2021 - Minella Times
Heading 6
The winner
An extremely worthy winner on the day Minella Times boasted probably the least successful post National career since Ayala. He only ran in six races, failed to finish five times and only beat one horse. He was undoubably unlucky in the 2022 National as, after jumping first Valentines perfectly well he cannoned into the back of another runner who had blundered and his race was over. After a lacklustre run over the Cheltenham Cross Country course he was entered for the 2023 National but suffered a setback and his retirement was announced.
Leading Fancies
The 2021 Grand National was staged behind closed doors due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Racing had been shut down shortly after the announcement of the abandonment of the 2020 race which led also to the loss of the Scottish and Irish Nationals, the Bet365 Gold Cup and the Punchestown Festival. Racing resumed under strict conditions with a low key all weather fixture at Newcastle on 1st June but all meetings were to be behind closed doors. There was a brief resumption to limited crowds being allowed on racecourses during the short lived tier system in late 2020 which had allowed some lucky racegoers the opportunity to be present for the Becher meeting but the upsurge in Covid cases in December due to the Alpha variant resulted in racing once more being run without crowds. In February 2021 the government announced the roadmap to the lifting of restrictions but the return of crowds to sporting events was not scheuled until mid May and betting offices were not due to be reopened until the Monday after the National. Attempts to put back the race to allow punters into bookies was rejected. Whilst it was bizarre to see the empty stands having a National behind closed doors was clearly better than having no National at all even if at first glance it was a slighty substandard renewal. There was to be no hat-trick seeking superstar, Tiger Roll in the field. He had been taken out at the first forfeit stage with his owner fuming at the horses treatmennt at the hands of the handicapper. Favourite was the Trevor Hemmings owned CLOTH CAP looking to provide his octogenarian owner with his fourth National win. He had won the Ladbroke Trophy at Newcastle and the Premier Chase at Kelso and had finished third in the 2019 Scottish National. Stamina would be no problem and he appeared to have an excellent chance if he took to the fences. Whilst the favourite was trained in the UK there was a feeling that the winner would come from Ireland, after all they had dominated the Cheltenham Festival to such an extent that it had been embarrasing. Their top chance was BURROWS SAINT who, to be frank looked a banker - trained by Willie Mullins and owned by Susannah and Rich Ricci he had won the Irish National as a six year old in 2019 and had been trained for the race in mind. It looked almost too obvious. Next up came two of JP McManus seven runners in the race, both Irish trained of course, ANY SECOND NOW had won the 2019 Kim Muir but had been running over shorter distances this season and his trainer Ted Walsh had sent out his 2000 hero Papillon to victory with a similar campaign. MINELLA TIMES was trained by Henry De Bromhead fresh from his clean sweep of the big races at the Cheltenham Festival and with the festivals top jockey Rachael Blackmore on board this one had won a small race at Listowel in the autumn and then finished runner up in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown's Christmas meeting and another big field handicap at the Dublin track in February. He jumped, he stayed and the big field would not be a problem. Could Miss Blackmore make history ? The writing was on the wall. The best of those that had competed two years ago was MAGIC OF LIGHT who was fancied to go one better. Runner up to Tiger Roll in 2019 she had been campaigned both over both fences an hurdles and had won the Ascot Hurdle and a listed chase at Newbury. The next best of the Brits were two debutants TAKINGRISKS from the North of England, the winner of the 2019 Scottish Grand National, his form had been in and out since then but last time out he had snatched victory in the closing stages of the Skybet Chase at Doncaster and MISTER MALARKY, a winner at Ascot earlier in the season and in good heart following wind surgery. Top weight BRISTOL DE MAI was an old favourite, unbeatable around Haydock where he had won three Betfair Chases and a Peter Marsh but it was perhaps odd to see him line up in a National when he had contested the last three Bowls over the Mildmay course on is previous visits to Aintree. This may have come too late in his career but he jumped and stayed so why not give it a go ? 80-1 shot VIEUX LION ROUGE needed no introduction as this would be his tenth appearance over the National fences. He had won a second Becher Chase in December but had never featured in his four previous National runs and clearly did not quite stay the full distance. He was an Aintree legend though. Welcome to a National like no other. No cheering crowds - it was going to be a strange experience for all concerned.
THE RANDOX GRAND NATIONAL HANDICAP CHASE (106 entries), £287,025 to the winner, £125,625 to the secod, £62,850 to the third, £40,875 to the fourth, £25,060 to the fifth, £18,750 to the sixth, £12,375 to the seventh, £8,475 to the eighth, £5,250 to the ninth & £2,625 to the tenth
1 4/220-12 BRISTOL DE MAI (FR) 10, 11-10 (N A Twiston-Davies) - Daryl Jacob
2 110-20p CHRIS'S DREAM (IRE) 9, 11-7 (H de Bromhead - Ireland) - Darragh O'Keeffe
3 3-2f314 YALA ENKI (FR) 11, 11-3 (P F Nicholls) - Bryony Frost
4 01-p000 BALLYOPTIC (IRE) 11, 11-1 (N A Twiston-Davies) - Sam Twiston-Davies
5 421-0f4 DEFINITLY RED (IRE) 12, 11-1 (B.Ellison) - Ryan Mania*
6 033-100 LAKE VIEW LAD (IRE) 11, 11-0 (N W Alexander) - Brian Hughes
7 031-202 BURROWS SAINT (FR) 8, 10-13 (W P Mullins - Ireland) - Mr P W Mullins
8 10-4120 MAGIC OF LIGHT (IRE) 10, 10-13 (Mrs J.Harrington - Ireland) - Robbie Power
9 201-201 ACAPELLA BOURGEOIS (FR) 11, 10-12 (W P Mullins - Ireland) - Daniel Mullins
10 01/3p-30 TALKISCHEAP (IRE) 9, 10-12 (A.King) - Tom Cannon
11 300p4f TOUT EST PERMIS (FR) 8, 10-12 (N.Meade - Ireland) - Sean Flanagan
12 0/0003-0 ANIBALE FLY (FR) 11, 10-12 (A J Martin - Ireland) - Denis O'Regan
13 p-0u103 MISTER MALARKY 8, 10-12 (C.Tizzard) - Jonjo O'Neill Jnr
14 30p/21-2 KIMBERLITE CANDY (IRE) 9, 10-10 (T.Lacey) - Richie McLernon
15 31-00p1 ANY SECOND NOW (IRE) 9, 10-9 (T M Walsh - Ireland) - Mark Walsh
