It’s that time of year again – a time when those who normally shy away from gambling have a cheeky flutter as the Grand National rolls back around for its annual appearance on Saturday, April 11th. When I used to work in an office (rather than at home for myself) we’d always have Grand National sweepstakes, and many friends of mine are inviting their children to help them to pick the winner of the big race so that they can place a bet or two.
This year is the second year in which the Grand National has been sponsored by Crabbie’s: they have the naming rights to the first three races during the meeting, and have exclusivity for the sponsorship of cider products and ginger beer throughout the event.
The history of Crabbie’s stretches right back to 1801, when John Crabbie used the port of Leith, Edinburgh, as a conduit for exotic ingredients such as ginger and other spices. His original ginger beer method is still used by the makers of Crabbie’s today – and the company have now expanded to offer a wide range of other drinks to appeal to a range of different tastes.
Personally, I’ll be having a go at Grand National betting this year – and I’ll be watching the race with a bottle of Crabbie’s here at home too. I’ve been a Crabbie’s fan for years – the pub I used to drink at regularly stocked their Original Ginger Beer, which was always my tipple of choice.
At home, I have two of their new varieties to try: Black Cherry, and Raspberry & Rhubarb. They’re not ginger-based like the original recipe, but combine some of my favourite flavours, so I’m looking forward to giving them a go. As for who I’m going to bet on…I have no idea as yet. Normally I’ll choose one favourite and one with a name that means something to me (you can tell I know nothing about racing…!) so potentially Royale Knight (well, Knight is my surname…) and a favourite such as Rocky Creek. We shall see!
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