Breeding: b g Assessor (IRE) - Nouba Fly (FR) (Chamberlin (FR))

Breeder: Earl Baty, Mr V Baty, Mr F Lemercier

Born: May 28, 2010

Owner: J P McManus

Trainer: Tony Martin IRE

Jockey: Mark Walsh

Form: 211/1346/112P142/591F34-622

*Fourth, beaten 11 and a half lengths, in the 2018 Randox Health Grand National. His handicap rating of 164 is 5lb higher this time around, but following his second in the G1 Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup his rating has been raised to 172 and he is therefore 8lb well-in for the 2019 Randox Health Grand National.

*Made the frame in the two most recent renewals of the G1 Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup over three and a quarter miles in March, finishing third behind Native River in 2018 and a tremendous second to Al Boum Photo on March 15 this year.

*Made two starts this season prior to the Cheltenham Festival, including when chasing home Monalee in the G2 Red Mills Chase (2m 4f) at Gowran Park on February 16.

*High-class novice chaser two seasons ago, finishing second in G1 contests at Fairyhouse (2m 4f) and the Punchestown Festival (3m 1f).

*Won twice over hurdles and twice in bumpers.

 

Born: March 10, 1951 in Co Limerick, Ireland. Background: John Patrick 'J P' McManus attended the Christian Brothers School on Sexton Street, Limerick. He left his father's plant hire business at the age of 20 to become a racecourse bookmaker, but then took the less well-trodden route of gamekeeper-turned-poacher when becoming a professional punter. McManus recalls one of his first bets as being on Merryman II in the 1960 Grand National when he was just nine, but the bet that changed his life was £4 on Linden Tree in a Newmarket maiden in 1970, the horse winning at 100/8. He had another £4 on when Linden Tree wonp the Observer Gold Cup at 25/1, and £5 each-way at 33/1 for the Derby, when the horse beat all bar Mill Reef. He was dubbed "the Sundance Kid" by journalist Hugh McIlvanney after landing a number of major gambles during the 1970s. McManus has a host of business interests including dealing on the financial markets from his Geneva, Switzerland, base (since circa 1994), part-ownership of the Sandy Lane Hotel in Barbados, where he also has a house and an extensive global property portfolio. With Coolmore supremo John Magnier, he bought a 28.7% stake in Manchester United through the Cubic Expression company before subsequently selling out to US tycoon Malcolm Glazer in 2005. He was in the news shortly after that because of his stake in the pub and restaurant operator Mitchells and Butler. In 2018, The Irish Independent valued McManus as having assets of €2.1 billion. Racing interests: McManus purchased his first racehorse, Cill Dara, at the age of 26 and is the biggest Jump owner in terms of numbers in Britain and Ireland, with over 400 horses in training. He owns Jackdaws Castle, the Gloucestershire yard that Jonjo O'Neill trains from, and has invested heavily in improving facilities since purchasing the property in 2001. Mister Donovan provided him with his first Cheltenham Festival success in the 1982 Sun Alliance Novices' Hurdle and McManus has enjoyed 59 winners in total at the meeting - including five this year. He has amassed a record eight victories in the G1 Unibet Champion Hurdle - far more than any other owner. He has also won a G1 Cheltenham Gold Cup with Synchronised (2012) and three G1 Stayers' Hurdles with Baracouda (2002 & 2003) and More Of That (2014). A full 28 years after his first runner in the race, McManus finally achieved a long-held ambition when Don't Push It, trained by Jonjo O'Neill and ridden by A P McCoy, won the 2010 Grand National at Aintree He has had plenty of horses placed in the Randox Health Grand National too, as well lots of success during the Randox Health Grand National Festival. He has been British champion Jump owner 10 times - in the 2005/6, 2006/7, 2008/9, 2009/10, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2016/17 & 2017/18 seasons. He retained record-breaking 20-time champion Jump jockey A P McCoy as his main jockey from April, 2004 until the rider's retirement in April, 2015. Barry Geraghty took over that position, with McCoy having an advisory role. Frank Berry is the longstanding McManus racing manager. McManus bought Martinstown Stud, Co. Limerick, in 1982 and built a big mansion there in 2004. Other interests: McManus does a lot of work for charity, including his Pro-Am golf tournament, which takes place every five years (it will be staged next in 2020) and has raised over 140 million euros. He supports many charitable projects in Co Limerick. McManus is also a keen backgammon player and a big hurling fan. Personal life: He is married to Noreen and they have three children, John, Kieran and Sue Ann.

 

Born:  March 20, 1962 Background: Famed for his raids across the Irish Sea, Tony Martin has made his mark on the Flat as well as over Jumps. He has switched stables in Co Meath in the past year, moving to Trimblestown Stud from Arodstown Stud. Martin started in racing under the old-school regime of Clem Magnier. There followed stints with Michael Cunningham, Ted Curtin, Ted Walsh and Lambourn-based Oliver Sherwood, with whom he spent a year. He also had a spell in America before taking up training point-to-pointers. During his time with Magnier, the nickname 'Harvey' stuck with Martin. That was in the golden era of the showjumper Harvey Smith, and, because there were plenty of big tough horses around, Martin had to be as strong as Harvey Smith to ride them. Martin, an accomplished amateur rider, trained and rode the 1999 Aintree novices' hunters' chase winner Extra Stout. Big race victories as a trainer include Davids Lad's success in the 2001 Irish Grand National. Xenophon, winner of the 2003 Pierse Hurdle, provided him with his first Cheltenham Festival success in that season's Coral Cup. He has since added five more Cheltenham Festival winners to his CV, including a memorable double in 2013 with Benefficient (JLT Novices' Chase) and Ted Veale (Randox Health County Handicap Hurdle). His biggest successes on the Flat have come with She's Our Mare (1999) in the Cambridgeshire and Leg Spinner (2007) in the Cesarewitch, the "Autumn Double" at Newmarket and two of the most competitive Flat handicaps in the UK, while he has also recorded a pair of wins in the Ascot Handicap at Royal Ascot with Barba Papa (2000) and Leg Spinner (2005). Laganore provided the trainer with his first G1 Flat triumph in the 2017 Premio Lydia Tesio at Capanelle Racecourse, Italy. 

Born: March 23, 1986. Background: Mark Walsh grew up surrounded by horses in Clane, County Kildare. Although not related to Ted and Ruby, Mark's cousin David was also a successful jockey who rode Barton Bank to finish second to Mr Mulligan in the 1997 Cheltenham Gold Cup. Walsh began riding ponies and going hunting from an early age and soon progressed to race-riding on the pony circuit. He started to work for trainer and ex-Flat jockey Christy Roche when he was 15, but enjoyed his first winner for permit holder Marcus Callaghan (who was also celebrating his maiden victory) when Shrug landed a handicap hurdle at Punchestown on September 29, 2002. His only other success that season was on the Roche-trained Allofasudden, who took a handicap hurdle at the 2003 Punchestown Festival. He soon started firing in the winners, with 12 successes in 2003/04 and 19 victories the following season. But victories were harder to come by in the following three seasons as he failed to reach double figures in any of them. That changed in the 2008/09 campaign when he hit 19 winners again and enjoyed big-race success on the Tom Taaffe-trained Glenfinn Captain in the G2 Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park, and the Francis Flood-trained P'tit Fute, who won valuable handicap hurdles at Galway and Leopardstown. On his Aintree debut in 2004, Walsh partnered Puck Out to triumph in a handicap hurdle. He has established himself as one of Ireland's top Jump jockeys over the last few seasons, with the support of leading owner J P McManus, riding a career-best 75 winners in 2014/15. He has enjoyed a string of G1 triumphs, including on the Gavin Cromwell-trained and J P McManus-owned Espoir D'Allen who captured the G1 Unibet Champion Hurdle at this year's Cheltenham Festival. Walsh also landed this year's Ballymore Novices Hurdle aboard City Island for Martin Brassil. Some of his other G1 successes have come courtesy of the Jessica Harrington-trained Jezki in Punchestown's Ladbrokes World Series Hurdle in 2015, and aboard Carlingford Lough in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown in February, 2016. Walsh and the exciting Le Richebourg, trained by Joseph O'Brien, have captured two G1 races this season, the Racing Post Novice Chase and the Frank Ward Solicitors Arkle Novice Chase at Leopardstown. Walsh has ridden 63 winners (as of April 5) this term, amassing a career best €1,543,563 in prize money. Replaces Barry Geraghty, who broke a leg yesterday, on J P McManus' number one hope.

 

Breeding: b g Day Flight (GB) - Lucidrile (FR) (Beyssac (FR))

Breeder: Docteur Vet Philippe Raphael Legault

Born: March 16, 2010

Owner: Gigginstown House Stud

Trainer: Gordon Elliott IRE

Jockey: Denis O'Regan

Form: 2/O117/P116515124/45142421423-637P545

*Creditable fifth to stable companion Sire Du Berlais in the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle (3m) at the Cheltenham Festival last month on latest start.

*Largely disappointing this season, but finished third to Kemboy in the G2 Clonmel Oil Chase (2m 4f) on November 15.

*Progressive last term and culminated with a third-placed finish to Un De Sceaux in the G1 Champion Chase (2m) at Punchestown in April 2018. Chased home the same rival earlier the same month in G2 company at Fairyhouse.

*Captured two Graded prizes last season with a G2 success at Gowran Park (2m 4f, September, 2017) supplemented by a G3 win at Thurles (2m 4f, January 2018).

*Fourth in the G1 2017 Growise Champion Novice Chase at Punchestown over an extended three miles, the longest trip he has tackled in his career.

*Joined Gordon Elliott in October, 2016, winning his first two starts, including a G2 novices' chase at Punchestown.

*Began career in France with Yannick Fouin, before joining Willie Mullins.

Gigginstown House Stud, covering over 1,000 acres at Delvin near Mullingar, Co Westmeath, Ireland is the residence of Michael O'Leary, chief executive of Ryanair, Europe's largest budget airline. O'Leary was born on March 20, 1961, the second of six children, and educated at Clongowes Wood College in County Kildare before reading business studies at Trinity College Dublin. He was a tax consultant at accountants KPMG (1984-86) and became financial adviser to Tony Ryan, founder of Ryanair. He progressed to be Ryanair's deputy chief executive in 1991 and chief operating officer in 1993. He has overseen the rapid development of Ryanair since 1994 when he became chief executive, and his worth was valued at £908 million in the 2018 Sunday Times Rich List, thanks mainly to his significant shareholding in Ryanair. He has often been a controversial figure in business, thanks to outspoken opinions and a penchant for generating publicity. In March, 2019, he announced that he will step back from the day-to-day running of Ryanair to take on a more strategic and overseeing role. Racing interests: O'Leary started off with horses in training on the Flat with David Wachman and Mick Halford, but he has rapidly become a major Jump owner with a string only rivalled by fellow Irishman J P McManus. His horses run under the Gigginstown House Stud banner. He used to have many horses with Ireland's top Jump trainer, Willie Mullins, but took all 60 away in September, 2016, after a row over training fees. His team of over 250 horses in training in Ireland, is split between mainly Gordon Elliott, Henry de Bromhead, Noel Meade and Joseph O'Brien. His racing enthusiasm was boosted when one of his first horses, War Of Attrition, won the 2006 Cheltenham Gold Cup. His 27 Cheltenham Festival winners, including one this year, also feature the 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Don Cossack. O'Leary won the Randox Health Grand National in 2016 with Rule The World, trained by Mouse Morris and previously without a win over fences, and again in 2018 with Tiger Roll. O'Leary's brother Eddie, based at Lynn Lodge Stud in Mullingar, oversees the Gigginstown racing operation; the young horses are brought along at Pat Doyle's County Tipperary stables and in point-to-points. Gigginstown has had retained jockeys, notably Davy Russell and Bryan Cooper, but neither lasted in the job. However, Russell has returned to ride plenty of Gigginstown horses, including two winners at the 2018 Cheltenham Festival and Tiger Roll in the 2018 Randox Health Grand National. Gigginstown has owned three of the last four winners of the three mile, five furlong Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse, usually run two weeks before the Randox Health Grand National - Thunder And Roses (2015), Rogue Angel (2016) and General Principle (2018). O'Leary married former banker Anita (Farrell) in 2003 and they have four children.  

Born:  March 2, 1978, in Summerhill, Co Meath Background: A very successful point-to-point rider, Elliott also partnered 46 winners as an amateur under Rules. He started his racing career while still at school, working at Tony Martin's stable in County Meath. He moved to Britain, joining Martin Pipe in 1997, and learnt a lot during his spell in Somerset. His biggest victory as a rider was on board King's Road, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, in the 1998 Punchestown Champion Bumper. After commencing handling point-to-pointers, he started his main training career from Capranny Stables in Trim, Co Meath in early 2006 and bought the 78-acre Cullentra House Farm, Longwood, Co Meath, in 2011, where the facilities have been built up from scratch, with a capacity of over 200 horses, two gallops, three schooling grounds, an equine pool, a natural spa and more. The trainer has emerged over the past few seasons as the main challenger to Willie Mullins' dominance in Ireland and had a major boost when receiving the pick of 60 horses that Gigginstown House Stud removed from Mullins in September, 2016. Elliott is part of a select group of trainers to saddle a winner at both the Cheltenham Festival and Royal Ascot, having sent out Commissioned to land the Queen Alexandra Stakes at the prestigious Flat meeting in June, 2016. He also sent out Dirar to win the Ebor Handicap at York in 2010. Training Career: Elliott's first runner under Rules came at the 2006 Cheltenham Festival, when Brandon Mountain was pulled up in the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Handicap Hurdle. He continued to send runners over to the UK and enjoyed almost instant success, most notably with Arresting, who notched up four victories between May and July, 2006. Elliott's Grand National victory with Silver Birch in April, 2007 was remarkable not only because he was just 29 at the time, but also because he had yet to saddle a winner in his native country. The winners in Ireland soon followed and Elliott gained an initial G1 victory with Jessies Dream in the Drinmore Novice Chase in December, 2010, and celebrated his first Cheltenham Festival successes in 2011 with Chicago Grey in the National Hunt Chase and Carlito Brigante in the Coral Cup. His Cheltenham Festival haul now stands at 25, following three wins this year, and includes Don Cossack's victory in the 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup. He was the leading trainer at the Cheltenham Festival for the first time in March, 2017 with six successes. Elliott plundered his second leading trainer award at The Festival in 2018 following a remarkable record-equalling eight winners over the four days, emulating Willie Mullins' best - eight wins at The Festival in 2015. Elliott has finished second to Mullins in the Irish Jump trainers' championship for six consecutive seasons and is on course to do so again this term, though he set a new record for the number of winners (210) in an Irish Jump season in 2017/18, eclipsing the previous best of 193 set by Mullins. For the third season in succession, Elliott has emulated one of his mentors, Martin Pipe, as the only other Jump trainer to saddle more than 1,000 runners. First winner as a trainer - Arresting, Fugro-Technip Handicap Hurdle, Perth, June 11, 2006.

Randox Health Grand National Record - 16:  2007 SILVER BIRCH (WON); 2009 Silver Birch (FELL 22nd); 2010 Backstage (UR 20th); 2011 Backstage (10th); 2012 Tharawaat (8th), Chicago Grey (BD 5th); 2013 Tarquinius 8th, Chicago Grey (PU 30th); 2015 Cause Of Causes (8th); 2016 Ucello Conti (6th) 2017 Cause Of Causes (2nd), Roi Des Francs (18th), Ucello Conti (UR 22nd); 2018 TIGER ROLL (WON), Bless The Wings (3rd), Ucello Conti (UR 27th).

Born: March 24, 1982, to Denis and Derleine O'Regan, in Youghal, Co Cork. Background: O'Regan has no immediate family involvement in racing - his father runs Lombards Bar in Youghal. He rode out for his cousin John Crowley as a schoolboy before spending a summer with Francis Flood aged 16. He rode 13 winners as an amateur before turning professional in September, 2003. His first big victory came on Ansar in the 2005 Galway Plate for trainer Dermot Weld and a few months later he rode his first Cheltenham winner when the Michael Hourigan-trained Church Island won a novices' chase at The Open meeting in November. In October, 2006, at Wexford, he enjoyed his first treble and joined the powerful Co Durham stable of Howard Johnson in the summer of 2007. He had a great start for his new connections at the 2008 Cheltenham Festival, with Tidal Bay in the G1 Arkle Novices' Chase and Inglis Drever in the G1 Stayers' Hurdle, which was a third triumph in the race for the great horse. O'Regan led the Grand National field with three to jump in the 2008 renewal, but his mount, Bewleys Berry, ran out of steam and ultimately finished fifth. In November, 2008, O'Regan sampled victory over the Grand National course as he partnered Black Apalachi in the Becher Chase in December. His major successes at the Grand National Festival include Killyglen in the 2009 G1 Mildmay Novices' Chase and Tidal Bay in the 2008 G1 Maghull Novices' Chase. O'Regan partnered Black Apalachi in both the 2009 and 2010 renewals of the Randox Health Grand National. Unseated at the 22nd when leading the field in 2009, O'Regan enjoyed another thrilling Randox Health Grand National ride when Black Apalachi led for much of the second circuit until headed at the last to finish second to Don't Push It in 2010. O'Regan and Johnson parted ways on April 17, 2010, when the rider's three-year retainer with the trainer's main patron Graham Wylie came to an end. He teamed up with Newmarket-based John Ferguson for the 2013/14 season and the pair enjoyed G1 success at Chepstow in 2013 with Ruacana in the Finale Hurdle. Denis returned to Ireland in 2016 to take up a role as retained rider to leading owner Barry Connell and the pair enjoyed Cheltenham Festival success the following March when Tully East, trained by Alan Fleming, won the Close Brothers Novices' Handicap Chase. Their association came to an end in July of 2018 and the very experienced jockey rides as a freelance. He and his wife Louise, who works at Leopardstown Racecourse as a marketing assistant, have one son, Tom. 

 

Breeding: b g Old Vic (GB) - Lambourne Lace (IRE) (Un Desperado (FR))

Breeder: Roger Ryan

Born: April 22, 2010

Owner: Mills & Mason Partnership

Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies

Jockey: Tom Bellamy

Form: 5111/1F2F4P5/5124142-F6P

*High-class novice chaser last season - captured the G2 Towton Novices' Chase (3m) at Wetherby before finishing a good fourth in the G1 RSA Chase (3m 80y) and then second, beaten a nose, when just failing to get up in the G3 Scottish Grand National Handicap Chase (4m) at Ayr in the spring of 2018.

*Fell at the 11th on first attempt over the Grand National fences when making progress in the G3 Becherom Bellam Handicap Chase (3m 2f) at Aintree in December. Finished a fair sixth in the G3 Welsh Grand National Handicap Chase (3m 5f 110y) at Chepstow on December 27.

*Pulled up on latest start in G3 William Hill Grand National Trial Handicap Chase (3m 4f 97y) at Haydock Park on February 16.

*Biggest victory of his career so far came at the 2016 Randox Health Grand National Festival, when defeating Bellshill in the G1 Sefton Novices' Hurdle (3m).

*Point-to-point winner in Ireland for Ian Ferguson.

In 1990, Fred Mills was devastated when his son Wayne, who was just 19 and a promising footballer (he played for Arsenal juniors), slipped from a roof he was working on and seriously damaged his spine. His convalescence was in Stoke Mandeville hospital and during his six-month stay, Fred persuaded Peter Scudamore, at the time the champion Jump jockey, to visit his son. Following the visit, they asked Scudamore about owning a horse and he advised them not to. But they persevered and so Scudamore sold them a horse, by Petoski, who they named in his honour, Petosku. Trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, the horse won seven times, providing enough encouragement to keep them in the racing game. The insurance settlement that Wayne received at 21, two years after the accident, was invested into the father and son roofing contractor business, SD Samuels. Wayne had been a budding footballer and played for Arsenal at a junior level a couple of times before stepping out for Rainham Town. His football contacts meant that SD Samuels broke into the stadia business, starting off at West Ham. SD Samuels has also completed contracts at Twickenham, Chelsea FC, Tottenham Hotspur FC and Sunderland FC. Father and son have continued in ownership since, having horses trained by Michael Scudamore, Alan Jarvis and Michael Chapman, but primarily with Nigel Twiston-Davies. They enjoyed Cheltenham Festival success with Ballyfitz, winner of the 2008 Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle. Fred, now 70, and Wayne, 47, are the major shareholders in SD Samuels, one of the UK's leading roofing, cladding & rainscreen specialist companies. Founded in 1993 and based in South Ockendon, Essex, SD Samuels has done for work a broad range of clients including Asda, the Houses of Parliament, Luton Airport, shops, hotels and football clubs.Randox Health Grand National Record - 1: 2010 Ballyfitz (Fell 22nd)

Dave Mason is also a long-standing owner with Twiston-Davies - the pair enjoyed their first winner together in 2004 courtesy of Icy Prospect. He also has horses with Alan King and Charlie Longsdon. The King-trained pair of Franchoek and Karabak, both G1-placed over hurdles at the Cheltenham Festival, started their careers in the colours of Mason before being sold privately to champion Jump owner J P McManus.

