The Grand National

[yoshef]

the Daily Mail article was authored by "hotty totty" Jan Moir

[Awayo]

Phwoah!

[Awayo]

Actually, to be fair, Jan Moir's article today isn't that awful.

Far more poisonous is this from yesterday: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/ar...g-colours.html. A hatchet job, with a deliberate selection of the most outrageously and bizarrely attired (as well as overweight and otherwise not obviously attractive) women the photographer could find.

[Joe the red]

Absolutely made up for Tony McCoy but for once he didn't have the burden of my pound each way weighing him down.

The best news is that all horses and jockeys are fine after a great spectacle and a wonderful race.

[LukeMc]

Won just over £200 yesterday, unfortunately not a penny today.

[Dreamer]

Didnt win a bean, but hey ho. The National was excellent, its been an successful year for Liverpool. I only wish they would say Aintree, Liverpool and not Merseyside!

[woody]

Originally Posted by design_man

Tony is one of a very small number of people whose postings have deepened my understanding of urban issues. He is one of the very few on here who, if I see he has posted, I will click on that thread just to read what is on his mind.

He is a gentleman and a scholar, and has been an asset to SSC. If he is banned, SSC loses.

Well said DM,

[buggedboy]

Originally Posted by Dreamer

Didnt win a bean, but hey ho. The National was excellent, its been an successful year for Liverpool. I only wish they would say Aintree, Liverpool and not Merseyside!

The local authority up there are fascist about not saying Aintree, Liverpool. It's a three line whip for all their senior staff and it permeates throughout. They want you to say Aintree, Sefton. Failing that, Merseyside. They don't see how parochial they are being.

[Chris B]

Originally Posted by Dreamer

I only wish they would say Aintree, Liverpool and not Merseyside!

Horse racing isn't my thing at all, but I overheard some of the coverage the other day, and Clare Balding did say, 'on the outskirts of Liverpool', and reference was made to Liverpool Day.

I also think it's worth remembering that outside of the local area, where you'd probably get a mixed bag of answers, if you asked Joe Public anywhere else in the country where Aintree was, they'd say Liverpool, regardless of mentions of Merseyside or even Sefton on media coverage.

[Dreamer]

Originally Posted by Chris B

Horse racing isn't my thing at all, but I overheard some of the coverage the other day, and Clare Balding did say, 'on the outskirts of Liverpool', and reference was made to Liverpool Day.

I also think it's worth remembering that outside of the local area, where you'd probably get a mixed bag of answers, if you asked Joe Public anywhere else in the country where Aintree was, they'd say Liverpool, regardless of mentions of Merseyside or even Sefton on media coverage.

Thats good to know, its funny as anyone knows Aintree is a suburb of Liverpool, I wish they would just sort the boundaries out and all of Liverpools suburbs would fall under LCC. It just seams stupid that so many are not included under Liverpool Council.

Anyway back to the race, it was simply brilliant, I will make the effort to go next year - not sure I could do the marathon drinking sess all day as Im a right lightweight, but willing to give it a go for the horses sake!

[Mostly Lurking]

Four horses died over the weekend. Two broke their necks and died, and two were destroyed (shot behind a screen where it fell) - one broke its foreleg and another spinal had injuries.

Fucking disgusting that it is glossed over by TV coverage and other media.

[design_man]

Originally Posted by Mostly Lurking

Four horses died over the weekend. Two broke their necks and died, and two were destroyed (shot behind a screen where it fell) - one broke its foreleg and another spinal had injuries.

Fucking disgusting that it is glossed over by TV coverage and other media.

I agree - people are protected from the brutal reality of this event. And many of those who know just don't care.

[Awayo]

Originally Posted by woody

Well said DM,

Photographed in Jeffries Passage (fnouf!) Guildford earlier, if anyone's curious.

[Paul D]

Tony McCoy’s victory at the Aintree Grand National cost Bookies £10m

Apr 12 2010
BOOKIES were left £10m out of pocket after jockey Tony McCoy, on favourite Don’t Push It, romped to victory in the Grand National – the first time the champ has won the steeplechase.

Thousands of racegoers basked in the sunshine of Liverpool’s hottest day of the year as they watched the world famous steeplechase at Aintree on Saturday.

It was McCoy’s 15th attempt at the National, a race he said he always knew he would win one day, and punters put their faith in the champion jockey.

David Williams of Ladbrokes said: “McCoy's victory has cost us millions.

“We've feared this day for fifteen years and our worst nightmares have just been realised. Punters never lost faith in the champ.

“What a difference a year makes.

“When Mon Mome won at 100-1 the bookies kept all the cash and we celebrated for months.

