What’s the average number of finishers in the Grand National?

In the history of the Grand National, the lowest number of finishers, just two, was recorded in 1928, when 100/1 outsider Tipperary Tim beat the remounted Billy Barton by a distance. By contrast, the highest number of finishers, 23, was recorded in 1984, when a safety limit of 40 runners was imposed for the first time.

However, it is worth noting that the ‘modern’ Grand National has undergone several significant changes, in the name of safety, some of which may have influenced the number of finishers from year to year. The fences have been modified, the distance of the race has been reduced by half a furlong and the Grand National Course is now routinely watered to create going no faster than ‘good to soft’. Thus, any meaningful average for the number of finishers should reflect the major changes, the last of which took place in 2013.

Since then the number of finishers has been 17, 18, 19, 16, 19, 12, 19 and 15 respectively, giving an average number of 17 or thereabouts. The 2018 renewal of the Grand National, which produced the lowest number of finishers in recent history, was subject to two late withdrawals, reducing the field to 38 runners, rather than the usual 40. It was also run on heavy going, producing an attritional contest in which 12 runners were pulled up at various points on the second circuit, most of them between the fourth-last fence and the finish.

Where, and what, is the Knavesmire?

Historically, ‘Knares Myre’ and, later, ‘Knavesmire’, was the name given to one distinct portion of an area of open land, known as the Micklegate Stray, within the with the City of York, to the southwest of the city centre. Unsurprisingly, the name was derived from the sodden, waterlogged nature of the terrain but, nowadays, the Knavesmire is best known as the site of York Racecourse, a busy Grade One track, which stages some of the best Flat racing in the country. Consequently, in the horse racing world, ‘Knavesmire’ has become a byname for the racecourse.

Following major levelling and drainage work, York Racecourse staged its first meeting in 1731. In 1756, the first modern grandstand built anywhere in the world was opened on the Knavesmire. York Racecourse was originally a dual-purpose venue, patronised by the Yorkshire Union Hunt, but National Hunt racing ceased in 1885. Likewise, York Racecourse was originally horseshoe-shaped but, prior to the ‘Royal Ascot at York’ meeting in 2005, the original horseshoe was extended by three furlongs to create an oval, 15 furlongs in circumference, capable of accommodating the Gold Cup and other long distance races.

Which current jockey has won the Grand National most often?

The most successful jockey in the history of the Grand National was George Stevens, who rode five winners between 1856 and 1870. However, in the last two decades or so, the most successful jockeys in the Grand National have been Ruby Walsh, Leighton Aspell and Davy Russell, all of whom have ridden two winners apiece. Walsh won on Papillon, trained by his father, Ted, in 2000 and Hedgehunter, trained by Willie Mullins, in 2005. Aspell won back-to-back renewals in 2014 and 2015 on Pineau De Re, trained by Richard Newland, and Many Clouds, trained by Oliver Sherwood, respectively, while Davy Russell did likewise in 2018 and 2019 on Tiger Roll, trained by Gordon Elliott.

Of course, Ruby Walsh and Leighton Aspell have now retired, Walsh in May, 2019, immediately after winning the Punchestown Gold Cup, and Aspell in February, 2020, with much less fanfare, at Fontwell. Davy Russell, 42, was also urged to retire from race riding by Michael O’Leary, owner of Tiger Roll, after sustaining serious spinal injuries in a fall in the Munster National at Limerick in October, 2020. However, having missed most of the 2020/21 National Hunt season, Russell – who has been riding out for Gordon Elliott – announced in August, 2021, that he would be returning to the saddle ‘in a fortnight or so’. When he does, he will have the distinction of being the current jockey who has won the Grand National most often.

 

What happened to Cloth Cap in the 2021 Grand National?

In 2021, despite lacking experience over the Grand National fences, Cloth Cap was sent off one of the shortest-priced favourites in recent history, at 11/2. When the weights for the National were framed, in February, Cloth Cap was officially rated 148, but subsequently won the bet365 Premier Chase at Kelso with plenty in hand, earning himself a 14lb rise in the weights. However, because the Grand National is an early closing race, he could run off his ‘old’ handicap mark and carry just 10st 5lb, giving him a significant weight advantage over his rivals.

Extraordinarily well-handicapped he may have been but, having travelled well within himself for most of the way, Cloth Cap weakened quickly after stumbling at the fourth-last fence and was pulled up by jockey Tom Scudamore. Scudamore reported that Cloth Cap started ‘gurgling’ or, in other words, made a respiratory noise and connections suggested afterwards that a wind infirmity may have been the cause of his poor performance.

Of course, Cloth Cap is owned by Trevor Hemmings, who is already, jointly, the most successful owner in the history of the Grand National. Hemmings will, no doubt, be keen to record a fourth win and Cloth Cap appears to be a ‘dyed-in-the-wool’ National type, who jumps well and has stamina in abundance. Of course, he’ll have to race off his revised mark in 2022 but, at 50/1 in the ante-post market, could yet make his mark at Aintree.

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