messed up Grand National horse race at Aintree

another race over hurdles - which I learned were much lower than the Grand National fences

the grey horse at the start the commentator said some punters backed grey horses because they were easier to spot during the race http://www.aintree.co.uk/

stewards on standby awaiting the starters signal if a false start

40 horses milling around waiting the start note the grey facing the wrong way


number 38 the only grey - form 21411F ROSS COMM aged 10 years carrying weight 10 stone -05 lbs jockey Sue Smith


STOP STOP STOP STOP false start

mending the tape - not very quick with their knots

ROSS COM, which I had fancied betting on, caused the false start getting her nose stuck over the tape

going back to start over again
and ROSS COM fell at the third fence 31 horses fell altogther but not one was injured

http://www.aintree.co.uk/racing/fullresults.jsp?date=08/04/2006

winning owner Bernard Carroll, winning trainer Martin Brassil and winning rider Niall Madden, who is in only his first season as a professional, landing the 2006 John Smith's Grand National with Numbersixvalverde, who is named after the Clare-based winning owner's family home in Portugal.

the BBC race replay showed how well Niall Madden rode.
He held back for the first round, riding wide to avoid the fallen, a matter of survival at this stage one commentator said, but on the second circuit he gradually crept forwards into fifth place and then used the whip to drive to a decisive victory