THE WINNERS AND LOSERS IN THE GRAND NATIONAL BY NUMBERS
TIGER ROLL returns to Aintree this afternoon – two days earlier than expected.
The 11-year-old’s owners Gigginstown House Stud controversially decided to miss Saturday’s Randox Grand National with their dual winner – but running him in the Grade One Betway Bowl adds a layer of intrigue to the first day of the Aintree festival.
The Gigginstown team have been openly critical of the handicapper’s assessment of Tiger Roll’s rating for the National – the equivalent of a Grade One horse – and so he now get’s the chance to prove who was right.
Tiger Roll is now in the care of Denise Foster at Cullentra House Stables,
She said: “He’s 11 years old and it will be a big ask for him.
“He left here in good form, and we’ll just have to see what happens.
“But it’s all a bit of a question mark.”
With Davy Russell still sidelined by injury, Jack Kennedy takes the ride.
Another popular 11-year-old lines up in the race in the shape of Colin Tizzard’s 2018 Gold Cup winner Native River.
Richard Johnson was his regular rider until the four-time champion jockey announced his retirement on Saturday and so is replaced by Jonjo O’Neill jnr, above, who won the Denman Chase on Tizzard’s stable star last season.
Native River finished fourth in the Gold Cup last month and owner Garth Broom said: “It’s strange going into a race without Richard – but Jonjo has won on him, so that helps a bit.
“It’s quite an open race. On faster ground we wouldn’t have run. He can handle good ground – he won the Denman on it a couple of years ago when unfortunately he picked up a suspensory problem.
“The thing about the soft ground is that it slows the others down, while he just goes the same speed.
“He’s never been over-raced, this will be just his fourth run of the season and he’s got a good record at the Mildmay Course.”
Paul Nicholls skipped the Gold Cup with dual King George winner Clan Des Obeaux, in preference for this race, but he has been fitted with first-time cheekpieces after failing to beat stablemate Secret Investor at Newbury.
“He’s in good shape, and if the cheekpieces do the trick then he has an obvious chance,” Nicholls said.
Nicholls also runs Real Steel, not seen since pulling up in the King George.
Clondaw Castle steps up in grade for Tom George, having won a Kempton handicap last time, while Nicky Henderson runs Mister Fisher, who ran a good race in the Ryanair, until two bad mistakes forced him to be pulled up.
40
The maximum number of runners permitted in the race.
100
There have been five 100-1 National winners: Tipperrary Tim (1928), Gregalach (1929), Caughoo (1947), Foinavon (1967) and the most recent being Mon Mome (2009).
4
The number of greys to have won the race: The Lamb won it twice (1868 and 1871), Nicolaus Silver (1961) and Neptune Collonges (2012). Also the number of women trainers to have won the National: Jenny Pitman (Corbiere, 1983), Venetia Williams (Mon Mome, 2009), Sue Smith (Auroras Encore, 2013) and Lucinda Russell (One For Arthur, 2017).
13
The number of mares to have won, the last being Nickel Coin (1951).
48
The age of the oldest winning jockey – Dick Saunders, who won on Grittar in 1982.
17
The age of the youngest winning jockey – Bruce Hobbs, who rode
Battleship to victory in 1938.
21
The record for the number of rides in the race, held by recently retired four-time champion jockey Richard Johnson.
18
The record for the number of rides in the race of current jockeys, held by Tom Scudamore.
2
The smallest number of finishers, when Tipperary Tim beat the remounted Billy Barton in 1928. In 2001, in the race won by Red Marauder, only four finished, two of having to be remounted.
9
The most common age for the National winner, with 46 out of the last 172 runnings of the race.
3
The number of winning favourites during the past 12 runnings of the National – Comply Or Die (7-1 joint fav, 2008), Don’t Push It (10-1 joint-fav, 2010) and Tiger Roll (4-1 fav, 2019).
6
The number of winners during the last 12 runnings who have carried 11st or more.
22
The number of bones broken during the Grand National riding career of the Duke of Albuquerque. Also known as the Iron Duke of Aintree, he broke his vertebra on his first try in 1952, and broke his leg in 1965. He was trampled on in 1976, spending two days in a coma. He also suffered 100 fractures during his National attempts.