Just like the real thing? Not quite. The bookies gave their money away
As sport-starved punters tune into virtual Grand National...
TO BEGIN with, everything seemed uncannily authentic. The crowd was enormous, the anticipation immense. And my horse fell at the first and I lost a tenner – just like in the real thing.
But we knew for sure that all was not as it seemed when the bookies, not usually known for their largesse, happily donated their profits to charity.
For a hurting nation deprived of any sporting excitement, yesterday’s Virtual Grand National was much-needed balm.
In place of the race itself, abandoned because of the coronavirus crisis, about 2million viewers watched a computer simulation on ITV.
They inevitably included prosecco-guzzling ladies in stylish dresses, who might normally have flocked to Aintree but who had to make do with parading around their living rooms.
By any reckoning, it was the strangest steeplechase ever: a race featuring stateof-the-art computer-generated imagery and a result decided beforehand by complex mathematical algorithms.
Still, it was a bit of fun. And denied our weekly football injection, and facing the prospect of a publess summer without Wimbledon, football’s European Championships, or the Olympics, fun has been in short supply of late.
The big question was whether Tiger Roll could make it three consecutive victories.
Only the great Red Rum has clinched three Nationals.
Detailed analysis of racing form was taken into account, along with the likely weather conditions, weight, age and more. But in the end, ITV’s computer placed Tiger Roll fourth.
The race was ‘won’ by 18-1 shot Potters Corner, trained in Wales by Christian Williams, who won the real Welsh Grand National in December under teenage jockey Jack Tudor.
Mr Williams joked afterwards: ‘We can’t even go to the pub or parade him around the village tomorrow… I hope it’s good for racing that a lot of people sat at home with nothing better to do, watching it on TV.’
The trainer, who watched the race at home in Wales with his wife, and children Tilly and Betsy, said: ‘It was brilliant, we loved it to bits. We were going mad. It’s nice that racing has been able to do something like that and cheer everyone up.
‘I’ve had hundreds of messages, including from people outside of racing who watched it. It’s brilliant that racing can bring a smile in tough times.’
Potters Corner came home ahead of Walk In The Mill (16-1), followed by Any Second Now (101) and Tiger Roll (5-1 favourite).
All the bookies’ profits went to NHS Charities Together, the umbrella organisation which represents more than 140 NHS charities in Britain.
Of the race itself, Mr Williams said: ‘He was a little bit far back early on but he jumped well.
‘He stays really well but he idles a little bit at the end of the race so when Walk In The Mill was catching us I had it in the back of my head he might just stay on a bit close to the line, as the computer would have worked it out. I hope it’s a good omen for next year. I’m looking forward to giving him a nice break and bringing him back for next season.’
The real Potters Corner spent the race in a field. ‘He’s such a kind, laid-back horse. He’s out with two quite valuable foals at the moment as they’ve not been turned out before and he’s a calming influence,’ Mr Williams said.
His jockey Jack said: ‘It was pretty weird sitting at home watching it with my family. But my sister Alice won £200 or so.
‘It was exciting to watch, as it’s virtual you never know quite what’s going to happen. It was close at the end but I’m glad we held on. And it shows he would have gone there with a chance for real.’ There was late drama in the race when Aso, several lengths clear, fell at the second-last fence.
The computer had 19 horses finishing, 10 falling, four unseating their jockeys and seven refusals. An algorithm was also developed which takes into account how horses run round corners, tire, and how the field reacts if a horse falls at a jump. Simon Clare, of Corals bookmakers, said: ‘It’s been a real success. In the absence of the Grand National or any other sport, the media got behind it and ITV put on a great show.
‘Millions have engaged either by watching or betting which is what we were hoping for – it’s been a celebration of the National in the absence of the race.
‘The average stake was £2 and hundreds of thousands were betting. We will know mid-morning on Sunday how much has been raised for the NHS.’
Inspired Entertainment, the company which delivers virtual reality racing for Britain’s betting shops, was behind the project.
The work involved was extraordinary – about three man years have been spent by the team at Inspired putting it together.
Trainers, jockeys, commentators and tipsters have funnelled their expertise into powerful computers to make it the most accurate possible simulation.
In a 30-minute programme on ITV starting at 5pm, viewers watched the horses jump 30 virtual fences over four and a quarter miles.
Only 20 or so people knew the result beforehand and had to sign non-disclosure agreements to keep it a fiercely guarded secret.
‘It’s brilliant that racing can bring a smile in tough times’ ‘It was pretty weird – but my sister won £200’