The Grand National has always been a cruel race DD, and I dislike cruelty to animals intensely.
When I was a callow youth my best mate loved a bet on the horses.
Being a well brought up lad, I had no idea of how to place a bet so my mate resolved to educate me.
My education lasted precisely one Saturday afternoon.
I started off with ten bob, a not inconsiderable sum for a lad in 1968, more than enough for a night at the pub.
By the end of the afternoon I finished with the grand total of nothing, and my hopes for a Saturday night out dashed!
My mate had done all sorts of mysterious things with mine and his beer money, and if things had gone to plan we'd have been considerably well off young men, but our plans came to naught.
My gambling career began and ended there and then, I still know nothing about placing a bet and I haven't been inside a bookies since that fateful day.
I wasn't very happy at the time, but I suppose that in the long run, my mate did me a favour.