There are many people who don’t often go horse racing or gambling but who do like to have a small flutter on Grand National day in the UK. For those who aren’t interested in form or trainers, there are two easy ways to pick a horse: name or appearance.
Many people will choose an amusing or personally pertinent name, whereas choosing a grey horse is known as opting for “the housewives’ choice”.
As far as names go, Tricky Trickster and Hello Bud have to be among the best. Cricket fans may like to back Flintoff. For punters from the Green Isle there’s Irish Raptor and for posties there’s The Package. For the religious there’s Priests Leap and for the harrassed, Can’t Buy Time. For the meteorologists there’s Snowy Morning and Cloudy Lane and for thespians, try Backstage.
As for grey horses in the Grand National 2010, there are four to choose from:
- Beat The Boys
- King Johns Castle
- Piraya
- Character Building
The Grand National takes place each year at Aintree racecourse and is beloved among racegoers for the spectacle of the famous jumps and the unpredictability of the outcome – in 1928 only two horses finished the race after 42 horses started. In 1968, Foinavon won the race at 100/1 after a pile up at the 23rd.
Several finishers have remounted in the past to finish in high places. This year, such a result will be impossible, however, as remounting is now banned in UK horse racing.
The Global Herald will be providing Grand National 2010 previews and tips in the run-up to the big race, which takes place at 16:15 on Saturday 10th April, at Aintree racecourse, Liverpool.