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Since the changes 2 years ago we've had two of the most underwhelming (imo at least..) Nationals ever, heck, the winning jockey today didnt even seem bothered enough to smile - long way form how AP was in 2010, or Paul Carberry swinging from the rafters.
Every national before the changes seemed to have some kind of memorable story:
2012 the closest finish in history
2011 the McCains win again in what would prove to be Ginger's last year
2010 Ap's National
2009 the 100/1 winner ridden by the jockey with the teeth....
As a racing fan I remember those winners and their predecessors and love seeing them again in the old victors' parade. Who outside the connections will remember Auroras Encore or Pineau de Re? Maybe the latter will be memorable just for how unemotional the winning Jockey was.
Perhaps i'm wrong and just don't get it?
I just thought for the second year it was really anticlimatic and that's after having to spend the afternoon listening to imo the two most boring men in the universe Jim McGrath (Halifax one) and the other one (Cunningham?).
We don't even get the National music anymore
ugh
Every national before the changes seemed to have some kind of memorable story:
2012 the closest finish in history
2011 the McCains win again in what would prove to be Ginger's last year
2010 Ap's National
2009 the 100/1 winner ridden by the jockey with the teeth....
As a racing fan I remember those winners and their predecessors and love seeing them again in the old victors' parade. Who outside the connections will remember Auroras Encore or Pineau de Re? Maybe the latter will be memorable just for how unemotional the winning Jockey was.
Perhaps i'm wrong and just don't get it?
I just thought for the second year it was really anticlimatic and that's after having to spend the afternoon listening to imo the two most boring men in the universe Jim McGrath (Halifax one) and the other one (Cunningham?).
We don't even get the National music anymore
ugh
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Replies: 67
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Best horse won.
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pocket talk
its a horse race for goodness sake do you need fireworks  |
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2012 and 2011 all we had on the Saturday night was ban the race so some changes had to be made. The race was exciting and has a story with trainer doing it as a hobby and jockey retiring a few years ago.
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nothing wrong with the race.
perhaps it was c4,cunningham and mcgrath etc spoiled your viewing. |
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Plenty of excitement in the race itself, a decent story (small trainer / formerly-retired jockey wins again / horse won the race with only three shoes) and all runners home safe and sound to take some more heat out of the scrutiny the race finds itself under.
In an ideal world C4 would carry out an honest review of their racing coverage, ideally with plenty of audience consultation, to see what works and what doesn't but they're never going to get the audience share the BBC did, because of viewing habits and the way the respective channels are considered. |
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watching national velvet too much
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These sporting spectacles are transient though,Jez,BBC are gone...
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nothing wrong with todays race,
people live in the past too much. All the horses came back in one piece, thats the main thing. |
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bookies were full to bursting on national day 25 years back,now there is hardly a difference between any other Saturday,moving it off the bbc also demeans the race,it no longer has the feel of a great occasion
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i enjoyed todays race
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good race imo all horses and jocks safe and plenty of incident ,i was on the package ew ran well and had a bit of hope for a long way
once again the winner had 4 mile form and ran a stormer at chelts ,was hardly unbackable imvho |
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Perhaps you're just Grump_p!
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Agree with the Bcc bit pandora ,25 years back there was no internet and so many offers I think even the occasional punter will be betting online ,,,
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I thought it was nice to see a jockey not standing in his irons saluting the crowd.
He is doing his job and leaving the praise for trainer and horse. Never saw Fallon Jumping around, throwing his whip about. True pro. |
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fallon ...
 did he not retire a few years back ? |
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Too many Brandys imo.
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WALOFS
With a 40 horse field over 4m+ there is still more than enough excitement and incident. Or do we need to have more fatalities? The best race is where the best horse wins. |
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Always understated in his many grade 1 and classic victories.
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Seems some just want carnage and less than 10 finishers to keep them happy.
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True CC.Thought it was a great race tbh.
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it was more enjoyable than last years which was so dull that I had little interest today.I had to force myself
to have a bet! in the end it was quite entertaining but the magic has gone. i'll watch it and have a bet but I don't think I will ever look forward to a national again |
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I must say even without backing the winner I did enjoy the race. There was plenty over early drama but when Teaforthree tipped up that was my financial interest pretty much gone. C'est la vie. All the horses came home safe, no pilots badly hurt, can't say fairer than that.