16 4-4004u BALKO DES FLOS (FR) 10, 10-9 (H de Bromhead - Ireland) - Aiden Coleman
17 000pp4 ALPHA DES OBEAUX (FR) 11, 10-9 (Mrs D.Foster - Ireland) - Jody McGarvey
18 1p/001-p OK CORRAL (IRE) 11, 10-8 (N J Henderson) - Mr Derek O'Connor
19 100-p41 TAKINGRISKS (IRE) 12, 10-7 (N.Richards) - Sean Quinlan
20 0-31023 SHATTERED LOVE (IRE) 10, 10-7 (Mrs D.Foster - Ireland) - Kevin Sexton
21 p00p00 JETT (IRE) 10, 10-7 (Mrs J.Harrington - Ireland) - Mr Sam Waley-Cohen
22 22-4001 LORD DU MESNIL (FR) 8, 10-6 (R.Hobson) - Nick Scholfield
23 011-30p POTTERS CORNER (IRE) 11, 10-6 (C.Williams) - Jack Tudor
24 f2-p034 CLASS CONTI (FR) 9, 10-6 (W P Mullins - Ireland) - Brian Hayes
25 1-12p00 MILAN NATIVE (IRE) 8, 10-6 (Mrs D.Foster - Ireland) - Mr J J Codd
26 2033-20 DISCORAMA (FR) 8, 10-6 (P.Nolan - Ireland) - B J Cooper
27 000-010 VIEUX LION ROUGE (FR) 12, 10-5 (D.Pipe) - Conor O'Farrell
28 320-311 CLOTH CAP (IRE) 9, 10-5 (JJ O'Neill) - Tom Scudamore
29 31230p CABARET QUEEN 9, 10-5 (W P Mullins - Ireland) - Sean O'Keeffe
30 2-11uu0 MINELLACELEBRATION (IRE) 11, 10-5 (Katy Price) - Ben Poste
31 012143 CANELO (IRE) 8, 10-4 (A.King) - Tom Bellamy
32 11-f103 THE LONG MILE 7, 10-4 (J P Dempsey - Ireland) - Luke Dempsey
33 f4/10-2p GIVE ME A COPPER (IRE) 11, 10-4 (P F Nicholls) - Sean Bowen*
34 11-0342 FARCLAS (FR) 7, 10-3 (Mrs D.Foster - Ireland) - Jack Kennedy
35 120-122 MINELLA TIMES (IRE) 8, 10-3 (H de Bromhead - Ireland) - Rachael Blackmore
36 04-0244 SUB LIEUTENANT (IRE) 12, 10-3 (Georgie Howell) - Tabitha Worsley
37 1/010-p0 HOGAN'S HEIGHTS (IRE) 10, 10-3 (J.Snowden) - Gavin Sheehan
38 00-0310 DOUBLE SHUFFLE (IRE) 11, 10-2 (T.George) - Jonathan Burke
39 002p-22 AMI DESBOIS (FR) 11, 10-2 (G.McPherson) - Kielan Woods
40 000/004 BLAKLION 12, 10-2 (D.Skelton) - Harry Skelton
* Henry Brooke down to ride Definitly Red in the racecard
* Harry Cobden down to ride Give Me A Copper in the racecard
S.P : 11-2 Cloth Cap, 9-1 Burrows Saint, 15-2 Any Second Now, 11-1 MINELLA TIMES, 12-1 Mister Malarky, 14-1 Magic of Light &Takingrisks, 16-1 Discorama & Farclas, 20-1 Acapella Bourgeois & Kimberlite Candy, 22-1 Potters Corner, 25-1 Bristol de Mai, 28-1 Anibale Fly & Definitly Red, 33-1 Give Me A Copper, Shattered Love, Talkischeap & Yala Enki, 40-1 Chris's Dream, 50-1 Blaklion, Lake View Lad, Lord de Mesnil, Milan Native, Sub Lieutenant & The Long Mile, 66-1 Ballyoptic, Canelo, Class Conti, Double Shuffle, Minellacelebration & Vieux Lion Rouge, 80-1 Alpha des Obeaux, Cabaret Queen, Jett & OK Corral, 100-1 Ami Desbois, Balko des Flos, Hogans's Heights & Tout Est Permis
Aintree debutants
Acapella Bourgeois*, Ami Desbois*, Any Second Now, Balko des Flos*, Bristol de Mai*, Burrows Saint, Cabaret Queen*, Canelo*, Chris's Dream, Class Conti, Cloth Cap, Discorama, Farclas*, Give Me A Copper*, Milan Native*, Minella Times, Mister Malarky*, OK Corral*, Potters Corner*, Shattered Love*, Takingrisks*, Talkischeap*, The Long Mile*, Tout Est Permis
Winners at Aintree
BLAKLION - Becher Chase 2017
HOGANS HEIGHTS - Grand Sefton 2019
VIEUX LION ROUGE - Becher Chase 2016 & 2020
Result
1st MINELLA TIMES - Rachael Blackmore
2nd BALKO DES FLOS - Aiden Coleman
3rd ANY SECOND NOW - Mark Walsh
4th BURROWS SAINT - Mr Patrick Mullins
Distances : six & a half lengths, one & three quarter lengths & nineteen lengths
Time : 9 mins 15.42 seconds
Owned by J P McManus
Trained by Henry de Bromhead in Ireland
15 finshers
25 non-finishers (5 fell, 4 unseated rider, 15 pulled up, 1 refused)
1 fatality
The Class of 21
LORD DE MESNIL still in training 2025
MILAN NATIVE still in training 2024
ACAPELLA BOURGEOIS (FR) (2010) ch g Network (GER) - Jasmine (FR) (Valanjou (FR)) - Won NHF, 3 hurdles and 5 chases between 2014 & 2022. He won a bumper in France before moving to Ireland where he won three of his novice hurdles. His chasing career got off to an inauspicious start when he fell at the very first fence in a beginners chase at Naas but he later won twice at Navan and finished a distant sixth behind Might Bite in that RSA Chase. He won a small race at Clonmel the following season, finished third in the Irish Grand National and was sent to Auteuil where he contested the Grand Steeplechase de Paris where he was unplaced. He twice won the Bobbyjo Chase and twice chased Al Boum Photo home at Tramore on New Years Day, He seemed an ideal National sort but struggled and finished a very distant thirteenth. He only raced one more time at Tramore on New Years day 2022 when he pulled up
ALPHA DES OBEAUX (FR) (2010) b g Saddler Maker (IRE) - Omega Des Obeaux (FR) (Saint Preuil) (FR) - Won 2 hurdles and 4 chases between 2014 & 2022. Tough sort who enjoyed a long career and ran well in a host of major races without really troubling the leaders. He was good enough to win a Grade 2, the Clonmel Oil Chase in November 2017. He ran in three Cheltenham Festivals and reached a place each time, runner up behind Thistlecrack in the 2016 Stayers, fourth in the RSA a year later and in the twilight of his career (by which time he was specializing in cross country racing) fourth in the Cross Country race behind Tiger Roll in 2021. At Aintree he took a crashing fall at the Chair in 2018 and in 2021 got round in eleventh place. He last ran under rules at Wexford in April 2022 but ran in a few points later that year.
AMI DESBOIS (FR) (2010) b g Dream Well (FR) - Baroya (FR) (Garde Royale (IRE)) - Won 4 hurdles and 3 chases between 2015 & 2023. The highlight of a career which also saw him finish second ten times was when he notched up a hatrick of wins in 201, his last hurdle and first two chases. An outsider at Aintree he fell at the Chair. He later won a hunter chase at Newbury in April 2022. He wa last seen unseating when in rear in the 2023 Foxhunters.
BALKO DES FLOS (FR) (2011) ch g - Balko (FR) - Royale Marie (FR) (Garde Royale (IRE)) - Won 2 NHF, a hurdle and 3 chases between 2015 & 2021. This one ran an amazing race a odds of 100-1 to finish second to Minella Times in 2021 on his only start over the National fences. Earlier in his career he has been very useful and had won the 2017 Galway Plate and the 2018 Ryanair Chase at the Festival when he had been running in the Gigginstown Stud colours. He hadn’t won since then and perhaps it was the fact that he was sold just before the National that put punters off or the fact that he had unseated in the cross country chase at the Festival on his last start for Gigginstown. He only raced three more times twice over the Cheltenham cross country course finishing lame on his final start there in December 2021 and he was retired.
