1997 Grand National
The 1997 Grand National (known officially as the Martell Grand National and also informally as the Monday National) was the 150th official running of the Grand National steeplechase held at Aintree near Liverpool. The race was scheduled to be run on Saturday 5 April 1997, but was postponed by two days to Monday 7 April after a Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) bomb threat forced the evacuation of the course. The race was won in a time of nine minutes and 5.9 seconds and by a distance of 25 lengths by New Zealand-bred Lord Gyllene at odds of 14/1. He was ridden by jockey Tony Dobbin, trained by Steve Brookshaw at his Preston Farm base in Uffington, Shropshire, and ran in the colours of Stanley Clarke. Brookshaw collected £178,146 of a total prize fund of £303,300 shared through the first six finishers. There were two equine fatalities during the race. Postponement The race was originally scheduled to be run on Saturday 5 April at 3:45pm. However, at 2:49pm one bomb ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Grand National
The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Aintree, Merseyside, England. First run in 1839, it is a handicap steeplechase over an official distance of about , with horses jumping 30 fences over two laps.'' British Racing and Racecourses'' () by Marion Rose Halpenny – Page 167 It is the most valuable jump race in Europe, with a prize fund of £1 million in 2017. An event that is prominent in British culture, the race is popular amongst many people who do not normally watch or bet on horse racing at other times of the year. The course over which the race is run features much larger fences than those found on conventional National Hunt tracks. Many of these fences, particularly Becher's Brook, The Chair and the Canal Turn, have become famous in their own right and, combined with the distance of the event, create what has been ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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We Shall Fight On The Beaches
"We shall fight on the beaches" was a speech delivered by the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom on 4 June 1940. This was the second of three major speeches given around the period of the Battle of France; the others are the " Blood, toil, tears and sweat" speech of 13 May 1940, and the " This was their finest hour" speech of 18 June 1940. Events developed dramatically over the five-week period, and although broadly similar in themes, each speech addressed a different military and diplomatic context. In this speech, Churchill had to describe a great military disaster, and warn of a possible invasion attempt by Nazi Germany, without casting doubt on eventual victory. He also had to prepare his domestic audience for France's falling out of the war without in any way releasing France to do so, and wished to reiterate a policy and an aim unchangeddespite the intervening eventsfrom his speech of 13 May, in which ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Charlie Swan (jockey)
Charlie Swan (born 20 January 1968) is a former top National Hunt jockey in Ireland in the 1990s. He is associated with the great Istabraq, on whom he won three Champion Hurdles. He was twice top jockey at the Cheltenham Festival and was champion National Hunt jockey in Ireland for nine consecutive years. After retiring as a jockey he spent several years a trainer, based in Modreeny near Cloughjordan, County Tipperary. First and only son to Donald Swan, a former British Army Captain, and his wife Teresa, Charlie was named after an ancestor who was the surgeon to the British King 'Bonnie Prince Charlie'. He rode his first winner as a fifteen-year-old, on his father’s Final Assault, in a two-year-old maiden at Naas in March 1983, and, after a successful spell as an apprentice, he later turned his attention to the National Hunt scene. He won his first Irish jockeys' championship in 1989/90 and retained the title up to and including the 1997/98 season. He was only deposed as champio ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Canal Turn
The Canal Turn is a fence on Aintree Racecourse's National Course and thus is jumped during the Grand National steeplechase which is held annually at the racecourse, located near Liverpool, England. Named for the Leeds & Liverpool Canal which passes alongside the racecourse at this point, it is jumped twice during the race, as the and fences. The fence is notable for the sharp left turn that the runners have to take as soon as they have negotiated the fence. The turn is almost 90 degrees and it is not uncommon for jockeys to become unbalanced as they change course; unseatings and falls are common. Seven equine fatalities have been recorded at the Canal Turn in Grand Nationals since the race was first run officially in 1839; the most recent death was that of The Last Fling in 2002. The Canal Turn has been the scene of a number of incidents that have had a major impact upon the outcome of the Grand National. In 1928, the favourite and top-weight Easter Hero refused at the ditch w ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Gelding
A gelding (Help:IPA/English, /ˈɡɛldɪŋ/) is a castration, castrated male horse or other equine, such as a pony, donkey or a mule. The term is also used with certain other animals and livestock, such as domesticated Camelidae, camels. By comparison, the equivalent term for castrated male cattle would be List of cattle terminology , ''steer'' (or ''bullock''), and Wether (other), ''wether'' for sheep and goats. Castration allows a male animal to be more calm, better-behaved, less sexually aggressive, and more responsive to training efforts. This makes the animal generally more suitable as an everyday working animal, or as a pet in the case of companion animals. The gerund and participle "gelding" and the infinitive "to geld" refer to the castration procedure itself. Etymology The verb "to geld" comes from the Old Norse language, Old Norse , from the adjective . The noun "gelding" is from the Old Norse . History The Scythians are thought to have been among the first t ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Gowran Park
Gowran Park is a horse race course in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located in the Annely Estate near the village of Gowran. The first meeting was held in 1914. and the first ever racecourse commentary in Ireland took place here in 1952. Gowran Park hosts 16 race days throughout the year with both National Hunt National Hunt Racing, also known as Jump Racing, is a form of horse racing particular to many European countries, including, but not limited to: France, Great Britain and Ireland. Jump Racing requires horses to jump over fences and ditches. In ... and Flat meetings. The racing season at Gowran Park has quality fixtures spread evenly throughout the year starting with the Thyestes Handicap Chase in January. Notable races References External links Official website Horse racing venues in the Republic of Ireland Sports venues in County Kilkenny Sports venues completed in 1914 1914 establishments in Ireland {{horseracing-venue-stub ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Thyestes Chase
