Grand National 2021

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The Grand National 2021 is a betting service provided by Mirodar based on a creator news release on 27 March 2021.

Origins

A creator news post was released on 27 March 2021, saying:

Note #4 posted at Sat Mar 27 Title: "Thursday is coming"

Hello all!

For a long time now, you have been asking us when rideable horses will be added to the game.  And our answer has always been the same: Thursday.

However, we neglected to say to _which_ Thursday we were referring.  Now, we can unambiguously say: rideable horses will be added _next_ Thursday; that is, 6 days from now.

We hope to have sufficiently informed you so that you can suitably prepare yourselves for equestrian activities!

-- Your hard-working creator team.

It happens that "next Thursday, that is, 6 days from now." refers to April 1, 2021.

Speculation started on (One) regarding this creator news blog post.

(One) Capita wisps: omg has everyone seen the news announcement?
(One) Kalama wisps: Was busy keeping bloody paw prints from getting all over the carpet.
(One) Capita wisps: they're finally releasing horses!!
(One) Kalama wisps: Did you look to see what day next Thursday is
(One) Releeh wisps: But of course, Fools were real. So who knows what may or may not happen.
(One) Kalama wisps: I believe its gonna be a stick with a horse head that's holdable and does things mimic riding a horse.
(One) QiYing wisps: the conspiracy theory is that the horses are unflyable broomsticks with horse heads :P
(One) Releeh wisps: Or the Fools guild gets a rideable mechanical horse or something
(One) Kalama wisps: technically the horse head stick is a hobby horse.
(One) Ochrion wisps: But can you ride it?
(One) Monday wisps: Maybe horse is a nickname for something, and we're actually getting heroin on Thursday. I want that in the pool :p
(One) Monday wisps that she checks what else Horse is on urbandictionary.
(One) Mirodar wisps: ok, Monday has bet A$71 dollars on the news announcement actually referring to heroin.  Anyone else?
(One) Kalama wisps: Horse is slang for heroin
(One) Capita wisps: I'll put a dollar on "there's only one horse, and everyone has to share"
(One) Mirodar wisps: 2 bets so far. I'm pretty sure there are rules that would prevent cres taking part ;)
(One) QiYing wisps: Oh. OOOOH. One horse. on Thursday Island. On Thursday. :p
(One) Kalama wisps: I put my money on everyone is gonna get their hopes up
(One) Yuphie wisps: Neighsayers. :(
(One) Ryuto wisps: horse puns incoming?
(One) Urwan wisps: Good refereeing there, Mirodar :D
(One) Yuphie wisps: At the very least we get horse-themed pogo sticks.  It's win-win.
(One) Geryon wisps: Horses on April 1... I am suspicious.
(One) Umiven wisps: The true joke if we WOULD get horses, he? Any creators listening? We would not see that one coming!
(One) Kalama wisps: I'm telling you its horse headed sticks.
(One) Juppie wisps: i'm curious what creator was involved... if it is Capita, it must something lethal like dinosaur shaped horses hunting every and each player
(One) Tremulo wisps: They might be Trojan horses
(One) Kalama wisps: I'm telling you its horse headed sticks.
(One) Mirodar wisps: how much are you betting kalama?
(One) Kalama wisps: 10 royals.
(One) Ryuto wisps: ooh, money where the mouth is
(One) Mirodar wisps: biggest bet so far...
(One) Kalama wisps: Its just money tossed more than that into pishe's pool this morning.
(One) Mirodar wisps: ok. Cre/cre alts/PTs are not allowed to take part.  Stakes to be paid BEFORE midnight on 31st March. Winners will have stake returned along with an amount equal to their stake.  If anyone fancies doing something more sophisticated with odds and such then feel free :)
(One) Kalama wisps: There has been greater amounts stolen.
(One) QiYing wisps: wait wait what are the bet options, will you list it on Discord, how much is the minimum bet amount? :p
(One) QiYing wisps: Jeanie could do something on her site with statistics :P
(One) QiYing wisps: Or I could create something on the wiki and then.... Someone will need to calculate odds and stuff :p
(One) Mirodar wisps: no min, max is only an issue if it's so large I can't cover it.  Bet on whatever option you want.  Current bets are heroin, for real and hobby horses
(One) Kalama wisps: They trusted that person too and I even recall him saying he would do exactly what he did.
(One) Mirodar wisps: Yikes: I think I've built a good enough reputation over the last year to be trusted with this
(One) QiYing wisps: You need to set max and I don't know how to calculate payout
(One) QiYing wisps: but sure, we can create something basic on the Wiki if Mirodar wants? I think there're a few folks who can make you an account if you want.
(One) Mirodar wisps: I have an account
(One) QiYing wisps: hmm ok I can start a page and you can add to it?
(One) Zeek wisps: enough horse play!
(One) Mirodar wisps: ok
(One) QiYing wisps: this is getting serious :P

