17:15 Aintree 10 Apr 2021
Randox Grand National Handicap Chase
Grade 3 | GBB Race | Class 1 | 7YO plus
Winner £375,000 - 40 ran
chased leaders, went 2nd after 28th (3 out), led before 29th (2 out), clear elbow, stayed on well
held up rear of mid-division, hampered 15th (chair), headway 19th, every chance 2 out, mistake last, held by winner elbow, stayed on
prominent early, chased leaders, blundered 10th, badly hampered and lost place 12th, still 9th and plenty do 3 out, headway before 2 out, disputing 2nd elbow, no impression on winner, 3rd and held final 100 yards, kept on
prominent, 2nd at the 22nd (bechers 2nd time), every chance before 2 out, hung right after last, 4th and weakening before elbow
in touch in mid-division, chasing leaders 10th, 7th and well held 29th (2 out), went 5th after 30th (last), plugged on, no impression
held up well in rear, hampered 1st, headway 18th, chasing leaders after 3 out, 6th and looking held 2 out, weakened last
rear of mid-division, headway from 12th, 4th at the 22nd (bechers 2nd time), 5th and beaten 29th (2 out), weakened after
led, clear 15th, 10 lengths ahead 23rd (foinavon 2nd time), reduced lead after 3 out, headed before 2 out, soon weakened
chased leaders, pushed along after 3 out, ridden and lost place before 29th (2 out)
chased leaders, lost place 3rd, towards rear 7th (foinavon), closed a bit 18th, modest 11th 28th (3 out), never able to get near leaders, weakened from 2 out
mid-division, hampered 11th, pecked 19th, mistake 20th and 23rd (foinavon), modest 10th 28th (3 out), no impression
towards rear, last 22nd (bechers 2nd time), always behind
chased leaders, mistake and lost place 4th, mistake 9th (valentines), headway before 17th, mistake 18th, losing place when pecked 22nd (bechers 2nd time), well behind 26th
towards rear, mistake 4th, ridden and struggling from 18th, well beaten from 25th (valentines 2nd time)
mid-division, hampered 17th, well behind from 22nd (bechers 2nd time)
chasing leaders when pecked 1st, lost some places next, blundered 7th (foinavon), mistake 9th (valentines), well beaten 19th, pulled up before 22nd (bechers 2nd time)
mid-division on inside, headway 21st, disputing 2nd when mistake 25th (valentines 2nd time), disputing 5th when blundered and unseated rider 27th (4 out)
prominent, not fluent 4th, hit 10th, losing places 16th, blundered and unseated rider 20th
mid-division on outside, struggling 15th (chair), behind when refused 21st
mid-division, hampered 4th, headway 8th (canal turn), outpaced and lost place 19th, behind 26th, pulled up before 29th (2 out)
mid-division, blundered and unseated rider 4th
in touch in mid-division, struggling 23rd (foinavon), pulled up before 26th
mid-division, struggling when not fluent 25th, pulled up before 29th (2 out)
always behind, tailing off 9th (valentines), pulled up before 13th
mid-division, hampered and lost place 4th, behind when pulled up before 17th
held up in mid-division, hampered 4th and 20th, struggling 21st, behind 26th, pulled up before 29th (2 out)
behind, jumped left at times, hampered 1st, pulled up before 21st
towards rear, soon pushed along, mistake 8th (canal turn), jumped right 14th, pulled up before 17th
prominent, not fluent 5th, lost place before 18th, behind when pulled up before 21st
mid-division, struggling from 17th, pulled up before 22nd (bechers 2nd time)
towards rear, headway when pecked 17th, struggling 26th, remote 12th 28th (3 out), pulled up before 29th (2 out)
mid-division, headway after 16th, 8th when fell 20th
prominent, pecked 26th, lost place before 27th, pulled up before 28th (3 out)
mid-division, headway 8th (canal turn), mistake and unseated rider 11th
towards rear, mistake 15th (chair), pulled up lame before 23rd (foinavon)
towards rear, behind 17th, blundered 25th (valentines), pulled up before 29th (2 out)
towards rear, mistake 9th (valentines), stopped to a standstill by the fallen Canelo, nowhere to go and brought down 15th (chair)
Betting returns
| Type | Winnings |
|---|---|
| Betfair SP | £13.50 |
| CSF | £882.65 (35, 16) |
| Tricast | £8,593.94 (35, 16, 15) |
| Win | £12.00 (35) |
| Place | £3.30 (35), £24.80 (16), £3.40 (15), £3.60 (7) |
| Swinger | £286.40 (15, 16), £18.10 (15, 35), £375.70 (16, 35) |
| Exacta | £2,053.30 (35, 16) |
| Trifecta | £35,431.20 (35, 16, 15) |
Expert Analysis
A Grand National like no other, not just in terms of its taking place behind closed doors, nor just in terms of the Irish domination (first 5 home were trained in Ireland, as were the vast majority of finishers), but, of course, in terms of Rachael Blackmore becoming the first female winning rider in the race’s near-200-year history, a magnificent pinnacle to what has been an unforgettable season for a prodigiously gifted rider.