The Mills & Mason Partnership also own 10-year-old chaser Ballymain (Nigel Twiston-Davies) and five-year-old maiden hurdler Checkitout (Charlie Longsdon).

 

Born: May 16, 1957 Background: Nigel Twiston-Davies initially combined training as a permit-holder with his farming interests from 1981, having his first winner with Last Of The Foxes at Hereford on February 3, 1982. The agricultural recession prompted him to make training his full-time profession and he took out a full training licence in 1989, recording his first win as a public trainer on December 30 of that year with Babil at Newbury. He has since gone on to register close to 2,000 successes, with his 1,000th winner coming at Stratford in October, 2006. Twiston-Davies rode 17 winners as an amateur under Rules and gained a further 17 point-to-point victories, and served as assistant trainer to Richard Head and Fred Rimell as well as having spells with Kim Bailey and David Nicholson. A childhood neighbour and friend of Peter Scudamore, he went into partnership with the champion Jump jockey to set up stables at Grange Hill Farm between Guiting Power and Naunton in Gloucestershire, although Scudamore has not been involved in the venture for many years (since 2003) and currently assists his partner Lucinda Russell, who won the 2017 Randox Health Grand National with One For Arthur. Since 2009, Twiston-Davies' business partner and assistant trainer is former stable jockey Carl Llewellyn, who enjoyed two Grand National winners thanks to Party Politics in 1992 and Earth Summit in 1998. Twiston-Davies adopted and developed the pioneering techniques of Martin Pipe, such as interval training and regular blood tests for his string, enabling him to rapidly raise his profile among the training ranks. He is one of only two current trainers, the other being Gordon Elliott, to have won the Grand National at Aintree more than once, saddling Earth Summit to victory in 1998 and Bindaree four years later. Twiston-Davies has had 17 successes at the Cheltenham Festival, headed by Imperial Commander in the 2010 Cheltenham Gold Cup. His best season numerically was in 2010/11, when he enjoyed 97 winners. He had two sons with his former wife Cathy. The eldest, Sam, 26, now rides freelance, having been stable jockey to Paul Nicholls for four seasons. William (Willy), 24, a successful rider on the Flat and over jumps, has retired from race riding. He wants to become a trainer eventually after working in bloodstock. The trainer is married to Vicky and they have four young children.

 

Born: September 22, 1994. Background: Tom grew up in the Cotswolds hunting, pony racing and competing in Pony Club events. His father Robert was a professional jockey and his mother Sue rode in point-to-points, and Tom was determined to follow in their footsteps. His first winner was for trainer Martin Keighley (Ponchatrain at Sedgefield on May 10, 2011) and he joined David Pipe's Somerset stable soon afterwards. He spent three years with Pipe before moving to Alan King in August, 2014. He is now associated with the Nigel Twiston-Davies yard in Gloucestershire. Bellamy has ridden 114 winners to date (up o and including April 2), including the valuable Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster in 2017 on Ziga Boy and in 2019 on Go Conquer, the 2017 G2 Adonis Juvenile Hurdle at Kempton aboard Master Blueyes, and the G2 Towton Novices' Chase with Ballyoptic in February, 2018. His most valuable career success so far was in the 2017 BetVictor Gold Cup at Cheltenham aboard the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Splash Of Ginge. He failed an official alcohol test at Cheltenham Racecourse on New Year's Day, 2018, and was not allowed to take up his three booked rides that day.

 

Breeding: b g Winged Love (IRE) - Silva Venture (IRE) (Mandalus (GB))

Breeder: Caroline Kenneally

Born: March 24, 2005

Owner: Adrian Butler/Stephen O'Connor

Trainer: Gordon Elliott IRE

Jockey: Robert Dunne

Form: 644/2462/1210/5119P/64P06/P433241429/33353431422/768208226/PP1FP34-566P

*If successful in the 2019 Randox Health Grand National would become second oldest winner of the great race following 15-year-old Peter Simple in 1853.

*Finished a fine third to stable companion Tiger Roll, beaten 11 lengths, when third in 2018 Randox Health Grand National (4m 2f 74y).

*Began his career in England with Alan King before moving to Gordon Elliott in Ireland during the summer of 2014 after being sold for £16,000 at Doncaster Bloodstock Sales on May 20 that year.

*A seven-time winner who was last successful over the Cross Country Course at Cheltenham in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase (3m 6f) in December, 2017.

*Has also finished runner-up in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase (3m 6f) at the Cheltenham Festival in March on three occasions (2017, 2016 & 2015). Last seen out when pulling up in the 2019 renewal on March 13.

*Runner-up in the 2017 Irish Grand National Handicap Chase (3m 5f) at Fairyhouse.

Background: Business partners Adrian Butler, born October, 1967, and Stephen O'Connor, born December 1966, who run London-based insurance brokers The Underwriting Exchange, bought Bless The Wings in June, 2015 after a recommendation from trainer Gordon Elliott. The Underwriting Exchange sponsors Elliott's yard and looks after the insurance needs of several of Ireland's racecourses as well as many of Ireland's top trainers. The Underwriting Exchange is an independent Lloyd's broker and specialises in niche insurance and reinsurance solutions in the United Kingdom, Ireland and internationally. Its retail division, IFA Solutions, provides professional indemnity insurance for the financial services sector. The firm also sponsors at point-to-point meetings in Ireland, as well as sponsoring 'Jumping In The City', a show jumping event at Shelbourne Park in Dublin which won the 'Best Innovation in Sport' at the 2015 Irish Sport Industry Awards. It was announced in December, 2018, that London-based private equity and credit manager Pollen Street's investment company Specialist Risk Investments Limited (SRIL) had acquired the entire share capital of The Underwriting Exchange and its sister company LIME (London Ireland Market Exchange). SRIL said Butler and O'Connor will remain major investors and continue the day-to-day management of TUE and LIME, as well joining the SRIL board. Butler's family is no stranger to big-race success as his father, Patrick, part-owned 1978 Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner Golden Cygnet. Butler has owned several horses in the past with trainers Venetia Williams and the late Alan Swinbank, as well as with Dermot Weld in Ireland. O'Connor also has other equine interests and owns showjumpers with Irish showjumper Cian O'Connor.

Born:  March 2, 1978, in Summerhill, Co Meath Background: A very successful point-to-point rider, Elliott also partnered 46 winners as an amateur under Rules. He started his racing career while still at school, working at Tony Martin's stable in County Meath. He moved to Britain, joining Martin Pipe in 1997, and learnt a lot during his spell in Somerset. His biggest victory as a rider was on board King's Road, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, in the 1998 Punchestown Champion Bumper. After commencing handling point-to-pointers, he started his main training career from Capranny Stables in Trim, Co Meath in early 2006 and bought the 78-acre Cullentra House Farm, Longwood, Co Meath, in 2011, where the facilities have been built up from scratch, with a capacity of over 200 horses, two gallops, three schooling grounds, an equine pool, a natural spa and more. The trainer has emerged over the last few seasons as the main challenger to Willie Mullins' dominance in Ireland and had a major boost when receiving the pick of 60 horses that Gigginstown House Stud removed from Mullins in September, 2016. Elliott is part of a select group of trainers to saddle a winner at both the Cheltenham Festival and Royal Ascot, having sent out Commissioned to land the Queen Alexandra Stakes at the prestigious Flat meeting in June, 2016. He also sent out Dirar to win the Ebor Handicap at York in 2010. Training Career: Elliott's first runner under Rules came at the 2006 Cheltenham Festival, when Brandon Mountain was pulled up in the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Handicap Hurdle. He continued to send runners over to the UK and enjoyed almost instant success, most notably with Arresting, who notched up four victories between May and July, 2006. Elliott's Grand National victory with Silver Birch in April, 2007 was remarkable not only because he was just 29 at the time, but also because he had yet to saddle a winner in his native country. The winners in Ireland soon followed and Elliott gained an initial G1 victory with Jessies Dream in the Drinmore Novice Chase in December, 2010, and celebrated his first Cheltenham Festival successes in 2011 with Chicago Grey in the National Hunt Chase and Carlito Brigante in the Coral Cup. His Cheltenham Festival haul now stands at 25, following three wins this year, and includes Don Cossack's victory in the 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup. He was the leading trainer at the Cheltenham Festival for the first time in March, 2017 with six successes. Elliott plundered his second leading trainer award at The Festival in 2018 following a remarkable record-equalling eight winners over the four days, emulating Willie Mullins' best - eight wins at The Festival in 2015. Elliott has finished second to Mullins in the Irish Jump trainers' championship for six consecutive seasons and is on course to do so again this term, though he set a new record for the number of winners (210) in an Irish Jump season in 2017/18, eclipsing the previous best of 193 set by Mullins. For the third season in succession, Elliott has emulated one of his mentors, Martin Pipe, as the only other Jump trainer to saddle more than 1,000 runners. First winner as a trainer - Arresting, Fugro-Technip Handicap Hurdle, Perth, June 11, 2006.

Randox Health Grand National Record - 16:  2007 SILVER BIRCH (WON); 2009 Silver Birch (FELL 22nd); 2010 Backstage (UR 20th); 2011 Backstage (10th); 2012 Tharawaat (8th), Chicago Grey (BD 5th); 2013 Tarquinius 8th, Chicago Grey (PU 30th); 2015 Cause Of Causes (8th); 2016 Ucello Conti (6th) 2017 Cause Of Causes (2nd), Roi Des Francs (18th), Ucello Conti (UR 22nd); 2018 TIGER ROLL (WON), Bless The Wings (3rd), Ucello Conti (UR 27th).

Born: Dublin, April 5, 1985 Background: Robbie's family are not involved in horses, and he didn't sit on a horse until he was 14. After graduating from RACE, the Irish jockeys' school on the Curragh, he worked for Dermot Weld for two years and then Jim Bolger. He didn't get off the mark on the racecourse until his 176th ride - Maswaly at Downpatrick in 2005. In 2010 he moved to England to work for Venetia Williams. He is now freelance, and rides for Tom Lacey, Neil Mulholland, Ian Williams and Dai Burchell among others. His biggest winner to date has been in the 2015 Scottish Grand National on Wayward Prince for owner/trainer Hilary Parrott. He also partnered the Michael Scudamore-trained Mysteree in the 2017 Eider Handicap Chase at Newcastle. He tasted his first success over the Grand National fences at Aintree in December, 2017 aboard Gas Line Boy in the Grand Sefton Handicap Chase. His has completed the course on all three of his Randox Health Grand National rides, with 13-year-old Vics Canvas, a 100/1 shot, surviving a mistake at Becher's first time around to finish third in 2016 and Gas Line Boy taking fifth in 2017 and seventh in 2018. He is currently enjoying his best season to date, his 40 winners to April 2 easily surpassing his previous best of 29 in 2017/2018. This is his first ride for trainer Gordon Elliott.

Breeding: ch g Robin Des Champs (FR) - Shean Rose (IRE) (Roselier (FR))

Breeder: Eleanor Hadden

Born: February 24, 2011

Owner: Gigginstown House Stud

Trainer: Gordon Elliott IRE

Jockey: Andrew Ring

Form: 211/1/32161147-1273P6P

*Would become the first novice chaser to win the Randox Health Grand National since Rule The World, also owned by Gigginstown House Stud, in 2016.

*Was pulled up behind Pairofbrowneyes in the Leinster National (3m) on March 10 at Naas.

*Third to stable companion Delta Work in the G1 Neville Hotels Novice Chase (3m) at Leopardstown over Christmas.

*Won first start over fences at Galway (2m 6½f) in October, before finishing a neck second in a G2 contest at Punchestown on November 18.

*Captured the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle (2m 4½f) at the Cheltenham Festival in March, 2018 by five lengths.

*Began career with Willie Mullins and then won three of his four starts for Elliott.

Gigginstown House Stud, covering over 1,000 acres at Delvin near Mullingar, Co Westmeath, Ireland is the residence of Michael O'Leary, chief executive of Ryanair, Europe's largest budget airline. O'Leary was born on March 20, 1961, the second of six children, and educated at Clongowes Wood College in County Kildare before reading business studies at Trinity College Dublin. He was a tax consultant at accountants KPMG (1984-86) and became financial adviser to Tony Ryan, founder of Ryanair. He progressed to be Ryanair's deputy chief executive in 1991 and chief operating officer in 1993. He has overseen the rapid development of Ryanair since 1994 when he became chief executive, and his worth was valued at £908 million in the 2018 Sunday Times Rich List, thanks mainly to his significant shareholding in Ryanair. He has often been a controversial figure in business, thanks to outspoken opinions and a penchant for generating publicity. In March, 2019, he announced that he will step back from the day-to-day running of Ryanair to take on a more strategic and overseeing role. Racing interests: O'Leary started off with horses in training on the Flat with David Wachman and Mick Halford, but he has rapidly become a major Jump owner with a string only rivalled by fellow Irishman J P McManus. His horses run under the Gigginstown House Stud banner. He used to have many horses with Ireland's top Jump trainer, Willie Mullins, but took all 60 away in September, 2016, after a row over training fees. His team of over 250 horses in training in Ireland, is split between mainly Gordon Elliott, Henry de Bromhead, Noel Meade and Joseph O'Brien. His racing enthusiasm was boosted when one of his first horses, War Of Attrition, won the 2006 Cheltenham Gold Cup. His 27 Cheltenham Festival winners, including one this year, also feature the 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Don Cossack. O'Leary won the Randox Health Grand National in 2016 with Rule The World, trained by Mouse Morris and previously without a win over fences, and again in 2018 with Tiger Roll. O'Leary's brother Eddie, based at Lynn Lodge Stud in Mullingar, oversees the Gigginstown racing operation; the young horses are brought along at Pat Doyle's County Tipperary stables and in point-to-points. Gigginstown has had retained jockeys, notably Davy Russell and Bryan Cooper, but neither lasted in the job. However, Russell has returned to ride plenty of Gigginstown horses, including two winners at the 2018 Cheltenham Festival and Tiger Roll in the 2018 Randox Health Grand National. Gigginstown has owned three of the last four winners of the three mile, five furlong Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse, usually run two weeks before the Randox Health Grand National - Thunder And Roses (2015), Rogue Angel (2016) and General Principle (2018). O'Leary married former banker Anita (Farrell) in 2003 and they have four children.  

Born:  March 2, 1978, in Summerhill, Co Meath Background: A very successful point-to-point rider, Elliott also partnered 46 winners as an amateur under Rules. He started his racing career while still at school, working at Tony Martin's stable in County Meath. He moved to Britain, joining Martin Pipe in 1997, and learnt a lot during his spell in Somerset. His biggest victory as a rider was on board King's Road, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, in the 1998 Punchestown Champion Bumper. After commencing handling point-to-pointers, he started his main training career from Capranny Stables in Trim, Co Meath in early 2006 and bought the 78-acre Cullentra House Farm, Longwood, Co Meath, in 2011, where the facilities have been built up from scratch, with a capacity of over 200 horses, two gallops, three schooling grounds, an equine pool, a natural spa and more. The trainer has emerged over the past few seasons as the main challenger to Willie Mullins' dominance in Ireland and had a major boost when receiving the pick of 60 horses that Gigginstown House Stud removed from Mullins in September, 2016. Elliott is part of a select group of trainers to saddle a winner at both the Cheltenham Festival and Royal Ascot, having sent out Commissioned to land the Queen Alexandra Stakes at the prestigious Flat meeting in June, 2016. He also sent out Dirar to win the Ebor Handicap at York in 2010. Training Career: Elliott's first runner under Rules came at the 2006 Cheltenham Festival, when Brandon Mountain was pulled up in the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Handicap Hurdle. He continued to send runners over to the UK and enjoyed almost instant success, most notably with Arresting, who notched up four victories between May and July, 2006. Elliott's Grand National victory with Silver Birch in April, 2007 was remarkable not only because he was just 29 at the time, but also because he had yet to saddle a winner in his native country. The winners in Ireland soon followed and Elliott gained an initial G1 victory with Jessies Dream in the Drinmore Novice Chase in December, 2010, and celebrated his first Cheltenham Festival successes in 2011 with Chicago Grey in the National Hunt Chase and Carlito Brigante in the Coral Cup. His Cheltenham Festival haul now stands at 25, following three wins this year, and includes Don Cossack's victory in the 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup. He was the leading trainer at the Cheltenham Festival for the first time in March, 2017 with six successes. Elliott plundered his second leading trainer award at The Festival in 2018 following a remarkable record-equalling eight winners over the four days, emulating Willie Mullins' best - eight wins at The Festival in 2015. Elliott has finished second to Mullins in the Irish Jump trainers' championship for six consecutive seasons and is on course to do so again this term, though he set a new record for the number of winners (210) in an Irish Jump season in 2017/18, eclipsing the previous best of 193 set by Mullins. For the third season in succession, Elliott has emulated one of his mentors, Martin Pipe, as the only other Jump trainer to saddle more than 1,000 runners. First winner as a trainer - Arresting, Fugro-Technip Handicap Hurdle, Perth, June 11, 2006.

Randox Health Grand National Record - 16:  2007 SILVER BIRCH (WON); 2009 Silver Birch (FELL 22nd); 2010 Backstage (UR 20th); 2011 Backstage (10th); 2012 Tharawaat (8th), Chicago Grey (BD 5th); 2013 Tarquinius 8th, Chicago Grey (PU 30th); 2015 Cause Of Causes (8th); 2016 Ucello Conti (6th) 2017 Cause Of Causes (2nd), Roi Des Francs (18th), Ucello Conti (UR 22nd); 2018 TIGER ROLL (WON), Bless The Wings (3rd), Ucello Conti (UR 27th).

Born: September 9, 1990Kilkenny. Background: Has no family background in racing, but was bought a pony by his father as a child and went on to do some showjumping and hunting. Also played with his local Erin's Own GAA Club in Castlecomer from under-age up to Minor A's and was on the county-final winning side in 2008. Began in racing as an amateur with John 'Shark' Hanlon and rode his first winner on Ample Appeal for trainer Philip Rothwell in a maiden hurdle at Limerick in March, 2012. Has partnered 65 winners in total over Jumps in Ireland to April 2, inclusive, including six in the current season. Rides out regularly for Gordon Elliott and enjoyed the biggest win of career on stable's Randox Health Grand National runner Dounikos in G2 novice chase at Limerick in December, 2017, when left in lead by final fence fall of subsequent G1 Magners Gold Cup winner Al Boum Photo. He enjoyed a Punchestown Festival win in 2015 on Shamiran in opportunity riders' (conditionals') handicap hurdle. Also rides out and schools for others, including Joseph O'Brien. He has never ridden his Randox Health Grand National mount Blow By Blow in public and this will be his first ride at Aintree. Ring has had seven rides in Britain without success.

Breeding: ch g Bach (IRE) - Diesel Dancer (IRE) (Toulon (GB))

Breeder: Derrymore House Syndicate

Born: April 30, 2009

Owner: Stuart Coltherd

Trainer: Stuart Coltherd

Jockey: Sam Coltherd

Form: 52/433361411/434311P2-36121U-339613

*Trying to become third Scottish-trained winner following Rubstic (1979) and One For Arthur (2017).

*Unseated rider at Foinavon (seventh fence) in the 2018 Randox Health Grand National.

*Ninth over the Grand National fences at Aintree in the Betway Grand Sefton Handicap Chase (2m 5f) on December 8.

*Defeated Definitly Red in a match-race at Kelso on February 14, before finishing third in Listed company over course and distance on his latest start on March 2.

*Enjoyed a tremendous 2017/18 season, landing the Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase (2m 7f) at Haydock Park in December 2017 and winning a handicap hurdle at Ayr on March 10.

*Chased home The Dutchman in the 2018 renewal of the G2 Peter Marsh Chase (3m 1½f) at Haydock Park, but was sixth in the same contest this term.

*Trainer Stuart Coltherd is no stranger to success at Aintree, having won the Foxhunters' Chase over the Grand National fences with 100/1 chance Tartan Snow in 2013.

 

Born: January 8, 1967 Background: Selkirk farmer Stuart Coltherd took out a permit to train his own horses in 1999 and gained his full trainer's licence in 2004. His operation is based at Clarilawmuir Farm, on the outskirts of Selkirk in the Scottish Borders, and Coltherd runs a dual purpose yard which caters for point-to-point, Jump and Flat racing. Stuart's wife Lesley is heavily involved in the operation while the couple's 20-year-old son Sam is a conditional jockey now based at Sue Smith's yard at Craiglands Farm in West Yorkshire. Their elder daughter, Amy, helps out with stable and riding duties, while younger daughter Millie also helps out at the yard. Coltherd landed his biggest success to date on the opening day of the 2013 Randox Health Grand National Festival when 100/1 shot Tartan Snow won the Randox Health Foxhunters' Chase. Captain Redbeard was Coltherd's first runner in the race last year and unseated rider at Foinavon (seventh fence). Coltherd has saddled 11 winners this season (as of April 2), amassing career-best earnings of £130,357.

Born: November 25, 1998 Background: A graduate of the pony racing circuit and also a member of the Great Britain Pony Club Mounted Games team, Coltherd is currently conditional jockey for Randox Health Grand National-winning trainer Sue Smith's West Yorkshire yard at Bingley. Sam has ridden more than 40 wins under Rules to date and was Northern Novice Point-to-point Champion in the 2015/2016 season before turning professional. His first ride in public, at Alnwick point-to-point in December, 2014, was a winner, and the following year he enjoyed two victories at Alnwick and Dalston on Captain Redbeard, his 2018 and 2019 Randox Health Grand National mount. His first ride over the Grand National fences was in the 2016 Randox Health Foxhunters' Chase, when he finished eighth on Ockey De Neulliac.

Breeding: b g Poliglote (GB) -Dalamine (FR) (Sillery (USA))

Breeder: Brian J Griffiths & John Nicholson

Born: April 21, 2009

Owner: Darren & Annaley Yates (formerly Gigginstown House Stud)

Trainer: Philip Kirby (formerlyGordon Elliott IRE)

Jockey: Mr Patrick Mullins

Form: 2/2111/2111/51132/3P23/PP3

*Sold at Goffs UK's Aintree Sale after racing on the evening of Thursday, April 4 for £170,000 to North Yorkshire-based trainer Philip Kirby on behalf of owners Darren & Annaley Yates.

*Third on latest start behind Randox Health Grand National opponent Jury Duty in a chase over three and a quarter-miles at Down Royal on March 16.

*Was pulled up before the second-last fence in the 2018 Randox Health Grand National.

*Joined Gordon Elliott from Willie Mullins in October, 2016.

*Placed many times at G1 level, including when third in the 2016 G1 Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup and second in the G1 Betway Bowl here in 2016.

*Last victory came in the G1 Lexus Chase at Leopardstown in December, 2015.

*Captured a Listed contest at Aintree (3m 1f) in December, 2015.

*Winner of the G1 RSA Chase at the 2015 Cheltenham Festival, and the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle at the 2014 Cheltenham Festival.

*Ridden by leading Irish amateur Patrick Mullins, who was booked by previous trainer Gordon Elliott, his father Willie's chief rival in the training ranks in Ireland, this season.

Darren Yates, who paid £170,000 for Randox Health Grand National runner Don Poli on Thursday evening at the Goffs UK Aintree sale, owns property companies in the North-West and is also involved in a childcare company. The 52-year-old has invested heavily in racehorse ownership recently. He bought Blaklion, fourth in the 2017 Randox Health Grand National, for £300,000 (plus VAT of £60,000) privately earlier in the year and moved him from trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies in Gloucestershire to Phil Kirby in North Yorkshire. However, Blaklion was recently withdrawn from this year's race with an injury. Yates, who lives in Lytham St Annes has "eight or nine" horses with North Yorkshire-based Kirby, and also paid £150,000 for South Seas to run in the Lincoln, but the five-year-old Lope De Vega gelding, formerly trained by Andrew Balding, finished 19th and last in the famous Doncaster handicap Yates made more than £500,000 from a £60 accumulator bet on Frankie Dettori's "Magnificent Seven" wins at Ascot in September, 2001, and used the money to build his property company.

Born: April 19, 1979 Background: Lancashire-born Kirby is the son of celebrated greyhound trainer Geoff Kirby. As a family, the Kirbys were all keen on horseracing and Phil rode ponies from a young age. Kirby describes himself as being "fairly handy" at football and was on the books at Preston North End at the same time as former England captain David Beckham, who was on loan at the club from Manchester United in between 1994 and 1995. In 1997, Kirby joined Yorkshire-based trainer Ferdy Murphy, and in a short riding career, his first ride as an amateur was his only winner. It came aboard The Tollah in an amateur riders' handicap chase (3m 3f) at Sedgefield in November, 1999. Kirby was with Murphy for four years before training to become a farrier for six years. During that time, he started training point-to-pointers. His first winner in the point-to-point sphere was Waking Ned, who scored at Higham in Cambridgeshire in January, 2007. He later became Kirby's first winner under rules when winning a hunters' chase at Sedgefield in February 2007. That season, Kirby became the leading hunter chase trainer. Kirby was initially based at Dibble Bridge Stables in Castleton, near Whitby, North Yorkshire and rented a further 10 boxes from Keith Reveley at Groundhills Farm in nearby Saltburn-on-Sea. He saddled his first winner as a licenced trainer, Amazing King, in a novices' handicap hurdle at Musselburgh in February, 2008. At the start of 2013, Kirby moved his string to Sharp Hill Farm Stables in Middleham, previously occupied by Kate Walton, and commuted from the family home in Castleton every day. Kirby recorded his first major success in October, 2013, when Lady Heidi won the Silver Tankard Stakes at Pontefract. However, Kirby found being away from his family increasingly difficult and, in 2014, left Middleham and returned to his previous arrangement. In April, 2016, he moved again, to Green Oaks - a purpose-built, 52-box yard in East Appleton, near Richmond, North Yorkshire - close to Catterick Racecourse - and, the following season, saddled his first high-profile winner, Lady Buttons in the Listed Yorton Stallions Mares' Novices' Chase at Bangor in November, 2017, from his new, permanent base. Lady Buttons has become a superstar for the yard and has won four of her six starts this season, which included a success in the G2 Yorkshire Rose Mares' Hurdle at Doncaster in January, 2019. Kirby has steadily built up his string and now has 100 horses at the yard, of which 64 are in training and the rest are young stock. Kirby is a dual-purpose trainer with roughly half his string being Jump and the other half Flat runners. Kirby met Don Poli's owner Darren Yates at a sale and they got on well. Some months later, Yates phoned Kirby and asked him to take a couple of horses and their partnership has grown ever since. Kirby is married to Pippa, a professional artist and the couple have two daughters, Izzy (13) and (9). Both children have competed at the Horse of the Year show twice.

Born: December 5, 1989. Background: Is the son of former top amateur rider, now Ireland's champion Jump trainer, Willie Mullins, and his wife Jackie, herself a former top lady amateur. He is a nephew of successful National Hunt trainers Tony and Tom Mullins, and a grandson of one of the all-time great Jump trainers, the late Paddy Mullins. His cousins David, Danny and Emmet are professional jockey. The amateur took his first ride in public on his father's Screaming Witness in a bumper at Thurles in December, 2005, and the first winner came at the age of 16 on a horse of his father's called Diego Garcia in a qualified riders' race at Limerick the following June. Understandably, at that time his riding was restricted by him having to attend school, but he increasingly managed to turn up on the racetrack to take fancied rides. He won the long-established Denny Havasnack amateur riders' race at Tralee on August 31, 2006, when still 16, and his first Cheltenham Festival victory came aboard Cousin Vinny, also trained by his father, in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper on March 13, 2008. He partnered the same horse to success in the Paddy Power Champion INH Flat Race at Punchestown the following month. He has had four winners at the Cheltenham Festival, the latest on Rathvinden in the 2018 National Hunt Chase (controversially voted ride of the season at The McCoys), and has enjoyed multiple G1 successes, most recently on Un De Sceaux in 2018 BoyleSports Champion Chase at Punchestown in April, 2018, and on Sharjah in the Ryanair Hurdle at Leopardstown the following December. He broke the record for the number of wins by an amateur rider in a calendar year in 2012, eclipsing Billy Parkinson's total of 72 set in 1915 by two. He has been the champion Irish Jump amateur rider on 10 occasions (his best season was 68 winners in 2012/13) and in July, 2018 he became Ireland's winning-most amateur with his 546th win on Queens Boulevard at Sligo, passing Ted Walsh's previous best. Randox Health Grand National Record - 2: 2011 Dooneys Gate (FELL 11th); 2016 On His Own (FELL 15th).

Breeding: b g Smadoun (FR) - Baby Sitter (FR) (Nikos (GB))

Breeder: G A E C Leviau

Born: April 24, 2011

Owner: Gigginstown House Stud

Trainer: Gordon Elliott IRE

Jockey: Jack Kennedy

Form: P9/211249/114PPP-07F1

*Returned to winning ways in the Grand National Trial Handicap Chase (3m 4f 150y) at Punchestown on February 10, with stable companion and fellow Randox Health Grand National contender General Principle back in third.

*That was his first victory since landing a G2 novice chase (2m 3f) at Limerick in December, 2017.

*He finished a close fourth behind Monalee in the G1 Flogas Novice Chase (2m 5f) at the 2018 Dublin Racing Festival.

*Pulled up on all three of his three starts last spring, including in the Irish Grand National (3m 5f) won by General Principle at Fairyhouse.

*Purchased by Mouse Morris for €52,000 as an unraced three-year-old at the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sales in June, 2014.

 

Gigginstown House Stud, covering over 1,000 acres at Delvin near Mullingar, Co Westmeath, Ireland is the residence of Michael O'Leary, chief executive of Ryanair, Europe's largest budget airline. O'Leary was born on March 20, 1961, the second of six children, and educated at Clongowes Wood College in County Kildare before reading business studies at Trinity College Dublin. He was a tax consultant at accountants KPMG (1984-86) and became financial adviser to Tony Ryan, founder of Ryanair. He progressed to be Ryanair's deputy chief executive in 1991 and chief operating officer in 1993. He has overseen the rapid development of Ryanair since 1994 when he became chief executive, and his worth was valued at £908 million in the 2018 Sunday Times Rich List, thanks mainly to his significant shareholding in Ryanair. He has often been a controversial figure in business, thanks to outspoken opinions and a penchant for generating publicity. In March, 2019, he announced that he will step back from the day-to-day running of Ryanair to take on a more strategic and overseeing role. Racing interests: O'Leary started off with horses in training on the Flat with David Wachman and Mick Halford, but he has rapidly become a major Jump owner with a string only rivalled by fellow Irishman J P McManus. His horses run under the Gigginstown House Stud banner. He used to have many horses with Ireland's top Jump trainer, Willie Mullins, but took all 60 away in September, 2016, after a row over training fees. His team of over 250 horses in training in Ireland, is split between mainly Gordon Elliott, Henry de Bromhead, Noel Meade and Joseph O'Brien. His racing enthusiasm was boosted when one of his first horses, War Of Attrition, won the 2006 Cheltenham Gold Cup. His 27 Cheltenham Festival winners, including one this year, also feature the 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Don Cossack. O'Leary won the Randox Health Grand National in 2016 with Rule The World, trained by Mouse Morris and previously without a win over fences, and again in 2018 with Tiger Roll. O'Leary's brother Eddie, based at Lynn Lodge Stud in Mullingar, oversees the Gigginstown racing operation; the young horses are brought along at Pat Doyle's County Tipperary stables and in point-to-points. Gigginstown has had retained jockeys, notably Davy Russell and Bryan Cooper, but neither lasted in the job. However, Russell has returned to ride plenty of Gigginstown horses, including two winners at the 2018 Cheltenham Festival and Tiger Roll in the 2018 Randox Health Grand National. Gigginstown has owned three of the last four winners of the three mile, five furlong Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse, usually run two weeks before the Randox Health Grand National - Thunder And Roses (2015), Rogue Angel (2016) and General Principle (2018). O'Leary married former banker Anita (Farrell) in 2003 and they have four children. 

Born:  March 2, 1978, in Summerhill, Co Meath Background: A very successful point-to-point rider, Elliott also partnered 46 winners as an amateur under Rules. He started his racing career while still at school, working at Tony Martin's stable in County Meath. He moved to Britain, joining Martin Pipe in 1997, and learnt a lot during his spell in Somerset. His biggest victory as a rider was on board King's Road, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, in the 1998 Punchestown Champion Bumper. After commencing handling point-to-pointers, he started his main training career from Capranny Stables in Trim, Co Meath in early 2006 and bought the 78-acre Cullentra House Farm, Longwood, Co Meath, in 2011, where the facilities have been built up from scratch, with a capacity of over 200 horses, two gallops, three schooling grounds, an equine pool, a natural spa and more. The trainer has emerged over the last few seasons as the main challenger to Willie Mullins' dominance in Ireland and had a major boost when receiving the pick of 60 horses that Gigginstown House Stud removed from Mullins in September, 2016. Elliott is part of a select group of trainers to saddle a winner at both the Cheltenham Festival and Royal Ascot, having sent out Commissioned to land the Queen Alexandra Stakes at the prestigious Flat meeting in June, 2016. He also sent out Dirar to win the Ebor Handicap at York in 2010. Training Career: Elliott's first runner under Rules came at the 2006 Cheltenham Festival, when Brandon Mountain was pulled up in the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Handicap Hurdle. He continued to send runners over to the UK and enjoyed almost instant success, most notably with Arresting, who notched up four victories between May and July, 2006. Elliott's Grand National victory with Silver Birch in April, 2007 was remarkable not only because he was just 29 at the time, but also because he had yet to saddle a winner in his native country. The winners in Ireland soon followed and Elliott gained an initial G1 victory with Jessies Dream in the Drinmore Novice Chase in December, 2010, and celebrated his first Cheltenham Festival successes in 2011 with Chicago Grey in the National Hunt Chase and Carlito Brigante in the Coral Cup. His Cheltenham Festival haul now stands at 25, following three wins this year, and includes Don Cossack's victory in the 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup. He was the leading trainer at the Cheltenham Festival for the first time in March, 2017 with six successes. Elliott plundered his second leading trainer award at The Festival in 2018 following a remarkable record-equalling eight winners over the four days, emulating Willie Mullins' best - eight wins at The Festival in 2015. Elliott has finished second to Mullins in the Irish Jump trainers' championship for six consecutive seasons and is on course to do so again this term, though he set a new record for the number of winners (210) in an Irish Jump season in 2017/18, eclipsing the previous best of 193 set by Mullins. For the third season in succession, Elliott has emulated one of his mentors, Martin Pipe, as the only other Jump trainer to saddle more than 1,000 runners. First winner as a trainer - Arresting, Fugro-Technip Handicap Hurdle, Perth, June 11, 2006.

Randox Health Grand National Record - 16:  2007 SILVER BIRCH (WON); 2009 Silver Birch (FELL 22nd); 2010 Backstage (UR 20th); 2011 Backstage (10th); 2012 Tharawaat (8th), Chicago Grey (BD 5th); 2013 Tarquinius 8th, Chicago Grey (PU 30th); 2015 Cause Of Causes (8th); 2016 Ucello Conti (6th) 2017 Cause Of Causes (2nd), Roi Des Francs (18th), Ucello Conti (UR 22nd); 2018 TIGER ROLL (WON), Bless The Wings (3rd), Ucello Conti (UR 27th).

Born: April 22, 1999 Background: A native of Dingle, County Kerry, Kennedy is a graduate of the pony racing circuit and won the Dingle Derby on Coola Boula in 2014. After starting out with trainer Tommy Stack, he moved to Gordon Elliott and had his first ride on the racecourse at Clonmel in May, 2015, just after his 16th birthday. Two weeks later, he rode his first winner on his seventh ride when partnering the Pat Flynn-trained Funny How to win a seven-furlong Flat handicap. His first success over hurdles came at Down Royal seven days later when he rode Eshtiaal to win a handicap hurdle by 11 lengths for Gordon Elliott. In the very next race, he partnered a second winner for the County Meath trainer when winning another handicap hurdle on Mustadrik, this time by 17 lengths. He rode his first winner over fences when taking the €100,000 Ladbrokes Troytown Handicap Chase on the J P McManus-owned Riverside City, another trained by Gordon Elliott. Riverside City was the middle leg of a treble for Kennedy that same day, the first of his career. A year and a day after riding his first winner over hurdles, Kennedy rode out his claim when partnering the Norman Lee-trained Troublesombrothers to win a maiden hurdle at Ballinrobe. His progress over the last three seasons has been rapid. A first Grade 1 success came courtesy of Outlander in the 2016 Lexus Chase and he rode his first Cheltenham Festival winner on Labaik in the 2017 G1 Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle. Kennedy rode four winners at The Festival in 2018 - Samcro (Ballymore Novices' Hurdle), Veneer Of Charm (Boodles Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle), Shattered Love (JLT Novices' Chase) & Farclas (JCB Triumph Hurdle), but was just beaten for the leading rider award over the four days by Davy Russell who also had four winners and won on countback. In February, 2019, Kennedy won the G1 Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown aboard Apple's Jade - the pair's third G1 success of the season. He is currently fifth in the Irish jockeys' table, with 53 winners as of 3 April. Has completed the course on his two Randox Health Grand National rides, finishing third on Bless The Wings last year.

Randox Health Grand National Record - 2: 2017 Roi Des Francs (18th); 2018 Bless The Wings (3rd). 

Breeding: b g Old Vic (GB) - Spirit Leader (IRE) (Supreme Leader (GB))

Breeder: Eamon Salmon

Born: April 6, 2007

Owner: Core Partnership

Trainer: Gordon Elliott (IRE)

Jockey: Luke Dempsey

Form: 23/211124/427/43812435/04U6/3034B/4PP00871208/144140-4846

*Has won four hurdles and three chases in Ireland, gaining his most notable and also most recent success in BoyleSports Grand National Trial Chase at Punchestown in February, 2018, when in his first season with trainer Gordon Elliott and owner the Core Partnership (formerly owned by Gigginstown House Stud and trained by Mouse Morris).

*Was bought for £21,000 at a Goffs UK Sale at Doncaster in September, 2017 and won a handicap hurdle at Clonmel two months later on debut for current connections.

*Has raced exclusively in Britain in the current season, finishing fourth in handicap hurdles at Haydock and Sandown and unplaced in Welsh Grand National (eighth of 10 finishers) and Midlands Grand National (last of six finishers).

Core Partnership are five friends from two towns to the north of Dublin - Malahide and Portmarnock. They are Racing TV presenter Gary O'Brien, Michael Canning, Seamas Early and brothers Peter and Willie Reynolds. Folsom Blue is the only horse to run for Core Partnership, but the same group of friends raced Bayan under the Core Syndicate banner (same silks, also trained by Gordon Elliott) and he was a seven-time Flat and Jumps winner in Ireland and Britain, gaining a valuable prize in the Ladbroke Hurdle at Ascot in December, 2014 and running in several other valuable handicaps both in Ireland and Britain. O'Brien, 41, was an At The Races presenter for 14 years before switching to Racing TV this year. He has been a lucky owner and reckons he has been involved in "bits and pieces of around 20 winners" since he first started with triple Flat winner Send Me Home. He was also one of three friends who raced as the Bodeen Bandits Partnership, whose Vics Canvas, trained by Dermot McLoughlin, finished third behind Rule The World in the 2016 Grand National despite blundering badly at Becher's on the first circuit. The other four members of the Core Partnership had earlier raced as the In Vino Veritas Partnership, and their Cabernet Sauvignon was a dual winner over hurdles.

 

Born:  March 2, 1978, in Summerhill, Co Meath Background: A very successful point-to-point rider, Elliott also partnered 46 winners as an amateur under Rules. He started his racing career while still at school, working at Tony Martin's stable in County Meath. He moved to Britain, joining Martin Pipe in 1997, and learnt a lot during his spell in Somerset. His biggest victory as a rider was on board King's Road, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, in the 1998 Punchestown Champion Bumper. After commencing handling point-to-pointers, he started his main training career from Capranny Stables in Trim, Co Meath in early 2006 and bought the 78-acre Cullentra House Farm, Longwood, Co Meath, in 2011, where the facilities have been built up from scratch, with a capacity of over 200 horses, two gallops, three schooling grounds, an equine pool, a natural spa and more. The trainer has emerged over the past few seasons as the main challenger to Willie Mullins' dominance in Ireland and had a major boost when receiving the pick of 60 horses that Gigginstown House Stud removed from Mullins in September, 2016. Elliott is part of a select group of trainers to saddle a winner at both the Cheltenham Festival and Royal Ascot, having sent out Commissioned to land the Queen Alexandra Stakes at the prestigious Flat meeting in June, 2016. He also sent out Dirar to win the Ebor Handicap at York in 2010. Training Career: Elliott's first runner under Rules came at the 2006 Cheltenham Festival, when Brandon Mountain was pulled up in the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Handicap Hurdle. He continued to send runners over to the UK and enjoyed almost instant success, most notably with Arresting, who notched up four victories between May and July, 2006. Elliott's Grand National victory with Silver Birch in April, 2007 was remarkable not only because he was just 29 at the time, but also because he had yet to saddle a winner in his native country. The winners in Ireland soon followed and Elliott gained an initial G1 victory with Jessies Dream in the Drinmore Novice Chase in December, 2010, and celebrated his first Cheltenham Festival successes in 2011 with Chicago Grey in the National Hunt Chase and Carlito Brigante in the Coral Cup. His Cheltenham Festival haul now stands at 25, following three wins this year, and includes Don Cossack's victory in the 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup. He was the leading trainer at the Cheltenham Festival for the first time in March, 2017 with six successes. Elliott plundered his second leading trainer award at The Festival in 2018 following a remarkable record-equalling eight winners over the four days, emulating Willie Mullins' best - eight wins at The Festival in 2015. Elliott has finished second to Mullins in the Irish Jump trainers' championship for six consecutive seasons and is on course to do so again this term, though he set a new record for the number of winners (210) in an Irish Jump season in 2017/18, eclipsing the previous best of 193 set by Mullins. For the third season in succession, Elliott has emulated one of his mentors, Martin Pipe, as the only other Jump trainer to saddle more than 1,000 runners. First winner as a trainer - Arresting, Fugro-Technip Handicap Hurdle, Perth, June 11, 2006.

