Category: Grand National

Following what was termed a ‘greenwash’ at the 2021 Cheltenham Festival, where Irish-trained horses secured a record 23-5 victory over their British-trained counterparts in the Prestbury Cup, the 2021 Grand National proved to be an equally one-sided affair. At Aintree, British-trained horses, including the favourite, Cloth Cap, comprised 22 of the 40-strong field field.

However, of those 22 runners, just three – priced at 50/1, 50/1 and 100/1 – completed the course and just one finished in the first ten horses home. Of course, victory went to Minella Times, trained by Henry de Bromhead and ridden by Rachael Blackmore, who made history by becoming the first female jockey to win the Grand National. Minella Times was followed home by stable companion Balko Des Flos, Any Second Now, trained by Ted Walsh, Burrows Saint, trained by Willie Mullins and Farclas, trained by Denise Foster, to complete an Irish 1-2-3-4-5.

The horse that fared best of the British-trained contigent was Blaklion, who had started favourite for the Grand National when a highly creditable fourth behind One For Arthur in 2017, when trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies. Nowadays a doughty 12-year-old, in the charge of Dan Skelton, Blaklion was sent off at 50/1, but ran perfectly respectfully, weakening from the final fence to finish sixth, 37 lengths behind the winner.

The 2022 Grand National is scheduled for 5.15pm on Saturday, April 9 and, as usual, the weights for the celebrated steeplechase will not be revealed until mid-February. However, at the time of writing, it is no surprise to see the 2021 winner, Minella Times, disputing favouritism.

Sent off 11/1 fourth-favourite last year, Minella Times put in a flawless round of jumping to beat stable companion Balko Des Flos by 6½ lengths and, in so doing, made Rachael Blackmore the first female jockey to win the Grand National. Of course, the handicapper will have his say but, at the time of writing, the 8-year-old is a top-priced 20/1 joint-favourite to repeat his Aintree triumph.

At this early stage, the other 20/1 joint-favourite is Any Second Now who, like Minella Times, is owned by J.P. McManus and carried his first colours in the 2021 Grand National. Indeed, he was sent off 15/2 second favourite, behind only the well-handicapped Cloth Cap, last year. He was badly hampered by a faller on the first circuit but, ultimately, the concession of 6lb to Minella Times proved beyond him and he had to settle for third, beaten 8¼ lengths. Again, much depends on how the handicapper reacts, but he has a touch of class and deserves his position at the head of the ante-post market for the 2022 Grand National.

Verifying exactly which horse has won the Grand National by the widest margin is not as a straightforward as it might appear. The ‘length’ has been the standard measure of winning distances since time immemorial but, in modern horse racing, distances are determined by reference to a computerised lengths-per-second (LPS) table, which takes into account the prevailing going and other variables. Nowadays, racecourse judges can record meaningful distances up to, and including, 200 lengths.

However, until just over a decade ago, any distance beyond 30 lengths was simply recorded as ‘a distance’. As far as the Grand National is concerned, six horses – Cloister (1893), Covertcoat (1913), Shaun Splash (1921), Tipperary Tim (1928), Mr What (1958) and Red Marauder (2001) – are credited with having won by a distance. Several reputable sources state that Cloister, who was also the first horse to defy 12st 7lb in the Grand National, won by 40 lengths and therefore holds the record for the widest margin win in history. However, none of them reveal how the figure of 40 lengths was arrived at.

Certainly, the most attritional renewal of the Grand National in recent times occurred in 2001. On nigh on bottomless ground, Red Marauder beat Smarty – who was the only other horse to complete the National Course unscathed – by a distance, with a further distance back to the remounted pair Blowing Wind and Papillon, who were also separated by a distance.