Messages

Stats selections for the Bet365 Gold Cup today (Sandown 3:10):

Poker De Sivola (Strongest) 10/1 (13 Betfair)
Can't Buy Time 14/1 (18.5)
Iris De Balme 66/1 (110)

Thanks Hardy

Talk Talk (used to be Tiscali) have good deals atm

https://sales.talktalk.co.uk/product/broadband/?portalId=TOP10_BB

Saw some headline today that they have had the most complaints in the last 5 months.

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/talktalk-subject-of-most-complaints-2270893.html

I think, but dont know for sure, that the transition from Tiscali to Talk Talk processes may given rise to some percentage of those complaints.  I know I never have had a problem other than degradation of max download/upload speed due to distance from an exchange that Fionntamhnach has described.

Talk Talk (used to be Tiscali) have good deals atm

https://sales.talktalk.co.uk/product/broadband/?portalId=TOP10_BB

As we've discussed, the stats are hard to assess this year for the National The handicapper has gone outside normal practice for the last few years and has tried to thwart trainers who try to keep under his radar by running their horses in hurdles and the like. He's tried to re-balance the weights so that better class horses are not run out of it by donkeys carrying hardly anything.

The result is probably good for the quality of the race, but bad for people trying to assess the statistics. For the last two years, the well-proven statistics of years have been torn up by the winners and placed horses.

A further result of this is that there are more horses entered with genuine chances - horses that meet the established profile of experience, results, jumping ability, season form, etc.

The upshot is that, even adjusting the weight criterion, more than half the field meet the main statistical criteria. Trying to narrow it down then becomes an exercise in applying less significant criteria and trying to weight these criteria in their importance. This really turns what's intended to be an objective assessment into a subjective judgement. Somebody else could apply the same tests, interpret them differently and come up with different selections. So I have no real confidence in the outcome.

OK – that's enough disclaimers.

I've narrowed the contenders down to five. The shortest is 20/1. That raises another stat – 7 of the last 10 winners were 20/1 or less. On the other hand, 9 of the last 10 winners were over 25/1 at publication of the weights. What can you make of that?

I'm probably going to back all of these each way:

Niche Market 20/1, 27 on Betfair
Chief Dan George 40/1, 70
Bluesea Cracker 25/1, 30
Can't Buy Time 66/1, 180 (!)
Golden Kite 66/1, 130

I'd be interested to hear bcarrier's and other stats fans' take on the race and DH's form view.

Cheers Hardy.  Your Grand National list is sort of an institution now.

Hardy, will you be posting your annual Grand National statistical analysis this year?

I reckon Rafiki could take Splinter

What's not to like?

Shedder

yes the despicable builder of small wooden storage units

Anybody know the scéal?

I'm guessing St Pat's O'Keefe winning squad would probably have most of the Derry minor hurlers on it.

that commentary was worse than any english soccer jingoism

Dear lord that commentating is ridiculous on Q101!!!

would it be a wee bit biased?

I never figured Bud to be a Cilla, I'd say this is more like Bud and Kerry Mike sizing up the Farney doll



Congratulations to you and your girl Kerry Mike.

I wonder can you get this stickied to the bottom of the first page? 

not a clue lads

Haha ok wise one give us the bet for today?

Was it Marseille?

Derry Hurling Clubs?

Ballinascreen
Banagher
Eoghan Rua's, Coleraine
Lavey
Kevin Lynchs
Na Magha
Swatragh
Slaughtneil

This is probably why people in derry are more interested in football.  above is the list of hurling clubs and from the derry website this is the list of football clubs below.

Ardmore - St Marys
Ballerin - Sarsfields
Ballinascreen - St Colms
Ballinderry - Shamrocks
Ballymaguigan - St Treas
Banagher - St Marys
Bellaghy - Wolfe Tones
Castledawson - St Malachys
Coleraine - Eoghan Rua
Claudy - John Mitchells
Craigbane - St Josephs
Desertmartin - St Martins
Doire Colmcille
Doire Trasna - Na Pairsaigh
Drum - St Colms
Drumsurn - St Matthews
Dungiven - St Canices
Faughanvale - St Marys
Foreglen - O'Briens

Glack
Glen - Watty Grahams
Glenullin - John Mitchels
Greenlough - St Oliver Plunketts
Kilrea - Pearses
Lavey - Erins Own
Limavady - Wolfhounds
Lissan - St Michael's
Loup - St Patricks
Magherafelt - O'Donovan Rossas
Magilligan - St Aidans
Moneymore - Henry Joy McCrackens
Newbridge - Seán O'Leary's
Ogra Colmcille
Sean Dolans
Slaughtmanus - St Marys
Slaughtneil - Robert Emmets
Steelstown
Swatragh - Michael Davitts


Think this tells its own story.

The sub plot to that story however is the number of football clubs that have had or still have players that play(ed) hurling. 
Ballerin, Bellaghy, Desertmartin, Drum, Drumsurn, Foreglen, Glack, Glen, Glenullin, Greenlough, aerlik  , Limavady, Lissan and probably others

Yeah it's the football community's fault hurling's in such a state. Quit yer cryin

I don't think FBNS said the football community were at fault for the state of Derry hurling.  The county board however has not given the development of hurling the same level of commitment that other county boards in Ulster have. 

When you see other counties development squads being taken to national tournaments and being put up in hostels the night before the tournaments and then compare that with Derry underage hurlers being asked to meet at 5am in the morning travel to the likes of Laois and Mullingar, get off a bus and play 3-4 games then you have wonder what effort the county board(and I'm talking about the administrators here) really put in to the development of hurling.