The Punchestown Festival is underway and is widely considered as the grande finale of the jump season with the best quality horses, trainers and jockeys from both Ireland and the UK competing in the five day event.

The Punchestown festival has an incredible 11 Grade 1 races taking place during the event making it the most contested festival of the Irish National Hunt Racing season. Amongst the top quality racing is the famous La Touche Cup run over the cross country course that gives a thrill to all racing fans.

The festival begins on Tuesday with Champion Chase Day and provides 3 Grade 1 races for you to enjoy; The Boylesports.com Champion Chase, the Evening Herald Champion Novice Hurdle over 2 miles and the Growise Novice Chase over 3 miles.

Gold Cup Day is on Wednesday and as the name suggests hosts the highlight of the chase calendar, the Grade 1 Gold Cup alongside of the betchronicle Champion Bumper and the Grade A Handicap Chase over 2 miles 4 furlongs.

The World Series Hurdle day is on Thursday and has 2 Grade 1 races for you to enjoy including The Ladbrokes World Series Hurdle and the Ryanair Novice Chase over 2 miles not to forget the thrilling La Touche Cross Country race.

The biggest crowds of the festival are expected on Friday for the famous party atmosphere of the Champion Hurdle Day.

The festival ends on Saturday with the AES Champion 4 Year Old Hurdle where you just might see a champion of the future compete. Saturday is also a great day out for the family with the Junior Jockey Fun Club entertaining the children with pony riding, bouncy castles and face painting.

Several records were broken this year in a Grand National that saw the highest number of racegoers through the gates at Aintree. All to see an unprecedented number of previous winners compete and culminate in the closest finish of the races long history. Neptune Collonges beat Sunnyhillboy by a nose, the first time this relatively new classification has been used in the National. Seabass finished third with jockey Katie Walsh coming closer to a Grand National win than any other female jockey.

Despite winning Gold Cups, King Georges and World Hurdles, the Grand National had become a ‘bogey race’ for trainer Paul Nichols, however jockey Daryl Jacob rode Neptune through an incredibly well-judged race bringing him in from a long way back in the field and taking it in the last stride.

The race didn’t pass without controversy however as two horses had to be put down during the race; Synchronised, who had earlier unseated his jockey Tiny McCoy before the race began, raising questions about the horses suitability to run the race and According To Pete who sustained a broken leg after falling at Becher’s Brook.

Two horses died during the previous years Grand National and was in part the reason for a raft of safety measures taken in the lead up to this years race. Changes had been made to three of the fences along with stricter pre-race screenings and a higher minimum age for entry all totaling around £250,000. Part of these changes included raising the landing side of Becher’s Brook although many now feel this wasn’t enough and are calling for the jump to be removed. Gavin Grant, the chief executive of the RSPCA, said the grueling race is 'clearly not safe enough' adding 'Becher's Brook has claimed another casualty and perhaps it's time for that to go.'

As many know the Grand National is at best unpredictable. It can take a 100/1 long shot and make a hero of them, so with this in mind how can you pick a winner? Well, the professionals choice is to study the form and make their decision based on that. But as already mentioned anything can happen in the Grand National so below we have a selection of alternative methods to pick your horse.

Pick a horse with a name similar to someone you know. It could be a family member or friend or even a favourite celebrity! In the end it doesn’t really matter as this is only a way to narrow the field. According To Pete and Junior are good examples and likely to attract lots of punters this year.

A quick way to reduce the selection pool of horses is to go with a ‘grey’ as last year only 4 were at the starting line up. While greys aren’t known for winning the Grand National the last grey to win was Nicolaus Silver in 1961 but King John's Castle was runner up in 2008.

Maybe you spot a link between the horse and your favourite football, rugby or other team sport you follow, it could be a visual link such as strip colour or it could be that the horses name is similar to your team or home ground. Horses such as Cappa Bleu, Becauseicouldntsee, West End Rocker or even Organisedconfusion could ring true to you.