This is the basic site set up to document the bets taken.

Betting Pool

RULES

This is a Betting Pool.

Creators, cre alts, PTs are not allowed to take part.

The categories for the betting options will close on Monday 1pm London Time. (NOW CLOSED)

Shares to be paid BEFORE 10pm London Time on Wednesday 31st March or they will not be taken into account.


SHARES

Each share will be sold at A$1 per share.

You can buy any number of shares. You can buy shares in any category. You can buy shares in more than one category.

All the bet money will be added up and divided by the total number of shares in the winning category.

For example: If you have 20% of the shares in Category A, and Category A wins, you get 20% of all the money that has been put into the pool.


PAYMENT FOR BETS

Money for the category must be paid to Mirodar by Wednesday 10pm London time or your share will not be counted!


COLLECTION OF WIININGS

Winnings must be collected from Mirodar in the RoundWorld month of April or it will be forfeited.


Bet Options

Finalised List of Categories!

Please place bets with Mirodar. All monies must go to Mirodar.


ID Details Bets Taken (Updated)
1 It's a drug (heroin) Monday 71, Oki 1, Keicup 1, Arturos 10, Selene 100
2 It's a Hobby Horse Kalama 1000, Oki 1, Keicup 1, Kez 1, Rauna 1000, Arturos 100, Selene 100, Stabbity 1
3 Players will be turned into horses for a day Haize 1, Oki 1, Panthera 1000, Keicup 1, Kez 1, Arturos 50, Selene 100
4 Liaisons and creators are going to ride around teasing us all Oki 1, Everest 200 (QY), Keicup 1, Kez 1, Arturos 10, Selene 100
5 Real horses similar to carriages Oki 1, Keicup 1, Kez 1, Arturos 10, Selene 100, Stabbity 1
6 Real horses players can ride and direct Yuffie 250, Oki 1, Apollos 200, Ridgewold 100, Panthera 1000, Urwan 200, Keicup 500, Wrzawa 50, Edd 200, Keicup 1, Kez 1, Rauna, 1050, Arturos 150, Kevren 8000, Selene 100, Stabbity 1
7 Nothing will happen Scyllon 500, Oki 1, MrWolfie 200, Everest 200, Keicup 1, Kez 1, Arturos 10, Selene 100
8 Mechanical bull/fairground style ride OnnaStick 50, Tremulo 100, Oki 1, Keicup 1, Kez 1, Arturos 10, Selene 100
9 Rocking Horse Oki 10, MrWolfie 100 (QY), Keicup 1, Kez 1, Arturos 10, Selene 100
10 Fake horses on Apr 1 and real horses on Apr 2 Oki 1, MrWolfie 10 (QY), Keicup 1, Kez 1, Noshoes 100, Arturos 10, Lynxii 50, Selene 100, Stabbity 1
11 Real horses confined to a small, specific area Oki 10, Yuffie 11, Jeanie 100, Tremulo 100, Keicup 1, Kez 1, Arturos 10, Yuffie 11, Selene 1, Stabbity 11
12 Tabletop horse racing game Jeanie 100, Oki 1, Keicup 1, Kez 1, Arturos 10, Selene 100
13 Dinohorses rampaging through the playerbase Juppie 821, Keicup 1, Kez 1, Oki 1, Arturos 40, Selene 100
14 One horse and everyone has to share Oki 10, Yuffie 10, Keicup 1, Kez 1, Arturos 10, Yuffie 10, Selene 100
15 None of the above Oki 10, Keicup 1, Kez 1, RainbowBeard 15, Yuffie 10, Arturos 10, Yuffie 10, Selene 100, Stabbity 1


JUDGES

Mirodar, Ochrion, and QiYing will judge what the winning category will be. Final decision will be made on Apr 2.

