Grand National News

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.

Taking place at Aintree Racecourse on April 9 2011, the 2011 Grand National was the 164th Grand National event. The price money this year totalled £950,000 – an impressive figure when compared to previous years.

This unprecedentedly monetary reward was praised as the largest amount ever given in a steeplechase event and remains so to this day!

This year 19 horses completed the course, measuring a 4 1/2 mile stretch. Many falls happened on the first circuit. Despite the chaotic nature of the race, Ballabriggs outmaneuvered all to give Donald McCain, Jr. his first Grand National win as a trainer, while Jason Maguire came out as the winning jockey onboard. In fact, the Irish-trained Ballabriggs had been coached by Donald father – Ginger McCain – who had clinched a total of 4 victories in similar events.

Owned by Trevor Hemmings, the gallant winner collected a total of £535,135 – a lofty sum outshining anything that had come before it. At the same time, Jason Maguire posted the second-fastest time of 9 minutes and 1.2 seconds. Success upon success!

The winning Ballabriggs/Maguire pair had been a 14/1 shot whose striking performance caught many by surprise. The second and the third places were clinched by Oscar Time/Sam Waley-Cohen(£201,590) and Don’t Push It/Tony McCoy(£100,890).