Take a look at the Jockey’s Silks (the jockey’s clothing) and if the colours have significance for you then hope he is riding a decent horse.

If you have a hobby you might be able to find a link there such as ‘Seabass’ for the anglers among you. It could be that you are someone who has pride in their independence, then ‘On His Own’ could be the horse for you. It could also be that you have been in  a long term relationship and recognise something in the horse ‘Always Right’.

One sound piece of advice amongst all these alternative ways to pick a horse is to pick a Irish horse, trainer or jockey or if possible all three! This is a particularly good selection method as 6 out of the last 12 Grand National winners were Irish. Midnight Club or Alpha Beatcould be in with a chance this year and worth having a punt.

Avoid the French! This isn’t some deep seated hatred of the French, simply statistics as a French trained horse hasn’t won the National for over a 100 years. Although a UK trained French horse isn’t out of the question as Venetia Williams’ Horse Mon Mome won in 2008.

If you can’t find a connection of any sort then you could always put all the names on separate pieces of paper and pick a random horse from a bag!

Once you have selected your horse you should place your bet with a bookie that has a Free Bet offer (there will be conditions). Paddy Power are giving a Free 20 Pound bet if you open an account on line and stake 10 Pounds of you're own money. It wont feel half so bad if you lose using someone else's cash and as they pay out on the first 5 horses (instead of the traditional 4) you have a better chance of collecting some cash.

Make sure you bet ‘Each Way’ this ensures you pick up some cash even if your horse comes in as low as 4th (5th with Paddy Power).

Now you have taken in all this Grand National trivia maybe its time to pick the horse you think will win this year. The line up is already looking pretty good with bookies favourites such as this years Gold Cup winner Synchronised or maybe last years Grand National winner Ballabriggs will retain the trophy.

Which ever horse you go for, this year’s Grand National is promising to be yet another spectacular race and if you can’t make it to Aintree then you can watch the great event live on the BBC with coverage starting at noon with the big race starting at 4.15pm.

The 60 year relationship with the BBC and Horse Racing has come to an end as Channel 4 scooped the rites to show the sport from 2013. The BBC had reduced its coverage in 2010 to just 13 days of racing and they have now lost the jewels in the crown of live horse racing. The budget ordinarily used for the sport will be redirected to keep other premier events such as The Six Nations, The Open and Formula One which is shared with Sky.

The BBC are said to be disappointed to have lost the rights but are happy that the sport will remain on free to view TV and with the Olympics looming, 2012 is going to be a big sporting year for the ‘Beeb’ as they show the Grand National, The Derby and Royal Ascot for the final time.

As horse racing coverage remains on terrestrial television that the sport will continue to remain in the minds of viewers and race fans alike. It is hoped that the length of the deal will provide a strong base to go forward and tap into the younger audience that Channel 4 can offer.

There is a risk involved however, particularly for the Grand National, as last year it attracted 8.5million viewers, the biggest audience in the racing calendar and there is concern that the switch from the BBC could damage its profile. The other side to that argument is that the sport has been enhanced by horses such as Prince De Beauchene and Junior and is now more commercially attractive for broadcasters as bookmakers have been allowed to advertise.

After over 80 years of the Gold Cup it can easily be said that this is a race with history and attracts the worlds best Horses, Jockeys and Trainers. In fact, during its time the race has seen its fair share of legendary horses such as the 1964 winner Arkle who went on to win another two races in the following two years.

However it is the recent history that you will want to know if you are someone who enjoys a bet on this prestigious event. Of particular interest is the news that Kauto Star will be running after he was all but ruled out after a nasty fall during training in February.

Long Run is curently the favourite  over Kauto Star but not by much. Burton Port is also up there at 7/1 with Weird Al looking worth a punt at 10/1 after an impressive win in the Charlie Hall Chase last October.