BALLYOPTIC (IRE) (2010) b g Old Vic - Lambourne Lace (IRE) (Un Desperado (FR)) - Won 4 hurdles and 5 chases between 2016 & 2021. Came from Ireland where he won a point and had a stunning start for new connections when he won his first four hurdles including the 2016 Sefton Novices Hurdle at Aintree. He was highly tried in his second season in long distance hurdles but after falling in the Long Walk, pulling up in the Stayers and finishing unplaced in the Liverpool Hurdle it was clear that his future lay over fences. He won twice in his novice season and only went down by a nose to Joe Farrell in the Scottish Grand National with the post coming just in time for the winner as this one was going the stronger in the dying strides. In 2019 he fell late on in the National but in his next season he gained his biggest success when landing an admittedly substandard Charlie Hall Chase. He ran in two Becher Chases falling once and ran his last race in the 2021 Naional when he refused when in rear. He was retired and retrained in dressage winning his first competition in that sphere
BRISTOL DE MAI (FR) (2011) gr g Saddler Maker (IRE) - La Boie Night (GR) (April Night (FR)) - Won 2 hurdles & 10 chases between 2014 & 2023. A lovely lovely grey horse who, if the Gold Cup was run at Haydock would probably have been a multiple champion. Having been unplaced in a couple of bumpers in the French provinces he won his only hurdle for Guillaume Macaire at Auteuil and was then sold to run in he UK. He won on debut at Chepstow in December 2014 but failed to add to that win and was sent chasing. Kept busy in his novice campaign he ran eight times, won four including his first of six wins at Haydock and was narrowly beaten in the JLT Novices Chae at the Festival having made most of the running. Campaigned in the higest company for most of his career he won his first major chase at Haydock, the Peter Marsh in 2017, finished third in the Denman Chase but was unplaced in both the Gold Cup and Aintree Bowl. In 2017-18 he won the Charle Hall Chase and the Betfair Chase at Haydock were he accounted for Cue Card by a staggering fifty seven lengths but was not match for Might Bite in the King George. He missed the Gold Cup due to wind surgery and was again no match for Might Bite in the Aintee Bowl. The following season he beat Gold Cup winner Native River to land his second Betfair Chase but fell before half way in the King George. Held every chance two out in the 2019 Gold Cup but he could not last home losing third place in the dying strides. Lostintranslation narrowly prevented him from winning his third straight Betfair Chase but he regained his crown a year later this time beating dual King George winner Clan des Obeaux in the process. He surprisingly lined up in the 2021 Grand National but was pulled up at second Bechers having never really got into the race. He won a sixth race at Haydock the 2022 Grand National trial although this was on a tehnicality. He last raced in the 2023 renewal but finished unplaced and was retired.
CABARET QUEEN (2012) b m King’s Theatre (IRE) - Ke Dame Brune (FR) (Mansonnien (FR)) - Won a hurdle and 4 chases between 2017 & 2021. Won an Irish point. Initially with Dan Skelton she didn’t set the world alight. Moved to Willie Mullins in September 2019 she won the valuable Munster National at Limerick on her second start for new connections and the following season won the Kerry National at Listowel. She also finished third in the Galway Plate but the rest was fairly disappointing and she was an outside at Aintree where she finished ninth on what was her last start
CANELO (IRE) (2013) ch g - Mahler - Nobody’s Darling (IRE) (Supreme Leader) - Won 2 hurdles and 3 chases between 2017 & 2024. Hit a rich vein of form prior to his one attempt at the National winning over the Mildmay course in November and followed that with success in the Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby where he beat Snow Leopardess. A couple of placed efforts at Doncaster followed and he was an attractive 66-1 for the big one but he got no further than the Chair. He didn’t return and only reached a place one more time under rules although he did win a point in May 2024. He last raced at Cartmel later that month
CHRIS’S DREAM*
DEFINITLY RED (2009) ch g - Definite Article - The Red Wench (IRE) (Aahsaylad) - Won 3 NHF, 3 hurdles & 8 chases between 2013 & 2021. Won a point in 2013 at the third attempt. Won three bumpers but was unplaced in the Festival Bumper and it was s a similar story as a novice hurdler - three wins and then unplaced in an event at the Festival. Made it three times unlucky at the Festival as he fell as a novice chaser in the National Hunt Chase. He found himself amongst the favourites for the 2017 National on the back of victory over The Last Samuri in the Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster. Unfortunately at Aintree he was badly hampered at first Bechers, his saddle slipped and he was pulled up a few fences later. The next two seasons were about the Gold Cup on the back of wins in the Many Clouds Chase at Aintree (a race he won twice) and the Cotswold Chase. In the 2018 Gold Cup he was a never dangerous sixth and a year later he was unuckily brought down before half way. His final season was geared up for a second attempt at the National. He lost his only "win" that season (at Kelso) in the stewards room on a technicality and in the National itself he was pulled up in the closing stages. This was his last race and his retirement was announced shortly afterwards.
DOUBLE SHUFFLE (IRE) (2010) b g Milan - Fiddlers Bar (IRE) (Un Desperado (FR) ) - Won 2 hurdles & 3 chases between 2014 & 2022. Did a lot of his racing at Kempton and all three of his chase victories came here. He also put up his best performance when only going down a length to Might Bite in the 2017 King George VI Chase at 50-1. Away from Kempton he was a 100-1 outsider when he pulled up in the 2019 Gold Cup and he also ran in two Nationals but he failed round both times pulling up in 2017 and falling in 2021. A popular horse he last raced at his beloved Kempton in February 2022.
FARCLAS (FR) (2014) gr g Jukebox Jury (IRE) - Floriana (GER) (Seattle Dancer (USA)) - Won Hurdle & 3 chases between 2016 & 2023. Won on the flat in France. His sole hurdle win came in the 2019 Triumph Hurdle but he struggled in his second season and he went chasing winning his first three chases in the spring of 2019. He finished placed in two big field handicaps at Leopardstown and followed that with a second place in the Plate at the Festival so he came in for each way support for the National. He ran well too finishing a staying on fifth. He was aimed at the Irish National the following year but fell. His career ended when he broke down at Down Royal in March 2023.
GIVE ME A COPPER (IRE) (2010) ch g Presenting - Copper Supreme (IRE) (Supreme Leader) - Won NHF, 2 hurdles and 2 chases between 2016 & 2022. This one was very lightly raced and never ran more than three times in a season. Highlight was his triumph in the Badger Beers Trophy at Wincanton in 2019. He didn’t seem an Aintree type and he wasn’t - he struggled throughout and was pulled up in the closing stages. He was last seen in a hunter chase a Warwick in May 2022 but he reappeared in a few points the following November
HOGAN’S HEIGHTS (IRE) (2011) b g Indian River (FR) - Electre du Berlais (FR) (Royal Charter (FR)) - Won 2 hurdles and 5 chases between 2017 & 2022. Notched up a hat-trick of wins in novice chases in 2017-18 and his career highlight was a victory over the National fences when he landed the 2019 Grand Sefton Chase by a very comfortable sixteen lengths. He was off for nearly a year and was unconsidered in the National but ran credibly enough to finish twelfth. He later raced two more times over the National course finishing both times in the Grand Sefton and Becher Chase giving him a 100% completion rate. He later won a hunter chase a Ludlow but wasn’t seen out again after finishing runner up in the Royal Artillery Gold Cup at Sandown in February 2022
JETT
KIMBERLITE CANDY
LAKE VIEW LAD (IRE) (2010) gr g Oscar (IRE) - Missy O’Brien (IRE) (Supreme Leader) - Won NHF, 3 hurdles and 5 chases between 2015 & 2022. A lovely grey horse who was in particularly good form before he lined up for his first National in 2019 having won the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle, the Rowland Meyrick at Wetherby and had finished third in the Ultima at the Festival. He was hampered four out in the National and was pulled up. Later that year he did taste success at Aintree over the MIldmay course when he took the Many Clouds Chase but he showed little in his next two starts so was easy to back for his second National which ended at the very first fence. A week later he turned out again for the Scottish National and finished seventh. He was last seen in the Eider Chase at Newcastle in February 2022.
MAGIC OF LIGHT
MINELLACELEBRATION (IRE) (2010) b g - King’s Theatre (IRE) - Knockarton (IRE) (KIng’s Ride (IRE) - Won 3 hurdles and 8 chases between 2015 & 2022. Came from the pointing field where he was successful four times in 2015. He loved the Mildmay course gaining three wins but he had wind problems which required surgery on more than one occasion and led to spells on the sidelines. He ran in two Becher Chases (finished one, unseated on the flat after the water the second) and also won a valuable handicap at Uttoxeter in the summer of 2018. He was an outsider in the National and unseated at the tenth fence when he stumbled on landing. He later won a hunter chase at Fakenham and was last seen pulling up in a veterans chast At Aintree in October 2022
MISTER MALARKEY (2013) ch g Malinas (GER) - Priscilla (Teenoso (USA)) - Won a hurdle and 5 chases between 2017 & 2023. Won three of his first four chases including the Reynoldstown Chase in February 2019. He added a second big chase at Ascot when he took the Silver Cup in December 2020. He also won a Grade 3 handicap (the old Racing Post Chase) at Kempton in February 2020. Clearly useful and on the back of wind surgery he was fancied for the National but he seemed to hate the experience, was tailed off by the end of the first circuit and called it a day soon afterwards. He didn’t return and was last seen at Cheltenham in April 2023.
