve both titles in the same season was Golden Miller in 1934.


Tony McCoy rode Synchronised to victory at 8-1 ahead of The Giant Bolster (50-1) and 7-4 favourite Long Run.


Synchronised could do it. If Tony was riding then maybe the horse could be his second Grand National victory. I can imagine that now that McCoy has broken his Aintree curse, winners will keep on coming for him. 


He'll be like a London bus - you wait all day for one then many will come at once.


If the horse can keep hold of his stamina like he did in the Gold Cup then he'll be in for a shot. He is capable and could rattle up headlines with the double. 

WEST END ROCKER ROCKS AINTREE

WEST End Rocker ran a fantastic race at Aintree today by winning the Betfred Becher Handicap Chase. 

Alan King's horse beat Niche Market (9/1) who was the main threat in the Chase, but King's nine-year-old won 22 lengths ahead of his rival.

Ridden by Wayne Hutchinson, West End Rocker won at 10/1.

After an unlucky ride in Grand National this year, the horse now has the 2012 Grand National firmly in sight.