April 1 2021: Horses Revealed

Prior to Apr 1

On March 28, while the bets were being discussed on the talker channel (One), Pit made this remark:

(One) Pit wisps: What happens if, hypothetically, creators mess with the bets by deliberately trying to implement as many of those as possible?

(One) Pit wisps: Purely hypothetically of course.

(One) Pit wisps: I mean, several of those ideas sound excellent. We could have a fairground style ride, and the winner gets a rocking horse, but if they use it they're turned into a horse which the creators get to ride around, and the next day we'll put in the real horses that we planned to do all along.

(One) Guildenstern wisps: And the real horses will be riding around on hobby horses.

(One) Pit wisps: While drugged.

(One) Pit wisps: Inside a carriage.

This would turn out to be critical in the events that happened on April 1 and was an important piece of information for the judges in their decision later. This was one of the main reasons they decided to arrive at ONE winning category instead of having many winning categories.


Events on April 1, 2021

Creators' News post on April 1, 2021:

Note #5 posted at Thu Apr  1 Title: "Iiiiiiiiiit's Thursday!"

Here it is, players of all descriptions. Rideable horses have arrived. It took a lot of us a lot of work to get this far, but if you visit Honest Algy's Second-Hand Horses on Short Street, you'll be able to get your very own.

(Oh, that's Short Street in Ohulan-Cutash, not any other Short Street that might happen to be around the place.)

Enjoy!
-- your hardworking creator team.

At the scene:

A dingy shed [w].
Honest Algy is trying not to touch anything, a mist blue archangel cat is sitting here, Myers the giant fruitbat and a wise black raven are flying, De Capita is hanging from the roof, Deckhand Draze is sitting in the wobbly chair and a craggy troll mercenary, Well Travelled Lynxii, Dodgy Muppet, Mistress Kez, Paranoid Daedalus, the net dead statue of Competent Inharax, the net dead statue of Bloodthirsty Barcha, Mystic Nazar, Medical Henrey Moorgan and Mephistotle are standing here.
A pair of tan linen trousers and a pair of leather dress shoes are on the floor.

list goods from algy
Honest Algy says to you in Morporkian with an Ohulan accent: Oh, dear, I can't let you have one of my beautiful horses till you know how to look after them better.

Honest Algy says to Mistress Kez in Morporkian with an Ohulan accent: Oh, I've got loads of stuff.
Honest Algy says to Mistress Kez in Morporkian with an Ohulan accent: I have a bay horse for LSov 2|-|-|-.
Honest Algy says to Mistress Kez in Morporkian with an Ohulan accent: I have a bay horse for LSov 2|-|-|-.
Honest Algy says to Mistress Kez in Morporkian with an Ohulan accent: I have a black horse for LSov 2|-|-|-.
Honest Algy says to Mistress Kez in Morporkian with an Ohulan accent: I have a palomino horse for LSov 2|-|-|-.
Honest Algy says to Mistress Kez in Morporkian with an Ohulan accent: I have a grey horse for LSov 2|-|-|-.
Honest Algy says to Mistress Kez in Morporkian with an Ohulan accent: And finally I have a black horse for LSov 2|-|-|-.

Paranoid Daedalus offers to give a palomino hobbyhorse to you.
Paranoid Daedalus gives a palomino hobbyhorse to you.

l hobbyhorse

Who can resist the appeal of these timeless toys?  A yard of sturdy birch, shod with a real (if tiny) horseshoe at the base, this stick has been topped with a carved horse head painted with a lovingly detailed palomino coat.  The star on its face matches its expression of barely restrained enthusiasm and pricked-forward ears, as though it could break into an abandoned gallop any moment, bearing its rider on some heroic adventure, vibrant green mane flowing in the wind.  The bright orange leather bridle and matching reins have been hung with little tin bells.
It is in excellent condition.