The Thyestes Chase is a Grade 3 National Hunt handicap steeplechase run in Ireland. It takes place at Gowran Park Racecourse, Gowran, County Kilkenny in January, over a distance of about 3 miles and 1 furlong (5029 metres). There are 17 fences to be jumped. The race is often contested by horses who go on to run in the Grand National and has been won since 2004 by three horses who have gone on to win the Aintree event: Hedgehunter, Numbersixvalverde and Nick Rockett. The most famous winners of the race were Arkle (1964) and Flyingbolt (1966). It currently has a maximum field of 18 runners. The race is sponsored by bloodstock auctioneers Goffs. History The race has been won by three-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Arkle (1964), Irish Grand National & Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Flyingbolt (1966) and Aintree Grand National winners Hedgehunter (2005), Numbersixvalverde (2006) and Nick Rockett (2025). The race takes its nam ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Jamie Osborne (jockey)
Jamie Osborne (born James Anthony Osborne 28 August 1967) is a Lambourn-based racehorse trainer and former National Hunt jockey. Jockey Osborne grew up in Yorkshire. His father Tony Osborne was a director of Market Rasen Racecourse and Osborne rode ponies from a young age. He rode for a couple of seasons as an amateur for stables in Yorkshire, his first winner being Fair Bavard for Harry Wharton at Southwell on 29 March 1986. In 1987 he moved south to Nicky Henderson's Lambourn stables and took out a professional licence. In 1989, having completed two seasons as a professional jockey, Osborne was appointed stable jockey to Oliver Sherwood when the latter's brother Simon retired. The first major win for the partnership came with Arctic Call in the 1990 Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury. In 1991 Osborne secured his first Grade 1 win when riding Change the Act in the Tolworth Novices' Hurdle at Sandown Park. In 1992 he was leading jockey at the Cheltenham Festival riding five winne ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Grand National Trial
The Grand National Trial is a Premier Handicap National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Haydock Park over a distance of about 3 miles and 4½ furlongs (3 miles, 4 furlongs and 97 yards, or ), and during its running there are twenty-two fences to be jumped. It is a handicap race, and it is scheduled to take place each year in February. The event was established in 1947 and took place every year until 1984. From 1985 to 1990 there was no race at the meeting over this distance, but in 1991 the Greenall Whitley Gold Cup was increased in distance from 3 miles (4,828 metres) to 3 miles and 4 furlongs (5,633 metres), effectively recreating the original Haydock Grand National Trial. The Grand National Trial name was readopted in 1996. Subsequent sponsors included De Vere Group, Red Square Vodka and Blue Square, the race title suffixing the sponsor's name with "Gold Cup". The ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Gray (horse)
A gray horse (or grey horse) has a Equine coat color, coat color characterized by progressive depigmentation of the colored hairs of the coat. Most gray horses have black skin and dark eyes; unlike some equine dilution genes and some other genes that lead to depigmentation, gray does not affect skin or eye color. Gray horses may be born any base color, depending on other color genes present. White hairs begin to appear at or shortly after birth and become progressively more prevalent as the horse ages as white hairs become intermingled with hairs of other colors. Graying can occur at different rates—very quickly on one horse and very slowly on another. As adults, most gray horses eventually become completely white, though some retain intermixed light and dark hairs. The stages of graying vary widely. Some horses develop a wikt:dapple, dappled pattern for a period of time, others resemble a roan (horse), roan with more uniform intermixing of light and dark hairs. As they age, ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Mick Fitzgerald
Michael Fitzgerald (born 10 May 1970) is a retired Irish National Hunt jockey and current television racing pundit. Fitzgerald rode for the majority of his career in Great Britain and less often Ireland. Career as a Jockey Mick Fitzgerald's career lasted for over 15 years. After experience on the Pony racing circuit in Ireland he began riding out for Richard Lister, a local flat trainer in County Wexford, at the age of 16. This was followed by a move to the Curragh to ride out for John Hayden. Once he had left school at 16, a growth spurt led to an increase in weight forcing a switch to National Hunt racing. Fitzgerald's first National Hunt yards were in South West England with John Jenkins and Richard Tucker. His first two winners came during this association at the end of 1988, the first being a horse called Lover's Secret at Ludlow on 11 December. However it took until 1991/2 National Hunt season for Fitzgerald to obtain regular rides and winners. This was with Jackie Ret ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ascot Racecourse
Ascot Racecourse is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, about 25 miles west of London. Ascot is used for thoroughbred horse racing, and it hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 races and three Grade 1 Jumps races. The racetrack's current grandstand was completed in 2006. Ascot Racecourse is visited by approximately 600,000 people a year, accounting for 10% of all UK racegoers. The racecourse covers leased from the Crown Estate, and enjoys close association with the British Royal Family. Ascot was founded in 1711 by Queen Anne of Great Britain, Queen Anne and is about from Windsor Castle. Royal stands have been in use at the sports venue since the late 18th century. The main grandstand has been demolished and rebuilt on many occasions. The first public grandstand was built in 1839 and has been redeveloped over the centuries. Queen Elizabeth II visited the racecourse quite frequently. The seating area was reconstructed in 1961 and n ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |