NATIONAL BY NUMBERS

AHEAD of the 176th Grand National, we pick out some of the key numbers associated with the world’s most famous steeplechase:

Rachael Blackmore is the only woman to ride the winner of the race, guiding Minella Times to victory in 2021. From 42 starters, there were just two finishers in the 1928 renewal as Tipperary Tim beat the remounted Billy Barton by a distance.

Three greys have come out on top in the race. The Lamb won in 1868 and 1871 before Nicolaus Silver landed the 1961 National. The most recent was the Paul Nicholls-trained Neptune Collonges in the hands of Daryl Jacob in 2012. Only three trainers have won the race four times. Ginger McCain won with Red Rum three times and also trained Amberleigh House to glory. Fred Rimell and George Dockeray are the others. Alcibiade (1865), Regal (1876), Austerlitz (1877), Empress (1880) and Lutteur III (1909) are the youngest winners of the race as five-year-olds. Jonjo O’Neill trained Don’t Push It to win in 2010 but in eight races as a jockey he never completed the course. The least amount of runners ever to take to the start line was 10 in the 1883 edition of the race. The number of mares to win the race. Charity (1841), Miss Mowbray (1852), Anatis (1860), Jealousy (1861), Emblem (1863), Emblematic (1864), Casse Tete (1872), Empress (1880), Zoedone (1883), Frigate (1889), Shannon Lass (1902), Sheila’s Cottage (1948) and Nickel Coin (1951). It took Sir Anthony McCoy 15 goes to win the race, finally succeeding on Don’t Push It in 2010, while the oldest winner of the race is Peter Simple who won in 1853 at the age of 15. Bruce Hobbs is the youngest jockey to have won the race – on Battleship in 1938 at the age of 17. Four-time champion jockey Richard Johnson had 21 rides in the race without winning.

The most horses to cross the finishing line was 23 in the 1984 National from 40 starters with Hello Dandy winning.

There are 30 fences in the Grand National.