Red Rum, who won the Grand National 40 years ago. Here pictured at Castle Park, Bristol 1980.
The highlight of the 2013 John Smith’s Grand National Festival, the Grand National, will be held on Saurday 6th April at 4.15pm. This year is 40 years since Red Rum’s first win at the Grand National in 1973. He went on to win again in 1974 and 1977.
Known as the “the ultimate test of a horse’s courage” the Grand National has undergone many changes in recent years. The organisers are always striving to ensure that the race as as safe as possible for both jockeys and riders, and this year we see some new fence designs. The size and shape of the fences remain the same but the the structure is made from a new, flexible plastic rather than the traditional wooden stakes. It is hoped that this will result in less serious injuries.
Grand National Tips
There are 40 horses running this year. As always the race is open and any horse can win. These are the ones to look out for, and consider putting a little extra bet on, if you can afford to lose it!
These 3 horses all stand a good chance. They are the right age (76% of winners over the last 17 years have been aged 9 or 10 years old). They are all about the right weight. Seabass is pushing the limits – only one horse over 11st 7lb has ever won the National, and he was Red Rum!
Each of these horses are well experienced, all having ran more than 10 steeplechases already. They are all in good conditional too, all having run a big race in the last 50 days.
Seabass
A 10 year old, trained by Ted Walsh, weighs in at around 11 st 6lbs.
Chicago Grey
Another 10 year old, trained b Gordon Elliott. Weighing 10 st 7 lbs.
Tea For Three
TeaForThree is a 9 year old, trained by Rececca Curtis. Weighing in at 11st 3lbs.
Here is the full list of runners, rider and trainers:
) 51U/1P/-2 IMPERIAL COMMANDER (IRE) 12-11-10 Nigel Twiston-Davies/Sam Twiston-Davies
2) P/33F0-0 WHAT A FRIEND 10-11-09 Paul Nicholls/Sam Thomas
3) 3PF-4PP WEIRD AL (IRE) 10-11-08 Donald McCain/Timmy Murphy
4) 1113-04 QUEL ESPRIT (FR) 9-11-07 Willie Mullins IRE
5) 40/-U312 BIG FELLA THANKS 11-11-06 Tom George/Denis O’Regan
6) 0-1U355 ROBERTO GOLDBACK (IRE) 11-11-06 Nicky Henderson
7) 1113-23 SEABASS (IRE) 10-11-06 Ted Walsh IRE
8) 1/46-P03 BALLABRIGGS (IRE) 12-11-04 Donald McCain/Jason Maguire
9) P012-5P SUNNYHILLBOY (IRE) 10-11-04 J P McManus Jonjo O’Neill
10) 11-0620 TEAFORTHREE (IRE) 9-11-03 T437 Rebecca Curtis
11) 3-11201 ACROSS THE BAY (IRE) 9-11-02 Donald McCain/Henry Brooke
12) 1P3-02P JOIN TOGETHER (IRE) 8-11-02 Paul Nicholls/Daryl Jacob
13) 413-5211 COLBERT STATION (IRE) 9-11-01 Ted Walsh IRE
14) 2P1536 FORPADYDEPLASTERER (IRE) 11-11-00 Thomas Cooper IRE/Andrew McNamara
15) P1/B1F-1 ON HIS OWN (IRE) 9-11-00 Willie Mullins IRE
16) 0-35233 JONCOL (IRE) 10-10-13 Kay Browne Paul Nolan IRE
17) P0F1-12 BALTHAZAR KING (IRE) 9-10-12 Philip Hobbs
18) 1334-22 CAPPA BLEU (IRE) 11-10-11 Evan Williams/Paul Moloney
19) 2/4-4U60 OSCAR TIME (IRE) 12-10-11 Martin Lynch IRE
20) 44001-00 ALWAYS WAINING (IRE) 12-10-10 Peter Bowen
21) 31P/PP-4 QUINZ (FR) 9-10-10 Philip Hobbs NON-RUNNER
22) 15U-606 TATENEN (FR) 9-10-10 The Stewart Family Richard Rowe
23) 423F-01 TREACLE (IRE) 12-10-09 Tom Taaffe IRE/Andrew Lynch
24) 011611 LOST GLORY (NZ) 8-10-08 Jonjo O’Neill
25) U01-F430 SAINT ARE (FR) 7-10-08 Tim Vaughan
26) P-P1440 SWING BILL (FR) 12-10-08 David Pipe
27) B-0U631 CHICAGO GREY (IRE) 10-10-07 Gordon Elliott IRE
28) 010F-605 QUISCOVER FONTAINE (FR) 9-10-07 Willie Mullins IRE
29) F-63PP5 BECAUSEICOULDNTSEE (IRE) 10-10-06 Noel Glynn IRE
30) 12P-P00 HARRY THE VIKING 8-10-06 Paul Nicholls /Ryan Mahon
31) 3B0-643 RARE BOB (IRE) 11-10-06 Dessie Hughes IRE
32) 04-311P4 THE RAINBOW HUNTER 9-10-06 Kim Bailey
33) 2360264 MR MOONSHINE (IRE) 9-10-05 Sue Smith/Peter Buchanan
34) 1133FP MUMBLES HEAD (IRE) 12-10-04 Peter Bowen
35) F2PP-44 PEARLYSTEPS 10-10-04 Henry Daly
36) 0P45F5 AURORAS ENCORE (IRE) 11-10-03 Sue Smith
37) 3F6042 NINETIETH MINUTE (IRE) 10-10-03 Tom Taaffe IRE/Niall Madden
38) P11420 TARQUINIUS (FR) 10-10-02 Gordon Elliott IRE
39) 614U40 ANY CURRENCY (IRE) 10-10-00 Martin Keighley/Ian Popham
40) (0)6U1/-50 POKER DE SIVOLA (FR) 10-9-13 Ferdy Murphy
41) 2P-265P MAJOR MALARKEY (IRE) 10-9-13 Nigel Twiston-Davies
42) 621B-001 SOLL 8-9-12 Jo Hughes/Mark Grant
43) /5000/P-P BACKSTAGE (FR) 11-9-12 Gordon Elliott IRE
44) 023P25 VIKING BLOND (FR) 8-9-11 Nigel Twiston-Davies
45) 2161-30 CLOUDY LANE 13-9-10 Donald McCain
46) 000165 PENTIFFIC (NZ) 10-9-08 Venetia Williams
47) 0/44-060 GULLIBLE GORDON (IRE) 10-9-06 Peter Bowen
48) P-22150 MORTIMERS CROSS 12-9-06 John Needham
