A major fixture on any racing fan’s calendar, the Grand National is held annually at Aintree racecourse, near Liverpool. It first took place in 1839 and has become part of British culture; often referred to as the ‘ultimate test of horse and rider’ due to the distance and the large fences, many of which have become famous in their own right, such as Becher’s Brook. An estimated 500 – 600 million people watch it, in over 140 countries.
As we’re heading towards this year’s Grand National, on Saturday April 13th, we thought we’d take a look at some of the most recent winners of this prestigious event and learn a few interesting facts.
2023 – Corach Rambler
- Age – 9
- Weight – 10-5
- Trainer – Lucinda Russell
- Jockey – Derek Fox
- Interesting fact: Corach Rambler’s jockey had an injured shoulder and had only been cleared to ride the day before.
2022- Noble Yeats
- Age – 7
- Weight- 10-10
- Trainer – Emmet Mullins
- Jockey – Sam Waley-Cohen
- Interesting fact: Noble Yeats was the first horse aged 7 to win the Grand National, and it was his jockey’s last race before he retired.
2021 – Minella Times
- Age – 8
- Weight – 10-03
- Trainer – Henry De Bromhead
- Jockey – Rachael Blackmore
- Interesting fact: Minella Times was the first horse to win that was ridden by a female jockey.
2020 – The event was cancelled this year due to the Covid 19 pandemic.
2019 – Tiger Roll
- Age – 9
- Weight – 11-5
- Trainer – Gordon Elliott
- Jockey – Davy Russell
- Interesting fact: Tiger Roll was the first horse to win back-to-back Grand Nationals since Red Rum in 1974.
2018 – Tiger Roll
- Age – 9
- Weight – 10-13
- Trainer – Gordon Elliott
- Jockey – Davy Russell
2017 – One For Arthur
- Age – 8
- Weight – 10-11
- Trainer – Lucinda Russell
- Jockey – Derek Fox
- Interesting fact: One For Arthur was only the second Scottish-trained Grand National winner.
2016 – Rule The World
- Age – 9
- Weight – 10-07
- Trainer – Mouse Morris
- Jockey – David Mullins
- Interesting fact: Rule The World won the Grand National at the end of his career; he only ran once after his win so we never got the chance to see if he could win again.
2015 – Many Clouds
- Age – 8
- Weight – 11-09
- Trainer – Oliver Sherwood
- Jockey – Leighton Aspell
- Interesting fact: His winning time of 8 minutes 56.8 seconds was the second fastest in the Grand National’s history.
2014 – Pineau De Re
- Age – 11
- Weight – 10-06
- Trainer – Dr Richard Newland
- Jockey – Leighton Aspell
- Interesting fact: Pineau De Re was the 6th French-bred winner of the Grand National.
Interesting Grand National Facts
- The Grand National with the most horses racing was in 1929, with 66 horses taking part.
- The fastest time was Mr. Frisk in 1990 with 8 minutes 47.8 seconds.
- The slowest horse was Lottery in the first Grand National race in 1839, with 14 minutes and 53 seconds.
- The most successful Grand National horse was Red Rum, who won three times.
- The most successful jockey was George Stevens who rode 5 winning horses, his last win was in 1870.
- The first female jockey to take part was Charlotte Brew in 1977.
- The most memorable win was in 1967 when Foinavon won with 100-1 odds. It’s said that the chances of him winning were so slim, his trainer and owner didn’t even turn up to watch the race.
- In 1993 the race was declared void after 30 out of 39 riders completed the race not realising there had been a false start.
- Each year it’s estimated that approximately 250,000 pints of beer, 38,000 shots and 5000 cocktails are drunk at the Grand National.
- The race is 4 miles long, with 30 fences over two laps.
- 150 tonnes of spruce branches from the Lake District are used to make up the fences.
There’s no denying that even if you’re not usually a horse racing fan, the Grand National really does capture the nation’s interest. With £1 million at stake, it’s a testament to how much money is involved in horse racing, and you can read about some of the world’s most expensive horses in our blog.
Whilst we may not be able to insure a Grand National winner, if you’re lucky enough to own your own horse, then you’ll know that costs can soon add up, especially if they need veterinary care, and this is where horse insurance can bring some peace of mind as veterinary care, transportation, and public liability are just a few of the optional benefits on offer, you can even just have horse rider only insurance.
Whether you’re a rider or an owner, a newbie or a pro, you can bet you’ll find the right policy for you. Give us a call or check out our website and get a free, no-strings quote that will put you on the home straight.
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