With Spring on the horizon we are reminded that the Cheltenham Festival is also returning and the re-appearance of the Daffodils and Crocuses are prompting the minds of the nations race fans to contemplate the highlight of the jump season.

Jump horses of the finest calibre from around the globe will be heading to the festival to book their place in the history books along with the heroes of 2011 who will undoubtedly be returning to defend their crowns.

The Festival takes place on Tuesday the 13th to Friday 16th March and it is expected that over 200,000 race fans from around the world will visit and more than £500 million will be gambled during that week. 

Tuesday is Champion Day and the anticipation is palpable until the tape rises on that first race and the tension is popped with a mighty cheer that lets us know the wait is over and the Festival is under way.

Wednesday is Ladies Day giving you an opportunity to have some fun with the Ladies Day fashion awards.

The power of the Cheltenham Festival is apparent as they move a national saints day forward, dubbing the 15th as St. Patrick's Thursday.

Friday brings us the climax to the festival and the jump season, the Betfred Gold Cup which brings to a close arguably one of the best race days of the year.

Fairyhouse was the site of the first Irish Grand National in 1870. The race paid out 167 sovereigns to a horse named Sir Robert Peele. The race has been run faithfully every year since with two exceptions. The race was canceled in 1941 because of the Second World War and was canceled in 1919 because of the First World War.

The Irish Grand National is an offshoot of steeplechasing which gained popularity in the late 1700s in Ireland and England. The Irish firmly embraced steeplechasing in the mid-1800s. 

Steeplechasing engaged riders and horses over rough terrain in what was known then as pounding races. Riders picked whatever route that suited them. 

The winner was usually the rider who pounded his animal the hardest over the course and outlasted the other riders. The horse that could maneuver the uneven terrain and make jumps over all manner of obstacles usually won these pounding races. 

To cut back on injuries to both riders and horses, race participants agreed to a finishing-point for these races. The finishing mark was usually a church steeple. This implementation of a racing regimen appealed to the country gentlemen of that day who began attending the races and making wagers. Besides collecting successful bets, winners also were showered with prizes of fine port, claret and, of course, rum. 

The earliest use and official recording of the word steeplechase appeared in The Irish Racing Calendar in 1807.

Race marshals in Bedford, England, organized and set out a measured and precise steeplechase course in 1810. This course spanned three miles. It boasted eight fences to jump with a height of four to six-feet. 

This organization of steeplechase courses swept both England and Ireland for the coming decades and attracted large crowds of spectators and gamblers. 

In the 1860s, race organizers started regulating these races, setting rules for courses, riders and horses. The National Hunt Committee is now the chief arbiter and regulator for steeplechase races.

The steeplechase race hit its peak in 1870 with the start of the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse. The contest at Fairyhouse is now the most exciting and prestigious steeplechase race in the world.

The race has come a long way from its 167 sovereigns pay-out in 1870 to the horse Sir Robert Peele, compared to €250,000 on offer today.

The race has had its remarkable moments from the beginning. 

Scots Grey became the first horse to win the Irish Grand National twice, winning the second time in 1875. The Gift had two consecutive wins in 1883 and 1884. 

The incredible win at the Irish Grand National by the six-year-old mare Alike is still talked of today. Ridden by five-foot four-inch owner Frank Wise, he rode Alike to a win in 1929. Wise also rode with a wooden leg and with three fingers missing. 

The first horse to win both the Irish Grand National and the Aintree Grand National in the same year was Ascetic’s Silver in 1906. 

Other notable horses that have equaled this feat are Bobbyjo, Rhyme ‘n’ Reason and Numbersixvalverde.

It’s the horse Brown Lad, though, that has been immortalized as the only one to win the Irish Grand National three times, in 1975, 1976 and 1978. In the last 50 years, Brown Lad is the only horse to have won this race more than once.

Legendary trainer Tom Dreaper has won the Irish Grand National 10 times. To make this feat even more amazing, he won these races with 10 different horses.

