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2021 - Minella Times

Minella Times.jpg

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

2022 - Noble Yeats

Noble_Yeats-9.4.22-69.jpg

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. 

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

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

2023 - Corach Rambler

Corach Rambler.webp

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

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