Randox Health Grand National Record - 16:  2007 SILVER BIRCH (WON); 2009 Silver Birch (FELL 22nd); 2010 Backstage (UR 20th); 2011 Backstage (10th); 2012 Tharawaat (8th), Chicago Grey (BD 5th); 2013 Tarquinius 8th, Chicago Grey (PU 30th); 2015 Cause Of Causes (8th); 2016 Ucello Conti (6th) 2017 Cause Of Causes (2nd), Roi Des Francs (18th), Ucello Conti (UR 22nd); 2018 TIGER ROLL (WON), Bless The Wings (3rd), Ucello Conti (UR 27th).

Born: County Kildare, Ireland, July 11, 1996. Background: The son of Curragh trainer Philip, Dempsey started his career on the Flat partnering his first winner on King of Dudes in a 10-furlong handicap at Navan in October, 2012. Demspey's final full season on the Flat came in 2014 and his career has improved markedly since switching to riding over jumps. In his first full season, he recorded 19 winners and partnered the Willie Mullins-trained Killultagh Vic to success in the 2015 renewal of the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. Dempsey's first big-race success came aboard Empire Of Dirt in a handicap chase at Naas in February, 2015. His other big-race successes included Spider Web in the Ladbrokes Munster National in at Limerick in October, 2018. So far this term, Dempsey has had 14 winners from 229 rides (as of April 2), amassing €348,478 in prize money. Riding for his father Philip, he has two Graded contests aboard the progressive Derrinross, who also finished a creditable sixth in the G1 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March. Statistically, Dempsey's best year came in the 2015/16 season in which he rode 26 winners from 302 rides, earning €331,725 in prize money.

 

Breeding: b g Gold Well (GB) - How Provincial (IRE) (Be My Native (USA))

Breeder: Arctic Tack Stud

Born: April 15, 2009

Owner: Gigginstown House Stud

Trainer: Gordon Elliott IRE

Jockey: JJ Slevin

Form: 10/126/322F26115/470461-0953P

*Gutsy head winner of the 2018 Irish Grand National (3m 5f) at Fairyhouse. The Martin Brassil-trained Numbersixvalverde is the most recent Irish Grand National victor (2005) to follow up in the Randox Health Grand National (2006).

*General Principle has contested four big staying handicap chases in Ireland so far this season, notably when fifth in the Thyestes Chase (3m 1f) at Gowran Park in January and a close third behind Dounikos in the Grand National Trial Handicap Chase (3m 4f) at Punchestown on February 10.

*Pulled up on latest start in the G3 Ultima Handicap Chase (3m 1f) at Cheltenham on March 12.

*£80,000 purchase at Brightwells Cheltenham Sale in December, 2014, after winning an Irish point-to-point for Stuart Crawford.

 

Gigginstown House Stud, covering over 1,000 acres at Delvin near Mullingar, Co Westmeath, Ireland is the residence of Michael O'Leary, chief executive of Ryanair, Europe's largest budget airline. O'Leary was born on March 20, 1961, the second of six children, and educated at Clongowes Wood College in County Kildare before reading business studies at Trinity College Dublin. He was a tax consultant at accountants KPMG (1984-86) and became financial adviser to Tony Ryan, founder of Ryanair. He progressed to be Ryanair's deputy chief executive in 1991 and chief operating officer in 1993. He has overseen the rapid development of Ryanair since 1994 when he became chief executive, and his worth was valued at £908 million in the 2018 Sunday Times Rich List, thanks mainly to his significant shareholding in Ryanair. He has often been a controversial figure in business, thanks to outspoken opinions and a penchant for generating publicity. In March, 2019, he announced that he will step back from the day-to-day running of Ryanair to take on a more strategic and overseeing role. Racing interests: O'Leary started off with horses in training on the Flat with David Wachman and Mick Halford, but he has rapidly become a major Jump owner with a string only rivalled by fellow Irishman J P McManus. His horses run under the Gigginstown House Stud banner. He used to have many horses with Ireland's top Jump trainer, Willie Mullins, but took all 60 away in September, 2016, after a row over training fees. His team of over 250 horses in training in Ireland, split between mainly Gordon Elliott, Henry de Bromhead, Noel Meade and Joseph O'Brien. His racing enthusiasm was boosted when one of his first horses, War Of Attrition, won the 2006 Cheltenham Gold Cup. His 27 Cheltenham Festival winners, including one this year, also feature the 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Don Cossack. O'Leary won the Randox Health Grand National in 2016 with Rule The World, trained by Mouse Morris and previously without a win over fences, and again in 2018 with Tiger Roll. O'Leary's brother Eddie, based at Lynn Lodge Stud in Mullingar, oversees the Gigginstown racing operation; the young horses are brought along at Pat Doyle's County Tipperary stables and in point-to-points. Gigginstown has had retained jockeys, notably Davy Russell and Bryan Cooper, but neither lasted in the job. However, Russell has returned to ride plenty of Gigginstown horses, including two winners at the 2018 Cheltenham Festival and Tiger Roll in the 2018 Randox Health Grand National. Gigginstown has owned three of the last four winners of the three mile, five furlong Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse, usually run two weeks before the Randox Health Grand National - Thunder And Roses (2015), Rogue Angel (2016) and General Principle (2018). O'Leary married former banker Anita (Farrell) in 2003 and they have four children. 

 

Born:  March 2, 1978, in Summerhill, Co Meath Background: A very successful point-to-point rider, Elliott also partnered 46 winners as an amateur under Rules. He started his racing career while still at school, working at Tony Martin's stable in County Meath. He moved to Britain, joining Martin Pipe in 1997, and learnt a lot during his spell in Somerset. His biggest victory as a rider was on board King's Road, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, in the 1998 Punchestown Champion Bumper. After commencing handling point-to-pointers, he started his main training career from Capranny Stables in Trim, Co Meath in early 2006 and bought the 78-acre Cullentra House Farm, Longwood, Co Meath, in 2011, where the facilities have been built up from scratch, with a capacity of over 200 horses, two gallops, three schooling grounds, an equine pool, a natural spa and more. The trainer has emerged over the last few seasons as the main challenger to Willie Mullins' dominance in Ireland and had a major boost when receiving the pick of 60 horses that Gigginstown House Stud removed from Mullins in September, 2016. Elliott is part of a select group of trainers to saddle a winner at both the Cheltenham Festival and Royal Ascot, having sent out Commissioned to land the Queen Alexandra Stakes at the prestigious Flat meeting in June, 2016. He also sent out Dirar to win the Ebor Handicap at York in 2010. Training Career: Elliott's first runner under Rules came at the 2006 Cheltenham Festival, when Brandon Mountain was pulled up in the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Handicap Hurdle. He continued to send runners over to the UK and enjoyed almost instant success, most notably with Arresting, who notched up four victories between May and July, 2006. Elliott's Grand National victory with Silver Birch in April, 2007 was remarkable not only because he was just 29 at the time, but also because he had yet to saddle a winner in his native country. The winners in Ireland soon followed and Elliott gained an initial G1 victory with Jessies Dream in the Drinmore Novice Chase in December, 2010, and celebrated his first Cheltenham Festival successes in 2011 with Chicago Grey in the National Hunt Chase and Carlito Brigante in the Coral Cup. His Cheltenham Festival haul now stands at 25, following three wins this year, and includes Don Cossack's victory in the 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup. He was the leading trainer at the Cheltenham Festival for the first time in March, 2017 with six successes. Elliott plundered his second leading trainer award at The Festival in 2018 following a remarkable record-equalling eight winners over the four days, emulating Willie Mullins' best - eight wins at The Festival in 2015. Elliott has finished second to Mullins in the Irish Jump trainers' championship for six consecutive seasons and is on course to do so again this term, though he set a new record for the number of winners (210) in an Irish Jump season in 2017/18, eclipsing the previous best of 193 set by Mullins. For the third season in succession, Elliott has emulated one of his mentors, Martin Pipe, as the only other Jump trainer to saddle more than 1,000 runners. First winner as a trainer - Arresting, Fugro-Technip Handicap Hurdle, Perth, June 11, 2006.

Randox Health Grand National Record - 16:  2007 SILVER BIRCH (WON); 2009 Silver Birch (FELL 22nd); 2010 Backstage (UR 20th); 2011 Backstage (10th); 2012 Tharawaat (8th), Chicago Grey (BD 5th); 2013 Tarquinius 8th, Chicago Grey (PU 30th); 2015 Cause Of Causes (8th); 2016 Ucello Conti (6th) 2017 Cause Of Causes (2nd), Roi Des Francs (18th), Ucello Conti (UR 22nd); 2018 TIGER ROLL (WON), Bless The Wings (3rd), Ucello Conti (UR 27th).

 

Born: 16 July 1992 Background: From Kiltrea, Caim, County Wexford, James Joseph Slevin began his career as an amateur and turned professional in August 2016. He rode 34 winners in the point-to-point sphere with his first success coming on Herecomestherain, trained by his father Shay, at Ballydarragh on November 14, 2010. He is a nephew of Ireland's champion Flat trainer Aidan O'Brien, while Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Joseph O'Brien is his cousin. His first winner under Rules came on the John Clifford-trained Chapel Garden in the Curaheen Bumper at Thurles on December 22, 2013. In total, he rode 11 winners as an amateur, including two for trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies in Britain. His first success as a professional came when he dead-heated on the Sean Doyle-trained Craig Star with Liam Cusack's Lasoscar in the Tote Handicap Hurdle at Roscommon on August 29, 2016. Just four days later, he enjoyed his first outright success when Doyle's Crosshue Boy landed the Martinstown Opportunity Handicap Hurdle at Kilbeggan. J J was still an amateur when enjoying a notable success on the Richie Rath-trained Moylisha Tim in a G3 novice hurdle at Cork in November 2015, but a higher profile success came his way at the Cheltenham Festival in March, 2017 when he landed the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle on the Gordon Elliott-trained Champagne Classic. He rode his first G1 winner when taking the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle on the Joseph O'Brien-trained Tower Bridge on the opening day of the inaugural Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown on Saturday, February 3, 2018. It was his first ride at the highest level. Slevin celebrated the biggest victory of his career when General Principle, trained by Elliott, won the BoyleSports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday, April 2, 2018. He enjoyed his second Cheltenham Festival success when partnering Band Of Outlaws, trained by Joseph O'Brien, in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle last month. He has partnered 23 winners in Ireland this season (up to April 2) as against a best of 32 successes last season. JJ holds a degree in journalism from Griffith College, Dublin. 

 

 

Breeding: b g Arcadio (GER) - Ballinamona Wish (IRE) (Kotashaan (FR))

Breeder: Ben Furney

Born: April 12, 2009

Owner: Paul & Clare Rooney

Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies

Jockeys: Sam Twiston-Davies

Form: 1/1523/461/2F2250/11U58-321

*Out to give Nigel Twiston-Davies a third Randox Health Grand National success, following Bindaree (2002) and Earth Summit (1998), having joined the trainer from Jonjo O'Neill ahead of this season.

*Posted a career-best on his latest start when landing the Listed Sky Bet Handicap Chase (3m) by six lengths at Doncaster on January 26.

*Started this campaign with a good third in the G3 Sodexo Gold Cup Handicap Chase (3m) at Ascot on November 3, a race he won impressively in 2017.

*Purchased on behalf of Paul & Clare Rooney for £140,000 in January, 2014, after showing promise in two Irish point-to-points but failing to complete. From the family of 1986 Irish Grand National scorer Insure.

 

Background: Paul Anthony Rooney is originally from London (born July, 1947) and currently spends his time between the Monksford Estate, with its golf course and stables for retired racehorses, at Newtown St Boswells in the Scottish borders, and Sussex where he founded the Horsham-based Rooney & Co estate agents in 1981, which he now chairs. Ten years later, when he had 11 offices, he bought the south-eastern region of Prudential Property Services and formed Arun Estates. In 1993 Paul acquired Douglas Allen Spiro in East London and Essex. He moved back to the traditional trading name. Arun now trades under the brands of Ward & Partners, Cubitt & West, Douglas Allen, Pittis (on the Isle of Wight) and Rooney & Co through over 100 branches. Paul's wealth was valued at £140 million in the 2018 Sunday Times Rich List. He decided to start his own estate agency based on his own frustrations when trying to buy a family home in Horsham. He also has a house building business. He and his wife Clare have a number of charitable foundations (the Rooney Foundation being the biggest), which focus mainly on children's disabilities and medical research. Racing interests: Paul and Clare, who were social racegoers, first became involved with racehorse ownership as partners in the Donald McCain-trained Danny Zuko, a four-time winner between 2007 and 2010. They bought a third of Danny Zuko for £4,000 in 2006/07 and then got the bug. They have stepped up their involvement considerably in recent seasons. Initially their horses were trained principally by McCain, although they parted company with the Grand National-winning handler in a well-publicised split in October, 2015, when removing their 50-plus horses from the Cheshire-based trainer. The Rooneys now have their 100+ string spread widely, with their trainers this season including Kim Bailey, Jennie Candlish, Keith Dalgleish, Gordon Elliott, Harry Fry, Tom George, Philip Hobbs, Iain Jardine, Alan King, Charlie Longsdon, Graeme McPherson, Neil Mulholland, Fergal O'Brien, Jonjo O'Neill, Ben Pauling, Nicky Richards, Oliver Sherwood, Dan Skelton, Nigel Twiston-Davies and Alistair Whillans. The couple have also enjoyed significant success on the Flat, with the Clive Cox-trained My Dream Boat taking the G1 Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2016. Former Jump jockey Jason Maguire is their racing manager. The Rooneys enjoyed their first Cheltenham Festival success with Willoughby Court, trained by Ben Pauling, in the 2017 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle. The Last Samuri finished runner-up in the 2016 Randox Health Grand National.

 

Born: May 16, 1957 Background: Nigel Twiston-Davies initially combined training as a permit-holder with his farming interests from 1981, having his first winner with Last Of The Foxes at Hereford on February 3, 1982. The agricultural recession prompted him to make training his full-time profession and he took out a full training licence in 1989, recording his first win as a public trainer on December 30 of that year with Babil at Newbury. He has since gone on to register close to 2,000 successes, with his 1,000th winner coming at Stratford in October, 2006. Twiston-Davies rode 17 winners as an amateur under Rules and gained a further 17 point-to-point victories, and served as assistant trainer to Richard Head and Fred Rimell as well as having spells with Kim Bailey and David Nicholson. A childhood neighbour and friend of Peter Scudamore, he went into partnership with the champion Jump jockey to set up stables at Grange Hill Farm between Guiting Power and Naunton in Gloucestershire, although Scudamore has not been involved in the venture for many years (since 2003) and currently assists his partner Lucinda Russell, who won the 2017 Randox Health Grand National with One For Arthur. Since 2009, Twiston-Davies' business partner and assistant trainer is former stable jockey Carl Llewellyn, who enjoyed two Grand National winners thanks to Party Politics in 1992 and Earth Summit in 1998. Twiston-Davies adopted and developed the pioneering techniques of Martin Pipe, such as interval training and regular blood tests for his string, enabling him to rapidly raise his profile among the training ranks. He is one of only two current trainers, the other being Gordon Elliott, to have won the Grand National at Aintree more than once, saddling Earth Summit to victory in 1998 and Bindaree four years later. Twiston-Davies has had 17 successes at the Cheltenham Festival, headed by Imperial Commander in the 2010 Cheltenham Gold Cup. His best season numerically was in 2010/11, when he enjoyed 97 winners. He had two sons with his former wife Cathy. The eldest, Sam, 26, now rides freelance, having been stable jockey to Paul Nicholls for four seasons. William (Willy), 24, a successful rider on the Flat and over jumps, has retired from race riding. He wants to become a trainer eventually after working in bloodstock. The trainer is married to Vicky and they have four young children.

 

Born:  October 15, 1992 Background: Sam Twiston-Davies was still studying for AS-level exams at school in Gloucestershire when he had both his first Cheltenham Festival winner and first Grand National ride. The son of trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies and his ex-wife, Cathy, (who both rode as amateurs), Sam was successful in pony racing before turning to point-to-points in the 2008/09 season when becoming eligible at the age of 16. Within a few weeks, on December 28, 2008, he enjoyed his first winner between the flags, taking a race at Cottenham in Cambridgeshire on Grenfell, trained by his mother. At Ludlow on February 18, 2009, he achieved his first success under Rules when partnering Baby Run, owned and trained by Nigel, to victory in a hunter chase. A career that was bound to flourish gained added lift through Baby Run, for he and Sam went on to finish third in the following month's Foxhunters' Chase at the 2009 Cheltenham Festival and later gained one of the season's biggest prizes in the Champion Hunters' Chase at the Punchestown Festival. Sam and Baby Run capped that in March, 2010, when returning to Cheltenham and the easy winner of the Foxhunter Chase at The Festival. Sam then went to Aintree and came fifth on Hello Bud on his Grand National debut in April, 2010. He turned professional shortly afterwards. Sam partnered Hello Bud to victory in the 2010 Betfred Becher Handicap Chase over the Grand National course in December. Twiston-Davies rode his father's The New One to win the G1 Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle at The Cheltenham Festival in 2013. In the summer of 2014, he was appointed stable jockey to Paul Nicholls, but that role came to an end last season. He is rapidly approaching 1,000 winners, and these include seven at the Cheltenham Festival, with his best season coming in 2014/2015 (145 wins). Big-Race Wins include: Betway Aintree Hurdle (2014 The New One), Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (2015 Dodging Bullets), Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil (2016 Ptit Zig), Scottish National (2016 Vicente), Weatherbys Champion Bumper (2016 Ballyandy), Tingle Creek Chase (2014 Dodging Bullets), JLT Melling Chase (2018 Politologue).

Breeding: b g Presenting (GB) - Luck Of The Deise (IRE) (Old Vic (GB))

Breeder: Mrs E A Pendarves

Born: May 25, 2009

Owner: Mark Sherwood, Nigel Morris & Rebecca Curtis

Trainer: Rebecca Curtis

Jockey: Adam Wedge

Form: 127/1/17620/424311-62

*Subject of a major plunge this week in the betting markets, constricting in price from 33/1 to 14/1.

*Beat Randox Health Grand National opponents Ballyoptic and Vintage Clouds by a nose and four lengths in the Coral Scottish Grand National at Ayr in April, 2018, one of three wins from 13 starts for trainer Rebecca Curtis.

*Finished sixth behind Carole's Destrier in veterans' chase at Newbury in March after an absence of 315 days, and followed that up with a very encouraging length-and-a-half second to Chic Name (clear of remainder) on same course later that month.

*Had won two bumpers from four starts for former Godolphin chief executive John Ferguson carrying the Bloomfields colours before being bought by Curtis for £10,000 at Tattersalls Ireland Cheltenham Sale in April, 2016 after an absence from the racecourse of 10 months.

Mark Sherwood is a wealth manager with Swiss private bankers Bordier and Ci. He has owned horses for over 30 years. His proudest moment so far came when Rebecca Curtis-trained Joe Farrell landed the 2018 Scottish National "My grandfather was a great man for going down to the betting shop." Sherwood said. "I said to him "one day I would love to have a winner of the Scottish National or the Grand National." Half of this dream has now been achieved via his association with Curtis, which came about after seeing her very first television interview. Nigel Morris has horses in training with both Rebecca Curtis and Nigel Twiston-Davies, including Bigbadjohn with Twiston-Davies and Relentless Dreamer with Curtis to go along with his partnership in Joe Farrell with the trainer and Mark Sherwood.

