The tree of knowledge
For the first time ever my selection in the National came a cropper at the first. It was not all doom and gloom in our household though as my wife backed the winner. She picked it because we have a silver birch in our back garden; eat your heart out Agnes Haddock! I was also pleased that Inherent won at Chepstow for the Elite Racing Club. This was her 3rd career win, and her second since joining Henry Daly’s yard.
I’m getting older and I’m not sure about the wiser bit but there must be something that we can glean from this latest Grand National. Well for starters the first 5 home all carried less than 11 stone.
The first 4 had all won over at least 3 miles. Silver Birch had won a Welsh National and a Becher Chase. McKelvy had won over 4 miles as had Philson Run (twice). Of the 12 finishers, 4 had also finished last season.
Special mention among the losers should go to Bewley’s Berry who was going very well when falling, and Thisthatandtother who was bang in there off a big weight until running out of petrol.
There are only a couple of weeks left in the jumps season but we do have the Scottish National, the Betfred Gold Cup and the Punchestown Festival to look forward to still.
It was a sign that the flat season will soon start to gather momentum that Dylan Thomas last season’s Irish Derby hero was a winner at the Curragh this afternoon.
Not much to talk about in Monday’s racing so I will get out and enjoy the sunshine.
ahorse 