Punter’s banquet for the John Smith big race

By Squirrel

The John Smith’s Grand National, is universally recognised, and gambled upon, as it harbours every kind of emotion available to mankind.

If it were not for Cyril Stein, who recently passed away aged 82, the event would just be a footnote in sporting archives. Aintree could be a block of flats if Stein had not saved the race in 1975.

So, you can sit back and perish that thought as the forty runners start from a thin tape, at 6.15 pm local time. Preliminaries on various Satelite channels need scanning for precision.

Big money has been piling in for The Midnight Club (Ruby Walsh), since his two appearances in Thyestus and Bobbyjoe Chases, January/February, were too impressive for dismissal.

Unfortunately, others to consider are many. We have reduced them to a bare minimum for your convenience, but the choice is purely in your court now: Blueseacracker (Andrew MacNamara), BecauseIcouldn’tsee (David Russell), Character Building (Nina Carberry), Ballyfitz (Nigel Twiston Davies), Backstage (Paul Carberry), That’s Rhythm (James Reveley), Oscar Time (Same Waley Cohen), Big Fella Thanks (Graham Lee), Ballabriggs (Jason Maguire), Don’t Push It (Tony McCoy), and, What A Friend (Daryl Jacob). Prices vary from eight to 66, making each way bets, rational thinking, in such a demanding 4.5 mile grinder.

Meanwhile, Dual National-winning trainer, Toby Balding, 74, will be a notable absentee from Aintree, after suffering a stroke that has impaired his sight.

He had planned to attend all three days of his favourite meetings, but was admitted to the Royal Hampshire Hospital in Winchester.

It is unclear whether Balding will be able to attend a ceremony at Buckingham Palace next month at which he is due to receive an OBE he was awarded in the New Year’s Honours List.

His limbs and speech are fine, so, with therapy, doctors are crossing fingers he will keep his Royal appointment.