OK CORRAL (IRE) (2010) b g Mahler - Acoola (IRE) (Flemensfirth (USA)) - Won NHF, 2 hurdles and 3 chases between 2015 & 2021. Highlight was his victory in the old Great Yorkshire Chase in 2020. He was not seen out again after that win and was off the course for over a year before he lined up in the Ultima pulling up and being found to be lame. The National was his next start - ambitious in the circumstances and it was not a happy experience. He was hampered at the first, was never travelling well and was pulled up. He did not race again.
POTTERS CORNER*
SHATTERED LOVE (IRE) (2011) b m Yeats (IRE) - Tracker (Bustino) - Won NHF, 3 hurdles & 7 chases between 2016 & 2021. Won her point in 2015, her first bumper a year later, her first hurdle and her first chase. Arguably a better chaser she won five of her first six starts including a Grade One event at Leopardstown's Christmas meeting and the JLT Novices Chase at the Festival. She found wins harder to come by after that novice campaign wining the same listed mates chase twice at Clonmel whilst tried in the highest company both in the UK and Ireland. She finished ninth in the 2018 Gold Cup, pulled up in the Irish Grand National on her next start and finished sixth in the 2020 Ryanair Chase. She finished third in the 2021 Mares Chase at the Festival before finishing tenth in the Grand National which was her final start
SUB LIEUTENANT (IRE) (2009) b g Brian Boru - Satellite Dancer (IRE) (Satco FR)) - Won NHF, 2 hurdles and 5 chases between 2013 & 2021. Won a bumper at the seventh start. Didn’t take as long to register a win over timber as he won his first hurdle at Fairyhouse in November 2014. He was at his best over fences in 2016-17 when he finished second in the Ryanair Chase and the Melling Chase. A year later he finished fourth in the Ryanair and fifth in the Bowl. He first ran over the National fences in the 2019 Topham finishing second. Two years later he was trained in the UK and was now ridden by Tabitha Worsley who nursed him home to finish a very distant fourteenth in 2021. Notably he was partnered by female riders on both his races over the National course. He was last seen pulling up at Exeter in December 2021.
TAKINGRISKS (IRE) (2009) b g Golden Tornado (IRE) - Downtown Rosie (IRE) (Good Thyne (USA)) - Won 3 hurdles and 6 chases between 2015 & 2021. Won an Irish point. Having plied his trade in he north and Scotland without hitting the headlines he caused something of a surprise when at 25-1 and despite mistakes he won the Scottish National in 2019 (this was his third victory at Ayr). He caused another surprise he following year at 40-1 winning the Skybet (old Great Yorkshire ) Chase at Doncaster. That gave him each way prospects at 14-1 for the National but pulled up at half way. He only ran three more times and was last seen pulling up at Wetherby in the Rowland Meyrick on Boxing Day 2021.
TALKISCHEAP (IRE) (2012) b g Getaway (GER) - Carrigoorna Oak (IRE) (Milan) - Won 3 hurdles and 2 chases between 2017 & 2021. Won all three points in 2016 He was highly tried n his novice hurdle campaign winning three times but he pulled up in the Albert Bartlett at the Festival. His novice campaign ended with an impressive ten length victory over the Young Master in the Bet365 Gold CUp at Sandown. He only managed two two races the following season during which he had two bouts of wind surgery and on his return he ran on the all-weather at Southwell, a novice hurdle at Lingfield before finishing unplaced in a handicap chase at Kempton. Running next in the National when he had showed so little for two years seemed ambitious and so it proved - he was pulled up. Whilst he managed to finish a close second at Perth on his next start he pulled up in his next two starts and was not seen out again after unseating over the cross country course at Cheltenham in November 2021
THE LONG MILE (2014) b g Kayf Tara - My Leader (IRE) (Supreme Leader) - Won 4 chases between 2018 & 2021. Didn’t show much over hurdles but won two chases at Gowran as a novice. He ran at Aintree in his second season and had finished third in the Bobbyjo Chase on his prep run behind rival Acapella Bourgeois. Sadly at Aintree he was amongst the backmarkers when he broke his leg shortly after jumping second Bechers and he was put down.
VIEUX LION ROUGE
YALA ENKI
2022 - Noble Yeats
RANDOX GRAND NATIONAL HANDICAP CHASE (entries), £382,700 to the winner, £167,500 to the second, £83,800 to the third, £54,500 to the fourth, £33,400 to the fifth, £25,000 to the sixth, £16,500 to the seventh, £11,300 to the eighth, £7,000 to the ninth & £3,500 to the tenth
1 1221-fp MINELLA TIMES (IRE) 9, 11-10 (H de Bromhead - Ireland) - Rachael Blackmore
2 u3-4001 DELTA WORK (FR) 9, 11-09 (G.Elliott - Ireland) - Jack Kennedy
4 p13-001 ANY SECOND NOW (IRE) 10, 11-8 (T M Walsh - Ireland) - Mark Walsh
5 22-2122 RUN WILD FRED (IRE) 8, 11-7 (G.Elliott - Ireland) - Davy Russell
6 0p-10p0 LOSTINTRANSLATION (IRE) 10, 11-6 (C.Tizzard) - Harry Cobden
7 2333pu BRAHMA BULL (IRE) 11, 11-6 (W P Mullins - Ireland) - Brian Hayes
8 024-323 BURROWS SAINT (FR) 9, 11-5 (W P Mullins - Ireland) - Paul Townend
9 213-110 MOUNT IDA (IRE) 8, 11-5 (G.Elliott - Ireland) - Denis O'Regan
10 231-010 LONGHOUSE POET (IRE) 8, 11-4 (Martin Brassil - Ireland) - Darragh O'Keeffe
11 223-122 FIDDLERONTHEROOF (IRE) 8, 11-4 (C.Tizzard) - Brendan Powell
12 13u-112 TWO FOR GOLD (IRE) 9, 11-3 (K C Bailey) - David Bass
13 03p-420 SANTINI 10, 11-2 (Polly Gundry) - Nick Scholfield
14 002003 SAMCRO (IRE) 10, 11-1 (G.Elliott - Ireland) - Sean Bowen
15 123p-02 ESCARIA TEN (FR) 8, 11-1 (G.Elliott - Ireland) - Adrian Heskin
16 2-31210 GOOD BOY BOBBY (IRE) 9, 10-13 (N A Twiston-Davies) - Daryl Jacob
18 40p044 COKO BEACH (FR) 7, 10-13 (G.Elliott - Ireland) - Jonjo O'Neill Jnr
19 014p/2-4 DE RASHER COUNTER 10, 10-12 (Emma Lavelle) - Adam Wedge
20 020/30-4 KILDISART (IRE) 10, 10-11 (Ben Pauling) - James Bowen
21 3/200-02 DISCORAMA (FR) 9, 10-11 (Paul Nolan - Ireland) - Brian Cooper
22 p0f312 TOP VILLE BEN (IRE) 10, 10-11 (P.Kirby) - Thomas Dowson
23 223-030 ENJOY D'ALLEN (FR) 8, 10-11 (C.Murphy - Ireland) - Conor Orr
24 p-30000 ANIBALE FLY (FR) 12, 10-11 (A J MArtin - Ireland) - Luke Dempsey
25 p12-430 DINGO DOLLAR (IRE) 10, 10-11 (S.Thomson) - Ryan Mania
26 01-40up FREEWHEELIN DYLAN (IRE) 10, 10-10 (D A McLoughlin - Ireland) - Ricky Doyle
27 340-p00 CLASS CONTI (FR) 10, 10-10 (W P Mulins - Ireland) - Sam Twiston-Davies
28 400p20 NOBLE YEATS (IRE) 7, 10-10 (E.Mullins - Ireland) - Mr Sam Waley-Cohen
29 121-4pp MIGHTY THUNDER 9, 10-10 (Lucinda Russell) - Derek Fox
30 1p-40r3 CLOTH CAP (IRE) 10, 10-10 (J J O'Neill) - Tom Scudamore
31 240-111 SNOW LEOPARDESS 10, 10-9 (C.Longsden) - Aiden Coleman