Born: April 1, 1980. Background: Grew up on Fforest Farm five miles from Fishguard on the Pembrokeshire coast, a place that has now become her training centre. She has been around horses all her life and started riding aged four, progressing to showjump for the Welsh junior team. She rode in point-to-points and her first job in racing was with nearby trainer Peter Bowen. She spent five years in America with Flat trainers Richard Mandela and Dan Hendricks before coming home to take out a licence in 2008. Her first winner was Mango Catcher at Chepstow on April 5 that year and her reputation grew steadily. She enjoyed a first Cheltenham Festival winner in 2012 when Teaforthree won the National Hunt Chase and a second when At Fishers Cross took the 2013 G1 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle to give her a first Grade One victory, swiftly followed by a second at Aintree in the G1 Doom Bar Sefton Novices' Hurdle. She has enjoyed four winners at the Cheltenham Festival in all, with O'Faolain's Boy taking the 2014 RSA Chase and Irish Cavalier successful in the 2015 Close Brothers Novices' Handicap Chase. Her numbers have been well down in the last two seasons, but she enjoyed a major success when Joe Farrell took the Scottish Grand National at Ayr in April, 2018, and in the current season her nine winners to April 2 include a quite valuable handicap chase at Cheltenham with Relentless Dreamer and a G2 novices' hurdle with Lisnagar Oscar. Curtis had a tremendous first experience of the Randox Health Grand National, with Teaforthree finishing third in 2013, but five subsequent runners have failed to complete. Curtis uses her family's private beach to exercise her horses.

 

Born: August 11, 1989 & raised in Halesowen near Birmingham Background: Wedge is a fitness fanatic, and sunk his first wages into buying a mechanical horse. Later, while on a course at the British Racing School, he set a record for fitness levels by achieving a 99 per cent test score. He comes from an eventing background - his mother, Pauline, is keen on that sport and currently teaches children to ride - but racing gripped his imagination as a schoolboy, and when referring to his time at college he says: "I quit after two days having gained the racing bug riding out for [former Kidderminster trainer] Martin Evans." After a spell working for Evans, he joined Gloucestershire trainer Richard Phillips and had a few rides as an amateur on the Flat, and then, in September, 2008, moved to Lincolnshire to join Chris and Antonia Bealby. His first success under Rules came on Picky at Towcester one month after he joined the yard, and the following March he had his initial pointing successes when riding a double at North Carlton in Lincs. He remained an amateur for another season, during which he landed the valuable DBS Spring Sales bumper for Bealby on Di Kaprio. In July, 2010, he joined Evan Williams' stable and turned conditional. He rode eight winners in his first professional season and then his career took off. He has been linked with the trainer ever since. Wedge is enjoying his best season to date having partnered 53 winners (as of April 3). Some of his biggest successes include landing the 2016 Midland National at Uttoxeter on Firebird Flyer and the 2018 Coral Scottish Grand National on Joe Farrell, who he rides in the Randox Health Grand National.

Randox Health Grand National Record - 3: 2013 Viking Blond (PU 15th); 2014 One In A Milan (FELL 22nd); Buywise (UR 20th).

 

Breeding: b g Well Chosen (GB) - Swan Heart (IRE) (Broken Hearted (GB))

Breeder: T Carroll

Born: May 25, 2011

Owner: Sideways Syndicate

Trainer: Gordon Elliott IRE

Jockey: Robbie Power

Form: 334413/21236/12122U3-37211

*Is 6lb well-in for the Randox Health Grand National, having defeated fellow Grand National runner and stable companion Mala Beach in the BarOneRacing.com Chase (3m 2f) at Down Royal on March 16.

*Ultra-consistent gelding who has only not completed a race just once in his career.

*Successful in G1 company over American hurdles earlier this season when capturing the Grand National Hurdle (2m 5f) under Robbie Power at Far Hills, New Jersey, USA, on October 20.

*Other notable runs this season include third in the Galway Plate (2m 6f) behind stablemate Clarcam on August 1.

*Has been placed in G1 company at Leopardstown over fences (Neville Hotels Novice Chase, December 29, 2017) and Punchestown (Growise Champion Novice Chase, April 24, 2018).

*G2 winner over fences in the Florida Pearl Novice Chase at Leopardstown (2m 6f) in November, 2017.

*Third to subsequent G1 RSA Chase winner Presenting Percy in the Listed Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle at the 2017 Cheltenham Festival.

Formed by the late Ciaran Collins in 2009, along with his brother Shane, Giles Drum, Barry Megan and David Gannon. The group are from Moynalvey and Summerhill, two County Meath villages not far from Elliott's Cullentra House stables in Longwood. Ciaran, who was a talented Gaelic footballer, died just after Jury Duty's win at Punchestown in a G2 novice chase in November, 2017. The syndicate's first horse was with Joanna Morgan, who retired from training in early 2015. Since then, all their horses have been trained by Elliott, with Jury Duty the fourth and by far the best owned by the syndicate. The four members all grew up together, along with jockey Robbie Power, who takes the ride in the 2019 Randox Health Grand National and partnered Jury Duty to success in the American Grand National Hurdle.

Born:  March 2, 1978, in Summerhill, Co Meath Background: A very successful point-to-point rider, Elliott also partnered 46 winners as an amateur under Rules. He started his racing career while still at school, working at Tony Martin's stable in County Meath. He moved to Britain, joining Martin Pipe in 1997, and learnt a lot during his spell in Somerset. His biggest victory as a rider was on board King's Road, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, in the 1998 Punchestown Champion Bumper. After commencing handling point-to-pointers, he started his main training career from Capranny Stables in Trim, Co Meath in early 2006 and bought the 78-acre Cullentra House Farm, Longwood, Co Meath, in 2011, where the facilities have been built up from scratch, with a capacity of over 200 horses, two gallops, three schooling grounds, an equine pool, a natural spa and more. The trainer has emerged over the past few seasons as the main challenger to Willie Mullins' dominance in Ireland and had a major boost when receiving the pick of 60 horses that Gigginstown House Stud removed from Mullins in September, 2016. Elliott is part of a select group of trainers to saddle a winner at both the Cheltenham Festival and Royal Ascot, having sent out Commissioned to land the Queen Alexandra Stakes at the prestigious Flat meeting in June, 2016. He also sent out Dirar to win the Ebor Handicap at York in 2010. Training Career: Elliott's first runner under Rules came at the 2006 Cheltenham Festival, when Brandon Mountain was pulled up in the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Handicap Hurdle. He continued to send runners over to the UK and enjoyed almost instant success, most notably with Arresting, who notched up four victories between May and July, 2006. Elliott's Grand National victory with Silver Birch in April, 2007 was remarkable not only because he was just 29 at the time, but also because he had yet to saddle a winner in his native country. The winners in Ireland soon followed and Elliott gained an initial G1 victory with Jessies Dream in the Drinmore Novice Chase in December, 2010, and celebrated his first Cheltenham Festival successes in 2011 with Chicago Grey in the National Hunt Chase and Carlito Brigante in the Coral Cup. His Cheltenham Festival haul now stands at 25, following three wins this year, and includes Don Cossack's victory in the 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup. He was the leading trainer at the Cheltenham Festival for the first time in March, 2017 with six successes. Elliott plundered his second leading trainer award at The Festival in 2018 following a remarkable record-equalling eight winners over the four days, emulating Willie Mullins' best - eight wins at The Festival in 2015. Elliott has finished second to Mullins in the Irish Jump trainers' championship for six consecutive seasons and is on course to do so again this term, though he set a new record for the number of winners (210) in an Irish Jump season in 2017/18, eclipsing the previous best of 193 set by Mullins. For the third season in succession, Elliott has emulated one of his mentors, Martin Pipe, as the only other Jump trainer to saddle more than 1,000 runners. First winner as a trainer - Arresting, Fugro-Technip Handicap Hurdle, Perth, June 11, 2006.

Randox Health Grand National Record - 16:  2007 SILVER BIRCH (WON); 2009 Silver Birch (FELL 22nd); 2010 Backstage (UR 20th); 2011 Backstage (10th); 2012 Tharawaat (8th), Chicago Grey (BD 5th); 2013 Tarquinius 8th, Chicago Grey (PU 30th); 2015 Cause Of Causes (8th); 2016 Ucello Conti (6th) 2017 Cause Of Causes (2nd), Roi Des Francs (18th), Ucello Conti (UR 22nd); 2018 TIGER ROLL (WON), Bless The Wings (3rd), Ucello Conti (UR 27th).

Born: May 27, 1981 Background: Power sprung to prominence in the 2007 Randox Health Grand National when urging Silver Birch to a thrilling three-quarter length triumph. Power is the son of legendary Irish showjumper and trainer Captain Con Power, who is regarded as the top man in Ireland to deal with jumping issues in horses. His sister Elizabeth is one of Ireland's top event riders. A silver medallist at the European Junior Showjumping Championships in 2000, Power made the switch to Jump racing the following year and rode his first winner on only his third attempt when partnering his mother's Younevertoldme, trained by Jessica Harrington, in a hurdle race at Punchestown in December, 2001. He is attached to Harrington's County Kildare stable where he began as an amateur after receiving encouragement from Richard Dunwoody. His first winner as a professional came on the Paddy Mullins-trained Bob What at Leopardstown in February, 2002. He partnered the Mullins-trained Nearly A Moose to success in the 2003 Galway Plate. That victory came after he had gained a significant British win aboard the Harrington-trained Intelligent in the Midlands Grand National earlier in the year. He was honoured at the 2004 Irish Jump Racing Awards as the leading claiming rider and in August of that year he partnered his first Australian winner in the annual Irish Jump jockey challenge down under. A broken bone in a foot, sustained in a schooling accident, cost him the winning ride on Newmill in the 2006 Queen Mother Champion Chase. In 2007, he rode Silver Birch to victory in the Randox Health Grand National for Gordon Elliott. Power has for a long time been associated with the Harrington stable and rode the yard's Bostons Angel to win three G1 novice chases, including the RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in 2011. His association with the Harrington-trained Sizing John brought great rewards in the 2016/2017 season: the pair won the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown in February and followed up with triumphs in the Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup (one of three wins there that year) and Punchestown Gold Cup. The same season he won the Irish Grand National on Our Duke and rode three G1 winners at Aintree, on Pingshou in the Betway Top Novices' Hurdle, Fox Norton in the JLT Melling Chase and Finian's Oscar in the Betway Mersey Novices' Hurdle. Power enjoyed a further G1 success on Sizing John in the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase in December, 2017 and gained a notable first winner in the United States in October, 2018, when landing the Grand National Hurdle at Far Hills on Jury Duty for Gordon Elliott. He has mixed showjumping with racing and won the Speed Derby at Hickstead in 2013. He goes by the nickname 'Puppy'. He sustained a small back injury at last month's Cheltenham Festival, but is due to resume race riding at Aintree.

 

Breeding: b g Island House (IRE) - Thebrownhen (IRE) (Henbit (USA))

Breeder: Sean Whelan

Born: April 5, 2007

Owner: Mark Scott

Trainer: James Moffatt

Jockey: Aidan Coleman

Form: 122/21476/5P42031/09202/4P100/7

*Gets in the race as the first reserve after Mall Dini was taken out on the afternoon of April 4.

*Finished 14th in the 2018 Randox Health Grand National and 15th in the 2017 edition.

*Has run just once for Lake District trainer James Moffatt, finishing seventh to Walk In The Mill in the G3 Becher Chase (3m 2f) at Aintree on December 8.

*Joined Moffatt in late 2018 after 24 starts for Paul Nicholls, having been purchased by owner Mark Scott for £9,000 in August, 2018.

*Bought for £100,000 by Richard Thompson at the 2017 Goffs Aintree Sale and finished 14th behind One For Arthur in the Randox Health Grand National two days later.

*Won the 2015 Bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown and was beaten a short-head in the same prestigious handicap chase a year later by fellow Randox Health Grand National runner The Young Master. Finished 11th in the 2017 renewal of the three miles and five furlong event.

*Stayed on strongly to win a three and a quarter mile veterans' handicap chase at Newbury on March 4, 2017.

*Has never fallen or unseated; his two non-completions came when pulled up.

*Made £260,000 when offered for sale as a five-year-old, with wins in a point-to-point and a Punchestown maiden hurdle under his belt.

Background: Mark Scott is from Aigburth. He runs the taxi replacement firm Countrywide Vehicle Rental, based near Stanley Dock in Liverpool. Countrywide Vehicle Rentals are the nation's leading replacement taxi company, supplying replacement taxis nationwide since 1999. Scott, 57, is Liverpool born and bred and having Grand National runners is a long-held dream. His first Grand National runner Ely Brown was bought privately for around £10,000 from Irish dealer Pat Morrissey and is the best to carry Scott's orange colours. Though Scott is a Liverpool FC supporter, he admits that his love of racing has overridden his love of football. He became interested in horseracing 12 years ago when he started to join horse syndicate groups. The first horse he bought was Ely Brown, trained by Charlie Longsdon and ran under the name Countrywide Vehicle Rentals Taxi Hire. Ely Brown fell at the first in the 2015 Randox Health Grand National won by Many Clouds. Other horses owned by Scott include Hepijeu and Munsaab, with the latter trained by James Moffatt, who also trains Randox Health Grand National runner Just A Par. He is married to Barbara and the couple have two children, Andrew who manages Countrywide Vehicle Rentals and a daughter Rachel. Just A Par is one of three horses to run in Scott's colours this year along with Mega Double and Noble Warrior, both of which are trained by Moffatt.

 

A former jump jockey, James (Jimmy) Moffatt, born June 14, 1972, enjoyed success as a northern-based rider, employed mainly by his father, Dudley Moffatt, who is still involved in the family training business. His notable successes among his 78 wins as a jockey included three on the talented Morceli, as well as major wins for his father on Home Counties in the 1995 Vincent O'Brien County Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and in the same year's Scottish Champion Hurdle, and Deb's Ball in the 1993 West Yorkshire Hurdle. He quit riding in 2003 to take over the licence at the family's picturesque small stables, which his father built in 1985, at Cartmel in the Lake District. Moffatt trained Chief Dan George, winner of what is now the G3 Ultima Handicap Chase at the 2010 Cheltenham Festival, as well as G2 River Don Novices' Hurdle at Wetherby, the G2 Prestige Novices' Hurdle at Haydock and the G1 Sefton Novices' Hurdle during the Grand National Festival at Aintree. Highland Lodge has become Moffatt's latest stable star. He captured the 2015 renewal of the G3 Becher Chase, before finishing a short-head second in the 2016 edition. Highland Lodge was also third in the 2017 Becher Chase, but fell in the 2018 race. Moffatt's brother, Darren Moffatt, is a former Flat jockey. Jimmy enjoyed his joint-best season as a trainer in 2017/18 with 12 winners and he has saddled five winners (as of April 3) this term. He married his long-time partner Nadine in 2015 and they are their second child imminently.

 

 

 

Breeding: gr g Oscar (IRE) - Missy O'Brien (IRE) (Supreme Leader (GB))

Breeder: Peter Magnier

Born: March 19, 2010

Owner: Trevor Hemmings

Trainer: Nick Alexander

Jockey: Henry Brooke

Form: 31FF1141/26/3132123-113

*Aiming to provide owner Trevor Hemmings with an unprecedented fourth victory in the Randox Health Grand National.

*Purchased by Hemmings during the summer and has since won two of his three starts.

*Defeated Captain Chaos by two and three-quarter lengths in the Listed Rehearsal Handicap Chase (2m 7.5f) at Newcastle on December 1 and had the same rival four lengths behind when winning the G3 Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase (3m) in good style at Wetherby on December 26.

*Last seen out finishing an excellent staying-on third, beaten just over three lengths, under top-weight in the G3 Ultima Handicap Chase (3m 1f) at the Cheltenham Festival on March 12. His rating has been raised 3lb to 158, making him 3lb well-in.

Born:  June 11, 1935 Background: Brought up in Woolwich Arsenal, South-East London, where his father worked at the Royal Ordnance factory. Was sent to Lancashire as a five-year-old during World War II and began life as a bricklayer's apprentice after leaving school at 15. Became involved in the Pontins holiday business and eventually came to own the company. He sold Pontins to Scottish & Newcastle in exchange for a significant S & N shareholding in 1989. He bought back Pontins in 2000 but retained a stake in S & N, which netted him £218 million when the company was sold in January, 2008. Sold Blackpool Tower and the Winter Gardens to the North West resort's town council for £40 million in March, 2010. In 2012, agreed to sell his major shareholding in Arena Leisure Plc, which owned Folkestone, Lingfield, Southwell, Wolverhampton and Windsor racecourses and managed Doncaster and Worcester, to the Reuben brothers. Owns a controlling shareholding in Preston North End FC (since 2010), the Trust Inns pub company with over 350 pubs and the Northern Trust Group which is a substantial property investment, development, land management and regeneration business with 8m square feet in over 200 industrial, trade counter and office parks extending from the South Midlands to the central belt of Scotland. He is chairman of the TJH Foundation, a charity which provides grants to organisations such as Macmillan Cancer Relief, St John Ambulance, Crimestoppers Trust, Royal National Lifeboat Association, the Injured Jockeys' Fund and Racing Welfare. In 2011, he was appointed a Commander of the Victorian Order (CVO) for his work as vice-president of the Princess Royal Trust Carers. In 2018, the Sunday Times estimated Hemmings' wealth at £1 billion, up from £850 million the previous year. As well as racehorses, he also has eventers who are ridden by Zara Tindall - she partnered the Hemmings-owned High Kingdom to win team silver in three-day eventing at London 2012. He is famous for wearing a flat cap. Racing Interests: Fulfilled greatest ambition when Hedgehunter carried his colours to victory in the 2005 Grand National. After years of trying, Hemmings had finally emulated his mentor Fred Pontin, owner of the 1971 National hero Specify, with his 13th Grand National runner. Ballabriggs added a second Grand National success in 2011 and Many Clouds a third in 2015. He tried to win Grand National for first time with Stan Mellor-trained Rubika, 14th in 1992. His first winner came on the Flat in 1985. Hemmings brings on young jumping stock at Gleadhill House Stud, near Chorley, Lancashire, managed by former trainer Mick Meagher, and at his Monymusk Stud in Co Cork. He also has Wood Farm Stud in Shropshire, which is managed by his son Philip. Hemmings, who was made an honorary Jockey Club member in December, 2006, is based on the Isle of Man (since 2002) and is said to have paid £12 million for the Ballavoddan Manor estate on the island where his retired horses live at his Ballaseyr Stud. He has enjoyed 11 winners at the Cheltenham Festival, headed by dual Ryanair Chase hero Albertas Run and has around 70 horses in training in Britain. Randox Health Grand National Achievements: One of only four owners to have won the race three times along with Noel Le Mare (Red Run 1973, 1974 & 1977), James Machall (1873 Disturbance, 1874 Reugny, 1876 Regal) and Sir Charles Assheton-Smith (1893 Cloister, Jerry M 1912, Covertcoat 1913). His winners have been Hedgehunter (9-11-01, 7/1 favourite, trained by Willie Mullins & ridden by Ruby Walsh - 2005), Ballabriggs (10-11-00, 14/1, Donald McCain/Jason Maguire - 2011) and Many Clouds (8-11-09, 25/1, Oliver Sherwood/Leighton Aspell - 2015).

Born: May 31, 1961 Background: Hails from the Alexander family that established one of the UK's leading coachbuilders - Falkirk-based Walter Alexander Coachbuilders. The family sold its interest in the firm in 1990 and it currently exists as Alexander Dennis following a merger with English bus makers the Dennis Group. The Alexander family is also steeped in Jump racing. Nick's father Cyril (who died in 1992) was a permit holder, while his brothers Jamie, Michael and David are all keen horsemen and rode in point-to-points. The four brothers competed in a five-runner point-to-point in 2002 but lost out as the race was won by the only non-family member. Following Cyril Alexander's death in 1992, the family's horses were trained by Jim Barclay up until 2002 when Nick started training from the family's 800-acre Kinneston base in Fife. After five years as a permit holder, during which time he worked as a stockbroker, he took out a full licence in 2007. His best season to date numerically came in 2015/16 when he enjoyed 31 successes at a strike rate of 14 per cent, but he is on target to beat that total this season, with 23 wins up to and including April 4. Lake View Lad provided the stable with its first graded success in G3 Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase at Wetherby on Boxing Day. Nick's daughter Lucy, one of four children with his wife Rose, has been a trailblazer for female Jump jockeys in the UK; she was crowned Champion Conditional Jockey in 2012/13, the first time a woman won the title. Catriona "Catch" Bissett, assistant trainer, was named Employee of the Year at the 2019 Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards in February, and presented with a cheque for £30,000, of which £15,000 was shared among the staff at Kinneston Stables. Catch first of all gained the Leadership Award at the Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards. She completed the British Horseracing Authority Graduate Scheme in 2011 and joined Kinneston in 2014.

