No and I suspect they would find something similar at many Saturday and evening meetings during the summer. Less of a problem at the midweek day meetings when it's very much the "beer and skittles" brigade in evicence and at some meetings they announce the crowd changes to the jockeys.

On to the second day of the Grand National meeting and despite a little overnight rain, the ground remained Soft on the Mildmay course. A drier and warmer day brought a larger crowd for Ladies' Day which is more often not about what the ladies are wearing but what they aren't.  On the track, four more championship races kicked off with the Mildmay for the staying novices over 5000m. Just six went to post and INOTHEWAYURTHINKIN went off favourite following his wide margin win in the Amateur riders handicap at Cheltenham, GIOVINCO had run third in the Brown Advisory while IROKO had shown a lot of promise on his chase debut before missing much of the winter through injury. A 1-2 for the JP McManus colours but those who had backed the favourite were getting ready to tear up their tickets three out as the horse wasn't jumping and was actually last of the six on the home turn but as had happened at Cheltenham Mark Walsh followed the famous adage that when the going gets tough the tough get going and INOTHEWAYURTHINKIN quickened well between the last two to seal the race. He's obviously a fast improving type and you just wonder where he could go next - he won this off 158 so he'll be in the elite 160s cohort putting him right in the mix for all the top staying chases next season. IROKO did little wrong for all I think he prefers better ground. The race was marred by the loss of GIOVINCO who took a fatal fall at the last. The Top Novices Hurdle over 3200m saw the second and third from the Supreme at Cheltenham, MYSTICAL POWER and FIREFOX, renew rivalry. Many thought the latter had been unlucky at Cheltenham and the two dominated the betting market, the race having lost some of its interest with the late scratching of both DYSART ENOS and GOLDEN ACE, two serious local mares who might have had a real say in this. MYSTICAL POWER is a son of the great Annie Power (out of Galileo) who herself won 15 of her 17 races including the 2016 Champion Hurdle following up in the Aintree Hurdle which proved to be her swansong. The progeny is heading in the right direction and has a lot of his mother's tenacity and courage which he needed to repel FIREFOX who got to within half a length. As expected, the two dominated and both are exciting prospects for next winter whether as hurdlers in open company or over the larger obstacles. The day's feature was the Melling Chase over 4000m and while the quality of this race has been diminished slightly by the coming of the Ryanair it remains the focal point for the intermediate and speed chasers to meet. JONBON had swerved Cheltenham as part of the issues with the Henderson camp and with EL FABIOLO failing it must be considered a lost opportunity yet for this top 3200m chaser it was a first foray over 4000m. He faced PROTEKTORAT, the former Gold Cup third who had re-invented himself over the intermediate trip this campaign culminating in his Ryanair win. Both CONFLATED and ENVOI ALLEN were strong Irish challengers along with intermediate specialist and former winner of this race PIC D'ORHY who has continued to excel on his favoured right-handed tracks. A treble for owner J P McManus but this time from the stable of Nicky Henderson and redemption of sorts for the Cheltenham problems. Rather like his stable companion SHISHKIN who in his younger days had excelled at 3200m before finding a second career over further, JONBON made light of the step up to 4000m and looks a serious contender for races like the Ryanair next season. There was talk of a trip to Punchestown but I think they'll give him a go at the Celebration at Sandown in a couple of weeks. CONFLATED ran his best race for a while and has mixed it with the likes of GERRI COLOMBE and GALOPIN DES CHAMPS this year. Aintree seemed to suit him just as Leopardstown does and you could argue on some form lines he comes out very near the head of the table. He reversed Cheltenham form with PROTEKTORAT who, conversely, didn't seem to take so well to the flatter track of Aintree. PIC D'ORHY didn't enjoy either the ground or the track or indeed the way the race developed and while the finale race at Sandown would be ideal in some respects I just wonder if he's done enough for the season. Finally, we had the staying novice hurdlers in the Sefton Novices Hurdle which oince again saw Cheltenham form represented by THE JUKEBOX MAN and DANCING CITY who had finished second and third in the Albert Bartlett, albeit split by seven lengths. Nicky Henderson had a wretched Cheltenham and SHANAGH BOB, who had looked good when winning at Cheltenham before Christmas, had been his Albert Bartlett possible. With the stable back to some kind of form and the horse fresher than many, the punters backed SHANAGH BOB accordingly and he went off second best at 7/2. THE JUKEBOX MAN tried the same front running tactics which had so nearly worked at Cheltenham but both he and KYNTARA, who disputed the lead, probably went half a stride too quick. KYNTATA was exhausted when falling at the last (got up okay) and THE JUKEBOX MAN was easily picked off by DANCING CITY who comprehensively turned round the Cheltenham form and won this well despite idling in front. I imagine we'll see DANCING CITY over a fence next season and he looks a nice prospect as does the runner up. The second day then dominated by J P McManus and the ongoing three way battle for the Trainers Championship between Paul Nicholls, Willie Mullins and Dan Skelton with the biggest pot of them all, the National, just a day away.

