Friday, April 8, 2011
Paddy Power Commercial Grand National
The latest Paddy Power Commercial offering some great features for the Grand National
Grand National jockeys at Alder Hey Children's Hospital
8 April 2011
Grand National jockeys at Alder Hey Children's Hospital
BBC
Grand National jockeys offered their racing tips to youngsters on a visit to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool.
Among the stars to take time out from their training schedule were last year's champion AP McCoy, Ruby Walsh, Daryl Jacob and Aiden Coleman.
They spent about an hour at the hospital's oncology unit, chatting to the children and their parents.
McCoy said the visit "really put things into perspective".
The jockey, who with retired champion Mick Fitzgerald is a patron of Alder Hey's Imagine Appeal, said: "I never fail to be moved by the bravery of these children and their families.
Shelley Ball, whose five-year-old son Nathan is undergoing treatment for Langhan Cell Histiocycosis, said: "Nathan has been very excited all week.
"He doesn't really know about horse racing but kept asking when the 'jackies' would be coming."
Mrs Ball, from St Helens, added: "I can't describe what a boost it has given him, and me."
Becca Bate, 15, from Speke in Liverpool, got some hot tips for the Aintree meeting.
Her mother, Emma Paulson, 31, said: "Becca has Ewing Sarcoma but she has been responding well to treatment.
"She asked all the jockeys which horses they were riding and which were the best to have a flutter on.
"As soon as they left she dispatched her dad down to the bookies with her pocket money."
Jenny Lee, whose nine-year-old daughter Catherine has bone cancer in her leg, said: "I think it's great that they all came down today.
"The visit has really lifted the whole place."
Christine Done, fundraising manager at the hospital, said: "Some of these children are very poorly and something like this can really give them a lift for days and weeks to come."
The hospital's Imagine Appeal is the official charity partner for the Grand National meeting.
The jockeys also took part in a singing challenge to raise money for the cause.
Aintree primed for Grand National
Aintree primed for Grand National
By Frank Keogh
BBC Sport at Aintree
JOHN SMITH'S GRAND NATIONAL Aintree,
Saturday 9 April, 1615 BST
Live on BBC TV, HD, Radio 5 live, online Other races also across the BBC 7-9 April
Last year's winner Don't Push It tops the weights as 40 horses are set to contest the 164th running of the Grand National at Aintree on Saturday.
Champion jockey Tony McCoy is again on board the horse after an emotional win at his 15th attempt 12 months ago.
Two-time winner Ruby Walsh partners leading contender The Midnight Club for top Irish trainer Willie Mullins.
A worldwide audience of 600 million will watch the famous four-and-a-half mile race over 30 demanding fences.
For the first time in recent memory, all 71,000 tickets for the track have sold out in advance and racegoers are expected to bask in warm spring sunshine.
The going is expected to be just on the softer side of good with the course being watered after racing on Friday to ensure safe conditions for horses and riders.
Bookmakers estimate £150m will be wagered on the race, with more than half the adult population of the UK having a flutter.
McCoy's mount, carrying 5lb more in the handicap chase last year, is seeking to become the first consecutive winner since
in the 1970s.
"Winning last year was the best day of my racing career but that was last year, and it's more important to think about this time now," said the Northern Irishman.
"Red Rum was the last horse to win back-to-back Nationals so it would probably be a better feat than last year were he to win again."
The 36-year-old, who has been champion jockey 15 years running and has won more than 3,000 races in his career, said Don't Push It's preparations have been at least as good as last year.
Asked to nominate horses who he felt would be dangers to his mount, McCoy pinpointed The Midnight Club, stablemate Arbor Supreme and the Nicholls-trained Niche Market.
RECENT NATIONAL WINNERS
2010 Don't Push It 10-1
2009 Mon Mome 100-1
2008 Comply Or Die 7-1
2007 Silver Birch 33-1
2006 Numbersixvalverde 11-1
2005 Hedgehunter 7-1
Other leading National contenders include
who is owned by Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and his friend Ged Mason.
The Cheltenham Gold Cup fourth runs for Paul Nicholls, the champion trainer whose record is 0-44 in the Grand National.
Amateur jockey Sam Waley-Cohen rides
who is owned by his father Robert together with Sir Martin Broughton and the former Liverpool FC chairman's brother Steve.
Waley-Cohen, who is a friend of royal bride-to-be Kate Middleton, has already won the Gold Cup and King George VI Chase this season on Long Run.
He is one of five amateur riders in the race, with Nina Carberry on the grey Character Building bidding to become the first female jockey to triumph.
McCoy's victory was the latest in a series of National stories that have captured the public's imagination and helped him to a landslide win in the 2010 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.
Two years ago, the 100-1 shot Mon Mome scored a shock success and this year marks the 30th anniversary of
Back in 1981, jockey Bob Champion overcame cancer to guide home the injury-plagued horse. Their triumph was made into a movie.
Champion has gone on to raise millions of pounds for his cancer charity and will lead out the runners and riders, together with Don't Push It's trainer Jonjo O'Neill, for an Aintree Legends race earlier in the day.
The charity flat contest features 10 former National-winning riders, including Carl Llewellyn (Party Politics 1992, Earth Summit 1998) and Jim Culloty (Bindaree 2002).
Jimmy Frost (Little Polveir 1989), whose son Hadden makes his debut in the National later on Saturday on Calgary Bay, and former champion jockey Peter Scudamore also feature.
Scudamore is assistant to trainer Lucinda Russell, who is hoping her National contender Silver By Nature will become the first Scottish-trained winner of the big race since Rubstic in 1979, and the first grey since Nicolaus Silver 50 years ago.
Chief Dan George runs for Jimmy Moffatt. The Scottish trainer is fighting back after a serious blood infection earlier in the year.
Story from BBC SPORT
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