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2024 Grand National

Found it a bit bizarre between the 2nd last and last that there were still so many left and it was so hard to call the winner.

Might take a bit of getting use to, that. However, we do moan a lot about the uncompetitive nature of many races, so that's a help.

Just didn't feel like the attritional test we normally expect to see.
 
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Lobos said:
Yep,not the race it was. The classy horses have a massive advantage now. Messed with it too much.

Great for fav backers .
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I know the Fav win, but 2-4 were 28/1,28/1,40/1z
 
Hurricane fly said:
I know the Fav win, but 2-4 were 28/1,28/1,40/1z
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Class not necessarily linked to price in a handicap is it?

Top 3 were all allocated 11st 4lb or more. When most of the talk beforehand is usually wanting a horse with far less weight than that.

To be honest I'm all for the changes, and prefer this running and result to any previous National, where I've also not backed the winner. :excitement:
 
Irish Rugby said:
Found it a bit bizarre between the 2nd last and last that there were still so many left and it was so hard to call the winner.

Might take a bit of getting use to, that. However, we do moan a lot about the uncompetitive nature of many races, so that's a help.

Just didn't feel like the attritional test we normally expect to see.
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Unless we get a soft/heavy race, then yesterday will be the norm imo.
Its great to have so many with a chance towards the end, but it’s definitely not the same as we have been used to.
No F next to any horse after the race tells you straight away the race has changed immensely.
The fact that less should now get bad injuries or worse is great and will really help to keep the race going in the future.
Have to admit, I do miss the race I grew up watching, but at the same time I totally understand why they have made the changes, and in this day and age they i think they have done the right thing.
 
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Overall, a lovely meeting run on proper ground. Like Cheltenham, spring weather helped the drying out process.

Didn't hear any many complaints in the end about the ground.

If I'm really honest I've always hated the media and wider society attention the GN gets every year, whereas I'm more interested in the meeting's other races. A good mix of Cheltenham form being franked and others who benefitted from avoiding Cheltenham.
 
It will be interesting to see if 21 finishers out of 32 runners turns out to be a blip or the new norm. The race time more or less fits the going description so, at first glance, it would appear that reducing the number of runners is a success. Speed kills, as they say, and eliminating 8 of the less talented horses must make it less of a cavalry charge in the early stages with consequently fewer jumping errors and horses having more gas in the tank for the final half mile.
 
Another variance yesterday - the first four home were all weighted over 11 stone. That was a big surprise for me.
 
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Irish Rugby said:
Another variance yesterday - the first four home were all weighted over 11 stone. That was a big surprise for me.
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And to me but, on reflection, because there were fewer runners there were also fewer carrying less than 11 stone.
 
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Irish Rugby said:
Another variance yesterday - the first four home were all weighted over 11 stone. That was a big surprise for me.
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….didn’t realise this, very interesting especially given the going concerns in the lead up.
 
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