- Monday, 31 March 2014 14:52
- Written by David Pipe
Today we have made confirmations for the Grand National we have left Our Father, The Package, Swing Bill and Standing Ovation in Aintree’s centrepiece on Saturday. While there is no hope that Standing Ovation will get in, Swing Bill is currently the second reserve at number 42 in the list. With declarations for the big race taking place on Thursday we face an anxious wait to see if two come out of the race above old favourite ‘Bill’ (pictured above), leaving him able to compete in the race for a third time. If he misses the cut, he will run instead in the Topham Chase, also over the National fences on Friday.
I can’t wait for the Grand National meeting to get underway on Thursday. The atmosphere at Aintree is much different to the pressure cooker environment that is the Cheltenham Festival. Without wishing to impugn the efforts of everyone at the Liverpool track (because they do a wonderful job), the profession has become such that your season is almost exclusively measured not by the number of winners you have trained or prize money you have accumulated, but how you did at the Cheltenham Festival. You can train hundreds of winners through the course of the season, but if you have not had a Festival winner, somehow it is a disappointment.
That means the meeting at Aintree is a much more enjoyable, social affair and both myself and Chester will be staying once again with old friend Gino (of The New One fame) who has to put up with us for the duration of the meeting!
It looks like being a quiet start to the meeting with the stable only likely to have a couple of runners on Thursday. That won’t matter however if Ryanair Chase winner Dynaste can follow-up that Cheltenham success with victory in the Betfred Bowl. I am pleased to report that he is good order at home, so I am hopeful of a bold show from him. A course and distance winner last season in the Mildmay, conditions look likely to suit him again and it should certainly be an exciting renewal with the likes of Silviniaco Conti and First Lieutenant likely to line up against him.
We will have a small but select team to go to Aintree including our other Cheltenham Festival winners Western Warhorse (pictured right) and Ballynagour (below). Arkle winner Western Warhorse will take in the Manifesto novices’ chase over 2½ miles on Thursday, while Ballynagour will run in the Melling Chase on Friday. A reproduction of Ballynagour’s latest effort would make him very difficult to beat, although history shows that he has a very in and out profile. We have been pleased with him since, although I would advise any prospective supporters to air a degree of caution.
It is great to see the return of Newton Abbot with the first meeting of their summer season on Tuesday. The stable will have two runners, Sail By The Sea and Volt Face who take in the two divisions of the maiden hurdle. On a nice day, there are few places I would rather be than the Devon track – there is always a great atmosphere made by the knowledgeable Racegoers and holiday visitors. I would imagine that with an initial going report of soft (heavy in places) nice days have been few and far between lately!
As readers of this column will know, Mary Bromiley has long been an integral part of the success story at Pond House and now you can learn more about her and her revolutionary techniques in her new book ‘A Way Of Life Healing Animals’. Mary treated both Miinnehoma for my father and Comply Or Die for me prior to their successes in the Grand National and my dad championed Mary’s skill from an early stage when physiotherapists were used exclusively by humans. The book is a fascinating insight into her life and experiences and I haven’t been able to put it down. Better still, with all purchases a donation is made to the Injured Jockey’s so there is no excuse not to grab your copy from Mary’s website at : http://www.downshouseequine.co.uk/
Finally, I would like to thank online bookmaking community OLBG who have been kind enough to let me have a £100 charity bet to place on the Grand National so I have decided to put it on The Package (£50 each way). He ran a fine seasonal reappearance when third in the Baylis and Harding at Cheltenham last time out and he showed some top class handicap form last season, notably when winning the Badger Ales at Wincanton and finishing fourth in the Hennessy (behind Bobs Worth, Tidal Bay and First Lieutenant). As usual it is anybody’s race, but with only 10-4 to carry, I believe he holds sound place prospects under Tom Scudamore. For more in depth analysis of the big race you can visit: www.grand-national-guide.co.uk
Don’t forget, Chester will have all of the latest news on his daily blog, while you can follow me on Twitter @DavidPipeRacing