32 40-0pp2 AGUSTA GOLD (IRE) 9, 10-9 (W P Mullins - Ireland) - Danny Mullins
34 1p-22p2 DEISE ABA (IRE) 9, 10-8 (P.J Hobbs) - Tom O'Brien
35 40-011p BLAKLION 13, 10-8 (D.Skelton) - Harry Skelton
36 143/00p POKER PARTY 10, 10-8 (H de Bromhead - Ireland) - Robbie Power
37 00-0010 DEATH DUTY (IRE) 11, 10-7 (G.Elliott - Ireland) - Jordan Gainford
38 11-p420 DOMAINE DE L'ISLE (FR) 9, 10-7 (S.Curran) - Harry Bannister
39 10-f412 ECLAIR SURF (FR) 8, 10-6 (Emma Lavelle) - Tom Bellamy
40 1-30231 FORTESCUE 8, 10-6 (H.Daly) - Hugh Nugent
R33 p/2uop-1 COMMODORE 10, 10-5 (Venetia Williams) - Charlie Deutsch
R3 243-01p SCHOOL BOY HOURS 9, 10-5 (Noel Meade - Ireland) - Sean Flanagan
R17 4b143-p ROMAIN DE SENAM (FR) 10, 10-5 (D.Pipe) - Philip Armson
COMMODORE replaced Phoenix Way
SCHOOL BOY HOURS replaced Easysland
ROMAIN DE DENAM replaced Lord du Mesnil
S.P : 15-2 Any Second Now, 9-1 Minella Times, 10-1 Snow Leopardess, 11-1 Any Second Now & Run Wild Fred, 12-1 Fiddlerontheroof & Longhouse Poet, 14-1 Eclair Surf, 18-1 Enjoy D'Allen, 22-1 Good Boy Bobby, 25-1 Escaria Ten, 28-1 Dingo Dollar & Fortescue, 33-1 Burrows Saint, Cloth Cap, Commodore, Death Duty, Discorama, Santini, School Boy Hours & Two For Gold, 40-1 Freewheelin Dylan & Mighty Thunder, 50-1 Blaklion, Coko Beach, Kildisart, Lostintranslation & NOBLE YEATS, 66-1 Agusta Gold, De Rasher Counter, Mount Ida & Poker Party, 80-1 Anibale Fly, Brahma Bull, Deise Aba, Samcro & Top Ville Ben, 100-1 Class Conti & Romain de Senam, 125-1 Domaine De L'Isle
Leading Fancies
The Irish were expected to dominate again as, for the first time, Irish trained horses made up the majority of the field. There were twenty one Irish runners compared to nineteen for the home team. The betting reflected this with Irish runners at the head of the market. Last years third ANY SECOND NOW started favourite. Undoubtably unlucky last year he had been brought almost to a standstill by a faller at the twelfth fence. Two spins over hurdles were followed by a hard fought win in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse where he pipped rival Escaria Ten at the line. Second favourite was last years hero MINELLA TIMES who had admittedly shown nothing in two starts since, failing to finish both times. However he had been so impressive last year he was fancied despite a fifteen pound hike in the weights. Best of the Brits was the lovely grey SNOW LEOPARDESS who amazingly was a mum and who had made great strides on her return from 'maternity leave'. She was unbeaten in three starts all on soft ground including a bold front running performance in the Becher Chase holding on by a nose from the late challenge of the absent Hill Sixteen. As usual there was the usual mass entries from Gordon Elliott and Giggingstown Stud (seven and five) with the best appearing to be DELTA WORK once considered Gold Cup class and who had spolied the party when he had overhaulded Tiger Roll in the dying strides of the Cross County Chase at the Festival. He was also a five time winner at Grade One level. RUN WILD FRED another Gigginstown Elliott runner whilst still technically a novice was extremely consistent having finished first or runner up in his last seven starts including finishing second in the Irish Grand National and National Hunt Chase. LONGHOUSE POET yet another Irish fancy had had several of his rivals behind him when winning the valuable Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park in January. That was a strong field with several National runners behind him. Former Betfair Chase winner LOSTINTRANSLATION had once been considered Gold Cup class, SAMCRO had looked to be potentially unbeatable in his novice hurdle campaign 2017-18 culminating in victory in the Balllymore at the Festival. Things hadn't quite worked out as expected although he had won a valuable novice chase at the 2020 Festival. MIGHTY THUNDER had won the Scottish Grand National and FREEWHEELIN DYLAN had caused a shock at 150-1 when lifting last years Irish Grand National. The Emma Lavelle trained ECLAIR SURF had faced a very anxious wait to get into the race only just scraping in at the last minute. He seemed tailor made for the race having won the Warwick National and finished runner up at the Eider Chase at Newcastle. One story would be a win for Aintrees most successful jockey Sam Waley-Cohen who after the Foxhunters Chase on the first day of the meeting had announced that his ride on NOBLE YEATS would be his last. A novice having only his eighth start over fences he didn't look a National type when he finished unplaced in the Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham on his last start. And seven year olds hadn't won the National since 1940. If you liked a story though 50-1 seemed very tempting.
Aintree debutants
Agusta Gold*, Brahma Bull*, Coko Beach, Commodore*, Death Duty*, Deise Aba*, Delta Work, De Rasher Counter, Eclair Surf*, Enjoy D'Allen, Escaria Ten*, Fiddlerontheroof*, Fortescue, Freewheelin Dylan*, Good Boy Bobby*, Kildisart*, Longhouse Poet, Lostintranslation*, Mighty Thunder*, Mount Ida*, Noble Yeats, Poker Party*, Romaine de Senam*, Run Wild Fred*, Samcro*, Santini*, School Boy Hours*
Winners at Aintree
Blaklion - Becher Chase 2017
Minella Times - Grand National 2021
Snow Leopardess - Becher Chase 2020
Result
1st NOBLE YEATS - Mr Sam Waley-Cohen
2nd ANY SECOND NOW - Mark Walsh
3rd DELTA WORK - Jack Kennedy
4th SANTINI - Nick Scholfield
Time : 9 mins 3.06 seconds
Distances : 2 1/4 lengths & 20 lengths
Owned by Robert Waley-Cohen
Trained by Emmet Mullins in Ireland
15 finishers, 3 fell, 9 unseated rider, 2 brought down, 11 pulled up
2 fatallities
The Class of 2022
The Class of 22
ANIBALE FLY (FR) (2010) b g Assessor (FR) - Numba Fly (FR) (Chamberlin) - Won 2NHF, 2 hurdles & 3 chases between 2015 & 2022. Twice finished in the frame in the Gold Cup and was also once placed in the National but he never looked like winning any of them. Won a big field handicap hurdle at the Punchestown Festival in 2016 when still a novice. Won twice as a novice chaser but was not aimed at the top prizes in the UK having flopped in the Kauto Star at Kempton. He won in anoher big field at Leopardstown's Christmas meeting in 2017 when he won the Paddy Power Chase which was his last victory. He stayed on in the closing stages of his two Gold Cups but was never going to trouble Native RIver or Might Bite in 2018 or Al Boum Photo in 2019. He finished fourth in the 2018 National and fifth a year later again staying on at the finish but never challenging for top honours. He lost his form after 2020, flopped in the 2021 National pulling up on the first circuit and was unluckily brought down at the thid in 2022. He was only seen out once more when pulling up at the Punchestown Festival in April 2022.
