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).