Grand National Winners

Past and Present Winners of the Aintree Grand National

June 2026

Horses

Neptune Collonges

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Run on April 14, 2012, on going officially described as good, good to soft in places, the 2012 Grand National was notable for producing the closest finish in history. The 8/1 joint-favourite, Seabass, ridden by Katie Walsh, led over the final fence, but was headed by Sunnyhillboy, ridden by Richie McLernon, halfway up the run-in. However, in what was described as a “head-bobbing, pulsating finish”, Neptune Collonges, ridden by Daryl Jacob, bore down on the leader in the final hundred yards and stayed on to lead in the final stride and win by the minimum possible margin, a nose. Seabass could find no extra, but still finish third, five lengths away and, in so doing, achieved what was, at the time, the best-ever result for a female jockey in the Grand National.

Despite further safety changes, following the deaths of Ornais and Dooneys Gate during the 2011 Grand National, the result of the 2012 Grand National was, once again, overshadowed by fatal injuries to two horses. The Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Synchronised, fell at Becher’s Brook on the first circuit and fractured a leg when running loose, while According To Pete did likewise when brought down at the same fence on the second circuit.

Owned by the late John Hales and trained by Paul Nicholls, for whom he was a first Grand National winner, Neptune Collonges had contested the Cheltenham Gold Cup four times in his younger years. He achieved his best placing in the ‘Blue Riband’ event in 2008, as a seven-year-old, when a rallying third behind stable companions Denman and Kauto Star, beaten seven lengths and a short-head. By the time of his Aintree triumph, he was an 11-year-old, rated 17lb below his peak, but had only been beaten a head, off a 2lb higher mark, in the Grand National Trial at Haydock on his previous start so, despite his 33/1 starting price, was perfectly entitled to run well. In fact, he became just the third grey to win the Grand National after The Lamb (1868 and 1871) and Nicolaus Silver (1961).

Horses

Ballabriggs

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Run on April 9, 2011, on going officially described as good, good to soft in places, the 2011 Grand National was an eventual renewal, overshadowed by fatal injuries to two horses, which led to the bypassing of two fences, including Becher’s Brook, on the second circuit. Ultimately, 19 of the 40 starters completed the course and were led home by 14/1 chance Ballabriggs, in a time of 9:01.2, significantly slower than the course record of 8:47.8, set by Mr. Frisk on firm going in 1990, but nevertheless the second-fastest winning time in history.

Owned by the late Trevor Hemmings, trained by Donald McCain Jnr. and ridden by Jason Maguire, Ballabriggs was on, or close to, the pace throughout and, despite a blunder at Valentine’s Brook on the second circuit, regained the lead at the next fence and was never headed thereafter. That said, four other horses, Oscar Time, Niche Market, Big Fella Thanks and the 2010 winner, Don’t Push It, remained in serious contention approaching the second last. Ballabriggs jumped the final fence with a two-length lead and, although Oscar Time, ridden by leading amateur Sam Whaley-Cohen, reached his quarters halfway up the run-in, he found extra in the closing stages and drew away again to win by two-and-a-quarter lengths. Don’t Push It stayed on to finish a modest third, a further 12 lengths away, while State Of Play, who had been only seventh jumping the final fence, stayed on relentlessly to finish fourth, two lengths further back.

In saddling Ballabriggs to victory in the world-famous steeplechase, McCain Jnr. followed in the footsteps of his father, Donald ‘Ginger’ McCain, who saddled the legendary Red Rum to an unprecedented hat-trick in 1973, 1974 and 1977, plus Amberleigh House in 2004. Winning connections collected the lion’s share of the record £950,000 prize money awarded for what was, at the time, the most valuable National Hunt race in the country. Winning jockey Maguire told the BBC, “This is crazy. I’ve got to thank Donald [McCain], Mr. Hemmings, my mother and father, everybody. It’s a dream come true.”

General

Silver Birch

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Run on good going on April 14, 2007, the 2007 Grand National featutred a maximum 40 runners, including the winners from the past two years, Hedgehunter, trained by Willie Mullins, and Numbersixvalverde, trained by Martin Brassil. Co-favourites at the ‘off’ were Point Barrow, who fell at the very first fence, Monkerhostin, who refused at the seventh fence, ‘Foinavon’, on the first circuit, and Joe’s Edge, who was pulled up lame when well behind on the second.

In the absence of the market leaders, 16 horses were still standing turning for home, with at least half of them still in serious contention. Slim Pickings, ridden by Barry Geraghty, led over the second last, but was joined, and passed, at the final fence by Silver Birch, ridden by Robbie Power. Silver Birch took a clear lead, but approaching the famous ‘Elbow’, halfway up the run-in, Geraghty conjured a renewed effort from Slim Pickings, while Tom O’Brien produced his mount, McKelvey, with a withering run on the wide outside. The latter, who finished lame, was arguably unlucky, but Silver Birch passed the post three-quarters of a length to the good, with Slim Pickings a further length-and-a-quarter away in third place and 100/1 outsider Philson Run 15 lengths back in fourth.

Silver Birch had won the Becher Chase, over the Grand National fences, and the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow in 2004, as a seven-year-old, when trained by Paul Nicholls. However, the Clearly Bust gelding arrived at Aintree winless in nine starts, including four since joining Gordon Elliott in Longwood, County Meath the previous December. He finished a creditable second in the Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, but was sent off a largely unconsidered 33/1 chance for his second attempt in the Grand National. Nevertheless, he was a memorable winner for Elliott, who was still in his first season as a licensed trainer and had yet to saddle a winner in his native Ireland. Reflecting on his subsequent rise through the ranks, Elliott said, “I didn’t get one horse out of training Silver Birch. I got my name out after that, but I had to prove I could go and train winners.”

Horses

Comply Or Die

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On April 5, 2008, a maximum field of 40 runners went to post for the Grand National. Joint-favourites at the ‘off’ were Cloudy Lane, trained by Donald McCain and carrying the famous green, yellow and white silks of the late Trevor Hemmings, and Comply Or Die, trained by David Pipe and carrying the equally famous blue, green and white silks of the late David Johnson. The pair had finished first and second in the Tommy Whittle Chase at Haydock the previous December and, at Aintree, Comply Or Die was 4lb better off for the two-and-a-half lengths he was beaten on that occasion.

Since Haydock, Cloudy Lane had gone on to complete a hat-tirck, in the Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster, while Comply Or Die had won the Eider Chase at Newcastle on his only subsequent start, so both market leaders arrived at Aintree at the top of their form. In an eventful renewal, overshadowed by the death of the 2007 runner-up McKelvey, who unseated jockey Tom O’Brien early on the second circuit and was fatally injured while running loose, just 15 of the 40 starters completed the course.

Ridden by Jason Maguire, Cloudy Lane was asked for an effort three fences from home, where he made a mistake, and thereafter weakened to finish a distant sixth. Comply Or Die, meanwhile, led going well two out and, once shaken up by jockey Timmy Muphy, forged clear on the run-in to put four lengths between himself and his nearest pursuer, King Johns Castle, with Snowy Morning a close third, a further length-and-a-half away, with 16 lengths back to the fourth horse home, Slim Pickings.

Comply Or Die ran in the next three Grand Nationals. In 2009, off a 15lb higher mark, he finished 12-length runner-up to 100/1 outsider Mon Mome, in 2010, he finished a distant twelfth behind Don’t Push It and, in 2011, was tailed off when pulled up two out behind Ballabriggs. He was retired immediately afterward, with Pipe saying, “He’s been great for Pond House, for me and for David Johnson and his family and everyone involved with him.”