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DAVID CARR |
Weblog: What do you mean the Wi-Fi doesn't work? The life of a Racing Post reporter
Away win in Liverpool
England 3 Wales 4. Forget Kiev. The big international clash of the day was at Aintree.
Liverpool may be famous for its Irish links but it's the Welsh you should look out for on the city's racecourse.
Evan Williams keeps going close in the Grand National and the likes of Peter Bowen, Tim Vaughan and Rebecca Curtis are invariably among the winners here.
And with English minds perhaps focused on Sweden, they threatened to run away things this evening as Bowen and Curtis won the first two races between them.
The third went to a Welsh owner - there was no mistaking Jason Tucker's accent, despite the breathlessness that comes from cheering Jolly Roger to a remarkable sixth win in 33 days - but the horse is trained in England, as is Bhaltair who struck for Donald McCain to 'get the home side back on level terms' (no football metaphor is complete without a meaninglessly verbose cliche).
Curtis put Wales back in front with Vegas Cash only for Philip Kirby to equalise with Pickworth and set up a thrilling finale in which Bowen's Vinnie My Boy clinched the spoils with victory in the finale.
All of which is rather to overstate the drama on what must have been one of the quietest racing days the home of the National has ever seen.
Another wet night and the rival attraction of England on TV kept the crowd right down.
Not even any traditional Aintree shocks to create some excitement - on the track famous for shock winners such as Foinavon and Mon Mome, six of the seven favourites collected.
The slightly sub-par atmosphere was summed up by the close circuit TV come-on for October's meeting which features the 'Old Road Chase'.
You'd have thought the recent exploits of such as Kauto Star and Monet's Garden in the Old Roan Chase might have raised the race's profile enough to ensure it was spelled right.
And you could tell it was not quite a normal day at Aintree if you wandered down towards the old weighing room to be confronted by a sight out of science fiction.
A white plastic 'bubble' - as though the Michelin Man had been hollowed out and then spatchcocked into the shape of an igloo.
Most intriguing. And most disappointing to discover that it was merely a promotional tent for a mobile phone company.
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