My First Bet

I'll always remember the name of the first horse I ever picked for the Grand National.

I must have been seven years old and I was asked to pick out a name from the list of runners and the one that caught my eye was a nag called 'Big Brown Bear'.

It was obviously because it was a name that would appeal to a child, I know for sure it wasn't because I had been looking at the form.

I don't know where the horse finished in the race, all I remember is trying to listen out for his name by the commentators during the race. I didn't hear any acknowledgement that it was anywhere close to winning.

The following year, I was asked to make a pick again. Big Brown Bear was there on the list and I selected him for a second time.

Did it win?

Of course not.