Rule The World
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Owned by Gigginstown House Stud, under the auspices of Michael O’Leary, and trained by Michael ‘Mouse’ Morris in Fethard, Co. Tipperary, Rule The World had the distinction of winning the 2016 Grand National not only as a novice, but also as a maiden over regulation fences. That said, he had won his sole point-to-point start as Affmore as a four-year-old and five times over hurdles, as well as performing with credit in the Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle and the Stayers’ Hurdle at consecutive Cheltenham Festivals in 2013 and 2014. He had also finished second in seven of his 13 steeplechases prior to the Grand National, including the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.
In any event, Rule The World lined up at Aintree on April 9, 2016 as a largely unconsidered 33/1 chance as he attempted to become the first novice since Mr. What, 58 years earlier, to win the National. Win he did, though, and in so doing provided 19-year-old David Mullins with a dream first ride in the race. A dream first ride, that is, apart from a shuddering blunder at the open ditch, four from home, which briefly catapulted Mullins forward up the horses neck.
Nevertheless, Rule The World recovered to make headway from the third-last fence and passing the famous Elbow was one of three horses still in serious contention. Galvanised by Mullins, Rule The World came home by far the strongest of the trio and passed the past 6 lengths ahead of the joint favourite The Last Samuri with 100/1 chance Vics Canvas a weakening third, 8 lengths further behind. Rule The World ran just once more, finishing unplaced in the Grade 1 Champion Novice at Punchestown less than three weeks after his Grand National triumph and was retired from racing the following month.
Owned by Belinda McClung and Deborah Thomson – collectively known, for racing purposes, as ‘Two Golf Widows’ – and trained by Lucinda Russell in Arlay, Perth and Kinross, in eastern Scotland, One For Arthur had the distinction of being just the second horse trained north of the border, after Rubstic in 1979, to win the Grand National. Fresh from victory in the Classic Chase, over three miles and five furlongs, at Warwick in January 2017, the eight-year-old was sent off at 14/1 in the National but, in the words of his trainer, “breezed through to win a fantastic race.”
It can be argued that the bookmakers took a chance with his starting price but, in 2009, Mon Mome became the latest in a select quintet of horses to win the Grand National at odds of 100/1. Granted that he had been sent off favourite for the Welsh National at Chepstow the previous December, his victory was not perhaps as unlikely, or dramatic, as those of Tipperary Tim (1928), Gregalach (1929), Caughoo (1947) and Foinavon (1967), but his 12-length defeat of defending champion Comply Or Die nevertheless caused a massive shock.
Owned by J.P. McManus and trained by Henry de Bromhead in Knockeen, Co. Waterford, Minella Times was retired from racing in February 2023, having won four of his 24 races under National Hunt Rules and just shy of £500,000 in prize money. However, he will always be best remembered for his historic victory in the 2021 Grand National, which was worth £375,000 to the winner but, more importantly, made Rachael Blackmore the first female jockey in history to win the internationally renowned steeplechase.
Two fences on the Grand National Course bear the names of previous runners in the celebrated steeplechase. Valentine’s Brook, originally known simply as the Second Brook, was renamed after Valentine, who reputedly performed a feat of equine gymnastics to clear the fence before finishing third in the 1840 Grand National. Foinavon, on the other hand, has been so-called since 1984 and commemorates Foinavon, trained by John Kempton, who, in 1967, became arguably the most unlikely Grand National winner of all time. Indeed, at the time of writing, he remains one of just five horses in the history of the National to win at odds of 100/1.