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| |  Friday, 6 April, 2001, 07:33 GMT 08:33 UK Grand National needs to lift gloom Mely Moss (left) may improve on second place in 2000 BBC Sport's Cornelius Lysaght previews the Aintree spectacular and explains why the race is so vital for the sport. Rarely before has British racing needed something as badly as it needs the 2001 Martell Grand National. After weeks of chaos, caused by the foot-and-mouth outbreak and the rampant spell of wet weather, the world's most famous steeplechase can bring back a sense of the ordinary to these positively surreal times. Under considerable pressure to stop altogether while foot-and-mouth runs riot, the British Horseracing Board, insistent that the continuation of racing will not spread the disease, has doggedly kept the show on the road. Helpless situation
Even so, many courses still find themselves in a frustratingly helpless situation, unable to hold fixtures because they are in restricted areas, while others are unwilling because of their suffering, agricultural neighbours. As a result, to say that the racing programme is currently a little on the truncated side is one of the great understatements of the year. We have, after all, witnessed the abandonment of the Cheltenham Festival. Therefore, the Aintree meeting taking place on time and unhindered, will represent such a boost for the morale of the 100,000-plus people who rely on the sport to earn a living, and who have endured a distinct feeling of uncertainty just lately. Aintree's north Liverpool location is conveniently away from farmland, making the whole thing possible. Void race However, whether anyone could possibly hope for a Grand National, completely free of hindrance away from the track, is quite another matter. The void race of 1993, and the two-day delay caused by bomb threats to Lord Gyllene's victory in 1997, are still fresh in the mind.
One friend, who believes that these things go in four-year cycles, is tipping more extraordinary drama this time around. We have probably had more than our fair share of drama already, with the uncertainty until Monday about the Irish contenders taking part and the fact the foot-and-mouth which claimed the Cheltenham Festival is not a million miles away from Aintree either. But everyone is confident it's unlikely to encroach on the course's urban setting. The news from Ireland is a timely boost for the four mile-four furlong 30-fence odyssey. And Papillon showed himself in as sparkling form as ever prior to the complete shutdown of Irish racing because of foot-and-mouth in February. Short odds He is clearly a major player for this year, although we do have to remember that no horse has won back-to-back Grand Nationals since Red Rum in the 1970s. The lightly-raced Mely Moss chased home Papillon last year. Mely Moss, who has had his reclusive image kept up by not having run since then, has been the subject of a flurry of bets, and is now favourite to go one place better this time. The vibes from his trainer Charlie Egerton and jockey Norman Williamson are that although Mely Moss is in good fettle, and has been doing all the right things on the gallops, his current odds are exceptionally short.
Others to note in the days leading up to the big day include the well-fancied pair Earthmover and Beau. Beau has the assistance of two-time winning jockey Carl Llewellyn (Party Politics '92, Earth Summit '98). Smarty is cared for by the trainer Mark Pitman, whose stable is familiar with Grand National success. He is the son of Aintree legend Jenny, while those that see Dark Stranger as the principal contender from the powerful Martin Pipe yard will be hoping for better luck this year, as he fell early on in 2000. His rider last year, Tony McCoy, has, interestingly, has never completed the course and has picked Blowing Wind instead. What then should we expect? Well, a big field, of around 40, ensuring a fine spectacle and much betting. The heavy rain may lead to more drama, so we hope the Grand National can live up to its image of being the jewel in racing's crown. In other words, just what the Sport of Kings requires. | |
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