Where it all began?

Most people’s earliest gambling memory will be of the Grand National.

Mine was of an annual 10p each way on a horse called The Pilgarlic. I seem to remember that he made the frame on a couple of occasions but never quite got his head in front. It became a family joke that I would be backing ‘that horse with the funny name’. Whatever happened it got me hooked and I’m pleased that it did.

Backing winners used to be easy!

The years have come and gone and the stakes have increased (marginally!) and I have fond (financial and otherwise) of Seagram and Party Politics but mostly of Last Suspect.

I was a Tim Forster fan back in the 80’s and I managed to convince myself that the Duchess of Westminster’s horse wasn’t the screwball that everyone else seemed to think he was. I can’t describe the feeling of backing a 50/1 Grand National winner but to a relatively young and inexperienced punter it was like gold dust.

Unfortunately finding winners since haven’t been quite as easy!

Tell us about your favourite Grand National Horses

Who are your favourite Grand National horses? Did you manage a nice win on your favourite or was there one that got away? Or perhaps it was just a horse you enjoyed watching jumping the big Grand National fences?

Let us know your thoughts.

By the way, does anyone know how many times The Pilgarlic ran in the Grand National and when?

The Trevor Hemmings owned twelve year old had sustained a slight injury in the race this year but still managed to finish 13th but connections felt that the time was right to retire this most consistent of recent Grand National performers.

Hedgehunters complete Aintree Record

2004 Fell (at the last fence having run a great race and still being booked for a place)

2005 WON (One of the easiest winners of a Grand National in recent times with previous National winners Bindaree, Amberleigh House and Monty’s Pass well beaten)

2006 2nd (beaten just over six lengths by Numbersixvalverde with 11 stone 12 lbs)

2007 9th

2008 13th

In addition to his Aintree triumph Hedgehunter recorded four other career victories and nearly £800,000 in win and place prize money and finished runner up to War Of Attrition in a Cheltenham Gold Cup.

He was one of the best National winners in recent years and we wish him a happy retirement. Copy and paste the link below into your browser for highlights of Hedgehunter’s finest hour when winning the 2005 Grand National.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/sol/newsid_4420000/newsid_4428600/4428669.stm?bw=bb&mp=wm&news=1&ms3=6&ms_javascript=true&bbcws=2

How can I say such a thing?

He won three Grand Nationals and was runner up on two further occasions so Red Rum was undoubtedly a class act around Aintree but does he deserve to be revered almost as a national (no pun intended) treasure?

I know all about the weight carrying performances and the bigger fences and all that and the fact that no horse has been able to win two Nationals since, let alone three.

What did he beat?

But I just wonder if, just maybe, the standard of opposition in the final two of his wins was not up to the ultra competitive standards we see today?

I say final two wins as, in my opinion, the best horse (at the weights) to compete in the National may be a horse who has never won it. By this I mean Crisp.

History should be changed!

If we are to give Red Rum his hero like status then the horse who has given him 23lb *(yes, that’s right a whopping 23lb*!!!) and very, very nearly beat him must be the best horse to compete in the National?

Crisp was an Australian champion who came to Britain and won our Champion Chase, breaking track records with slick, accurate jumping. The style of his performance in the 1973 National (until the very last few strides) is one of the most stunning displays of jumping I’ve ever seen.

I think if racing history could be rewritten, Crisp should win that National.

What do you think? Are you one of the millions of Red Rum fans who believe he is the best horse ever to run at Aintree? Or do you have another favourite who you think deserves that title?

Let us know what you think.

*edited