Did you know, since 2005 to 2024 there have been 6 favourites or joint favourites win the Aintree Grand National? That’s 19 races won and lost, not forgetting the cancellation of the 2020 race which didn’t take place because of the Covid 19 pandemic.
The winning favourites included:
2005 – Hedgehunter, trained by Willie Mullins (71/f)
2008 – Comply Or Die, trained by David Pipe (7/1jf)
2010 – Don’t Push It, trained by Jonjo O’Neill (10/1jf)
2019 – Tiger Roll, trained by Gordon Elliott (4/1f)
2023 – Corach Rambler, trained by Lucinda Russell (8/1f)
2024 – I Am Maximus, trained by Willie Mullins (7/1jf)
For all those punters who see this as a shift to the jolly, the last 20-years have seen a few giant-priced winners.
2009 – Mon Mome 100/1
2013 – Auroras Encore 66/1
2022 – Noble Yeats 50/1
Lucinda Russell is no stranger to winning. The Grand National didn’t escaped her Midas Touch for a second time (she won with One For Arthur in 2017) when tasting victory on the 15th April 2023. For those Aintree Grand National boffins, it was the 175th running of the most famous horse race in the world.
Corach Ramber, a son of Jeremy out of a dam named Heart And Hope, was purchased for the bargain price of just £17,000 by Michael Scudamore when a 6-year-old bay gelding going through the sales ring at Gofs UK Sale PTP (Point-To-Point) at Yorton Farm. His racing career had an inauspicious start when trained by John Martin Walsh as he was pulled up at Lisronagh, Ireland. In fact, this bay gelding was something of a late starter only making his debut at the age of five.
However, after four Irish point-to-point races, in the ownership of the Forge Syndicate, he tasted victory at Monksgrange in a 6yo+ Maiden over 3m on good going, keeping on strongly to win by two and a half lengths.
Less than two months later (27th Sept – 12th Nov, 2020) he was purchased for £17,000 and in the ownership of The Ramblers, in training with Lucinda Russell at Arlary House Stables, Milnathort, Kinross.
The Scottish trainer wasted little time with Corach Rambler heading to Ayr on the 18th January 2021. He won a 5-runner Novices’ Hurdle over 3m 1/2f on Heavy going by 3-lenghts at the odds of 14/1.
This was the start to a great partnership with jockey Derek Fox.
Corach Rambler proved to be a progressive horse winning:
27th September 2020 – Moksgrange (IRE) PTP
18th January 2021 – Ayr 14/1
11th March 2021 – Carlsile 12/1
24th October 2021 – Aintree 5/2
10th December 2021 – Cheltenham 2/1
15th March 2022 – Cheltneham 10/1
14th March 2023 – Chelthenham 6/1
15th April 2023 – Grand National 8/1
His partnership with Lucinda Russell, Derek Fox & The Ramblers was coming together nicely with a battling head success at Cheltenham and the focus on the Aintree Grand National, Liverpool just one month later (15th April 2023).
There had been much uncertainty leading up to the big day. Derek Fox had a whip ban delayed so he could ride in the Grand National.
The gelding was priced 8/1f (backed from 10/1). He led at the final fence going clear but idled in front but did enough to win by 2 ¼ lengths, from Vanillier 20/1, trained by Gavin Cromwell, with Gaillard Du Mesnil 10/1, trained by Willie Mullins in third. Nobel Yeats (2022 Grand National Winner) showed his class with a sterling fourth place.
Winning jockey, Derek Fox, said: ‘’Corach Rambler is just a phenomenal horse, he’s been so lucky for me. He normally gets held up a wee bit, today he just jumped out and travelled everywhere, so I just let him bowl away. He’s electric to jump, he’s the cleverest horse, he is so intelligent. My only concern would be if he was in front for a long time. But he won so easy, all I do is do the steering.’’
There were high hopes Corach Rambler would make a bold show in the 2024 Grand National. He returned to take 3rd place in the Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase at odds of 14/1. His owners stating: ‘His Gold Cup third shows he’s not just a handicapper!’
That was an impressive display.
Next stop – Grand National 2024
Corach Rambler (15/2) had no luck when stumbling and unseating his rider at the 1st fence. The well-backed I Am Maximus, trained by Willie Mullins in the familiar silks of J P McManus won in some style.
Bookmakers detailing the unseating of jockey Derek Fox saved them an estimated £5M.
On the 1st May Corach Rambler headed to the Punchestown Gold Cup where the 18/1 shot didn’t jump with fluency, never going well, and pulled up before two out.
The Ramblers had to make the decision to race or not to race? They found the right answer to the question and the gelding was retired at the age of ten.
Lucinda Russell said: ‘He is a horse of a lifetime.’
‘We owe him so much.’
A winner of seven of his eighteen start, he won £776,459 in total earnings. Beyond his point-to-point career he was partnered by Derek Fox on every start.