It was a notably strongly run affair, as well, with Jett many lengths ahead of average for a leader in the race since fence modifications were made before 2013 until running out of gas crossing the Melling Road, after 3 out, the race finishing speed of 101.6% being the second-slowest (behind Many Clouds’s 2015 edition) in recent times. There were, as usual, hard-luck stories, not least for the third, but Blackmore did a typically superb job in having her mount out of trouble up the inner without getting too close to that red-hot pace.
MINELLA TIMES (156 here, 149 previously) was one of the better-handicapped horses going into this but still found a fair bit more improvement to run out a ready winner under another fine ride, prominent in the main pack and up the inner, jumping superbly on the whole, produced to lead 2 out and turning back his sole remaining challenger on the long run-in. He will presumably be trained with a repeat in this in mind, and seemed a natural on the day, though his handicap form at 21f to 24f was strong enough before this to think that he might end up contesting better races and certainly is now.
BALKO DES FLOS (158 here, 145 previously) staged a revival to clinch a one-two for master trainer Henry de Bromhead, back to about the form that saw him third to Kemboy in the Bowl on the Mildmay Course two years earlier, hampered at the Chair, but mostly out of trouble otherwise and coming from mid-to-rear to look a big danger going to 2 out, finally held in the second half of the run-in.
ANY SECOND NOW (157 here, 163 previously) deserves great credit for getting back into things and might have won this but for getting badly hampered at the 12th (had blundered two fences earlier), closing right up going to 2 out as the pace finally relented and continuing to run on until fading in the final 100 yards. He has Graded-level ability (won Grade 2 at Navan time before) at anything from 2 miles to this distance.
BURROWS SAINT (150 here, 156 previously) looked like going very close for a long way (went as short as 11/10 in running) but did not quite get home having tanked along prominent in the main pack.
FARCLAS (138 here, 149 previously) ran well for a long way but was left behind after closing going to 2 out and is probably better at shorter (last two wins were at 2 miles).
BLAKLION (133 here and previously) has had a long and distinguished career and returned to some sort of form, briefly looking as if he would play an even bigger part in the finish.
DISCORAMA (132 here, 151 previously) took to the fences well until weakening from 2 out. He had had a breathing operation since last seen.
JETT (132 here, ? previously) proved a fine sight out front, jumping well and avoiding trouble in splendid isolation much of the way, but had finally shot his bolt going to 2 out.
CABARET QUEEN (129 here, 148 previously) was close up in the main pack all the way until running out of stamina going to 2 out.
THE LONG MILE sadly broke a leg on landing at 2nd Becher’s.
CLOTH CAP (158 previously) took well to the fences, close up for a long way, but cutting out quickly and found to have a breathing problem. It is still not clear exactly what he achieved in winning at Kelso against horses who have all been beaten since.
TAKINGRISKS (150 previously) ran into plenty of traffic early on and can be forgiven this.
Video Highlights
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Replay: 17:15 Aintree 10th Apr 2021
