Grand National

[jman]

Know we have a Gee Gee thread already.. but Grand National posts get lost in between Cheltenham and other horsey based posts - and Grand National is like nothing else.. plus I like to do a full horse run-down of the Grand National and just makes it easier- so separate thread now!

Anyway, runners and riders have been confirmed today, they can obviously change until Saturdays race but you don't generally get that many changes. 
P.S. Late.. Leighton Aspell your namesake and winner of the last two nationals (the ones you didn't back him on) is riding on Many Clouds again this year!  (bound to lose now) 

1.  Many Clouds
2.  Silviniaco Conti
3.  First Lieutenant
4.  Wonderful Charm
5.  Ballynagour
6.  O'Faolains Boy
7.  Gilgamboa
8.  On His Own
9.  The Druids Nephew
10. Triolo D'alene
11. Rocky Creek
12. Sir Des Champs
13. Holywell
14. Shutthefrontdoor
15. Soll
16. Buywise
17. Boston Bob
18. Aachen
19. Morning Assembly
20. Double Ross
21. Goonyella
22. Ucello Conti
23. Unioniste
24. Le Reve
25. Gallant Oscar
26. Onenightinvienna
27. The Last Samuri
28. Kruzhlinin
29. Rule The World
30. Just A Par
31. Katenko
32. Vics Canvas
33. Black Thunder
34. Ballycasey
35. Hadrian's Approach
36. Vieux Lion Rouge
37. Pendra
38. Saint Are
39. Home Farm.
40. The Romford Pele


I wont place my bets until the actual day.. after several hours of pondering.. but I might update this thread with anything I hear that could sway my initial opinions.
I usually go for 4 or 5 - makes it more interesting.  I got 2nd last year with Saint Are and pretty much broke even.

[harv]

No idea what the odds are like but I'm going for Ballynagour, Druid's Nephew and Black Thunder. Just 3 names picked at random lol

[harv]

Just checked Paddy Power. Black Thunder is 66/1, Ballynagour is 50/1 and Druid's Nephew is a more respectable 16/1.

That'll do me, a quid each way on each of them

[jman]

Yep, got as much chance as winning by pulling them out of a hat than any other method..

If you believe in stats - Paul Maloney is riding Buywise this year.  Maloney has finished in the top 4 in the last 7 nationals.. amazing feat if you ask me and can't just be down to luck. 

Going against everything I said previously, I've just put £5 EW on him at 66/1 at 32Red    Gotta be worth a punt at those odds!

[Late]

Ha - thanks Kieron, will definitely put a few quid on Many Clouds and blight his chances now!

[jman]

I've gone with :

Buywise @ 66/1
Goonyella @ 22/1
Saint Are @ 18/1
Ucello Conti @ 33/1

Missus has gone with
First Lieutenant @ 66/1
Wonderful Charm @ 50/1
Gallant Oscar @ 18/1

[Late]

I've gone for Many Clouds and Buywise, the wife's gone for Black Thunder and On His Own, and one of the kids picked Triolo D'alene. (Haven't seen t'other bairn today so I'm one bet short of my usual.)
Only £18 staked in total - all e/w bets except Many Clouds.

[harv]

Am I remembering things wrong or is the Grand National starting an hour later than usual..?

[harv]

That singer was fit

[harv]

Bah! Got bugger all lol

[Late]

Diddly-squat, yet again.

Considering it's pretty much a lottery, with about 40 runners each year and me picking 4-6 horses each time, it's quite incredible that I've managed to win bugger all for the last 15(ish) years.

[jman]

Yes, seems we are all quite adept at winning bugger all every year 

Scraped 5th with Goonyella who came into 3rd favourite, which made some cash back, still managed to lose about £15 though

[Late]

Next year, though, I'm definitely going to win big.
To balance things out.
After so many losses, the law of averages says the 5 horses I bet on next year will come 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th.
Obviously.



Of course, the law of averages is a cruel cruel mistress...