The Grand National is easily the most recognisable horse race in the world and remains a British sporting institution, with Aintree Legends transcending the sport of horse racing.
Aintree Heroes: 5 Horses to Thrive over The National Fences
The National attracts both racing aficionados and once-a-year punters in equal measure and is routinely a must-watch event. There have been plenty of modern changes to the race but Aintree’s National fences still hold an allure like nothing else. Here we pick out five horses that loved jumping the Grand National fences on Merseyside.
Aintree Heroes: Red Rum
The original Aintree legend, Red Rum won the Grand National three times for iconic trainer Ginger McCain in the 1970s, scoring in 1973, 1974 and 1977, while in between those, he was second behind L’Escargot in 1975 and behind Rag Trade in 1976.
That is unlikely to be matched, posting form figures of 11221 in five successive renewals of what was, in those days, an incredibly rough jumping test.
With 30 fences to clear in the National, Red Rum’s record meant he jumped the Aintree obstacles 150 times in the great race and never came down – a remarkable feat.
Aintree Heroes: Tiger Roll
After Red Rum in 1973/74, no horse would win successive Grand Nationals until Tiger Roll appeared on the scene to bag the 2018 and 2019 renewals. The Gigginstown House-owned star was already a winner of three races at the Cheltenham Festival, including the Cross Country in 2018, but trainer Gordon Elliott felt his enthusiasm for the game was on the wane before that Cotswolds success.
Revitalised, he went to Aintree and was 10/1 under Davy Russell but Tiger Roll took to the challenge and won in style. A year later, he did it again, this time with even more ease as the well-backed favourite. He was an incredibly popular racehorse and Tiger Roll’s association with Aintree will forever define him. Sadly his quest for an historic three-in-a-row in 2020 was denied amid the pandemic.
Aintree Heroes: Hedgehunter
Willie Mullins’ first Grand National winner was Hedgehunter in 2005, long before the Closutton trainer established himself as a behemoth of jumps racing.
Owned by Grand National-loving Trevor Hemmings, Hedgehunter had fallen in the 2004 race when weakening but Ruby Walsh took over in the saddle a year later and they stretched clear for a 14-length win from Royal Auclair.
Come 2006, sent off joint-favourite, Hedgehunter was only denied by Numbersixvalverde as he attempted to become the first repeat winner since Red Rum. He would complete two more Grand Nationals without threatening to win a second time but clearly relished the Aintree test.
Aintree Heroes: Clan Royal
One for the list that didn’t actually win a Grand National! Clan Royal did, however, win the Topham and the Becher Chase at Aintree over the famous fences, and the Jonjo O’Neill-trained runner ran in the National itself four times in the famous JP McManus colours.
His best finish was third behind Numbersixvalverde and Hedgehunter in 2006, but connections will always wonder what might have been in ’05 when AP McCoy’s partner was going strongly in the lead only to be carried out by a loose horse in agonising fashion.
Aintree Heroes: I Am Maximus
The most recent winner of the race, I Am Maximus certainly took a liking to Aintree on his maiden visit to Merseyside. Winner of an Irish Grand National as a seven-year-old, he jumped and travelled superbly for Paul Townend at Aintree and absolutely powered up the run-in to win by a widening 7½-lengths from Delta Work.
Still just eight and with only 10 career starts over fences, Willie Mullins’ inmate has a chance to establish himself as an Aintree specialist in the future.
By Jack Ogalbe
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