At 11.40am on the first day of the Randox Health Grand National Festival, Aintree's Clerk of the Course Andrew Tulloch changed the official going description to:
Grand National Course: Good to Soft (from Good to Soft, Soft in places Canal Turn)
Mildmay & Hurdle Courses: Good to Soft, Good in places (from Good to Soft)
Tulloch said: "There's quite a strong, cold breeze out there, and it was dry overnight."
Earlier he had discussed advances in course preparation this year, saying: "We have a pop-up irrigation system, which we will use if we need to.
"If we are on the easy side of Good for the Randox Health Grand National on Saturday or if it is Good to Soft, or around that area, that would be great.
"We have now also put a bigger run-off area for the horses between fences one and four.Loose horses occasionally rejoin the field, but with this change we are able to keep loose horses separate from the field.
"We also have jockey course walks for guys who have never ridden over the Grand National fences or have only ridden over them once or twice. This year, with [former jockeys] Brian Harding and Carl Llewellyn, those are mandatory.
"That is an invaluable experience and I think Brian is walking the course with 18 jockeys who are riding in the Foxhunters' Chase at the moment.
"It is all a learning curve. We're very happy with the improvements we have made and we are leaving no stone unturned as regards horse welfare."
Randox Health Grand National - the 40 declared runners today plus the four reserves & all jockeys
Grade 3 handicap chase, £1 million total prize fund. Aintree, 5.15pm Saturday, April 6, 2019. 4m 2f 74y over the Grand National fences. For seven-year-olds and upwards who, prior to March 19 have started in a steeple chase during the current season and been placed first, second, third or fourth in a chase with an official distance description of two miles seven and a half furlongs' or more at any time during the horse's career, Horses must also be allotted a rating of 125 or more by the BHA Head of Handicapping following a review of the horses entered and after taking account of races run up to and including February 10. Horses who are not qualified for a rating in Great Britain or Ireland at closing may also be entered. Such horses may be eligible for a weight providing the Handicapper is satisfied that the horse's racecourse performances up to and including February 10 would merit a minimum rating of 125. To qualify, horses must have run at least three times in chases run under the Rules of Racing of the same Recognised Racing Authority up to and including February 10. At the Handicapper's discretion, such horses may be allocated a rating. The decision of the BHA Head of Handicapping shall be final. Entries closes January 29, entries revealed January 30 (112 entries - 2 not qualified), weights revealed February 12, first scratchings deadline February 26 (100 remained), second scratchings deadline March 19 (84 remained - 3 not-qualified, 2 subsequently scratched), five-day confirmations April 1 (69 confirmations, 1 subsequently scratched - Sandymount Duke), final declarations 10am April 4.g Maximum field of 40 plus four reserves.Weight Raised 4lb on Monday, April 1First rating given is at the weights' launch on February 12, followed by the current rating with the difference in brackets. Horses run off of the weights they were allotted on February 12, with no penalties.
|
Horse
|
Age
|
Wgt
|
Rtg
|
Owner
|
Trainer/Jockey
|
1)
|
ANIBALE FLY (FR) TS
|
9
|
11-10
|
164 172(+8)
|
J P McManus
|
Tony Martin IRE/Barry Geraghty
|
2)
|
VALTOR (FR)
|
10
|
11-06
|
160 160(=)
|
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede
|
Nicky Henderson/Daryl Jacob
|
3)
|
TIGER ROLL (IRE) BL, TS
|
9
|
11-05
|
159 167(+8)
|
Gigginstown House Stud
|
Gordon Elliott IRE/Davy Russell
|
4)
|
OUTLANDER (IRE)
|
11
|
11-04
|
158 157(-1)
|
Gigginstown House Stud
|
Gordon Elliott IRE/Keith Donoghue
|
5)
|
DON POLI (IRE) P
|
10
|
11-03
|
157 150(-7)
|
Gigginstown House Stud
|
Gordon Elliott IRE/Mr Patrick Mullins
|
6)
|
GO CONQUER (IRE) TS
|
10
|
11-03
|
157 157(=)
|
Paul & Clare Rooney
|
Nigel Twiston-Davies/Sam Twiston-Davies
|
7)
|