BLAKLION
BRAHMA BULL (IRE) (2011) ch g Presenting - Oligarch Society (IRE) (Moscow Society (USA)) - Won 3 NHF, hurdle and 4 chases between 2017 & 2022. Won his three bumpers and his first hurdle at Thurles befre finishing unplaced behind Samcro at the Cheltenahm Festival. He won his first chase at Tipperary added two more chases but was then off for a year. He finished unplaced in he 2021 Irish Grand National but then won in a big field at the Punchestown Festival. He didn't win again but still put in good perfrmances in handicaps, notably his third in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury. He failed to complete in his last four starts, he unseated at the cross country chase at the Festival and then pulled up in the Grand National having never got competitve. He ran one more time unseating over the Banks course at Punchestown in November 2022
CLASS CONTI (FR) (2012) b g Poliglote - Gazelle Lulu (FR) (Altayan) - Won NHF, 2 hurdles and 2 chases between 2015 & 2022. Started life in France where he won three times over hurdles at Auteuil. He moved to Ireland in April 2019 and won his first start for new connections at Tramore. He didn't win again and apart from a third place in the 2021 Theyestes Chase was generally disappointing. He finished both his Nationals amongst the backmarkers and at long odds both times. On his next start after the 2022 National he was fatally injured when he fell on the flat in a chase at the Puchestown Festival.
CLOTH CAP (IRE) (2012) b g Beneficial - Cloth Fair (IRE) (Old Vic) - Won a hurdle and 4 chases between 2017 & 2023. Only managed one win over timber but had an incredible novice chase season winning his first two starts in November 2018 and then after an absence nearly five months finished third in the Scottish National. Generally lightly raced thereafter. The following season yielded four races and no wins. Another four runs in 2020-21 but this time two wins, the Ladbrokes (formally Hennessy) Gold Cup at Newbury and the Premier Chase at Kelso. It was perhaps not surprising therefore that he stated favourite for the 2021 National. He was prominent, leading in the early stages and was still a close second when he stumbled four out an then he dropped back so quickly thathe was pulled up before the next fence. As a result of "noises" he made at Aintee he has wind surgery but when he reurned the following season he struggled to regain his form. A second Grand National and this time he started at 33-1 and pulled up before second Bechers. He finished sixth in the Becher Chase and was last seen finishing last in a Veterans Chase at Newbury in March 2023.
DEATH DUTY (IRE) (2011) b g Shantou (USA) - Midnight Gift (IRE) (Presenting - Won 2 NHF, 4 hurdles and 4 chases between 2015 & 2023. Won his maiden point and his first four starts over timber incuding a Grade One at Naas and as a result started favourite for the Albert Bartlett at the 2017 Festival. He unseated at the last when beaten. He has a similar successful start over fences winning his first three culminating wih victory in a Grade 1 event at Fairyhouse. He only won one more time and was generally disappointing. He unseated at the first Canal in 2022 and only raced a few times after that. His last start was at Puchestown in February 2023.
DINGO DOLLAR
DISCORAMA (FR) (2013) b g Saddler Maker (IRE) - Quentala (FR) (Lone Bid (FR) - Won a hurdle and a chase between 2017 & 2022. His sole success over fences came in a small race at Naas in November 20218 but he did finish second in the National Hunt Chase at the 2019 Festival. He later finished third in the 2020 Ultima Chase. Two places in two Festivals isn't bad. At Aintree he compled the course in seventh place in 2021 but only had two runs after that before he lined up at Aintee a year later Sadly injuries sustauined on the flat after the thirteenth fence left him fatally injured.
ECLAIR SURF
KILDISART
LOSTINTRANSLATION (IRE) (2012) b g - Flemensfirth (USA) - Falika (FR) (Hero's Honor) - Won a hurdle & 5 chases between 2017 & 2023. Useful novice hurdler, finished down the field at long odds in the Supreme in 2018 but only went down by half a length to Black Op in the Mersey Novices Hurdle at Aintree. Sent chasing and was never out of the first three in a busy novice campaign which saw him win a Grade 2 event a Cheltenham and he was only beaten three quarters of a length in the Scilly Isles Novice Chase and two and a quarter in the JLT Novices Chase both behind Defni Du Seuil. He then won the Mildmay Novies Chae at Aintree. He proved he was one of the best chasers in training at the time with a brilliant display of jumping beating course specialist Bristol du Mai in the 2019 Betfair Chase but he then flopped in the King George. He bounced back to form in the 2020 Cheltenham Gold Cup where he ran a blinder and was challenging Al Boum Photo at the last and was only only beaten a total of one and a half lengths in a pulsating finish back in third. Apart from a win in a small race at Ascot in November 2021 he never really hit those heights again. He pulled up in a second King George and also pulled up in the 2021 Gold Cup. He finished a distant fifteenth in the 2022 National and pulled up on his last two starts the last being at Warwick in February 2023.
MIGHTY THUNDER (2013) b g - Malinas (GER) - Cool Island (IRE) (Turtle Island (IRE)) - Won NHF, 3 hurdles and 4 chases between 2017 & 2023. Won on his debut at Perth buit took a while to get off the mark over timber winning at the ninth attempt. He ddn't go chasing until October 2020 but won thiree of his first four starts (twice at Hexham and once at Musselburgh) before finishing second in the MIdlands National. He went one better at Ayr winning the Scottish Grand National on what was only his sixth start over fences. He never showed such form again and more often than not failed to finish. He never got into the 2022 National and pulled up at second Valentines. In the 2023 Scottish National he was hampered and unseated rider. He continued riderless but later collapsed and died in his stable.
MINELLA TIMES
POKER PARTY (FR) (2012) ch g - Gentlewave (IRE) - Becquarette (FR) (Nombre Premier) - Won 2 hurdles and 3 chases between 2017 & 2022. Won the 2019 Kerry National having won a couple of chases at Naas earlier in the year. He finished fourth in the Paddy Power Chase on his next start but he only had one more start that season and when he returned for the 2021 Paddy Power he was unplaced. He then ran in a hurdle and pulled up at the cross country chase at the Festival. Then came Aintree where he pulled up having been hampered at th first Canal. He was only ten but there is no record of him running again.
SANTINI (2012) b g Milan - Tinagoodnight (FR) (Sleeping Car (FR)) - Won 3 hurdles & 3 chases between 2017 & 2022. He only raced eighteen times under rules but packed a lot in. Won his point to point and beat Clan des Obeaux in his novice hurdle in December 2017 and Black Op in his second. Started favourite for the 2018 Supreme but could only finish third but then won the Sefton Novices hurdle at Aintree despite losing a shoe. Then he went chasing, won on his debut, finished third in the Kauto Star and second in the RSA. He won his first two starts in his second season chasing before running the race of his life to nearly collar Al Boum Photo in the 2020 Gold Cup only going down by a neck. He had never been out of the first three in all his starts but that record ended when he could only finish fifth in the King George and he flopped on his second Gold Cup having made an almighty mess of the seventh fence when behind he pulled up after a circuit. He was then moved back to his original trianer Polly Gundry with talk of a possible retirement but he did have one more crack at the Gold Cup but again he disappointed and only beat one horse home. His final start was in the Grand National when he made late progress to finish fourth. He retrained as an eventer.
SCHOOL BOY HOURS (IRE) (2013) b g - Presenting - Trinity Alley (IRE) (Taipan (IRE)) - Won a hurdle and a chase between 2018 & 2022. Only raced twenty times and failed to complete in seven of them. Apart from one magnificent win in the 2021 Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown where he led in the final strides his career was pretty unremarkable. On the back of that win he started joint favourite for the Kim Muir at the Festival but threw away his chances with a blunder four out and was eventually pulled up. He made a terrible blunder at Valentines in the National and he effectively brought down 2021 hero MInella Times who cannoned into him. He was pulled up immediately. After that he refused at the last when struggling in the Irish Grand National and last raced in the Troytown Chase at Navan in November. He sadly died in training shortly afterwards.
