The Anorak Rants
IGNORE MY PREVIOUS RANTS - WHAT DO I KNOW ? THAT WAS SPECTACULAR - A THIRTY TWO RUNNER NATIONAL IS JUST AS EXCITING AS A FORTY ONE - WONDERFUL - MY ENTHUSIASM WAS ONLY TEMPRARILY DENTED. THIS IS THE GREATEST RACE IN THE WORLD AND THEY MAY HAVE SAVED THE RACE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
I HAVE ADDED A PAGE FOR MY RANTS
SEE YOU AT AINTREE FOR MY FIFTIETH NATIONAL NEXT YEAR
Chris - 13th April - 16:20
Update - April 2024
I have kept my musings from after the 2023 race (moved to the bottom of this page) as I thought all of of my suggestions seemed very sensible.
Unfortunately despite being one of the leading authorities on the race Aintree did not seek my views and I was on holiday in Cyprus when I learnt of the widespread changes to the race back in October 2023.
These are my thoughts which I know are worth nothing.
Bringing the start and start time forward - good (although I would have made the racetime 15:00)
Bringing first fence forward leaving a shorter run to it - Very good - it worked for the Topham/Foxhunters.
Extra scrutiny for those entries with jumping issues - makes sense.
Standing start - good luck with that - I look forward to more false starts to add to the general tension - that will be good for the horses.
Abolition of the parade - Why ? It only lasts a matter of minutes - not having them parade in racecard order was a genius idea. I cannot see what positives come from abolishing this tradition.
Fence 11 to be reduced by two inches - Again pointless - I am not sure when that fence last caused any particular grief in the National - having seen the state of the fence in the Grand Sefton and Becher Chase it looked rather pathetic.
Rising the minimun rating to 130 - irrrelevent window dressing - the lowest rating in 2023 was 143
Reducing the field size - Disasterous and is the final nail in the coffin of this great race.
Whilst I strongly suspected that we had seen the last forty runner National reducing the field size was my personal red line and for me the race is effectively ruined now. Just another long distance chase.
Now I am not a dinosaur, I am not harping back to the pre-1990 days - I applauded every change that was made since 1990 and was particularlry happy with the changes in 2013. Those were sensible and did not change the look or the feel of the race. We enjoyed lots of finishers, two almost incident free renewals and most importantly of all six Nationals with no equine fatalities. That record was always going to end one year and we did not need to make ill thought out knee-jerk reactions when the next horse died. The authorities stood their ground after Up For Review became the first fatality in the new look National in 2019. There were no changes after 2021 or 2022 (when we lost two horses). Then we get protestors on the course and panic sets in. Reducing the field size will not reduce accidents - the field will still bunch to the inside and will still go too fast. The course is perfectly wide enough to accomodate forty runners. The antis will not suddenly disappear because there will be six less horses lining up. Incidentaly the last time we had a thirty four runner National was in 1979 - remember Alverton and Kintai anyone ?
So my enthusiasm has been dented somewhat but I will still be watching next week and I will still continue this website until at least 2025.
There is though a part of me that wishes they had gone the whole hog and changed the name of the race and maybe reduced the distance further. The "Liverpool Spring Steeplechase" has a nice ring to it and we could enjoy the first running of a new long distance chase and toast the memory of the Grand National, once the world's greatest race.
And one day they will stage a "Silver" National.
Chris. (5th April 2024)
Don't let the antis get you down. It is still the greatest race on earth and long may it continue (in whatever modified version)
Some musings after the 2023 National
For what it's worth here are my latest thoughts on the races future - we are not pandering now to the antis who will never be satisfied until all racing is consigned to history - flat as well as jumps but to those more moderate voices against our sport.
Firstly I would close the Embankment enclosure, only used on one day a year (the old Canal Turn enclosure disappeared without much fuss in the mid noughties). This would provide extra security for the course and also take away the noise which can contribute to the heated and febrile atmosphere at the start.
Brng the start forward - work out how far the distance is from the start of the Topham/Foxhunters to the first fence and start at the same distance for the National. The shorter the distance, the less the speed and hopefully the less problems over the first few fences.
I think we will have to accept that the 30 runner National is coming at some time in the future. If it does ensure the race remains the unique event of the meeting by reducing the field for the Topham and Foxhunters to twenty.
Stage a 'Silver National' for those that miss the cut over 3 miles & 3 furlongs on the Friday after the final National field is known.
How to make the National Better
Heres a rant from 2016 - I would still love to see a "Silver" National : -
"We have now enjoyed four marvellous Nationals since the most widespread modifications in the Nationals history. Fences, distance and starting procedure all good. Keeping a forty runner National and not bowing to pressures to reduce the number of runners even better.
Now let the authorities look at the elimination process. In 2016 a former Grand National winner, a dual Welsh National winner, the current Becher Chase winner, the winner of the Haydock Park Grand National Trial and a horse placed in the past two Nationals all missed the cut. And then to add insult to injury for the connections of the four reserves for the second year running a horse was withdrawn on the day of the race so we did not even get a maximum field.
The Anoraks suggestions : -
(i) The Aintree factor must take precedence - if you have won a National you automatically qualify for future runnings
(ii) Certain recognised Grand National Trials to have a "Win and Your`e In" status . Winners of the current seasons Becher Chase, Welsh National, Haydock Park National Trial and (at a push) Eider Chase to be guaranteed a run whatever their handicap mark.
(iii) In Ireland a reserve can run right up until post time. Why can`t we have that for the National ?
(iv) For those that miss the cut a "Silver National" to be run on the Friday as the last race on the card. Run over the Becher Chase course as not every horse is suited by the Topham.
You read it here first folks."