Marten Julian’s Weekly Roundup 13 April 2026

No sooner is Aintree’s Grand National meeting over for another year than we dive into the Classic trials at Newmarket and Newbury, but that’s not all.

Jumping devotees have the Scottish Grand National at Ayr and then, as the media will remind us, Constitution Hill is expected to appear in the John Porter Stakes at Newbury.

Although I’m writing this before I have access to the declarations, I strongly suspect more column inches will be devoted to the chance of Constitution Hill than any other race this week.

Of course his unconventional programme makes for great copy but I’m not convinced he warrants the label as ‘The People’s Horse.’ That would be a more fitting description of Red Rum or, possibly in his day, Desert Orchid. He is not held in the same public affection, let alone known, to the extent the three-times Grand National winner was.

Having said that, it’s a great story, but the harsh reality is that his official rating of 101 will leave him many pounds adrift of the leading contenders in Saturday’s Group 3 race, formerly known as the John Porter.

As for the Classic trials, the ante-post markets for the 2000 Guineas and, to a lesser extent the Derby, have been shot to bits by recent events.

Aidan O’Brien has attributed the withdrawal of former favourite Albert Einstein and Gstaad to a computer blip and sadly Andrew Balding’s Gewan is no longer with us. Then, on Sunday at Leopardstown, Aidan said he was “very happy” with the performance of Pierre Bonnard after he finished six lengths behind stable-companion Christmas Day in the Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown.

I’m not sure this week’s trials at Newmarket or Newbury will shed much light on either Classic, but something will emerge. Perhaps it will be one of those years when a horse pops up from left field.

Looking back briefly at the Grand National, there is a general consensus among the keyboard warriors in the public media and the professional pundits that Ben Jones was at fault by allowing Jordans to go clear on the turn for home.

Nick Luck, who has the most balanced view of the current crop of observers, said outright that the horse “should have won.” One can never be certain of such things … it is pure conjecture … but given that he was badly hampered at Foinavon on the first circuit, the ground he made up, the ease with which he went clear and the relatively narrow distance by which he was beaten, I think it’s a reasonable assumption that he was unfortunate not to finish closer.

Mind you, that assumes that he would have settled when he was travelling so well after the third last. The other point to bear in mind is that the winner I Am Maximus only does what is required and he was ridden to beat whatever was in front of him.

My attempt at the Spring Double came unstuck for win purposes, but Johnnywho collected for those who backed the double each-way.

I’ll be back next week with more thoughts.

Bye for now

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