SNOW LEOPARDESS
2023 - Corach Rambler
Leading fancies
There were two main talking points in the run up to the 2023 Grand National. First, the dominance of the Irish and the apparent lack of the home challenge. Of the smaller than usual entry of eighty five just thirty one horses were trained in the UK and by the time the final declarations came out the UK was looking at it's smallest number of runners, just thirteen. Since 2021 there had been an almost embarrassing dominance of the Irish at the major festivals and once agan it looked as if a further humiliation for the Brits on home soil was on the cards. So it was perhaps surprising that the favorite was a Brit or should I say Scot. The Lucinda Russell trained CORACH RAMBLER started favourite at the off having drifted during the week. He had won the last two runnings of the Ultima Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and his shrewd connections had not run him after November until the weights were published to preserve his position. Bearing in mind he would have been raised ten pounds after his second Ultima win he was very well handicapped as the National is of course the one race where there are no penalties. He was a quirky sort who tended to think he had won once his head hit the front so rider Derek Fox would have to time his run to perfection. Fox who was successful on Russell's first National winner in 2017 had faced a race against time to get fit having injured a shoulder in a fall at Wetherby the prevous week. He was only passed fit on the morning of the race. The only other Brit who seemed to have a winning chance was the Dan Skelton trained LE MILOS who had won the Coral Gold Cup (the old Hennessy) at Newbury in November where he had had amongst others Corach Rambler behind him. Many Clouds had won this en-route to victory in 2015 and this one seemed to tick all the right boxes. Apart from these two it was all about the Irish. Last years winner NOBLE YEATS was second in the betting at 10-1. Winning as a seven year old novice had thrown out every National trend in the book and of course he was now hiked in the weights. But he appeared to have a very good chance of winning back to back Nationals as he was a very good National winner. His season started with an unsuccessful trip to France where he had been pulled up early in a chase at Auteuil having made a bad blunder. However after his next two starts, victories in a listed race at Wexford and the Many Clouds Chase at the Becher meeting he was being touted as a potential Gold Cup contender. He did not quite live up to expectations as in both the Cotswold Chase and in the Gold Cup itself he got behind early and it was only through late challenges that he was able to make a place at all. Still fourth in a Gold Cup for a former National winner was not bad. ANY SECOND NOW an unlucky third when hampered in 2021 and runner up last year still attracted support but he was no better than he had been last year and there was a suspicion that his chance had probably come and gone. DELTA WORK had finished third last year and had added a second cross country chase win at the Festival on his last start. The grey GALLIARD DU MESNIL was a second season chaser from the powerful Willie Mullins yard who had never finished out of the first three in nine starts over fences including third place in last years Irish Grand National and he had been considered one of the Irish festival bankers when winning the National Hunt Chase on his last start. AIN'T A SHAME for the 2021 winning stable and rider had been all the rage in the week leading up to the race and was expected to start favourite until the last minute and he now shared second favoiritism at 10-1. He had failed to sparkle on his only previous start in he UK when unplaced at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival but had gone close in a couple of big field handicaps before winning comfortably at Gowran Park over two and half miles last time out. THE BIG DOG also came in for support but this one was not trained by the powerhouses of Mullins, Elliott or De Bromhead. He had won two big handicaps in the autumn, the Munster National and Troytown Chase before finishing third in the Welsh National and then had fallen when upped in class in the Irish Gold Cup. It was a very open field and if you liked your Irish staying chasers this was the race for you.
The second talking point was the re-emergence of the animal rights debate. Since 1994 the antis had mostly been confined to small protests outside the course (although in 2002 this protest had been bigger and noisier than usual). Two weeks before the race an undercover Mail on Sunday journalist had infiltrated a group called Animal Rising, an offshoot of a previous group affiliated to environemtnal groups Extinction Rebellion and the more militant Just Stop Oil. They were claiming that they would, armed with ladders and bolt croppers get onto the course before the National in an attempt to stop it. Security was heightened and there was a general sense of nervousness in the build up when.... with the horses in the paddock - they succeeded. Fortunately order was restored and the race was ony delayed by fifteen minutes but with the formalities and the parade abandonned there was a real sense of unease and anxiety as the thirty nine strong field lined up.
RANDOX GRAND NATIONAL HANDICAP CHASE (85 entries), £382,700 to the winner, £167,500 to the second, £83,800 to the third, £54,500 to the fourth, £33,400 to the fifth, £25,000 to the sixth, £16,500 to the seventh, £11,300 to the eighth, £7,000 to the ninth & £3,500 to the tenth
1 012-214 ANY SECOND NOW (IRE) 11, 11-12 (T M Walsh - Ireland) - Mark Walsh
2 1-p1134 NOBLE YEATS (IRE) 8, 11-11 (E.Mullins - Ireland) - Sean Bowen
3 4-01402 GALVIN (IRE) 9, 11-11 (G.Elliott - Ireland) - Davy Russell
4 21-31330 FURY ROAD (IRE) 9, 11-6 (G,Elliott - Ireland) - Jonjo O'Neill Jnr
5 p0-113f THE BIG DOG (IRE) 10, 11-6 (P.Fahey - Ireland) - Aiden Coleman
6 12u4-13 CAPODANNO (FR) 7, 11-5 (W P Mullins - Ireland) - Danny Mullins
7 13-1301 DELTA WORK (FR) 10, 11-4 (G.Elliott - Ireland) - Keith Donoghue
8 p1-30p0 SAM BROWN 11, 11-4 (A.Honeyball) - J J Burke
9 -242343 LIFETIME AMBITION (IRE) 8, 11-3 (Mrs J Harrington - Ireland) - Sean O'Keffe
10 11u/014 CAREFULLY SELECTED (IRE) 11, 11-1 (W p Mullins - Ireland) - M O'Sullivan
11 40-0441 COKO BEACH (FR) 8, 11-0 (G.Elliott - Ireland) - Harry Cobden
12 0-p10u1 LONGHOUSE POET 9, 11-0 (M.Brassil - Ireland) - J J Slevin
13 32-2131 GALLIARD DU MESNIL (FR) 7, 11-10 (W P Mullins - Ireland) - Paul Townend
14 233104 DARASSO (FR) 10, 10-10 (J P O'Brien - Ireland) - Luke Dempsey
15 114-112 LE MILOS 8, 10-11 (D.Skelton) - Harry Skelton
17 23p-22p THE BIG BREAKAWAY (IRE) 8, 10-10 (J.Tizzard) - Brendan Powell
18 -02f304 CAPE GENTLEMAN (IRE) 7, 10-8 (J J Hanlon - Ireland) - Jody McGarvey
19 10-33f2 ROI MAGE (FR) 11, 10-8 (P.Griffin - Ireland) - Felix de Giles
20 10-0220 DIOL KER (FR) 9, 10-8 (N.Meade - Ireland) - Kieren Buckley
21 04p03p A WAVE OF THE SEA (IRE) 7, 10-8 (J P O'Brien - Ireland) - Shane Fitzgerald
22 1121-10 MINELLA TRUMP (IRE) 9, 10-6 (D.McCain) - Theo Gillard
23 3-030f2 VANILLIER (FR) 8, 10-6 (G.Cromwell - Ireland) - Sean Flanagan
24 0-0pp12 VELVET ELVIS (IRE) 7, 10-6 (T.Gibney - Ireland) - Darragh O'Keeffe
25 220-241 AIN'T THAT A SHAME (IRE) 7, 10-6 (H de Bromhead - Ireland) - Rachael Blackmore
26 4u1-041 CORACH RAMBLER (IRE) 9, 10-5 (Lucinda Russell) - Derek Fox
27 u0-0000 ENJOY D'ALLEN (FR) 9, 10-5 (C.Murphy - Ireland) - Simon Torrens
28 2rp-023 MR INCREDIBLE (IRE) 7, 10-4 (W P Mullins - Ireland) - Brian Hayes
29 230223 MISTER COFFEY (FR) 8, 10-4 (N J Henderson) - Nico de Boinville
30 /1p0-3p CLOUDY GLEN (IRE) 10, 10-4 (Venetia Williams) - Charlie Deutsch
31 42u-300 HILL SIXTEEN 10, 10-2 (Sandy Thomson) - Ryan Mania
32 -010003 GABBYS CROSS 8, 10-2 (Henry de Bromhead - Ireland) - Peter Carberry
33 102003 RECITE A PRAYER (IRE) 8, 10-2 (W P Mullins - Ireland) - Jack Foley
34 1-02104 EVA'S OSKAR (IRE) 9, 10-2 (T.Vaughan) - Alan Johns
