Rule The World

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.

One For Arthur

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.”

Ridden by Derek Fox, One For Arthur travelled and jumped well throughout and, despite jumping left over the last two fences, stayed on strongly in the closing stages to beat Glenfarclas Chase winner Cause Of Causes by 4½ lengths. Sadly, following that dominant performance, he suffered a tendon injury that kept him off the course for a year and eight months and he was never quite the same horse again. On his return to action, he unseated rider on his first two starts of the 2018/19 season, prior to finishing sixth, beaten 25½ lengths, behind Tiger Roll in the 2019 Grand National.

Having failed to trouble the judge in three starts in 2019/20 – and having been found to have a fibrillating heart when pulled up in the Grand National Trial at Haydock Park – One For Arthur was finally retired from racing in November 2020 at the age of 11. A winning pointer as a four-year-old, he won seven of his 27 races under Rules for Lucinda Russell, including four of his 18 steeplechases, and amassed nearly £675,000 in prize money. He died from colic in March 2023 at the age of 14. Paying tribute to her former charge, Russell said, “He was the springboard for our yard. He was a phenomenal athlete and it was fantastic to be involved with a horse who had such talent.”

Mon Mome

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.

It also concluded some unfinished business at Aintree for his trainer, Venetia Williams, who was knocked unconscious when her one and only ride in the Grand National, 200/1 outsider Marcolo, fell at Becher’s Brook on the first circuit in 1988. Twenty-one years after that unfortunate mishap, Williams became just the second woman, after Jenny Pitman, to saddle a Grand National winner.

Ridden by the late Liam Treadwell, who was making his debut in the National, Mon Mome was held up towards the rear of the field for much of the first circuit, but made headway passing the stands. In the closing stages, he tackled Comply Or Die, from whom he was receiving 6lb, soon after the last fence and forged clear on the run-in. Comply Or Die, while unable to quicken with the winner, held on for second place, with My Will in third and State Of Play in fourth.

Having previously finished tenth behind Comply Or Die in 2008, Mon Mome would run in the Grand National twice more, falling at the fence after Valentine’ Brook on the second circuit behind Don’t Push It in 2010 and pulling up after Becher’s Brook on the second circuit behind Neptune Collonges in 2012. He was retired from racing the following April having never won again.

Minella Times

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.

A winner at Listowel earlier in the season and subsequently second in two valuable handicap chases at Leopardstown, Minella Times headed to Aintree at the top of his game and was consequently sent off at 11/1 third-favourite, behind Cloth Cap and Any Second Now, to win the Grand National at his first attempt. He enjoyed a trouble-free passage throughout the race, taking a narrow lead on the turn for home, extending that lead to 2 lengths at the final fence and further still on the run-in, eventually coming home 6½ lengths of his stable companion Balko Des Flos, who belied odds of 100/1 to give his trainer a memorable 1-2 in the race. An ecstatic Blackmore said afterwards, “I feel so incredibly lucky. It is unbelievable, I’m just so thrilled.”

Minella Times never won again and, in fact, failed to complete the course in five of his last szie starts. He was sent off at 9/1 second-favourite for the 2022 Grand National, but was badly hampered and brought down at Valentine’s Brook on the first circuit. Despite being pulled up on both starts in 2022/23, he was being trained for the 2023 Grand National, but suffered a setback in his preparation and connections opted to retire him instead. Reflecting on his earlier triumph, Henry de Bromhead said, “The day he won the Grand National was magic. It’s up there with one of our best ever days in racing and one we’ll never forget.”

Foinavon

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.

To put matters in perspective, so unfancied was Foinavon that neither Kempton nor his owner, Cyril Watkins, were at Aintree on April 8, 1967 to witness his memorable victory. Ironically, the fence now known as Foinavon, which is jumped as the seventh and twenty-third obstacle during the Grand National, is one of the smallest on the course, at a height of just 4’6″. Nevertheless, on the second circuit in 1967 it was the site of a dramatic pile-up caused, in the first instance, by the riderless Popham Down, who ran down the fence and brought the majority of the field to a standstill.

Racing from some way off the pace, in the hands of the unheralded John Buckingham, Foinavon was the only horse to jump the fence cleanly at the first attempt and, to the astonishment of comnentator Michael O’Hehir, established a clear lead, “about 50, 100 yards in front of everything else!” At the next fence, the Canal Turn, Foinavon was still 30 lengths or so clear, and while his advantage dwindled over the final half a dozen fences, he still passed the post 15 lengths ahead of his nearest rival, the favourite Honey End, who had been remounted by his jockey, Josh Gifford.