Well Travelled Zaya gallops out west on her hobby horse.
Well Travelled Zaya gallops in from the west riding her hobby horse.


Later in the day:

(One) Aristophanes wisped: I'm by the drum again.
(One) Wodan wisped: you killed it?
(One) Cops wisped: Theres on at the drum now
(One) Aristophanes wisped: I killed it.
(One) Geryon wisped: YOU MEANIE
(One) Aristophanes wisped: I needed more ragu
(One) Wodan wisped: fair reason

The north end of Short Street outside the Mended Drum [e,w,s,n].
Aristophanes is sitting astride a rainbow-painted horse, Mephistotle is sitting astride a red roan horse and Literate Proeliator Snuffelpig, SamTheMan, Reapo, Captain Cops, Fran and a baby calf are standing here.
Two colourful posters are posted here and a wanted poster is pasted to a wall.

Aristophanes rides away south.

l Aristophanes
You see Aristophanes the Master Trapper.
He is a strapping young human lad.
He is in good shape.
He is sitting astride a rainbow-painted horse.
He looks rather wet.
He looks very cold.
Wearing : a grey robe, an everfull gourd, a club badge, a small golden cabbage badge and a holy amulet.
Carrying: a prayer book, a holy symbol, a holy relic, a spell book, a rainbow swamp dragon, a large lilac bottle, a small stick, a hessian sack, a vault peeker, an arcane instrument and a money machine.
His purse is tinkling with coins.

l horse

This is a rainbow-painted horse.  The paint still seems to be dripping off it.  It looks very horsey.
It is in good shape.
It is standing.
Wearing : a Lancrastian saddle.

l Mephistotle
You see Mephistotle of Mrs. Widgery's Lodgers, the Fourth Level Wizard.
He is a strapping young human lad.
He is in good shape.
He is sitting astride a red roan horse.
A smuggler's longcoat is billowing dramatically around him.
A billowing cloud of smoke hangs about his body like a fluffy robe.
Wearing : a pair of mirrored sunglasses, a pair of hyperspeed boots and a smuggler's longcoat.
His purse is bulging with coins.

l red roan horse
This is a red roan stallion.  He looks very horsey.
He is in good shape.
He is standing.
Wearing : a Lancrastian saddle. 



After the creators paraded their horses around...

 (One) Capita wisps: check the news :)

Note #6 posted at Thu Apr  1 Title: "Enough Horsing Around"

Happy April Foals' Day!
Now that you've had a chance to rein in your expectations, it's time for the mane event - we'll stop stallion, get off our high horse, and pony up with the real horses!
They are rather expensive, so make sure you're financially stable or you may be saddled with debt.  Hoof it to King's Down, Ankh-Morpork to get your own!
(Capita edited this message at Thu Apr  1 14:09:43 2021.)


[grassy paddock]
This large fenced field is filled with grass and flowers, which look rather munched on.
It is a freezing cold backspindlewinter's midday with almost no wind and many puffy clouds.
There is one obvious exit: east.
Ptaib d'Parranoid is handing out player horse commands, a rich red moon dragon is perched on someone, Strigoi the giant fruitbat and Col. Batguano the giant fruitbat are flying, a loving fawn and brown rat is riding on your shoulders, a black and white chequered cloud is floating in the air here and two truffle pigs, Exterminator Elspeth the Scottish, Mephistotle, Scholarly Yoga Womblesworth, Paranoid Daedalus and Priscilla are standing here.


rent mount from priscilla

You inquire about the rental cost of the blood bay horse.
Priscilla says to you in Morporkian with a Lancrastian accent: In great riding condition, she is.  She always eats her fruits and veggies!  Never been malnourished.
Priscilla says to you in Morporkian with a Lancrastian accent: I'll accept no less than A$11.90 for her.

accept offer from dealer
You accept Priscilla's offer.
Priscilla exclaims to you in Morporkian with a Lancrastian accent: Deal!
Priscilla gives the blood bay horse a gentle pat on the head and whispers instructions into her ear.

