Category: Grand National

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.

How many rides has Rachael Blackmore had in the Grand National?

Formerly a successful amateur jockey, Rachael Blackmore turned professional in 2015 and, in 2017, became Irish Champion Conditional Jockey. The following year she had her first ride in the Grand National, parting company with her mount, Alpha Des Obeax, trained by Michael ‘Mouse’ Morris, at The Chair, the penultimate fence of the first circuit. In 2019, she completed the Grand National Course for the first time, finishing tenth of 19 finishers, beaten 33¼ lengths, on Valseur Lido, trained by Henry De Bromhead.

Of course, the 2020 Grand National was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but Blackmore was back at Aintree in 2021, aboard Minella Times. Fresh from becoming the first female jockey to win the Ruby Walsh Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival, Blackmore made steady headway on the 11/1 chance from early on the second circuit and took a narrow lead on the turn for home. The rest, as they say, is history. Having held a definite advantage over the final fence, Minella Times stayed on to beat stable companion Balko Des Flos by 6½ lengths, thereby making Blackmore the first female jockey to win the Grand National, on just her third attempt. Readers might like to spare a thought for the recently-retired Richard Johnson, who rode in the Grand National 21 times between 1997 and 2019 and never finished better than second.

How many horses with colours in their names have won the Grand National?

The Grand National may be less of a lottery than was once the case, but many once-a-year punters still rely on horses with significant or topical names, rather than the formbook, in their search for a winner. In many parts of the world, colours such as gold, silver and red are commonly associated with good fortune, wealth and prosperity, so it is no surprise that many racehorses have one or other of these colours in their names. As far as the Grand National is concerned, in 173 runnings so far, a total of 10 colourfully-named horses have graced the hallowed winners’ enclosure at Aintree.

‘Red’ has been far and away the most successful colour, with five winners, including the most successful National horse of all time, Red Rum, in 1973, 1974 and 1977. The other ‘Red’ winners were Red Alligator in 1968 and Red Marauder in 2001. ‘Silver’ is next best with three winners, namely Ascetic’s Silver in 1906, Nicolaus Silver in 1961 and Silver Birch in 2007. ‘Gold’ makes just one appearance on the roll of honour, but the 1934 winner Golden Miller remains the only horse in history to have won the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand National in the same season. Interestingly, the only Grand National winner with a colour other than red, silver or gold in its name was Royal Tan who, in 1954, was the second of three consecutive winners for Vincent O’Brien.

How many jockeys have recorded back-to-back victories in the Grand National?

In 2021, Rachael Blackmore made history by becoming the first female jockey to win the Grand National and, although currently sidelined with injury, may well attempt to become the first female jockey to record back-to-back victories in 2022. In the history of the Grand National, which dates back to 1839, nine of her male counterparts have already done so and one of them, George Stevens – the most successful jockey in the history of the Grand National – actually did so twice.

The first jockey to win the Grand National in consecutive years was Tom Olliver on Gaylad in 1842 and Vanguard in 1843. He was followed by Stevens, on Emblem in 1863 and 1864 and, again, on The Colonel in 1868 and 1869. ‘Gentleman’ riders John Richardson and Tommy Beasley won on Disturbance and Reigny in 1873 and 1874 and Empress and Woodcock in 1880 and 1881, respectively, as did Ted Wilson on Voluptuary in 1884 and Roquefort in 1885.

Bryan Marshall, who rode Early Mist in 1953 and Royal Tan in 1954, was the next back-to-back winner, followed by Brian Fletcher on Red Rum in 1973 and 1974 and Leighton Aspell on Pineau De Re in 2014 and Many Clouds in 2015. The most recent back-to-back winner was Davy Russell, who rode Tiger Roll in both 2018 and 2019.

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