April, all these feelings and thoughts will hit us broadside on, for this is the day and date of the great race, and the crucial reckoning of truth.  A few thoughts on how to choose the possible winner, although some people will still stick to the proverbial pin, would not be astray, plus a few interesting facts about the race, which indeed should go a long way to help you in coping with your bets on the big day, hoping for a bit of luck!

The race has of course turned up many interesting successes in its history, such as Vincent O’Brien’s splendid hat-trick of winners in ’53,’54, and ‘55, the father/son combinations of Tommy and Paul Carberry with Bobbyjo in ’99, and Ted and Ruby Walsh with Papillon in 2000. How could we forget the mayhem at the 23rd. fence in 1967, which allowed Foinavon, ridden by John Buckingham, to stroll home at the magnificent price of 100/1. Then you had Red Rum, who ran in the race five times during the seventies, winning three times, and being second on the other two. What a record!!

Though it does seem strange to relate, only two horses in racing history have won the two main races on the jumping calendar, the elusive double of the Aintree National and the Cheltenham Gold Cup, namely, Golden Miller and l’Escargot, which surely just goes to show how really difficult a task it is to manage to accomplish this gruelling double.