MALA BEACH (IRE)
|
11
|
11-02
|
156 155(-1)
|
Chris Jones
|
Gordon Elliott IRE/Mr Jamie Codd
|
8)
|
MINELLA ROCCO (IRE)
|
9
|
11-01
|
155 152(-3)
|
J P McManus
|
Jonjo O'Neill/Richie McLernon
|
9)
|
LAKE VIEW LAD (IRE)
|
9
|
11-01
|
155 158(+3)
|
Trevor Hemmings
|
Nick Alexander/Henry Brooke
|
10)
|
PLEASANT COMPANY (IRE)
|
11
|
11-01
|
155 155(=)
|
Malcolm Denmark
|
Willie Mullins IRE/Paul Townend
|
11)
|
BALLYOPTIC (IRE)
|
9
|
11-01
|
155 152(-3)
|
Mills & Mason Partnership
|
Nigel Twiston-Davies/Tom Bellamy
|
12)
|
DOUNIKOS (FR)
|
8
|
11-00
|
154 154(=)
|
Gigginstown House Stud
|
Gordon Elliott IRE/Jack Kennedy
|
13)
|
RATHVINDEN (IRE)
|
11
|
11-00
|
154 162(+8)
|
Ronnie Bartlett
|
Willie Mullins IRE/Ruby Walsh
|
14)
|
ONE FOR ARTHUR (IRE) TS
|
10
|
11-00
|
154 154(=)
|
Two Golf Widows
|
Lucinda Russell/Derek Fox
|
15)
|
ROCK THE KASBAH (IRE) P
|
9
|
10-13
|
153 153 (=)
|
Diana Whateley
|
Philip Hobbs/Richard Johnson
|
16)
|
WARRIORS TALE TS
|
10
|
10-13
|
153 151(-2)
|
Trevor Hemmings
|
Paul Nicholls/Harry Cobden
|
17)
|
REGAL ENCORE (IRE)
|
11
|
10-12
|
152 151(-1)
|
J P McManus
|
Anthony Honeyball/Mark Walsh
|
18)
|
MAGIC OF LIGHT (IRE) P
|
8
|
10-11
|
151 149(-2)
|
Ann & Alan Potts Limited
|
Jessica Harrington IRE/Paddy Kennedy
|
19)
|
A TOI PHIL (FR) TS
|
9
|
10-11
|
151 151(=)
|
Gigginstown House Stud
|
Gordon Elliott IRE/Denis O'Regan
|
20)
|
JURY DUTY (IRE) TS
|
8
|
10-11
|
151 157(+6)
|
Sideways Syndicate
|
Gordon Elliott IRE/Robbie Power
|
21)
|
NOBLE ENDEAVOR (IRE) P
|
10
|
10-10
|
150 148(-2)
|
Chris Jones
|
Gordon Elliott IRE/Mark Enright
|
22)
|
MONBEG NOTORIOUS (IRE) V
|
8
|
10-10
|
150 150(=)
|
Gigginstown House Stud
|
Gordon Elliott IRE/Sean Bowen
|
23)
|
RAMSES DE TEILLEE (FR) TS
|
7
|
10-09
|
149 154(+5)
|
John White & Anne Underhill
|
David Pipe/David Noonan
|
24)
|
TEA FOR TWO
|
10
|
10-09
|
149 149(=)
|
Jane Williams & Len Jakeman
|
Jane Williams/Lizzie Kelly
|
25)
|
MALL DINI (IRE) TS
|
9
|
10-08
|
148 148(=)
|
Philip Reynolds
|
Patrick Kelly IRE/Sean Flanagan
|
26)
|
STEP BACK (IRE) P
|
9
|
10-07
|
147 147(=)
|
Cracker and Smodge Partnership
|
Mark Bradstock/Nico de Boinville
|
27)
|
ULTRAGOLD (FR) TS
|
11
|
10-07
|
147 146(-1)
|
Brocade Racing John Romans Terry Warner
|
Colin Tizzard/Tom O'Brien
|
28)
|
BLOW BY BLOW (IRE) BL, TS
|
8
|
10-06
|
146 143(-3)
|
Gigginstown House Stud
|
Gordon Elliott IRE/Andrew Ring
|
29)
|
UP FOR REVIEW (IRE)
|
10
|
10-06
|
146 146(=)
|
Andrea & Graham Wylie
|
Willie Mullins IRE/Danny Mullins
|
30)
|
SINGLEFARMPAYMENT H
|
9
|
10-06
|
146 145(-1)
|
Neal Griffith & Heather Haddock
|
Tom George/Paddy Brennan
|
31)
|
VIEUX LION ROUGE (FR) TS, P
|
10
|
10-06
|
146 142(-4)
|
Prof Caroline Tisdall & John Gent
|
David Pipe/Tom Scudamore
|
32)
|
VALSEUR LIDO (FR)
|
10
|
10-06
|
146 140(-6)
|
Gigginstown House Stud
|
Henry de Bromhead IRE/Rachael Blackmore
|
33)
|
VINTAGE CLOUDS (IRE)
|
9
|
10-04
|
144 149(+5)
|
Trevor Hemmings
|
Sue Smith/Danny Cook
|
34)
|
GENERAL PRINCIPLE (IRE) TS
|
10
|
10-04
|
144 144(=)
|
Gigginstown House Stud
|
Gordon Elliott IRE/J J Slevin
|
35)
|
LIVELOVELAUGH (IRE)
|
9
|
10-04
|
144 143(-1)
|
Susannah Ricci
|
Willie Mullins IRE/David Mullins
|
36)
|
WALK IN THE MILL (FR)
|
9
|
10-04
|
144 142(=)
|
Baroness Harding
|
Robert Walford/James Best
|
37)
|
FOLSOM BLUE (IRE) TS, P
|
12
|
10-04
|
144 142(=)
|
Core Partnership
|
Gordon Elliott IRE/Luke Dempsey
|
38)
|
CAPTAIN REDBEARD (IRE)
|
10
|
10-03
|
143 144(+1)
|
Stuart Coltherd
|
Stuart Coltherd/Sam Coltherd
|
39)
|
BLESS THE WINGS (IRE) P
|
14
|
10-03
|
143 143(=)
|
Adrian Butler & Stephen O'Connor
|
Gordon Elliott IRE/Robert Dunne
|
40)
|
JOE FARRELL (IRE)
|
10
|
10-02
|
142 145(+3)
|
Mark Sherwood, Nigel Morris & Rebecca Curtis
|
Rebecca Curtis/Adam Wedge
|
40 runners
21 Irish-trained
THE FOUR RESERVES
R1)
|
JUST A PAR (IRE) BL
|
12
|
10-02
|
142 142(=)
|
Mark Scott
|
James Moffatt/
|
R2)
|
THE YOUNG MASTER P
|
10
|
10-02
|
142 142(=)
|
Mike Burbidge & The Old Masters
|
Neil Mulholland/Mr Sam Waley-Cohen
|
R2)
|
ISLEOFHOPENDREAMS
|
12
|
10-02
|
142 142(=)
|
Kilbroney Racing
|
Willie Mullins IRE/
|
R4)
|
EXITAS (IRE)
|
11
|
10-02
|
142 140(-2)
|
Phil Middleton, Mark Lowther
|
Phil Middleton/
|