The 2015 Grand National is the 168th Grand National, once again held at Aintree Racecourse – on 11 April 2015. The prize money matched the previous years record breaking £1 million so there was a lot on he line for those aking part in the much anticipated race!

Entries for the race closed on 3 February 2015 with 115 eligible applications, this was then whittled down to the usual 40 places, a process that wasn’t exactly a formality due to the number of applications this time around.

The 40 jockey – horse duos were set to fight for the aforementioned £1 million and as usual it was a competitive and exciting affair. Few injuries occured and fatalities, which is always good to hear.

Riding Many Clouds – previously trained by Oliver Sherwood – Leighton Aspell registered a rare second consecutive Grand National victory. Trevor Hemmings, the owner, bagged yet another top spot, having claimed the Grand National prizes before in 2005 and 2011.

So to round up: The triumphant pair  were Many Clouds/Leighton Aspell (£561,300) who won by 1 and 3/4 lengths as a 25/1 shot favorite. Coming second was the commendably inspirited Saint Are / Paddy Brennan duo (£211,100). Finally, the third place was successfully grabbed by Monbeg Dude / Liam Tread; who also claimed a worthy reward of £105,500.

As the longtime spnsor, John Smith, moved aside, The 2014 Crabbies Grand National marked the 167th occasion the event had taken place. The internationally popular event took place, as usual, at Aintree Racecourse, this time on 5th April 2014. The race involved 40 runners who fought for this year’s unprecedented prize of £1 million. So far, this was the largest joint fund set aside for any Grand National.

The race was won by Pineau De Re, ridden by Leighton Aspell who outdistanced the second-slot champion by 5 lengths. The Leighton / Pineau De Re pairing took home  £561,300 for the win. The 25/1 victor was followed by a determined pursuer – Balthazar King – who delivered the second-biggest prize to Richard Johnson- £211,100. This 14/1 shot favorite defeated A. P. McCoy, who was riding Double Seven, by 1 and 1/4 lengths. Still, third-place scooped a prize of £105,500.

Channel 4 broadcast the race, as they had done the year previous. Channel 4 had won TV broadcast privileges after BBC bowed out in 2012, though the Beeb did sttill broadcast the race on radio (though it’s arguably not well suited o the medium!) as they had done for over 80 years straight.

The 2013 Grand National was once again staged at Aintree Racecourse in England on 6 April 2013. A prize fund totaling £975,000 (the same as the previous year) was earmarked for prize money.

The 2013 edition of this enduring spectacle was won by a 66/1 shot mount / jockey, Auroras Encore / Ryan Mania. Ryan Mania rode for the celebrated trainer names Sue Smith. The previous year’s 3rd-place 11/2 favorite pair – Katie Walsh / Seabass – unfortunately finished distant 13th place.

The eventul winners performance greatly was far more decisive than the photo finish margin of the 2012 race, with Auroras Encore winning by 9 lengths. The Ryan Mania/Auroras Encore duo took home close to £550,000 for the victory. Cappa Blue / Paul Moloney in second place collected over £200,000. They defeated third placed Teaforthree by just a length, but that spot was still worth £102,863.

Of the 40 runners who set off, 17 successfully finished the course. Thankfully no fatalities resulted in prt to tthe increase focus on safety that had come to be over the last few years.

Taking place at Aintree on 14th April 2012, the prize money for the 2012 rose from the previous year’s £950,000 to £975,000.

With a few safety measures brought in on account of two fatalities the year previous, the course was a noticeably improved and more runner-friendly. Showing plenty of racing nouse, Neptune Collonges steered ahead of its closest pursuers to hand the prize-chasing Daryl Jacob the most glorious accolade of them all.

This Grand National registered one of the closest finishes ever to a Grand National tussle. The photo finish, won by a nose, saw Sunnyhillboy come a whsiker away from pocketing the top prize of £547,267.50. Still, the second prize of £205,822.50 is hrdly something to get down about. Third-place went to the favorite – 8/1 shot, Seabass –  ridden by Katie Walsh, and scooped over £100,000.

By placing third, Katie Walsh achieved the most impressive feat ever for a female jockey in the Grand National.