Grand National 2015

Many Clouds, has won the 2015 Grand National at odds of 25-1. The eight year old was ridden by Jockey Leighton Aspell, is owned by Trevor Hemmings and trained by Oliver Sherwood, Many Clouds also finished sixth at last months Cheltenham Gold Cup and is the youngest winner of the National since Bindaree in 2002 and carried 11st 9lb, more weight than any National winner since Red Rum. Saint Are came in second place, Monbeg Dude was third and Alvarado in fourth place with Shutthefrontdoor ridden by Tony McCrory in his final race, coming in Fifth place.

Three fell at the very first fence, including Al Co, last year’s Scottish National winner. While The fancied Unioniste fell at the fifth, and The Druids Nephew fell while leading at the 26th fence. The Rainbow Hunter also came down at the same obstacle and there was concern for King Balthazaar, who fell at the Canal Turn on the first circuit and was then run into by Balleycastle but has since recovered.

2015 University Boat Race

Oxford won The 161st University Boat Race held on Saturday 11 April  2015. The University Boat Race is held annually each April between the University of Oxford (sometimes referred to as the “Dark Blues”)and the University of Cambridge (sometimes referred to as the “Light Blues”). The race was first held in 1829, and since 1845 has taken place on the 4.2-mile (6.8 km) Championship Course on the River Thames in southwest London.

The rivalry is a major point of honour between the two universities, followed throughout the United Kingdom and broadcast worldwide. Oxford went into the 2012 race as reigning champions, having beaten Cambridge by four lengths in the previous year’s race. However, Cambridge held the overall lead, with 80 victories to Oxford’s 76.Oxford were pre-race favourites, having beaten Leander, Molesey Boat Club and a German national under-23 crew in the previous weeks.

The first Women’s Boat Race took place in 1927, but did not become an annual fixture until the 1960s. The race is conducted as part of the Henley Boat Races, but in 2015 is slated to be held on the River Thames. The reserve race, contested between Oxford’s Isis boat and Cambridge’s Goldie boat, has been held since 1965. It usually takes place on the Thames, prior to the main Boat Race.

Joss Stone

English soul singer-songwriter and actress Joss Stone was born on this date 11th April in 1987. She rose to fame in late 2003 with her multi-platinum debut album, The Soul Sessions, which made the 2004 Mercury Prize shortlist. Her second album, the equally multiplatinum Mind Body & Soul, topped the UK Albums Chart for one week and spawned the top ten hit “You Had Me”, Stone’s most successful single on the UK Singles Chart to date. Both album and single each received one nomination at the 2005 Grammy Awards, while Stone herself was nominated for Best New Artist, and in an annual BBC poll of music critics, Sound of 2004 was ranked fifth as a predicted breakthrough act of 2004. She became the youngest British female singer to top the UK Albums Chart in history to have her first album at number

JOSS STONE LIVE AT JAVA JAZZ FESTIVAL 2013 http://youtu.be/BwPQYekQIwc

In early 2009, she joined the eclectic supergroup SuperHeavy. Stone’s third album, Introducing Joss Stone, released in March 2007, achieved gold record status by the RIAA and yielded the second-ever highest debut for a British female solo artist on the Billboard 200, which became Stone’s first Top 5 album in the United States and first non-Top 10 album in the United Kingdom. Stone released her fourth album, Colour Me Free!, on 20 October 2009, which reached the Top 10 on Billboard. Stone released her fifth album, LP1, on 22 July 2011, which reached the Top 10 on Billboard.

Throughout her career, Stone has sold eleven million albums, establishing herself as one of the best-selling artists of her time, best-selling soul artists of the 2000s and best-selling British artists of her time. Her first three albums have sold over 2,722,000 copies in the United States, while her first two albums have sold over 2,000,000 copies in United Kingdom. Stone has won two BRIT Awards and one Grammy Award. Stone has also mentioned the upcoming release of two new albums, including one she referred to as “The Soul Sessions 2″. This album, like LP1, is co-produced and co-written by Dave Stewart. The release dates for both albums were not yet announced.

In addition Stone also joined the supergroup SuperHeavy which was formed by Mick Jagger of Rolling Stones, together with Dave Stewart, Damian Marley – youngest son of Bob Marley, and the Indian musician and producer A.R. Rahman. The album was recorded at Jim Henson Studios in Los Angeles and was released in 20 September 2011 by A&M Records. The debut single, “Miracle Worker”, was released on 19 July 2011. She also made her film acting debut in 2006 playing the Mystic “Angela” in the fantasy adventure film Eragon, and made her television debut portraying Anne of Cleves in the Showtime series The Tudors in 2009.