In 2011 the Irish Grand National was won by a female jockey - Nina Carberry (see photo above)

“Another year, another Grand National horse race.” That is what many are thinking as the next race draws near. The 2011 horse races were extremely exciting with Ballabriggs taking home the national win. The winning horse, with a 14-1 shot, was left dehydrated less than 24 hours of the most important race. Luckily, Ballabriggs was able to pull it together and come out on top. His jockey, Jason Maguire was very happy to win after he came very close in 2007 at Silver Birch. The trainer of the winning horse couldn’t contain his excitement, for this was the fifth victory for the McCain Family. As the 2011 Grand National races ended, many were left pondering what was to come in 2012.

As one of the world’s most prestigious races, the Grand National has 40 horses

The Grand National has a free bet offer in 2012 from Paddy Power. Since the race is quickly approaching, horse race enthusiasts are eager to place their bets. As with every year, the 2012 Grand National will consist of a variety of events. The first day will consists of an event called “Liverpool Day.” “Liverpool Day” is an entertainment filled event that is in its third year. Bands from all over Great Britain come to Aintree to perform for the spectators. The second event is “Ladies Day,” where ladies come in their best fashion straight from the catwalks. Many have regarded “Ladies Day” as the biggest style and social event in the North West. Hats are always in style on “Ladies Day.” Women wear all types of hats and fascinators in all colours. Last but certainly not least, the Grand National horse races takes place on the third day to round off the week’s events.

Spectators all over Great Britain are looking forward to the Grand National, which will take place on April 14th, 2012. It is sure to be a great and exciting event for anyone who loves horse races. 

Unbelieveably it is now thirty years since Bob Champion won the Grand National on Aldaniti.  In 1979 Bob was riding high in his career as a jockey, when he was given the news that he had cancer in two parts of his body and possibly only a few months to live.  The dream that he might one day win the Grand National on Aldaniti, who had suffered serious leg inuries and had almost been put down at one stage, kept him going through the long, arduous months of chemotherapy and in 1981 Bob's dream was realised when he rode Aldaniti to victory at Aintree.  His personal victory against cancer and Aldaniti's triumph over adversity captured the public's attention and the support he received led to the foundation of The Bob Champion Cancer Trust in 1983.

In 1986 The Bob Champion Research Unit within the Royal Marsden Hospital in Surrey was opened and has supported research in to many aspects of cancer and it's treatment.  1992 saw the opening of the Bob Champion Lounge, a leisure area for patients requiring long term in patient treatment, in 2000, in conjunction with the Institute of Cancer Research, the first male dedicated cancer research facility in Europe, The Bob Champion Research Centre for Urological Cancers was opened.  The number of men with testicular cancer has doubled in twenty years and without the help of many fundraisers the invaluable work done by the Trust would not be possible.

In 2010 Alex Embiricos, the daughter of Aldaniti's owners, cycled 993 miles from Land's End to John O' Groats on her bike 'Ruby Walsh' and raised a fabulous 18K for Bob's Trust.  In May 2012, Alex will be repeating the gruelling journey and is inviting 35 members of the public to join her.  The bikes will be jockey themed and Alex said " I had an amazing time last year and this year would love to get an 'AP', a 'Lester' and a 'Frankie' to join me, all again in the name of raising money for The Bob Champion Cancer Trust."  The trip will take an amazingly scenic route but will be at least as challenging as the thirty fence Grand National course !.  Bicycle names will be allocated on a first come first served basis, so if you have a a 'favourite' you need to get in quickly.  Bob Champion will be the starter and will join the riders on, of course, Aldaniti!.  Each cycle 'Jockey' will need to raise a minimum £1000, in addition to the trip's cost of £1500, every rider will be entered into a raffle with a prize of a week's R & R at a Portugese villa. The cycle ride will take place from 14th - 25th May 2012 and it is hoped other famous names will also do a few miles.  If you can help in any way, find further details at www.bobchampion.org.uk or call 0207 924 3553