Born Tadcaster, October 31, 1990 Background: Brooke was raised at Easingwold, Yorkshire. His mother Julia, who showjumped and then rode in point-to-points under her maiden name of Platts, ran a pre-training yard, which also housed a veterinary clinic, and trained point-pointers before taking out a training licence in 2015. Henry's brother, Danny, rode in pony races and is a trainee livestock auctioneer and sheep breeder/dealer. Henry's first ride in a race - in a point-to-point - came on Pikachu Blue, a horse that was gifted to him as a birthday present by trainer Sue Bramall. He finished third on that debut, but it took him another two seasons before he broke his duck in points. He flirted with Flat racing and had 14 rides on the level in 2010 and 2011. He became a conditional jockey and now rides as a freelance, having spent four years with Cheshire-based Donald McCain. Brooke won the conditional jockeys' championship with 41 winners in 2011/12. In December, 2015, Brooke rode Highland Lodge to win the Betfred Becher Handicap Chase over the Grand National fences at Aintree for trainer James Moffatt. He made a miraculous recovery from serious injury sustained in a fall at Hexham in October, 2016, when he was airlifted to hospital after being placed in an induced coma, having a collapsed lung, nine fractured ribs and fractured shoulder blade. Brooke returned to race-riding in the space of seven weeks and was able to partner Highland Lodge to finish a close second in the 2016 Betfred Becher Handicap Chase. He was in the third in the same race on Highland Lodge in 2017. He enjoyed his best-ever season in 2016/17 with 48 successes - he has amassed 38 wins so far this season (up to and including April 2). Big-race victories include Wetherby's G3 Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase on Definitly Red (2016), Dan Skelton's Get On The Yager (2017) and Lake View Lad (2018), plus the 2018 Listed Sky Bet Chase on Sue Smith's Wakanda.

Breeding: b g Beneficial (GB) - Another Evening (IRE) (Saddlers' Hall (IRE))

Breeder: M O'Riordan

Born: March 14, 2010

Owner: Susannah Ricci

Trainer: Willie Mullins IRE

Jockey: David Mullins

Form: 102/8/1431043/313F-P20

* Well-beaten 12th in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Riders' Handicap Chase (3m 2f) at the Cheltenham Festival on his latest start.

*Relatively unexposed nine-year-old who finished a three and three-quarter length second in a handicap chase (2m 5f) at Leopardstown on February 3.

*Fell at the sixth fence in the Close Brothers Novices' Handicap Chase (2m 4½f) at the 2018 Cheltenham Festival.

*Sole success over fences came at Cork (2m 4f) on heavy going in January, 2018.

The Ricci family horses run in the name of Susannah, wife of American Rich Ricci. They live in Kent but have their racehorses mainly trained in Ireland. Rich Ricci, (born August, 1963) gained a bachelors' degree in finance from Creighton University in Nebraska and progressed to senior positions at the Bank of Boston and the Bank of New England. He moved to England to work for Barclays in 1994 before being appointed chief operating officer of the bank's global investors in 2002. In 2012, he became co-chief executive of Barclays corporate and investment banking. He resigned from Barclays in April, 2013. He is now chairman of freemarketFX (since February, 2016) and was executive chairman of bookmakers BetBright, which closed down last month, with the technological assets sold to 888Sport for £15 million. His first racing inspiration came when he stood by the running rail at Suffolk Downs in Massachusetts, USA. He started to own Jump horses after watching Clare Balding on BBC television. Through a friend, Pat O'Riordan, he met Willie Mullins, Ireland's champion Jump trainer, and began ownership with Scotsirish in 2005, initially racing as Double R Stables. The first of many winners trained by Mullins in the Ricci name was Pomme Tiepy at Cork in December, 2007. The Riccis have had 15 winners at The Festival at Cheltenham, all trained by Mullins. They include two runnings of the Unibet Champion Hurdle - Faugheen (2015) and Annie Power (2016) and the 2016 Ryanair Chase with Vautour. Their winners at the Randox Health Grand National Festival include the G1 Betway Aintree Hurdle in 2016 with Annie Power and the 2016 G1 Doom Bar Maghull Novices' Chase with Douvan.

Born:  September 15, 1956 Background: A six-time champion amateur rider in Ireland, his successes in the saddle included the 1983 Foxhunters' Chase at Aintree on Atha Cliath (among the also-rans were Robert Waley-Cohen, chairman of Cheltenham Racecourse, and former Aintree Racecourse chairman Lord Daresbury). As a jockey in the Randox Health Grand National, his rides included The Ladys Master, who ran out in 1983, and Hazy Dawn, who fell at the sixth the following year. He partnered three winners at the Cheltenham Festival. He hails from one of Ireland's most famous racing families, being a son of the late Paddy Mullins, the outstanding all-round trainer whose most dazzling star was Dawn Run, winner of the 1984 Champion Hurdle and 1986 Cheltenham Gold Cup. Training Achievements: Assisted his father and Jim Bolger before taking out a training licence in 1988. He has been Ireland's champion Jump trainer 12 times. He has won most of the major prizes in Britain and Ireland, and several in France as well. He is the winning-most trainer ever at the Cheltenham Festival, with 65 successes to his credit, including Champion Hurdles with Annie Power, Faugheen and Hurricane Fly, and an extraordinary nine in the Champion Bumper, starting with Wither Or Which (which he also rode) in 1996. This year, Al Boum Photo provided Mullins with an elusive first Cheltenham Gold Cup success, having trained the runner-up on six occasions. He has been leading trainer at The Festival for six of the last nine years (including a record eight winners in 2015). Mullins' star performer in the early part of the century was Florida Pearl, who was placed in two Cheltenham Gold Cups, won the 1998 RSA Chase, the 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2004 Irish Gold Cups in Ireland as well as the 2001 King George VI Chase and the 2002 Betway Bowl at Aintree. The brilliant Hurricane Fly won the Unibet Champion Hurdle in 2011 and 2013 and Mullins' other Cheltenham Festival winners include the amazing Quevega who created history by becoming the only horse to win the same race in six consecutive years (the OLBG Mares' Hurdle). Mullins has around 200 horses at his Closutton yard near Bagenalstown in Co Carlow. His first Grand National runner as a trainer, Micko's Dream, fell at the first in 2000. Mullins, a former chairman of the Irish Trainers' Federation, also suffered disappointment in 2004 when Hedgehunter departed at the final fence in the Randox Health Grand National when looking assured of a place. The following year Hedgehunter won the Grand National, coming home 14 lengths clear of Royal Auclair, and he also finished second in 2006.

 

Born: June 6, 1996 Background: From Goresbridge, County Kilkenny, David Mullins is the son of the trainer Tom Mullins and the nephew of the 12-time Ireland champion Jump trainer Willie. The Mullins are a racing dynasty and his late grandfather, Paddy, is best known for training the great racemare Dawn Run, who still remains the only horse to win both the Champion Hurdle and the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Being born into such a racing family, there is no surprise the path he chose. He tasted success at the top-level when Nichols Canyon, trained by his uncle Willie, landed the G1 Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown in 2015, overcoming the previously unbeaten Faugheen. He enjoyed a dream first ride in the Grand National when successful on Rule The World in 2016 and failed by only a head on Pleasant Company last year. Major victories have also come aboard the likes of Al Boum Photo in the Ryanair Gold Cup Novice Chase at Fairyhouse in 2018, Bellshill in the 2018 Coral Punchestown Gold Cup, Faugheen in the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers' Hurdle 2018 and Kemboy in the 2018 Savills Chase at Leopardstown.

Breeding: b m Flemensfirth (USA) - Quest Of Passion (FR) (Saumarez (GB))

Breeder: Baronrath & Colbinstown Studs

Born: April 24, 2011

Owner: Ann & Alan Potts Limited

Trainer: Jessica Harrington (IRE)

Jockey: Paddy Kennedy

Form: 315742431/321F220241-3112U7

*An emphatic 14-length winner of a Listed Chase (2m 7½f) at Newbury in December.

*Won a G2 hurdle (2m 7f) at Ascot the following month.

*Unseated rider behind fellow Randox Health Grand National runner Rathvinden in the G3 Bobbyjo Chase (3m 1f) at Fairyhouse on February 23.

*Most recently finished seventh behind Beware The Bear, beaten 11 lengths, in the Ultima Handicap Chase (3m1f) at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

*Plundered a competitive handicap chase (2m 5f) at Punchestown on her final start last season.

*If successful, she would be the first mare to win since 1951, when Nickel Coin was the 13th to succeed in the Grand National's history. Dubacilla, fourth in 1995, was the last mare to be placed.

Born - February 25, 1947, London. Background - Daughter of Brigadier Bryan 'Friz' Fowler, who won a silver medal as part of the British polo team at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. Her late brother John was also a trainer, sending out Maid Of Money to win the 1989 Irish National, and he only missed out on competing in the 1968 Olympics with a broken collarbone. Harrington's equine career began in the eventing world and she rode at the prestigious Burghley horse trials at the age of 18. Jessica and John became the first brother and sister to ride at the European Eventing Championships at Punchestown in 1967. She went on represent Ireland at three European championships and one World championships and was selected for the Olympics in 1980 and 1984. She unfortunately missed out on both occasions, owing to the boycott of the Moscow Games and her horse becoming lame at the Los Angeles Games - she did ride at the substitute Olympics in France in 1980. Her best result in eventing was her third on Amoy at Badminton in 1983. Harrington took out a training licence at Commonstown Stables at Moone in County Kildare in 1989 and she is one of a select group of trainers to have winners at Grade 1 level over jumps and Group 1 on the Flat. Her 11 winners at the Cheltenham Festival include star two-miler Moscow Flyer, who took the Racing Post Arkle in 2002 and the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase in 2003 & 2005, as well as 2014 Unibet Champion Hurdle victor Jezki (an eight-time G1 winner in total) and 2017 Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Sizing John (four-time G1 winner after joining the stable). Her other G1 winners over jumps include Supasundae, who won the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown, the Punchestown Champion Hurdle in 2018 and the G1 Betway Aintree Hurdle on April 4, 2019. In 2018 she also won four G1 Flat races with her outstanding miler Alpha Centauri, including a first Classic success for the stable in the Irish 1,000 Guineas. She has yet to have a runner in the Randox Health Grand National, but won the 2017 Irish Grand National with Our Duke.

 

Born: September 30, 1988 Dingle, Co Kerry. Background: Paddy Kennedy is a younger brother of trainer Michael Kennedy (whose first winner Touch of Gold he rode at Killarney in 2017) and an older brother of jockey Jack Kennedy, who rides Dounikos for Gordon Elliott in this year's Randox Health Grand National and is a multiple G1 winner, including on Apple's Jade, Farclas, Outlander and Samcro. The family has no background in racing, with father Billy a welder and mother Liz a child minder. He lives in Kildare with his girlfriend Ciara and baby son Eoghan. He was apprenticed on the Flat to Kevin Prendergast but did not have a winner in that sphere. In a career beset by injury and health issues (he had surgery for a tumour on his bladder in 2017), Kennedy has had 61 winners to April 4 in Ireland and one in Britain. His first winner was Snug Bunch for Niall Moran in a bumper at Down Royal on May 5, 2008. He had two more winners the same season, also in bumpers and both for Dessie Hughes who he worked for after his weight rose. He had two winners at the Galway Festival in 2017 but his biggest win came in the Abbey International Handicap Chase at Leopardstown in February, 2019 on Whisperinthebreeze for Jessica Harrington who he has been with for five years. His sole British win from five rides was on Red Scally for Michael O'Hare in a conditional and amateur riders' handicap chase at Ayr in March, 2009. Besides his continuing career as a professional jockey and riding out and schooling for various trainers, including Harrington, he runs a breaking and pre-training operation on a farm he bought with his younger brother Jack in 2018. He has had one previous ride at Aintree, finishing fourth on Jetson in a three-mile handicap hurdle at the Randox Health Grand National Festival in 2014. He has ridden his Randox Health Grand National mount Magic Of Light once in public, finishing fourth in a handicap hurdle at Limerick in April 2017.

Breeding: b g Beneficial (GB) - Peppardstown (IRE) (Old Vic (GB))

Breeder: R Guiry

Born: March 16, 2008

Owner: Chris Jones

Trainer: Gordon Elliott IRE

Jockey: Mr Jamie Codd

Form: 90/93O121/231/214/F22FP/21P12-82

*Second to stable companion and fellow Randox Health Grand National runner Jury Duty in the BarOneRacing.com Chase (3m 2f) at Down Royal on March 16, beaten six and a half lengths

*Eighth to Presenting Percy in the G2 Galmoy Hurdle over three miles on January 24, his only other start this term.

*Plundered the Troytown Handicap Chase (3m) at Navan in November, 2017 under Davy Russell.

*Latest success came in a chase at Down Royal (3m 2f) by nine and a half lengths in March, 2018.

*Was pulled up in the 2016 renewal of the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.

*Dual G2 winner over hurdles at Leopardstown (December, 2013) and Punchestown (December, 2014)

*Began career with Andrew Lynch before joining Cullentra handler Gordon Elliott in 2012.

*Spent 18 months out with a knee injury between March, 2016 and October, 2017.

*One of two Randox Health Grand National runners for owner Chris Jones along with Noble Endeavor, also trained by Elliott.

Chris Jones, who lives in Co Meath, is founder and CEO of Jones Investments, Dublin-based specialists in commercial, residential and investment properties. He is a director of Leopardstown Racecourse. Chris Jones' late father, also Chris Jones, owned good horses with Arthur Moore, to whom the family are related by marriage. They included Klairon Davies, winner of the 1996 Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Chris Jones jnr's successes include victories at the Cheltenham Festival with Tiger Cry and What A Charm. Grade One winners have included Zabana (2016 Champion Novice Chase, Punchestown) and Mega Fortune (2017 Spring Juvenile Hurdle, Leopardstown). As well as Gordon Elliott, Jones has horses in training with Henry de Bromhead, Arthur Moore and Andrew Lynch. His young horses are all pre-trained at Jones' 200-acre farm, Killeen Glebe, near Dunsany in Co Meath, by Andrew Lynch and Gearoid O'Loughlin. Jones has pinhooking and breeding interests under the name of Jones Racing, formed in 2009 and managed by O'Loughlin. Jones attended University College Dublin and worked for Waterford Crystal in Ireland and the USA, founding Ellier Developments in 1993. Chris established Jones Investments Ltd in 2012 primarily to focus on the commercial and residential sector. Most recently, he has been involved in landmark developments in Ireland's Silicon Docks, Dublin's Grand Canal area. He co-developed the EMEA Headquarters of Facebook at Hanover Quay, Dublin and in 2014 he completed the office scheme Dock Mill on Barrow Street which has subsequently been sold to Google.

Born:  March 2, 1978, in Summerhill, Co Meath Background: A very successful point-to-point rider, Elliott also partnered 46 winners as an amateur under Rules. He started his racing career while still at school, working at Tony Martin's stable in County Meath. He moved to Britain, joining Martin Pipe in 1997, and learnt a lot during his spell in Somerset. His biggest victory as a rider was on board King's Road, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, in the 1998 Punchestown Champion Bumper. After commencing handling point-to-pointers, he started his main training career from Capranny Stables in Trim, Co Meath in early 2006 and bought the 78-acre Cullentra House Farm, Longwood, Co Meath, in 2011, where the facilities have been built up from scratch, with a capacity of over 200 horses, two gallops, three schooling grounds, an equine pool, a natural spa and more. The trainer has emerged over the past few seasons as the main challenger to Willie Mullins' dominance in Ireland and had a major boost when receiving the pick of 60 horses that Gigginstown House Stud removed from Mullins in September, 2016. Elliott is part of a select group of trainers to saddle a winner at both the Cheltenham Festival and Royal Ascot, having sent out Commissioned to land the Queen Alexandra Stakes at the prestigious Flat meeting in June, 2016. He also sent out Dirar to win the Ebor Handicap at York in 2010. Training Career: Elliott's first runner under Rules came at the 2006 Cheltenham Festival, when Brandon Mountain was pulled up in the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Handicap Hurdle. He continued to send runners over to the UK and enjoyed almost instant success, most notably with Arresting, who notched up four victories between May and July, 2006. Elliott's Grand National victory with Silver Birch in April, 2007 was remarkable not only because he was just 29 at the time, but also because he had yet to saddle a winner in his native country. The winners in Ireland soon followed and Elliott gained an initial G1 victory with Jessies Dream in the Drinmore Novice Chase in December, 2010, and celebrated his first Cheltenham Festival successes in 2011 with Chicago Grey in the National Hunt Chase and Carlito Brigante in the Coral Cup. His Cheltenham Festival haul now stands at 25, following three wins this year, and includes Don Cossack's victory in the 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup. He was the leading trainer at the Cheltenham Festival for the first time in March, 2017 with six successes. Elliott plundered his second leading trainer award at The Festival in 2018 following a remarkable record-equalling eight winners over the four days, emulating Willie Mullins' best - eight wins at The Festival in 2015. Elliott has finished second to Mullins in the Irish Jump trainers' championship for six consecutive seasons and is on course to do so again this term, though he set a new record for the number of winners (210) in an Irish Jump season in 2017/18, eclipsing the previous best of 193 set by Mullins. For the third season in succession, Elliott has emulated one of his mentors, Martin Pipe, as the only other Jump trainer to saddle more than 1,000 runners. First winner as a trainer - Arresting, Fugro-Technip Handicap Hurdle, Perth, June 11, 2006.

Randox Health Grand National Record - 16:  2007 SILVER BIRCH (WON); 2009 Silver Birch (FELL 22nd); 2010 Backstage (UR 20th); 2011 Backstage (10th); 2012 Tharawaat (8th), Chicago Grey (BD 5th); 2013 Tarquinius 8th, Chicago Grey (PU 30th); 2015 Cause Of Causes (8th); 2016 Ucello Conti (6th) 2017 Cause Of Causes (2nd), Roi Des Francs (18th), Ucello Conti (UR 22nd); 2018 TIGER ROLL (WON), Bless The Wings (3rd), Ucello Conti (UR 27th).

Born: November 23, 1981 Background: Codd comes from Mayglass, Co Wexford. He is the son of Billy and Mary Frances Codd and has two sibling sisters Zoe and Lisa. His brother, Willie, a well-known trainer of point-to-pointers in Ireland, suffered with mental illness and took his own life in February, 2018. He is married to Robyn and they have one child, Lottie. The amateur rider works for Tattersalls Ireland as their Irish horses-in-training representative. Codd has ridden well over 800 point-to-point winners, is the second-most winning Irish point-to-point jockey and only the third ever to go through the card. Big-Race Wins: Codd has recorded nine winners at the Cheltenham Festival, including a double in 2017 on Cause Of Causes (Gordon Elliott), in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase, and Fayonagh (Gordon Elliott), in the Grade One Weatherbys Champion Bumper. At the 2019 Cheltenham Festival last month, he also enjoyed a double courtesy of Le Breuil (National Hunt Chase) and Envoi Allen (G1 Weatherbys Champion Bumper). He won the G1 Champion Bumper at Punchestown on Shaneshill (Willie Mullins) in 2014 and on Fayonagh (Gordon Elliott) in 2017. He is also the winner of the amateur Derby on the Flat at Epsom Downs in 2016 on Hubertas, (John Quinn). He rode On The Fringe to win the Randox Health Foxhunters' Chase over the Grand National fences in 2016. First winner: Killultagh Thunder (Willie Mullins), 2001; First point-to-point winner: Eyze (Mags Mullins), 2001.

 

Breeding: b g Shirocco (GER) - Petralona (USA) (Alleged (USA))

Breeder: Eclipse Bloodstock & C & G Hadden

Born: March 28, 2010

Owner: J P McManus

Trainer: Jonjo O'Neill

Jockey: Richie McLernon

Form: 11/3P621/3FU2/4P4F-59P

 *Pulled out of the race on the eve of last year's Randox Health Grand National on account of the ground; was set to carry top-weight 12 months ago (rated 162), but due to line up off a mark of 155 this year.

*Career-best performance came when runner-up to Sizing John in the G1 Cheltenham Gold Cup (3m 2f 70y) in March, 2017.

*Has failed to sparkle on three appearances so far this season, finishing a distant fifth in G2 Cotswold Chase (3m 1f 56y) at Cheltenham in January before coming home ninth over hurdles (2m 7f) at Exeter in February; pulled up on latest start in G3 Ultima Handicap Chase(3m 1f) at the Cheltenham Festival on March 12.

*Fell at the last (when racing in second) on only previous visit to Aintree in a Listed chase over three miles and a furlong of the Mildmay Course in December, 2016.

*Last victory came when defeating Native River (the 2018 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner) in the four-mile National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March, 2016.

*Trainer and owner combined to win their first Grand National in 2010 courtesy of Don't Push It, ridden by A P McCoy.