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Enjoyed the race today - plenty of incident - there is still no other race like it and, in these overhyped times, it was good to see an understated response from a thorough pro ...
I did NOT back the winner .... |
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I should add - my one negative ...
I know Crabbies put the cash up but the advertising was beyond the pale - I have never seen anything like it - stands were bedecked - every fence was bedecked - after the race I looked in the mirror and someone had stuck a Crabbies sticker on my forehead!!!!! |
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Without doubt - the magic has gone forever - pretty dross event nowadays - the only thing 'grand' about it is the name.
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after one circuit its a hurdle race I like watching the old nationals about 30 years ago I know the results
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WALOFS
Exciting race, with at least half a dozen in with a chance crossing the Melling Road. Won by a small trainer with his first runner in the race - the horse having its tenth run of the season, rather than having a quick spin in a handicap hurdle then left in its box until after the weights are released. All horses and jockeys back safe and sound. What more do you want? |
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still nearly a hurdle race
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if a few horses had died today I reckon it'd be a bumper by next year
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In 1991,92,93,94 there was not one fatality when the fences were much stiffer and Bechers was err Bechers and the Chair was err the Chair, since they modified the fences the fatalities has been as bad if not worse on average, as they're going much too fast into them since modifications.
Its a boring race these days the big fields and an over excitable commentary disguises that fact. As we come to the one before Bechers" use to have an air of trepidation about it but now its just another fence that nobody gives two tosses about anymore. The once formidable Chair is probably the softest fence in the whole course. All the names that once represented a once great race should be removed and give the fences numbers instead, because how can anyone call Bechers Brook Bechers Brook anymore?, it doesn't resemble the original one iota. A sad demise of a once great institution because of the bleeding hearts brigade. |
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^Well said.
The thick left wingers don't get,probably never had a decent shag either. |
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Agree with the OP to be honest, well apart from the comments about Leighton Aspell whose always made Ryan Moore seem positively bubbly in comparison.
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i think a lot of people are being just a bit harsh here . i remember going to aintree in the 80 's and throwing money in a 'save the national' bucket . it was a desperate place . try going in oct/nov now and see what a great job of the stands they have done . better than cheltenham ...yes, the fences are much diluted but as we saw today plenty got them wrong without the need for green screens everywhere . the rspca lobbyists dream was to shut this race and place down . they have failed. rejoice in that we still have the race . it's not crabbies fault that mr aspell is a bit dour ! mine got stuffed by the way ....
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Look at the size of the fences here ...
and - as windsor knot has posted - what dump the place was. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62fPLtL8h7s |
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Too much emphasis on the national itself, the National meeting as a whole has been transformed to a very decent three day festival,not something you could say 20 years ago, as for the race itself, plenty of incident imo & whatever they have done to the race the last five furlongs is basically the same as it was years ago, lots of horses in with a chance after jumping the 28th fence, winner won going away, if it had been neck & neck to the line people would be saying what a great race it was.
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^A considered,respected opinion.
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Great post pumphol.
And spot on about the three days as a whole - the Thursday is an excellent day's racing (and arguably the best value for money all year) |
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Its a balancing act, nobody wants to see a horse or jockey injured in any way, but this has to be balanced with keeping it as the ultimate test for both horse and jockey. Its still a great event, but the removal of the iconic slope on the landing side of Bechers, and the general weakening of the toughness of the obstacles has made it nowhere near the test it once was. Thankfully there was enough incident yesterday to keep it as a great spectacle, but I still have a little sadness at the loss of the daunting factor.
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We're always more nostalgic about the past, I can remember every FA Cup winner through the 70's but now can't remember last year's. As others have said the big achievement is what Aintree is now compared to the desperate days of the late 70s. I went to the Friday of GN meeting in early 2000's and it went from crowds of 25,000 to 50,000 in a few years - too much for me but I'm glad it has been successful. Don't bet in the National but watch and always enjoy the race, yes it would be better as a spectacle if the fences were stiffer (the old Beechers was heart in mouth even as a viewer) but if the changes are what is required to everyone happy then so be it.
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