“Now we'll be paying the punters out for months to come. It's the worst result for us in ages and all we can do is grit our teeth and salute the champ.”

McCoy was clearly delighted at his win as he broke down in tears as he passed the winning post. He said: “I have won lots of great races but I am supposed to be a great rider and to not have won it was a big gap in the CV.

“To win the Grand National is everything. “

Punters piled the cash on Don’t Push It at 20/1 in the hours leading up to the race, leading to bookmakers slashing the odds to make the horse joint favourite at 10/1 by the time the steeplechase got under way.

William Hill estimated around 10% of all Grand National bets were wagered on McCoy.

David Hood, spokesman for the bookmakers, said: “Time and time again, McCoy heaps misery on the bookmakers, and this time he has done it on the biggest stage.”

Footballers and WAGs turned out in force at the premier event in Merseyside’s social calendar.

Liverpool footballers Fernando Torres, Pepe Reina and Glen Johnson were spotted in the crowds, as well as Reds legend Kenny Dalglish and Steven Gerrard’s wife, Alex Curran.

Comedian Peter Kay presented the winner’s trophy.

Aintree racecourse Managing Director Julian Thick revealed attendance was up on 2009.

Over the three days 150,426 people went through the turnstiles compared with 146,070 last year.

He said: “I think that says a lot about what the National offers as a whole package both on the course and off.

“There is something for everyone to enjoy and it really puts Liverpool as a city on the map.

“We have very little trouble at the event as everyone comes to have a good time and enjoy themselves.

“There was an amazing atmosphere at the course on all three days and what a fantastic result in the National itself.

“There were so many amazing stories that could have come out of the race. We had 17-year–old jockey Sam Twiston-Davies come in fifth and female jockey Nina Carberry who finished seventh this year. They both stood a chance of winning. We’re all so pleased for Tony McCoy, he is a racing legend and deserved to have the Grand National under his belt.

“We have already started planning next year’s event. We’ll be looking at how the event can be improved and how we can build on the success of the first Liverpool day on Thursday.”

Merseyside Police Chief Superintendent Ian Pilling, who was in charge of policing for the three-day event, said it had been a pleasure to work the event as there was so little trouble with only five arrests over the three days.

He said: “Yet again Aintree has proved to be a fantastic event for Merseyside. Everyone left with a smile on their faces and there were very few incidents inside the course and out.

“It has been a pleasure to police.”

[Keayman]

Originally Posted by yoshef

the Daily Mail article was authored by "hotty totty" Jan Moir

Jealous bastard.

[Chris B]

From the Echo -

Aintree Grand National taxi drivers investigated over rip off fairs

Apr 14 2010 by Gary Stewart, Liverpool Echo

“RIP-off” taxi drivers who were charging Grand National racegoers a minimum £60 fee are to be investigated.

Complaints began to reach trading standards officers almost immediately after Saturday’s big race.

Punters said they were finding their pockets a lot lighter as taxi drivers charged inflated fees to drive them away from the races.

Thousands of travellers faced lengthy waits at Aintree railway station as racegoers left the course over the three days and there was no shortage of takers for cabs.

But some crafty cabbies appear to have been setting their own illegal fares charging £40 and even £60 flat rate fees for journeys as short as the five miles to Lime Street in Liverpool city centre.

According to the official hackney carriage rates for Liverpool a day time pick up from Aintree to Lime Street should cost around £9.30 meaning affected race-goers had been ripped off by up to 570%.

But many people who wished to make a complaint had not taken the cabbie’s licence number.

Full article here - http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liver...52-26236929/2/

[Mostly Lurking]

Thousands of travellers faced lengthy waits at Aintree railway station as racegoers left the course over the three days and there was no shortage of takers for cabs.

A six carriage train every 7 minutes which can hold up to 800 people is hardly a lengthy wait for thousands.

[Ste]

We waited about ten minutes for the train so it wasn't too bad.

I heard of someone being charged 50 quid to go from Walton to Maghull.

They do this all the time. You come out of a club at all hours in the morning and they won't take you home if your fare isn't much. It does need sorting out.

[Mostly Lurking]

Totally agree it needs sorting out - just pointing out the shoddy reporting from the Manchester Echo. Some people are pretty dumb though - in the passenger compartment of a black cab the rates are clearly displayed.

[Joe the red]

I'd have just got out or at least refused to pay and, if the driver disputed this, I'd have suggested a swift taxi ride around to St Anne's St and let the Police adjudicate. I'm sure the upshot would have been a fare nearer the £9.30 cited by the authorities and I also suspect there would not have ben a tip.