Born: March 10, 1951 in Co Limerick, Ireland. Background: John Patrick 'J P' McManus attended the Christian Brothers School on Sexton Street, Limerick. He left his father's plant hire business at the age of 20 to become a racecourse bookmaker, but then took the less well-trodden route of gamekeeper-turned-poacher when becoming a professional punter. McManus recalls one of his first bets as being on Merryman II in the 1960 Grand National when he was just nine, but the bet that changed his life was £4 on Linden Tree in a Newmarket maiden in 1970, the horse winning at 100/8. He had another £4 on when Linden Tree won the Observer Gold Cup at 25/1, and £5 each-way at 33/1 for the Derby, when the horse beat all bar Mill Reef. He was dubbed "the Sundance Kid" by journalist Hugh McIlvanney after landing a number of major gambles during the 1970s. McManus has a host of business interests including dealing on the financial markets from his Geneva, Switzerland, base (since circa 1994), part-ownership of the Sandy Lane Hotel in Barbados, where he also has a house and an extensive global property portfolio. With Coolmore supremo John Magnier, he bought a 28.7% stake in Manchester United through the Cubic Expression company before subsequently selling out to US tycoon Malcolm Glazer in 2005. He was in the news shortly after that because of his stake in the pub and restaurant operator Mitchells and Butler. In 2018, The Irish Independent valued McManus as having assets of €2.1 billion. Racing interests: McManus purchased his first racehorse, Cill Dara, at the age of 26 and is the biggest Jump owner in terms of numbers in Britain and Ireland, with over 400 horses in training. He owns Jackdaws Castle, the Gloucestershire yard that Jonjo O'Neill trains from, and has invested heavily in improving facilities since purchasing the property in 2001. Mister Donovan provided him with his first Cheltenham Festival success in the 1982 Sun Alliance Novices' Hurdle and McManus has enjoyed 59 winners in total at the meeting - including five this year. He has amassed a record eight victories in the G1 Unibet Champion Hurdle - far more than any other owner. He has also won a G1 Cheltenham Gold Cup with Synchronised (2012) and three G1 Stayers' Hurdles with Baracouda (2002 & 2003) and More Of That (2014). A full 28 years after his first runner in the race, McManus finally achieved a long-held ambition when Don't Push It, trained by Jonjo O'Neill and ridden by A P McCoy, won the 2010 Grand National at Aintree. He has had plenty of horses placed in the Randox Health Grand National too, as well lots of success during the Randox Health Grand National Festival. He has been British champion Jump owner 10 times - in the 2005/6, 2006/7, 2008/9, 2009/10, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2016/17 & 2017/18 seasons. He retained record-breaking 20-time champion Jump jockey A P McCoy as his main jockey from April, 2004 until the rider's retirement in April, 2015. Barry Geraghty took over that position, with McCoy having an advisory role. Frank Berry is the longstanding McManus racing manager. McManus bought Martinstown Stud, Co. Limerick, in 1982 and built a big mansion there in 2004. Other interests: McManus does a lot of work for charity, including his Pro-Am golf tournament, which takes place every five years (it will be staged next in 2020) and has raised over 140 million euros. He supports many charitable projects in Co Limerick. McManus is also a keen backgammon player and a big hurling fan. Personal life: He is married to Noreen and they have three children, John, Kieran and Sue Ann.

Born: April 13, 1952. Background: Jonjo O'Neill has established himself as one of the leading Jump trainers and enjoyed his best season in 2013/14, with 134 British winners. The trainer's biggest success came when he sent out the 2010 Grand National winner Don't Push It, owned by J P McManus and ridden by A P McCoy. It was a first Grand National success for all of them. He has also saddled the runner-up twice, with Clan Royal (2004) and Sunnyhillboy (2012), plus two thirds. However, as a jockey, he endured terrible luck in the race and failed to complete the course on each of his eight rides. He retired from the saddle at the end of the 1985/86 season, having been champion Jump jockey twice. O'Neill survived a battle with lymphatic cancer not long after that. He started training near Penrith, Cumbria, in 1987 and moved to his present base at Jackdaws Castle in Gloucestershire, near Cheltenham, when the yard was bought by J P McManus in 2001. He has been leading trainer at the Randox Health Grand National Festival four times, with three wins over the three days in 2010, the same number in 2007, four in 2003 and four again in 2002. He has also sent out 26 winners at the Cheltenham Festival and trained two Royal Ascot winners on the Flat. Jockey: Champion Jump jockey twice (1977/78 and 1979/80) and set a then-record for winners in a season (149) in his first championship year. The most sensational moment of his riding career came when he won the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Dawn Run in 1986 as the mare became the only horse to win that trophy after having captured the Champion Hurdle (1984), again with O'Neill in the saddle. He also won the Gold Cup on Alverton (1979) and the Champion Hurdle on Sea Pigeon (1980). He enjoyed nine Cheltenham Festival successes as a jockey and partnered 901 winners in all. His son, Jonjo Jr, is now also a jockey and enjoying a very successful season, winning the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle at the 2019 Cheltenham Festival. Randox Health Grand National Festival - Doom Bar Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle - Quazar 2002; Betway Bowl - Exotic Dancer 2007; Betway Aintree Hurdle - Rhinestone Cowboy 2004; Bet Mildmay Novices' Chase - Holywell 2014; JLT Melling Chase - Albertas Run 2010; Randox Health Topham Chase - Clan Royal 2003, Eastlake 2016; Doom Bar Sefton Novices' Hurdle - Iris's Gift 2003, Black Jack Ketchum 2006; Weatherbys Private Bank Champion Standard Open NHF Race - Classic Native 2003; Ryanair Stayers' Hurdle - Iris's Gift 2004. Other big-race wins as a trainer include: Cheltenham Gold Cup (2012 Synchronised); JCB Triumph Hurdle (2003 Spectroscope); Stayer's Hurdle (2004 Iris's Gift, 2014 More Of That); RSA Novices' Chase (2008 Albertas Run); Ryanair Chase (2010 & 2011 Albertas Run); JLT Novices' Chase (2014 Taquin Du Seuil); Christmas Hurdle (2002 & 2003 Intersky Falcon); Fighting Fifth Hurdle (2002 Intersky Falcon); Irish Grand National (2007 Butler's Cabin, 2014 Shutthefrontdoor); Becher Chase (2003 Clan Royal); December Gold Cup (1999 Legal Right, 2006 Exotic Dancer); Lexus Chase (2008 Exotic Dancer, 2011 Synchronised); Welsh National (2002 Mini Sensation, 2010 Synchronised); Punchestown Champion Stayers' Hurdle (2007 Refinement); BetVictor Gold Cup (2006 Exotic Dancer, 2013 Johns Spirit, 2016 Taquin Du Seuil)

Randox Health Grand National Record - 31: 2003 Carbury Cross (7th); 2004 Clan Royal (2nd), Joss Naylor (PU 19th); 2005 Simply Gifted (3rd), Shamawan (21st), Native Emperor (UR 9th), Clan Royal (CO 22nd); 2006 Clan Royal (3rd), Risk Accessor (5th); 2007 Clan Royal (11th); 2008 Bob Hall (PU 19th), Butler's Cabin (FELL 22nd); 2009 Butler's Cabin (7th), Reveillez (BD 3rd), Can't Buy Time (FELL 18th); 2010 DON'T PUSH IT (WON), Can't Buy Time (FELL 8th); 2011 Don't Push It (3rd), Quolibet (UR 11th), Can't Buy Time (FELL 18th); 2012 Sunnyhillboy (2nd), Synchronised (FELL 6th), Arbor Supreme (UR 10th); 2013 Lost Glory (PU 17th), Sunnyhillboy (UR 30th); 2014 Twirling Magnet (FELL 1st), Burton Port (UR 2nd); 2015 Shutthefrontdoor (5th); 2016 Shutthefrontdoor (9th), Holywell (Fell 2nd); 2017 More Of That (PU 30th).

Born: October 22, 1986 Background: Cork-born Richie McLernon grew up surrounded by horses, riding ponies and hunting. His parents, Philip and Betty, were both successful amateur riders while his uncle, Tommy Carmody, was a leading professional jockey, riding the 1986 Champion Chase winner Buck House and finishing second (1984) and fourth (1985) in the Grand National on Greasepaint. Another uncle, Bill McLernon, is one of Ireland's winning-most amateur riders. After graduating from the Christian Brothers college in Cork in 2005, McLernon joined leading Irish point-to-point trainer Eugene O'Sullivan, striking up a great acquaintance with Arctic Times, whom he partnered to eight victories. He made the move to become a conditional jockey at Jonjo O'Neill's stable in 2007 and rode five winners in his first season. In 2012, he partnered his first winner at the Cheltenham Festival on Alfie Sherrin in the Ultima Handicap Chase and added a second in 2013 on Holywell in the Pertemps Final. Holywell gave him a third in 2014 in the Ultima Handicap Chase. He came agonisingly close to winning the 2012 Grand National on the O'Neill-trained Sunnyhillboy, but Neptune Collonges denied the pair by a nose in the Aintree race's closest-ever finish.

 

Breeding: b g Milan (GB) - Borleagh Princess (IRE) (Presenting (GB))

Breeder: M C McDaniel-Stone

Born: May 18, 2011

Owner: Gigginstown House Stud

Trainer: Gordon Elliott IRE

Jockey: Sean Bowen

Form: 4/31121/2211182-006

*Talented eight-year-old who finished sixth behind Pairofbrowneyes in the Leinster National (3m) at Naas on March 10.

*10th to stable companion and fellow Randox Health Grand National runner Dounikos in the Grand National Trial Handicap Chase (3m 4f) at Punchestown on February 10.

*Six-length second to stablemate The Storyteller in the G1 Growise Champion Novice Chase at Punchestown on April 24, 2018.

*Eighth in the Irish Grand National (3m 5f) at Fairyhouse last year behind General Principle on heavy ground.

*Won three starts in succession last season, which culminated with a G2 success over three miles at Navan in February, 2018.

Gigginstown House Stud, covering over 1,000 acres at Delvin near Mullingar, Co Westmeath, Ireland is the residence of Michael O'Leary, chief executive of Ryanair, Europe's largest budget airline. O'Leary was born on March 20, 1961, the second of six children, and educated at Clongowes Wood College in County Kildare before reading business studies at Trinity College Dublin. He was a tax consultant at accountants KPMG (1984-86) and became financial adviser to Tony Ryan, founder of Ryanair. He progressed to be Ryanair's deputy chief executive in 1991 and chief operating officer in 1993. He has overseen the rapid development of Ryanair since 1994 when he became chief executive, and his worth was valued at £908 million in the 2018 Sunday Times Rich List, thanks mainly to his significant shareholding in Ryanair. He has often been a controversial figure in business, thanks to outspoken opinions and a penchant for generating publicity. In March, 2019, he announced that he will step back from the day-to-day running of Ryanair to take on a more strategic and overseeing role. Racing interests: O'Leary started off with horses in training on the Flat with David Wachman and Mick Halford, but he has rapidly become a major Jump owner with a string only rivalled by fellow Irishman J P McManus. His horses run under the Gigginstown House Stud banner. He used to have many horses with Ireland's top Jump trainer, Willie Mullins, but took all 60 away in September, 2016, after a row over training fees. His team of over 250 horses in training in Ireland, is split between mainly Gordon Elliott, Henry de Bromhead, Noel Meade and Joseph O'Brien. His racing enthusiasm was boosted when one of his first horses, War Of Attrition, won the 2006 Cheltenham Gold Cup. His 27 Cheltenham Festival winners, including one this year, also feature the 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Don Cossack. O'Leary won the Randox Health Grand National in 2016 with Rule The World, trained by Mouse Morris and previously without a win over fences, and again in 2018 with Tiger Roll. O'Leary's brother Eddie, based at Lynn Lodge Stud in Mullingar, oversees the Gigginstown racing operation; the young horses are brought along at Pat Doyle's County Tipperary stables and in point-to-points. Gigginstown has had retained jockeys, notably Davy Russell and Bryan Cooper, but neither lasted in the job. However, Russell has returned to ride plenty of Gigginstown horses, including two winners at the 2018 Cheltenham Festival and Tiger Roll in the 2018 Randox Health Grand National. Gigginstown has owned three of the last four winners of the three mile, five furlong Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse, usually run two weeks before the Randox Health Grand National - Thunder And Roses (2015), Rogue Angel (2016) and General Principle (2018). O'Leary married former banker Anita (Farrell) in 2003 and they have four children.  

Born:  March 2, 1978, in Summerhill, Co Meath Background: A very successful point-to-point rider, Elliott also partnered 46 winners as an amateur under Rules. He started his racing career while still at school, working at Tony Martin's stable in County Meath. He moved to Britain, joining Martin Pipe in 1997, and learnt a lot during his spell in Somerset. His biggest victory as a rider was on board King's Road, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, in the 1998 Punchestown Champion Bumper. After commencing handling point-to-pointers, he started his main training career from Capranny Stables in Trim, Co Meath in early 2006 and bought the 78-acre Cullentra House Farm, Longwood, Co Meath, in 2011, where the facilities have been built up from scratch, with a capacity of over 200 horses, two gallops, three schooling grounds, an equine pool, a natural spa and more. The trainer has emerged over the past few seasons as the main challenger to Willie Mullins' dominance in Ireland and had a major boost when receiving the pick of 60 horses that Gigginstown House Stud removed from Mullins in September, 2016. Elliott is part of a select group of trainers to saddle a winner at both the Cheltenham Festival and Royal Ascot, having sent out Commissioned to land the Queen Alexandra Stakes at the prestigious Flat meeting in June, 2016. He also sent out Dirar to win the Ebor Handicap at York in 2010. Training Career: Elliott's first runner under Rules came at the 2006 Cheltenham Festival, when Brandon Mountain was pulled up in the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Handicap Hurdle. He continued to send runners over to the UK and enjoyed almost instant success, most notably with Arresting, who notched up four victories between May and July, 2006. Elliott's Grand National victory with Silver Birch in April, 2007 was remarkable not only because he was just 29 at the time, but also because he had yet to saddle a winner in his native country. The winners in Ireland soon followed and Elliott gained an initial G1 victory with Jessies Dream in the Drinmore Novice Chase in December, 2010, and celebrated his first Cheltenham Festival successes in 2011 with Chicago Grey in the National Hunt Chase and Carlito Brigante in the Coral Cup. His Cheltenham Festival haul now stands at 25, following three wins this year, and includes Don Cossack's victory in the 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup. He was the leading trainer at the Cheltenham Festival for the first time in March, 2017 with six successes. Elliott plundered his second leading trainer award at The Festival in 2018 following a remarkable record-equalling eight winners over the four days, emulating Willie Mullins' best - eight wins at The Festival in 2015. Elliott has finished second to Mullins in the Irish Jump trainers' championship for six consecutive seasons and is on course to do so again this term, though he set a new record for the number of winners (210) in an Irish Jump season in 2017/18, eclipsing the previous best of 193 set by Mullins. For the third season in succession, Elliott has emulated one of his mentors, Martin Pipe, as the only other Jump trainer to saddle more than 1,000 runners. First winner as a trainer - Arresting, Fugro-Technip Handicap Hurdle, Perth, June 11, 2006.

Randox Health Grand National Record - 16:  2007 SILVER BIRCH (WON); 2009 Silver Birch (FELL 22nd); 2010 Backstage (UR 20th); 2011 Backstage (10th); 2012 Tharawaat (8th), Chicago Grey (BD 5th); 2013 Tarquinius 8th, Chicago Grey (PU 30th); 2015 Cause Of Causes (8th); 2016 Ucello Conti (6th) 2017 Cause Of Causes (2nd), Roi Des Francs (18th), Ucello Conti (UR 22nd); 2018 TIGER ROLL (WON), Bless The Wings (3rd), Ucello Conti (UR 27th).

Born: September 5, 1997 Background: son of leading trainer Peter Bowen (himself once an amateur rider) and Karen Bowen, who was also an amateur rider and on one occasion finished third in the ladies' point-to-point championship. A career in the saddle looked unlikely in his formative years as Bowen was allergic to horses and 'hated horses' until he was five. After a successful stint on the pony racing circuit and in point-to-points (champion UK novice rider), Bowen rode a winner on his first start under Rules as an amateur on Kozmina Bay at Uttoxeter in December, 2013. Bowen turned professional at the beginning of the 2014/15 season and enjoyed a successful first campaign with 51 winners, taking the Bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown on Just A Par for Paul Nicholls, for which he was awarded Jump Ride of the Year at the Lesters, and winning the conditional jockeys' title. He is one of the team of jockeys riding for champion Jump trainer Paul Nicholls and his seasonal totals keep rising. Bowen is enjoying his best season to date this term, riding 85 winners (as of April 3), with his mounts amassing over £1.2 million in prize money. Biggest victories have come in the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown Park - he also took the 2017 edition on Henllan Harri. His brother Mickey trains point-to-pointers and hunter chasers (sent out Dineur to win 2017 Foxhunters' Chase at Aintree) and his 18-year-old brother James enjoyed a fantastic debut season riding under Rules last term when he was crowned champion conditional.

 

Breeding: b g Flemensfirth (USA) - Old Moon (IRE) (Old Vic (GB))

Breeder: R McCarthy

Born: April 25, 2009

Owner: Chris Jones

Trainer: Gordon Elliott IRE

Jockey: Mark Enright

Form: 01416/22125/2312F/P54136/90

*Well-beaten 10th in the Ultima Handicap Chase (3m 1f) at the Cheltenham Festival on latest start.

*Ninth to another Randox Health Grand National runner Walk In The Mill over the Grand National fences at Aintrede in the G3 Becher Chase (3m 2f) on December 8, his first run for 20 months.

*Sixth in the 2017 Irish Grand National (3m 5f), having previously finished third to Un Temps Pour Tout in the 2017 Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

*Plundered the valuable Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown under Davy Russell (3m½f) in December, 2017.

*One of two Randox Health Grand National runners for owner Chris Jones along with Mala Beach, also trained by Gordon Elliott.

Chris Jones, who lives in Co Meath, is founder and CEO of Jones Investments, Dublin-based specialists in commercial, residential and investment properties. He is a director of Leopardstown Racecourse. Chris Jones' late father, also Chris Jones, owned good horses with Arthur Moore, to whom the family are related by marriage. They included Klairon Davies, winner of the 1996 G1 Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Chris Jones jnr's successes include victories at the Cheltenham Festival with Tiger Cry and What A Charm. G1 winners have included Zabana (2016 Champion Novice Chase, Punchestown) and Mega Fortune (2017 Spring Juvenile Hurdle, Leopardstown). As well as Gordon Elliott, Jones has horses in training with Henry de Bromhead, Arthur Moore and Andrew Lynch. His young horses are all pre-trained at Jones' 200-acre farm, Killeen Glebe, near Dunsany in Co Meath, by Andrew Lynch and Gearoid O'Loughlin. Jones has pinhooking and breeding interests under the name of Jones Racing, formed in 2009 and managed by O'Loughlin. Jones attended University College Dublin and worked for Waterford Crystal in Ireland and the USA, founding Ellier Developments in 1993. Chris established Jones Investments Ltd in 2012 primarily to focus on the commercial and residential sector. Most recently, he has been involved in landmark developments in Ireland's Silicon Docks, Dublin's Grand Canal area. He co-developed the EMEA Headquarters of Facebook at Hanover Quay, Dublin and in 2014 he completed the office scheme Dock Mill on Barrow Street which has subsequently been sold to Google.

Born:  March 2, 1978, in Summerhill, Co Meath Background: A very successful point-to-point rider, Elliott also partnered 46 winners as an amateur under Rules. He started his racing career while still at school, working at Tony Martin's stable in County Meath. He moved to Britain, joining Martin Pipe in 1997, and learnt a lot during his spell in Somerset. His biggest victory as a rider was on board King's Road, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, in the 1998 Punchestown Champion Bumper. After commencing handling point-to-pointers, he started his main training career from Capranny Stables in Trim, Co Meath in early 2006 and bought the 78-acre Cullentra House Farm, Longwood, Co Meath, in 2011, where the facilities have been built up from scratch, with a capacity of over 200 horses, two gallops, three schooling grounds, an equine pool, a natural spa and more. The trainer has emerged over the past few seasons as the main challenger to Willie Mullins' dominance in Ireland and had a major boost when receiving the pick of 60 horses that Gigginstown House Stud removed from Mullins in September, 2016. Elliott is part of a select group of trainers to saddle a winner at both the Cheltenham Festival and Royal Ascot, having sent out Commissioned to land the Queen Alexandra Stakes at the prestigious Flat meeting in June, 2016. He also sent out Dirar to win the Ebor Handicap at York in 2010. Training Career: Elliott's first runner under Rules came at the 2006 Cheltenham Festival, when Brandon Mountain was pulled up in the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Handicap Hurdle. He continued to send runners over to the UK and enjoyed almost instant success, most notably with Arresting, who notched up four victories between May and July, 2006. Elliott's Grand National victory with Silver Birch in April, 2007 was remarkable not only because he was just 29 at the time, but also because he had yet to saddle a winner in his native country. The winners in Ireland soon followed and Elliott gained an initial G1 victory with Jessies Dream in the Drinmore Novice Chase in December, 2010, and celebrated his first Cheltenham Festival successes in 2011 with Chicago Grey in the National Hunt Chase and Carlito Brigante in the Coral Cup. His Cheltenham Festival haul now stands at 25, following three wins this year, and includes Don Cossack's victory in the 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup. He was the leading trainer at the Cheltenham Festival for the first time in March, 2017 with six successes. Elliott plundered his second leading trainer award at The Festival in 2018 following a remarkable record-equalling eight winners over the four days, emulating Willie Mullins' best - eight wins at The Festival in 2015. Elliott has finished second to Mullins in the Irish Jump trainers' championship for six consecutive seasons and is on course to do so again this term, though he set a new record for the number of winners (210) in an Irish Jump season in 2017/18, eclipsing the previous best of 193 set by Mullins. For the third season in succession, Elliott has emulated one of his mentors, Martin Pipe, as the only other Jump trainer to saddle more than 1,000 runners. First winner as a trainer - Arresting, Fugro-Technip Handicap Hurdle, Perth, June 11, 2006.