And how do you know that Mr know it all???

It was a great weekend for fans of runaway winners as three such horses impressed the members of the national media who vote in the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's Top Thoroughbred poll enough to crack the Top 10.View the full article

Not all beer and skittles then Stodge, but probably not a surprise to many… https://www.telegraph.co.uk/racing/2024/04/15/cocaine-grand-national-crowd-aintree-peaky-blinders/

The first of the Japanese Kentucky Derby (G1) contenders, Forever Young, arrived at Churchill Downs early in the morning April 13 and has begun to settle in over the dirt track he'll call home for the next three weeks.View the full article

On April 14, the Maryland Jockey Club was alerted to a horse displaying neurological abnormalities in its hind limbs. Testing revealed the affected horse is positive for equine herpesvirus.View the full article

Famed Pennsylvania horseman F. Bruce Miller, the trainer of one America's greatest steeplechasers in Lonesome Glory, died last week at age 89.View the full article

Byron King's Top 12 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, presented by Spendthrift Farm.View the full article

The first of the Japanese Kentucky Derby (G1) contenders, Forever Young (JPN), arrived at Churchill Downs early in the morning April 13 and has begun to settle in over the dirt track he'll call home for the next three weeks.View the full article

Not sure that comment helps your case Neil but it sounds like you have finally grasped that the issue is NOT surface thatch and that no-one has ever suggested that.

Leggy Why dont you change you UN moniker to PONTIFF. Clearly infallibility is your gig. You goose!

Agree Tom. If they can get $4m for Avantage, you would think she is double that.

zelda dug up a kero tin this morning and was shouting "  Jimmyisastar (nz),   book the Brisvegas tickets Boris, i feel a win on saturday then its  Jetstar 🥴 first class to the farm n0? "" we just need willo to ride it quiet like mr brightside, .........................well not quite that quiet .🤣  

And I for one would trust the word of someone without a horse in the race so to speak rather than PW who has everything to lose....oh thats right he is a protected species too.

Of course we must be wrong and you correct as you know everything.... I trust what I was told by who I was told it...cheers

Sorry this is not a place to advertise ...I will move this .

I can see Coolmore and Yulong in a contest to secure her, they both have endless funds available. I am picking between 6 and  8 million. The big 3 sales: NZB/Gavelhouse , online only Inglis Broodmare 10 May Magic Millions. 28-30 May Te Akau have asked for terms from all 3. Would she get better exposure at an Australian sale as opposed to online only? She will be gone by the end of May. Pride of Jenni or Imperatriz for Horse of the Year in Australia?  I think POJs performance on Saturday will win it for her. Who will serve her ,I guess depends on the purchasers stallions.

5mil in a heartbeat Dave, I would think closer to 10mil given age, record and own breeding …. She will be an amazing broodmare retired at the right age, with 7 or 8 foals ahead of her  Will watch with much interest, best of the best in Australasia for some time, just a click below BC and Winx, probably a click and a half, but she is very special for sure

So, could Imperatriz sell for more than $5m? The answer is probably yes. Highest-priced broodmare purchases at public auction in Australia and New Zealand: Millanova - $5m at 2008 Inglis Breeding Stock Sale; Sunlight - $4.2m at 2020 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale; Avantage - NZ$4.1m at 2021 NZB's Gavelhouse online platform; Away Game - $4m at 2022 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale; Sunshine In Paris - $3.9m at 2023 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.