Seconds Out: Oli's latest monthly blog

Like for a lot of people the Grand National is the race that got me into racing. My first real racing memory was the giant Party Politics winning the Grand National under Carl Llewellyn in 1992. I remember waking up every year thereafter (and embarrassingly still do) with a giddy Christmas like excitement for the build up on the morning of the race, to the opening titles on Grandstand initially, then Channel 4 Racing, up until the tapes rising for the start of the race. I would watch multiple re-runs and revel in the bravery of the horses and riders and rue my luck when my fancy invariably didn’t win.

I do appreciate you will question my sanity with this but the year Bindaree won the National I had a dream the night before he would win. That is how much I had studied the form and played the race out in my head, it was embedded in my subconscious that I was even dreaming about it! I ran down the stairs in the morning nagging my Mum to take me to the bookies so I could bet on Bindaree. I need to be nice here because it is Mother’s Day tomorrow, but I’ve never forgiven her for not getting to the bookies that day! As the green and white starred silks crossed the line in front, I’m pretty sure I burst into tears. Suffice to say we went to the independent bookmakers in Somerton every year after that.

I remember the entire local villages and towns would be in the bookies in the morning chatting about the race, placing their bets and have often wondered in recent years whether the Grand National still grabs the nation's attention, like my memories growing up. I really hope it does. Maybe it’s a product of me getting old and somewhat more immune to childlike enthusiasm for things, or indeed more likely is the changing landscape of the world and different ways for people to consume things. There are far more options nowadays for people and perhaps the National doesn’t quite hold the same importance in people’s diaries as it once did.

For me it remains the greatest race on earth. The changes to the field size, fences and course have undoubtedly made it a different race to the one I remember back in the early 90’s but it is still an enormous test of skill, talent, endurance, bravery and a slice of luck. Last year, with 15 or so horses still bang in contention with about half a mile to go was a tremendous sight and I’m sure households up and down the land would have been excitedly pointing out their selections on their screens. Let’s hope the eyes focus on an amazing sporting spectacle once again and the National brings families, villages, communities together in the way it always has.

It's the hardest race to find the winner of but, working in racing, is the race you are asked for the winner of more than any other. Seemingly my friends think I’m clueless if I don’t tip them annually the trifecta and I am very much ridiculed if I don’t have the winner, but like the fool I am, I continue to try and prove them wrong with my National 1-2-3 year after year.

What I have learnt though is family should come before friends and I have said repeatedly RaceShare is like a racing family to me and I'm sure many of you reading this (and I don’t know whether this is a good thing), but you are getting first sight of my National 1-2-3 this year!

(In Bullseye voice) Innnnn ONE – my idea of the National winner this year is Stumptown who was a ready winner of the Cross Country race at the Festival despite looking in a spot of bother at various stages. He has a decent racing weight of 11-2, he’s clearly thriving having won his last 4 starts and as an 8 year old is in his prime. I think he will be bang there at the finish and in a wide open race this year, he is my idea of the winner.

Innnnn TWO – Second, I'm going for last year's winner I Am Maximus to return to form back at Aintree. Clearly there has been one race in mind for this lad all season and despite him being higher in the weights in 2025 to his victory last year I don’t think the rise will stop him being very competitive. Willie Mullins has a strong hand but for my money I am Maximus stands out as the best of his horses in the race.

Innnn THREE – Finally at a decent price I think Kandoo Kid will do best of the Brits. I was very taken with his Ladbrokes Gold Cup win at Newbury earlier in the season and, as Harry Cobden and Paul Nicholls’ have made very clear in the lead up to Aintree, Kandoo Kid has been trained with one race in mind. Nicholls remains a master at targeting horses at certain races and im sure Kandoo Kid will fare very well.

To confirm – My national 1-2-3

1st – Stumptown
2nd – I Am Maximus
3rd – Kandoo Kid

Drinks on me if this comes in!

Have a great Aintree everyone, hopefully we get to see Gibbs Island in action for RaceShare and no doubt plenty of our Flat horses will be in action soon to get us all excited! In the meantime, be lucky and we will see you soon!