also i noticed something - at about 4.40 there's a loose horse, it dodges from the stiff chase fence and jumps the National fence instead. and people thing the jumps are difficult for the horses and need modifying? the horses obviously prefer them, i mean they're soft and come appart easily if they hit them and i guess they're a lot more natural looking.
Poor old Digger lasted only a couple of years in active but much loved retirement before succumbing to cancer.Such a shame for him and his close connections...
@vixitrixalina It's quite common for the riders to take a breather and have a chat to those around them as they come back onto the racecourse. The most common questions being whose out? and how's yours doing?
So from the end of the video, it looks like 5 horses at most even finished the race?! Out of a field of thirty-something? When you have that small percentage of horses even finishing a race, you might need to reexamine what the hell you are trying to get the poor horses to do =/
three horses were killed in what was a very bad race;Exhausted horses and by golly does n't the weight show. God how I loath handicapping honest horses.
@coolhandsmig i was 5 years old that year and i remember me and Mum willing Suny Bay home - i loved the grey horse and was a big fan of him in my early years :) what a galant run, 2nd two years running under huge weights.
what a brave horse Sunny Bay way
whichypoohs 2 weeks ago
also i noticed something - at about 4.40 there's a loose horse, it dodges from the stiff chase fence and jumps the National fence instead. and people thing the jumps are difficult for the horses and need modifying? the horses obviously prefer them, i mean they're soft and come appart easily if they hit them and i guess they're a lot more natural looking.
vixitrixalina 2 months ago
Poor old Digger lasted only a couple of years in active but much loved retirement before succumbing to cancer.Such a shame for him and his close connections...
DUCSDREAM 2 months ago
Rest in Peace Suny Bay, only just found out he died 4 days ago. such a wonderful horse, a big part of my childhood.
vixitrixalina 2 months ago
@vixitrixalina yes he was a great chaser and will be sadly missed...thanks
sigmondball 2 months ago
WWOOOOO im going there in 2012. Cant wait
TheTEAMBUTLER 2 months ago
i was just laughing at how the two riders in the lead were talking to each other, then Jim Mcgrath confirmed that xD
shame so many lives were lost in this race.
vixitrixalina 4 months ago
@vixitrixalina It's quite common for the riders to take a breather and have a chat to those around them as they come back onto the racecourse. The most common questions being whose out? and how's yours doing?
UlsterGroundhopper 4 months ago
So from the end of the video, it looks like 5 horses at most even finished the race?! Out of a field of thirty-something? When you have that small percentage of horses even finishing a race, you might need to reexamine what the hell you are trying to get the poor horses to do =/
Starflite 8 months ago
Comment removed
w1239345 10 months ago
three horses were killed in what was a very bad race;Exhausted horses and by golly does n't the weight show. God how I loath handicapping honest horses.
rohansrider 10 months ago 2
Great performance by Suny Bay under 12st, giving Earth Summit a stone and a half in defeat.
The ground came for Earth Summit as it rained most of the week on Merseyside.
coolhandsmig 1 year ago 4
@coolhandsmig i was 5 years old that year and i remember me and Mum willing Suny Bay home - i loved the grey horse and was a big fan of him in my early years :) what a galant run, 2nd two years running under huge weights.
vixitrixalina 4 months ago
i backed do rightly, nasty fall but turned out he had a heart attack as he was about to jump
Willbutler 1 year ago
this was one of the toughest nationals of the last century. quite a few iffy jumpers and low rated horses scrapped in this year I recall.
grincher2006 1 year ago
how about the 1999 martell grand national
MikePike5 1 year ago