The blood bay horse begins to follow you.

Priscilla says to you in Morporkian with a Lancrastian accent: She'll come back to me on her own after seven days, or you can return her early if you like.

name horse as Trigger

l Trigger
This is a blood bay mare.  She looks very horsey.
She is in good shape.
She is standing.
Wearing : a Lancrastian saddle.


put saddle on horse
You dress Trigger the blood bay horse with the Lancrastian saddle.

mount horse
You mount Trigger the blood bay horse. 


Then on April 2:

Note #7 posted at Fri Apr  2 Title: "Horses"

Hello everyone!

As we have previously announced, rideable horses were added to Discworld yesterday.  We have enjoyed all the speculation in the last week, and we hope that many of you have enjoyed playing around with your new pets. :)

Now that it is no longer the first of April, and we are likely to be believed, we are happy to tell you that:
* horses are here to stay
* you can now buy horses at the stable on King's Down
* horses can be used for riding, carrying equipment and combat!
* different horses have various traits, so your choice of horse matters
* you will now have to feed and groom your horses to keep them healthy

Have a read of the helpfiles on the horses to learn more.  For now, you can still rent horses for a week so you can experiment, but this option will be removed at the end of April.

- The creators


Look info for April 1 horses had changed. There were new commands.

l trigger
This blood bay mare has a rich red body with a black muzzle, eartips, mane, legs and tail, like the markings of a fox.  She is of the April foal breed, which is known for high vitality and docility and poor speed, intuition and strength.
She is in good shape.
She is standing.

assess my horse
Trigger the blood bay horse:
  Burden ........................ 0%
  Fibre ......................... 0%
  Calories ..................... 62%
  Cleanliness .................. 67%
  Stamina ..................... 100%


Horses that were in the stable had different descriptions from the initial April 1 horses.

A grassy paddock [e].
An orange and black patched cloud is floating in the air here and three dark horses, Fossilized Uzi Fully Automatic, De Capita, a brown horse, a sorrel horse, a skewbald horse, Kwik, Captain Westley and Priscilla are standing here.
Lanfear arrives from the east.
Lanfear succeeds in following you.

l dark horses
This dark mare has a deep brown, almost black coat with white "socks" on her feet and white markings around her muzzle.  She is of the Chalk pony breed, which is known for high docility, decent speed and strength and poor vitality and intuition.
She is in good shape.
She is standing.
Wearing : a Genuan saddle.

This dark mare has a deep brown, almost black coat with white "socks" on her feet and white markings around her muzzle.  She is of the Chalk pony breed, which is known for high docility, decent speed and strength and poor vitality and intuition.
She is in good shape.
She is standing.

This dark stallion has a deep brown, almost black coat with white "socks" on his feet and white markings around his muzzle.  He is of the Il Drim dreamhorse breed, which is known for high speed, decent intuition and docility and poor vitality and strength.
He is in good shape.
He is standing.


In addition, the Witches received a new command "Treat" for treating horses.

Judges' Decisions on the Winning Category

There were discussions over the winning category/categories as the events of April 1/2 unfolded. Long discussions.

The judges knew beforehand that the creators might try to influence the winning bet categories with their actions, so they decided to stick with having Only One Winning Category, specifically: The Category That Best Described What Happened on April 1st and 2nd.

Therefore the organisers of Grand National 2021 have decided that the bet category #10, "Fake Horses on Apr 1 and Real Horses on Apr 2" are the winners. They have won A$70.56 per share.

Winnings need to be collected from Mirodar in the RoundWorld month of April 2021. Please liase with Mirodar.

The organisers express their thanks to the cres and players who made this event possible (and fun).

See also

MUD Traditions

Emily's ancient log on Horses

Adventuring.movement.riding.horse

Crafts.husbandry.animal.grooming