The Grand National, Probably the most famous race day ever

The Grand National is a household right of passage for the youngsters in the UK, it is normally the first time that you get to choose a horse racing pick, you sit for hours thinking you are breaking down all the different stats acting all grown up then as a young kid you see a name, something just speaks to you about it! 

So, you tell your mum or dad in all seriousness (while trying not to cackle) my choice is “Because I Couldn’t see” or my favourite “Shotgun Willy” for no other reason than in a youngster’s mind I was giggling at willy 

Although for a lot of people the Grand National holds a special spot in their hearts for different reasons, maybe it was because your old man first took you to a bookmaker to lay your first bet in there, maybe it’s because it was always a family occasionally. 

There are many reasons that you could link happy memories to the Grand National and I definitely do, I remember the first time I walked into a bookmakers, the look of all the men peering into the days racing post scouring all of the days races looking for who they were going to build their accumulators on, the smell and fog of everyone smoking (which you used to be allowed to do), the excitement of picking (what was generally going to be a loser) a horse and then writing it on a betting slip and passing it to the old man to add to the handful that he already had.

Now it isn’t the same, when I take my eldest to surgically sterile, franchise funded bookmakers to set her first bet, she will be made to stand outside, the smoke and feeling of doing these things won’t be the same. 

It feels like a part of the trials of becoming a man has disappeared, along with the first time your dad lets you drive the car, or the time when you sit down in a pub and even though you were only 15 your dad got you a half and you had a blokes / lads day with him. 

Due to how our society is these things can never happen any more and it feels a bit sad, so if you can't get to the bookies with your youngster why not use ante post betting and make that a new family tradition, because by god we need some new one