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Plus 8 windy and damp when driving in.

The highs and lows of racing were very evident here at Thorndale on Saturday..

Moonlighter took a fall at Chepstow and sadly another horse was brought down by him and the combination was tragic as Moonlighter suffered a life threatening injury which meant that he had to be euthanised.

I cannot tell you how shocked we all were. Poor Huw and Richard Davies was distraught as they bred 'Mooney' and just adored him..Saturday was probably going to be his last race before retirement..

Huw and Richard plus all their friends (Caroline Davies and Susie Davies, Mary Davies, Mike and Sue Dukin, Michael Sweeney, James Morton and Paul Johnson and Pamela Steveson) had a wonderful journey with 'Mooney' and it was just so sad that it all ended on such a tragic note.

It is never easy and however long I have been training it is the hardest moment you can have on any racecourse, or even at home when these things happen.

Poor young Tesni who looked after 'Mooney' adored him, but as always in these situations it is those who walk past the empty stable that it really hits home to.

'Mooney' was a much loved character in the yard. He was always smiling and made life fun.. he would have been a good human being ..Ciaran Gethings who had won the big race the day before at Aintree also enjoyed riding him. Ciaran enjoyed the challenge that Moonlighter set him..

I must add that the vets and Lindsay Knox the General Manager at Chepstow racecourse were excellent, as was Leigh my travelling head girl. Louise Daly took Huw and his family off for a quiet moment and looked after them. Yes, it is all very sad but there are some great memories.

Saturdays Grand National was one of the most exciting Grand National’s I have ever watched.

I know many will decry the change of the course and the different conditions of the race, but the end product was so good to watch. It is now a really top-class handicap with Gold Cup type horses competing in a handicap and that on Saturday produced a spectacular race to watch..

Could you guess who was going to win at the second last or even the last for that matter?

It was frantic and fun to watch, all of what last years race was not. The drama was still there when last years winner Corach Rambler unseated at the first, but away from that the camera angles made for a wonderfully exciting race to watch.

Welcome to the modern Grand National and for all its tinkering at last they seem to have got it right.

What a different meeting Aintree is to Cheltenham.. They are poles apart when it comes to enjoyment and racing. There is not the hype and pressure around Aintree like there is for Cheltenham.

Cheltenham is a beast, and it kicks you, while Aintree is just sheer fun, and the quality of the racing is just as good, if not better..

Don’t get me wrong but it still more important as a trainer and owner to have a winner at the Cheltenham Festival, but those attending both meetings will probably prefer Aintree as it is just so much fun.

Willie Mullins take a bow.. you are a bloody genius and now he looks like he might be our Champion Trainer!

The last two weeks of the season will make good viewing as the trainers table is tight and there are a couple of big important races on the horizon..

Monday morning.

Happy birthdays to Julie Martin, Cathy Twiston-Davies and Alan Halsall..