Grand National Blog

Mouse Morris sprang the surprise of the Grand National Entries by adding 2006 Gold Cup winner into the Aintree mix. His chances have been touched upon on our main 2009 Ante Post Thread but I would be very interested to hear more detailed comments from our knowledgable contributors about this horse’s chances of (A) running [...]

123 horses were entered for the 2009 Grand National yesterday and the Aintree field looks set to include a host of top class horses. Gold Cup winners Denman and War of Attrition have been entered, along with recent Lexus Chase winner Exotic Dancer and Paddy Power Gold Cup hero Imperial Commander. Last year’s Grand National winner Comply [...]

Slim Pickings, who had twice been placed in the Grand National, sadly broke a leg at the weekend and had to be put down. His trainer Tom Taaffe reported that the horse broke a pastern whilst exercising on the gallops. A sad pre-cursor to the publication of the weights as Slim Pickings would surely have [...]

A number of Grand National hopefuls lined up today for the Letherby and Christopher Chase at Cheltenham and heavy ground ensured stamina would be needed in abundance. Joe Comes Out On Top At Cheltenham Cheltenham specialist Joe Lively eventually came out on top after a gruelling battle with Halcon Genelardais which saw the Tizzard horse regain [...]

The build up to the 2009 Grand National continues with a number of the fancied Aintree candidates running around the country today. Character Building amd Irish Raptor are in action at Doncaster and Battlecry, Joe Lively, Halcon Genelardais and Star De Mohaison are due to run at Cheltenham. Keep an eye on your Aintree fancy [...]

Racing may be thin on the ground today but keep an eye out for 2009 Grand National hopefuls Mon Mome and Kilbeggan Blade who both line up in the opening Novice Hurdle at Towcester. Mon Mome finished 10th behind Comply Or Die in 2008 but seems in much better heart this season and Kilbeggan Blade is in [...]

The Peter Marsh chase at Haydock today provided a thrilling contest as Cloudy Lane just got the better of Glasker Mill in a driving finish with another Grand National possible Opera Mundi running a nice race back in third. Cloudy Lane defied 11 stone 10lbs and was recording his fifth win at the track. He triumphed from [...]

2008 Grand National joint favourite Cloudy Lane continues to gear his season towards another tilt at the Grand National with his fourth run of the new campaign due to take place on Saturday at Haydock. The Trevor Hemmings owned gelding was subject to huge support around this time last year and a good perfromance in [...]

Welsh National winner Notre Pere has shot to the forefront of the 2009 Grand National betting on the back of his recent wins at Chepstow and Navan. However, when doing some research on an Irish website I came across the following quote: Chepstow hero Notre Pere has come into many people’s equations but trainer Jim Dreaper [...]

2007 Irish Grand National winner had a recent spin over hurdles at Kempton and that outing over the smaller obstacles will have given lots of encouragement to his supporters for the 2009 Grand National. Jonjo O’Neill’s nine year old raced with more enthusiasm than of late to finish 8th beaten just over sixteen lengths behind [...]