1. When do the majority of bookmakers got 'Non-runner money back'?
2. How exactly does the five-day declaration stage work? The top 40 rated are kept on, along with four (?) reserves, with the rest ballotted out?
3. Upon a horse being pulled out after the five-day declaration stage, is it only between then and the 48-hour declaration stage that a reserve can be entered?
4. Of the horses that are still in at the five-day declaration stage, will their next run always be in the Grand National (ie they won't run in between and possibly incur a weight penalty)?
And so... 5. If you know a horse you want to back is in, say, the top 30 rated on Sunday/early Monday morning before the National, is that when you should back them (before the prices drop?)?
1. Probably after the five-day decs but wait and see.
2. No, what you describe are the 48-hour ("overnight") decs.
3. No, a reserve can replace a non-runner between the 48-hour decs and 9 o'clock Saturday morning.
4. No, there are no penalties after the weights were allocated in February (although it remains unlikely a runner will have another race between now and Saturday).
5. When to back? Unless you have some reason to anticipate a plunge on your fancy, I'd be inclined to wait till the bookies' early prices on Saturday morning but be warned that almost every runner will shorten throughout Saturday, so take the morning price.
1. Probably after the five-day decs but wait and see.2. No, what you describe are the 48-hour ("overnight") decs.3. No, a reserve can replace a non-runner between the 48-hour decs and 9 o'clock Saturday morning.4. No, there are no penalties after the
There are currently 74 entries listed on the RP site for this race, from what looks like an initial 102 (says that at the top of the card). How is the whittling-down of the field decided for the five-day-declaration stage? Do they chop it to about 50, having asked the owners if they want to pull out any horses first?
No penalties after February? So does that mean the handicapper can't touch a horse (its rating and therefore weight) that's just trounced a field at Cheltenham?
Apologies for my nescience on all this; I just can't find any information about it online.
Much appreciated, Ramruma. There are currently 74 entries listed on the RP site for this race, from what looks like an initial 102 (says that at the top of the card). How is the whittling-down of the field decided for the five-day-declaration stage?
Those left in at the five-day stage are there because their owners and trainers ("connections") want them to be and presumably still have some hope of getting a run. Some will drop out as connections believe there is no chance, or that there are better opportunities elsewhere, in the Irish Grand National, for instance. No whittling is done by the authorities at this stage.
There are also implications for ante-post betting but we can ignore those.
Those left in at the five-day stage are there because their owners and trainers ("connections") want them to be and presumably still have some hope of getting a run. Some will drop out as connections believe there is no chance, or that there are bett