35 f130-11 OUR POWER (IRE) 8, 10-2 (S.Thomas) - Sam Twiston-Davies
36 0r1p24 DUNBOYNE (IRE) 8, 10-2 (G.Elliott - Ireland) - Jack Tudor
37 20000r FRANCKY DU BERLAIS (FR) 10, 10-2 (P.Bowen) - Ben Jones
38 1u-44p0 FORTESCUE 9, 10-2 (H.Daly) - Hugh Nugent
39 p-0231p BACK ON THE LASH 9, 10-2 (M.Keighley) - Adam Wedge
40 303000 BORN BY THe SEA (IRE) 9, 10-2 (P J Gilligan - Ireland) - Philip Enright
Non Runner : 16 ESCARIA TEN - Adrian Heskin
S.P : 8-1 CORACH RAMBER, 10-1 Ain't A Shame, Galliard du Mesnil & Noble Yeats, 11-1 Delta Work, 12- 1 Le Milos, The Big Dog, 14-1 Any Second Now, Mr Incredible, 20-1 Longhouse Poet, Vanillier, 22-1 Back on the Lash, Capodanno, Galvin, 25-1 Our Power, Velvet Elvis, 28-1 Coko Beach, 33-1 Fury Road, Lifetime Ambition, Mister Coffey, Roi Mage, 40-1 The Big Breakaway, 50-1 Born by the Sea, Carefully Selected, Dunboyne, Enjoy D'Allen, Eva's Oskar, Gabbys Cross, Minella Trump, 66-1 A Wave of the Sea, Sam Brown, 80-1 Cloudy Glen, Hill Sixteen, Recite A Prayer, 100-1 Cape Gentleman, Darasso, Dial Ker, Fortescue, 125-1 Francky du Berlais
Aintree debutants
Ain't A Shame, Back on the Lash, A Wave of the Sea, Born By The Sea, Cape Gentleman*, Capodanno, Carefully Selected, Cloudy Glen, Corach Rambler, Darasso*, Diol Ker, Dunboyne, Eva's Oskar, Fury Road, Gabby's Cross, Galliard du Mesnil, Galvin, Le Milos, Minella Trump, Mr Incredible, Our Power, Roi Mage, Sam Brown, The Big Breakaway, The Big Dog*, Vanillier, Velvet Elvis
Winner at Aintree
Noble Yeats - Grand National 2022
Result
1st CORACH RAMBLER - Derek Fox
2nd VANILLIER - Sean Flanagan
3rd GAILLARD DU MESNIL - Paul Townend
4th NOBLE YEATS - Sean Bowen
Time : 9 mins 10.62 seconds
Distances : 2 1/4 lengths & 4 7 1/4 lengths
Owned by "The Ramblers"
Trained by Lucinda Russell
17 finishers, 4 fell, 11 unseated rider, 7 pulled up
1 fatallity
The Class of 23
Most of the horses who competed in the 2023 National are still in training. CAREFULLY SELECTED last raced in May 2023 but I am not certain whether he has been retired or not
CAPE GENTLEMAN (IRE) (2016) ch g - Champs Elysees - Hawaiian Heart (IRE) (Galileo (IRE)) - Won 2 hurdes and 2 chases between 2020 & 2023. Won on the flat in France and after he moved to Ireland he won the Irish Cesarewitch in October 2020. He followed that with a win in his first first hurdle at Punchestown and also picked up the Grade 2 Dovecote Hurdle at Kempton on his third start over timber. He won his first two starts over fences and also won again on the flat in August 22. He was sold in December 2022 to Americam owners and the plan was to run in the National and then send him over to the USA to race. Sadly in the National he injured a tendon approaching the fourteenth fence and he was pulled up. He needed treatment at the Liverpool equine hosital and it was announced that the injury would end his career so he went to the US to enjoy what will hopefully be a long retirment
DARASSO (2013) br g - Konig Turf (GER) - Nassara (FR) (Assessor (IRE)) - Won 7 hurdles and 5 chases between 2017 & 2023. Was a useful hurdler in France winning two listed hurdles at Auteuil in the autumn of 2017. He then won two chases at Compiegne. He moved to Ireland at the end of 2018 where he was a very useful hurdler winning a Grade 3 at Gowran Park and a Grade 2 at Navan. He continued to be campaigned in the top staying chases over the next few years, finished second in the Galway Plate in 2022 and then won the Kerry National at Listowel the following month. 100-1 seemed a ludicrously long price for this one when he lined up at Aintree and he did not get very far as in the chaos of the first two fences he was knocked out at the second fence. That was it. He is now twelve years old and has not run since so I have assumed he has been retired.
FRANCKY DU BERLAIS (FR) (2013) b g - Saint des Saints (FR) - Legende du Luy (FR) (Bonnet Rouge (FR)) - Won 3 hurdles & 7 chases between 2017 & 2024. This one was a tough cookie who fitted in a lot of racing. He was also a very dependable sort who rarely ran a bad race and twice won the valuable Summer Plate at Market Rasen in July 2021 and 2022 (a race he ran in four times). He ran four times over Cheltenhams cross country course finishing second once in December 2023. At Aintree he only ran in one National in 2023 when he he finished tailed off and only caught one home close by the finish. However he did join the 100% club as he ran over the National fences a total of five times and got round each time (two Tophams, a Grand Sefton and a Becher Chase). He also finished fifth in the 2024 Galway Plate. Sadly he suffered fatal injuries in a vetreans chase at Chepstow in October 2024. A credit to connections who was denied the retirement he so justly deserved.
HILL SIXTEEN (2013) - Court Cave (IRE) - Chasers Chic (Karinga Bay) - Won 2 chases and 2 hurdles between 2018 and 2023. Won his sole Irish point before moving to the UK. He was was never out of the first four in his novice hurdle campaign which yielded one win at Carlisle in February 2019. He won once during his novice chase campaign and was moved frm Sue Smith to Nigel Twiston Davies. Remarkably he won his first start for new connections at Ffos Las by a staggering fourty six lengths and he won a hurdle at Newbury seven days later. Then he pulled up three times on the trot and after the third one a breathing problem was identified so he had a wind operation and then was sold and for the rest if his career he was with Sandy Thomson. On his second start he nearly caught Snow Leopardess on the line in the Becher Chase. The lovely grey mare held on by a nose. This was probably his finest performance. He pulled up in the Welsh National, unseated when struggling in the Scottish National and on his next trip to Aintree he could not get closer than seventh in a big field . He needed a further wind op and after a prep race at Kelso where he finished tailed off last (he lost a shoe). He lined up in the National an outsdier at odds of 80-1. He appeared to get anxious when the race was delayed and was the last horse out of the paddock. He hit the first fence broke his neck in the fall and died instantly.
RECITE A PRAYER (IRE) (2015) b g - Recital (FR) - Old Madam (IRE) (Old Vic) - Won 3 chases between 2021 & 2023. Won a point and managed three wins in minor company but he did run well in defeat notably finishing second at the Punchestown Festival in 2022, runner up in the Kerry National later that year and third in the Cork National. He never featured in the Becher Chase finishing a distant twelfth and was amongst the backmarkers in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown. The National was to be his next start and he was an 80-1 outsider based upon those last two starts. He didn't get very far, he jumped the fence all right but another horse next to him sprawled on landing and his rider was knocked out of the saddle. Uufortunately he sustained an injury whilst running loose and fractured an eye socket which required an operaton at the Liverpool Equine Hospital. To date he has not been seen out again and I assume that he has earnt his retirement.
THE BIG DOG (IRE) (2013) b g - Mahler - Saddlers Leader (IRE) (Saddlers Hall (IRE)) - Won NHF, hurdle and 3 chases between 2017 & 2023. Very lightly raced but he won the Punchestown Grand National Trial in 2021 his first success after five chases. He only ran three times in his second season and showed very little pulling up on his first visit to the UK, the Welsh National. The following year he hit a very rich vein of form winning the Munster National at Limerick and the Troytown Chase at Navan before finishing third in a second attempt at the Welsh National. He fell when leading two out on his next start when upped in class against Gold Cup winner Galopin du Champs in the Irish Gold Cup. Then came Aintree. He was prominent on the second circuit, took second place at Valentines and was still in contention until he weakened to finish fifth only eitght and three quarter lengths behind the winner. That proved to be his sawn song as sadly in September 2023 he died from colic.