Extreme Sports

Posts Tagged ‘grand national’

Aintree track is one of the most famed racecourses in the United Kingdom and is located on the A59 at Ormskirk Road, Aintree (North West, England) in the northern border of Liverpool, just six miles from the city centre. The track occupies 250 acres and has two left-handed racing tracks. The first, the Mildmay Course is rectangular and opened in 1953. It is nearly one and a half miles in long, with sharp turns and chase jumps. The Aintree Grand National race isn’t as sharp as the Mildmay course but is much more tough which is why it is known as one of the hardest races in the world – one which all horse jockeys would desire to secure entry to. The
Aintree Grand National course is far longer than the Mildmay at very nearly two and a quarter miles, and is totally flat, with jumps that have a decline on the landing side lesser than the take-off side.

William Lynn is the man responsible for bringing horse racing to the parish of Aintree. Lynn was the owner of the Waterloo Hotel, and began horse racing on the land which he rented from the Earl of Sefton. The grandstand started being built in 1829 and after 5 months the first meeting for Flat races was held. They didn’t start hurdle racing until 1836, when the original Liverpool Grand Steeplechase was held at Aintree on February 29th. This competition was claimed by some as being the earliest ever Aintree Grand National and was won by The Duke, ridden by Captain Martin Becher. However, the more well-known Liverpool Grand Steeplechase of 1839 is identified as the original, and was won by Lottery, ridden by Jem Mason. The race of 1839 was a four miler, across country, and the law was that ‘no rider to open a gate or ride through a gateway, or more than 100 yards along any highway, path or driftway’.

The track was used by the Military in 1915, and after the 1940 National it was again used by the forces. Racing resumed in 1946 and in 1949 the track was bought by Messrs Topham Ltd; who had rented the place for roughly a 100 years; from the Earl of Sefton for 275,000. Mirabel Topham, an creative soul, went on to create the Mildmay course and a motor circuit which held the European Grand Prix and five United kingdom Grand Prix.

Bill Davies bought the track in 1973 for 3 million and in 1975 Ladbrokes saved the Aintree Grand National, which was in danger of dying, by running and administering it for seven years at a yearly payment of 250,000. In 1983 the track was deemed safe when the Jockey Club bought it.

Aintree is now more suited for use with transportation links very much enhanced. In the beginning it could only be reached by train, but now it is reached by car, coach or air. There is a six acre enclosure for landing by copter or the John Lennon airport 20 minutes drive away, celebrations. Meaning guests to Aintree have a better experience. Meaning everyone enjoys the Aintree Grand National festival even more.

The Grand National 2010 is Britains most impressive racing festival in the country. Annually over 30 jockey’s line-up to tackle the difficult Aintree race course. The race course is four and half miles long, made up of 30 massive fences, the Grand National is maybe the most difficult test of horse stamina in the United Kingdom.

Much of the Grand Nationals appeal lies in the challenging conditions of the race. With such a hard race course the odds of a fav doing well are remote! Of course this makes it exciting for those who watch from the stands. Over the last seventy years only 11 favourites have actually won the Grand National. In the last few years the fences have been reduced in size to protect the horses and riders from getting seriously injured but, despite this, it remains one of the most exciting races in the sport.

Sea The Stars Ends Career

Following Sea The Stars’ captivating victory in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp, it has been questioned whether he is the greatest Flat racehorse ever to have existed. The horse bred from Cape Cross and mare Urban Sea has provided horseracing with one of the greatest horses to ever grace the turf. So it has come as a bit of a shock to hear that he is going to be retired. Some, although well able to admit his brilliance refuse to believe that he is one of the three greatest racehorses of all time. Joe Mercer, a former champion jockey who rode Brigadier Gerard in the early 1970s, is one voice of skepticism. He fears that we are in danger of being swept up in the momentary hype, but he remembers horses such as Galileo who won the King George in 2001. Back then everyone thought that Galileo was the best horse that had ever been seen – and as Mercer affirms: you can’t have a best horse you’ve ever seen every other year! He points out that the horse he rode, Brigadier Gerard won thirteen Group Ones, whereas Sea The Stars has only won six.

Others though have been less hesitant to vilify Sea The Stars. Pat Eddery who rode Dancing Brave to victory in the Prix de l’Arc in 1986 has said that Sea The Stars is ‘up there with the best’, and laughed at the suggestion that he might resent the current champion being regarded by many as a better horse than the one he rode.