Randox Health Grand National Record - 16:  2007 SILVER BIRCH (WON); 2009 Silver Birch (FELL 22nd); 2010 Backstage (UR 20th); 2011 Backstage (10th); 2012 Tharawaat (8th), Chicago Grey (BD 5th); 2013 Tarquinius 8th, Chicago Grey (PU 30th); 2015 Cause Of Causes (8th); 2016 Ucello Conti (6th) 2017 Cause Of Causes (2nd), Roi Des Francs (18th), Ucello Conti (UR 22nd); 2018 TIGER ROLL (WON), Bless The Wings (3rd), Ucello Conti (UR 27th).

Born: May 19, 1992. Background: Limerick-born Mark Enright started out as an apprentice on the Flat and rode his first winner on the Stephen Nolan-trained Doorock at Tipperary on August 9th, 2009. He rode nine winners on the level before switching his attentions to Jump racing (but has had two more since) and, as a conditional rider, gained his first success when partnering Thynetocatcher to win the Listed ITBA Fillies Scheme EBF Pro/Am Flat Race at Navan in November, 2011. He enjoyed a career highlight in August, 2018, when winning the valuable Galway Plate on the Gordon Elliott-trained Clarcam. He was unseated from Thunder And Roses at the ninth on his first ride in the Randox Health Grand National in 2017, and he has never ridden a winner in Britain. Enright, who has now partnered more than 160 Jump winners in his career, has been frank about his battle with depression, which saw him take a month off in January, 2015. He estimates that his problems with mental illness stretch back to 2013 and he first noticed there might be a problem when his boss, Dessie Hughes, died in November of that year.

 

Breeding: b g Milan (GB) - Nonnetia (FR) (Trempolino (USA))

Breeder: J P Dwan

Born: February 24, 2009

Owner: Two Golf Widows

Trainer: Lucinda Russell

Jockey: Derek Fox

Form: 22/33111P/1335243/1511/UU

*Became just the second Scottish-trained winner of the Randox Health Grand National in 2017, emulating the 1979 victor Rubstic, but was unable to defend his crown in 2018 because of a leg injury.

*He has failed to complete the course in both of his starts so far this season, having unseated his rider in both the G2 Many Clouds Chase at Aintree in December and the G2 Peter Marsh Limited Handicap Chase at Haydock Park in January.

*Missed intended prep race in Listed Premier Chase at Kelso on March 2 due to unsuitable ground. Instead he completed a schooling session at Carlisle Racecourse, undertaking a circuit of the course, after racing on Sunday, March 24.

*Winning Irish point-to-pointer who made £60,000 at a sale at Cheltenham Racecourse in December, 2013.

The Two Golf Widows are Belinda (Bel) McClung (husband Fraser) and Deborah (Debs) Thomson (partner Colin Dempster). McClung hails from Ancrum near Jedburgh, while Gullane-based Thomson is originally from near Kelso. The pair went to school together and then met up again later in life. They got into racehorse ownership together as they wanted an activity they could enjoy when their husband/partner played golf. As the Two Golf Widows, they have won seven races in the last five years, all provided by their 2017 Randox Health Grand National hero One For Arthur. They purchased another horse as the Two Golf Widows - Templenaboe - but he has not turned out to be as talented as One For Arthur and at the end of last year moved from Lucinda Russell's yard to that of Diana Walton to go point-to-pointing. Thomson also has other horses with Russell, including six-time winner and recent Cheltenham Festival fourth Big River, who runs in the name of Two Black Labs, named after her Labradors, Bolly and Krug. McClung, who also used to have horses as Belinda Wares including No Deal, has been a steward at Ayr, Kelso and Musselburgh Racecourses.

Born: June 24, 1966 Background: Lucinda Russell gained a degree in psychology at St Andrews University, having enrolled on the course in order "to get me away from horses." She had enjoyed a successful career as an eventer and at bringing on horses to Badminton standards and selling them on. She did well as a point-to-point trainer and won on one of her three rides in that sphere, but she recalls that it was a two-horse race. She trained a hunter chase winner with Gunmetal Boy at Kelso on April 5, 1993. After a brief career in marketing, she took out a full trainer's licence in August, 1995, and the following month she saddled her first winner with her first runner, Fiveleigh Builds at Perth in September, 1995. Her father Peter is chairman of Ian Macleod Distillers which produces Isle of Skye Scotch Whisky and Glengoyne Single Malt Whisky. Russell was formerly married to leading three-day eventer Magnus Nicholson and she is assisted by her current partner, legendary Jump jockey Peter Scudamore, the eight-time champion Jump jockey who came closest to winning the Grand National when third on Corbiere in 1985 from 12 rides in the race. Russell's best season to date came in 2013/2014 with 66 successes. Brindisi Breeze provided the stable with a Cheltenham Festival success in the 2012 G1 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle.

 

Born: May 14, 1992 Background: Sligo-born Derek Fox began his career in Ireland, riding primarily for Mark McNiff and Noel Kelly, who provided Fox with an early-career highlight when his Charlie's Vic was partnered by the jockey to success in the G3 Dawn Run Mares' Novices' Chase at Limerick in 2013. Fox's success on Charlie's Vic caught the eye of trainer Lucinda Russell and he subsequently made the move to Scotland, riding his first winner for Russell aboard The Friary at Hexham on November 8, 2013. He was appointed Russell's stable jockey in April, 2016. Fox picked up a 20-month ban for drink driving in 2015 after being found nearly three times over the legal limit. He broke his left wrist and his right collarbone in fall at Carlisle on March 9, 2017. After undergoing intensive rehabilitation at the Injured Jockeys Fund Jack Berry House in Malton, North Yorkshire, Fox returned to race-riding with two mounts for Russell at Carlisle on Wednesday of the Randox Health Grand National Festival week, proving his fitness to ride in Saturday's big race and win on One For Arthur. He enjoyed his best season with 27 winners in 2017/18 and is on the 19-mark this term (up to and including April 2). Earlier in 2019 he picked up some fitness tips from the Welsh Rugby Union team and says he has never felt better. Big-Race Wins: Dawn Run Mares' Novices' Chase (2013 Charlie's Vic), Classic Chase (2017 One For Arthur), Randox Health Grand National (2017 ONE FOR ARTHUR WON)

 

 

Breeding: b g Stowaway (GB) - Western Whisper (IRE) (Supreme Leader (GB))

Breeder: Ronnie O'Neill

Born: April 6, 2008

Owner: Gowing's Eleven (formerly Gigginstown House Stud)

Trainer: Richard Spencer (formerly Gordon Elliott IRE)

Jockey: James Bowen (formerly Keith Donoghue)

Form: 1116/12162/3111F2/22F210P/61332PP8-23544

*Sold at Goffs Aintree Sale after racing on Thursday, April 4 for £165,000 to Rebel Racing offshoot Gowing's Eleven and will be trained by Newmarket-based Richard Spencer

*Fourth behind fellow Randox Health Grand National runner Rathvinden in the G3 Bobbyjo Chase (3m 1f) at Fairyhouse on his latest start on February 23.

*Highlight of his other runs this term include fifth to Kemboy in the G1 Savills Chase (3m) at Leopardstown on December 28 and third in the JNWine.com Chase at Down Royal on November 8.

*10th in the 2017 renewal of the G1 Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup, before being pulled up in the 2018 edition of the three and a quarter-mile championship chase.

*A neck second to the Joseph O'Brien-trained Edwulf in the G1 Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown in February 2018.

*Third in the 2017 edition of the Lexus Chase under Rachael Blackmore, beaten three and a half-lengths by Road To Respect.

*Latest victory came in the G1 JNWine.com Chase at Down Royal over three miles in November, 2017 on soft ground.

*Joined Cullentra handler Gordon Elliott in October 2016 and captured the G1 Lexus Chase (3m) at Leopardstown in December, 2016 on his fourth start for the yard.

*G1 winner for previous trainer Willie Mullins in the Flogas Novice Chase (2m 5½f) at Leopardstown in February 2016.

*Won first three starts under Rules for Mullins, before finishing sixth in the G1 Punchestown National Hunt Flat Race.

Gowing's Eleven is a syndicate under the banner of Rebel Racing. The syndicate also own Sir Jack Yeats, trained by Richard Spencer, who finished sixth in the 2019 Randox Health Foxhunters' Chase. Rebel Racing Ltd was established in 2014 to bring together the racing interests of insurance underwriter Phil Cunningham, who owned Cockney Rebel, winner of the 2000 Guineas and the Irish 2000 Guineas in 2007. In 2016 it formed a training partnership with Newmarket-based Richard Spencer, with friends and colleagues of Cunningham forming syndicates to race under the Rebel Racing banner. Royal Ascot success was enjoyed in its first full season with Rajasinghe winning the 2017 G2 Coventry Stakes. Initially based at Albert House Stables in Newmarket, the team expanded into Sefton Lodge during 2018, with facilities to train around 70 horses.

 

Born: February 4, 1989 Background: Richard Spencer grew up near Evesham in Worcestershire and attended the Royal Grammar School Worcester. He started his career in racing aged 16 by working for Peter Bowen in west Wales. He moved to Lambourn-based Barry Hills in 2006, and continued as pupil assistant with Charlie Hills. At the end of 2012 Richard moved from Lambourn to Newmarket and spent two years as assistant to Michael Bell at Fitzroy House.Richard joined Rebel Racing at Albert House Stables at the end of 2015 and took up the position of trainer when his licence was awarded at the end of March, 2016. Richard rode 25 point-to-point winners, and also scored in a hunter chase at Ascot, and the Royal Artillery Gold Cup at Sandown in 2012, but broke his back in a fall in a hunter chase at Warwick, which brought his race-riding career to an end. In 2017 he trained Rajasinghe to win the G2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot for Rebel Racing Ltd, and in 2018 Rumble Inthejungle took the G3 Molecomb Stakes at Glorious Goodwood. He has trained 49 winners on the Flat and eight over Jumps to date.

Born: March 12, 2001. Background: Comes from a family steeped in racing. Father Peter is a successful trainer, based in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, who has tasted big-race success for a number of years, including in G1 company. Peter, assisted by his wife Karen, has also trained the winner of the Topham Chase over the Grand National fences on four occasions, with Always Waining winning the race three years in a row between 2011 and 2013. They had the Randox Health Grand National second Mckelvey in 2007. James' brother Sean, is also a jockey and won the British conditional jockeys' championship in 2015 with 51 winners. Sean also rode Mon Parrain for Paul Nicholls at the age of 17 in the 2015 Randox Health Grand National. Older brother Mickey, who is 23, helps Peter with the training side of things and trains horses on the point-to-point circuit, winning the 2017 Randox Health Foxhunters' Chase with Dineur. James, along with his brothers, grew up with ponies and started on the official pony racing circuit when he was nine as "from the age of eight, I knew I was going to be a jockey" - Bowen rode around 90 pony winners from less than 150 mounts. He spent a month every summer riding out for Gordon Elliott in County Meath from the age of 12 and having turned 16 on March 12, 2017, Bowen registered a remarkable 30 winners in his first point-to-point season - a British record - all of which were "steering jobs" trained by brother Mickey, making him the leading novice rider. Bowen turned professional in May that year and was subsequently snapped up by Lambourn trainer Nicky Henderson as his conditional jockey from October 1. Bowen was crowned champion conditional last season, partnering 58 winners from 348 rides. Bowen became the youngest jockey to win the G3 Welsh Grand National at the age of 16 at Chepstow on January 6, 2018, when he partnered Gavin Cromwell's Raz De Maree (the oldest horse to win the race at 13). Bowen rode Shantou Flyer in the 2018 Randox Health Grand National and emulated his brother Sean by also riding in the race as a 17-year-old. So far this term, Bowen was ridden 68 winners from 442 runners, amassing £761,408 in prize money (as of April 5). Big-race wins have included victories aboard Potters Corner in the Midlands Grand National, Mister Fisher in the Sky Bet Supreme Trial Rossington Main Novices' Chase and Randox Health Grand National runner Valtor in the Listed Gerrard silver Cup Handicap Chase. Bowen received 26 stitches in his face after running through a plate-glass door as a child on holiday in Spain. First winner under Rules: Curious Carlos, Cartmel, May 27 2017.

 

Breeding: b g Presenting (GB) - Katie Flame (IRE) (Alderbrook (GB))

Breeder: Susan Bredin

Born: April 15, 2008

Owner: Malcolm Denmark

Trainer: Willie Mullins IRE

Jockey: Paul Townend

Form: 134/43/3413P/1419/0P2-00

*Fast-finishing second in the 2018 Randox Health Grand National, just failing to catch Tiger Roll by a head. Also contested the Aintree spectacular in 2017 when ninth behind One For Arthur after a significant mistake at the 25th fence.        

*Two starts so far this season, finishing 15th in a three-mile handicap hurdle at Leopardstown on December 28 and 11th in the Thyestes Handicap Chase at Gowran Park on January 24.

*Most recent success over fences came in the G3 Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse in February, 2017.

*Has yet to fall or unseat his rider in 18 starts over obstacles.

*From the family of 2008 Grand National hero Comply Or Die and began his career with that horse's trainer David Pipe until moving to Willie Mullins in 2015.

 

Malcolm Charles Denmark, born in July, 1955, set up the London-based Mediaforce Group in 1984 - the company was the first to put advertising leaflets in the middle of newspapers. The business, of which Denmark is chairman and chief executive, grew to dominate that market and has distributed up to six billion leaflets a year, but also has lots of other strands, owning a media portfolio of advertising agencies, digital representation and newspaper publishing networks. The latter has regional newspapers in the Ireland, including the Limerick Leader, the Donegal Democrat, the Kilkenny People and the Leinster Leader, which were bought from 2013 onwards by his Iconic Newspapers subsidiary and have a weekly readership of nearly 400,000. Iconic Newspapers is in the process of buying seven Irish weeklies from River Media. The Mediaforce Group has offices in London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Dublin, Birmingham, Gateshead, Liverpool and Enfield. Racing interests: He started owning racehorses in 1996 when his father became ill, deciding to have a couple of horses with Mark Pitman, who himself was just starting out with a licence. Financed Pitman's purchase of Weathercock House from the trainer's mother Jenny in 1999, and subsequently employed Carl Llewellyn (2006-2009) and Warren Greatrex (2009-2012) as salaried trainers at the Lambourn yard. Pitman returned to oversee a few horses for Denmark at the yard at the end of 2015, while Flat trainer and former champion jockey Richard Hughes is the current principal incumbent. Denmark until two years ago had the majority of his horses in training with Tony Martin and Willie Mullins in Ireland. Most of Denmark's horses are now with Gloucestershire-based Fergal O'Brien. He also has horses in training with Paul Nicholls, in Ireland with Willie Mullins and on the Flat with James Fanshawe in Newmarket. His best horses have included Monsignor, who provided the owner with his two Cheltenham Festival wins in the 1999 Weatherbys Champion Bumper and the 2000 SunAlliance Hurdle, plus the 2009 bet365 Gold Cup victor Hennessy. Denmark's latest G1 success came courtesy of the Mullins-trained Next Destination in the Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival in April, 2018.

Born: September 15, 1956 Background: A six-time champion amateur rider in Ireland, his successes in the saddle included the 1983 Fox Hunters' Chase at Aintree on Atha Cliath (among the also-rans were Robert Waley-Cohen, chairman of Cheltenham Racecourse, and former Aintree Racecourse chairman Lord Daresbury). As a jockey in the Randox Health Grand National, his rides included The Ladys Master, who ran out in 1983, and Hazy Dawn, who fell at the sixth the following year. He partnered three winners at the Cheltenham Festival. He hails from one of Ireland's most famous racing families, being a son of the late Paddy Mullins, the outstanding all-round trainer whose most dazzling star was Dawn Run, winner of the 1984 Champion Hurdle and 1986 Cheltenham Gold Cup. Training Achievements: Assisted his father and Jim Bolger before taking out a training licence in 1988. He has been Ireland's champion Jump trainer 12 times. He has won most of the major prizes in Britain and Ireland, and several in France as well. He is the winning-most trainer ever at the Cheltenham Festival, with 65 successes to his credit, including Champion Hurdles with Annie Power, Faugheen and Hurricane Fly, and an extraordinary nine in the Champion Bumper, starting with Wither Or Which (which he also rode) in 1996. This year, Al Boum Photo provided Mullins with an elusive first Cheltenham Gold Cup success, having trained the runner-up on six occasions. He has been leading trainer at The Festival for six of the last nine years (including a record eight winners in 2015). Mullins' star performer in the early part of the century was Florida Pearl, who was placed in two Cheltenham Gold Cups, won the 1998 RSA Chase, the 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2004 Irish Gold Cups in Ireland as well as the 2001 King George VI Chase and the 2002 Betway Bowl at Aintree. The brilliant Hurricane Fly won the Unibet Champion Hurdle in 2011 and 2013 and Mullins' other Cheltenham Festival winners include the amazing Quevega who created history by becoming the only horse to win the same race in six consecutive years (the OLBG Mares' Hurdle). Mullins has around 200 horses at his Closutton yard near Bagenalstown in Co Carlow. His first Grand National runner as a trainer, Micko's Dream, fell at the first in 2000. Mullins, a former chairman of the Irish Trainers' Federation, also suffered disappointment in 2004 when Hedgehunter departed at the final fence in the Randox Health Grand National when looking assured of a place. The following year Hedgehunter won the Grand National, coming home 14 lengths clear of Royal Auclair, and he also finished second in 2006.

Born:  September 15, 1990 Background: Grew up surrounded by horses in Co Cork and spent his youth riding on the pony racing circuit. He was also involved in show jumping, but had his heart set on a career as a jockey and joined the powerful Willie Mullins stable as a Flat apprentice after leaving school. He made his debut in a maiden at Ballinrobe on May 2, 2007, coming third on Temlett, and enjoyed his first success the following month, partnering the Seamus O'Donnell-trained The Chip Chopman to victory in an apprentice handicap at Limerick on June 22. He finished 2007 with a winner on the final card of the year at Dundalk, giving him 10 victories for the year, and continued to ride successfully on the level for the first half of 2008, before growing concerns over weight prompted a switch to Jump racing. He enjoyed almost instant success courtesy of the John Kiely-trained Indian Pace, as the pair landed the Galway Hurdle at the end of July, but Townend endured a barren three-month period immediately afterwards. His fortunes changed after Willie Mullins' number one jockey, Ruby Walsh, sustained a serious injury at Cheltenham in November, 2008, giving Townend a host of plum rides, including successes on Hurricane Fly in the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse and Mikael D'Haguenet in the Barry & Sandra Kelly Memorial Novice Hurdle at Navan in mid-December. He was reunited with Hurricane Fly for further Grade One glory in the Future Champion Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown's Christmas meeting. In 2010/11 he went from strength to strength and was crowned champion jockey in Ireland with 80 wins. Townend leads this season's championship with 102 winners (to April 4). He has ridden 10 winners at the Cheltenham Festival, with his two triumphs in 2019 headed by Al Boum Photo's G1 Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup victory. Other big-race victories include the 2018 G1 Stayers' Hurdle aboard Penhill, the 2017 and 2018 runnings of the G1 Morgiana Hurdle with Faugheen and Sharjah, and the 2017 Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury on Total Recall. 

 

Breeding: gr g Martaline (GB) - Princesse D'Orton (FR) (Saint Cyrien (FR))

Breeder: S A S Brosseau Et Fils & C Brosseau

Born: April 8, 2012

Owner: John White & Anne Underhill

Trainer: David Pipe

Jockey: David Noonan

Form: 4326/322121279-5122

*Bidding to become to become the fourth grey horse to win the Randox Health Grand National following The Lamb (1868 and 1871), Nicolaus Silver (1961) and Neptune Collonges (2012).

*Good efforts in defeat on latest two outings, finishing three-quarter length runner-up to Robinsfirth in G3 William Hill Grand National Trial Handicap Chase (3m 4f 97y) at Haydock Park on February 16 and length and a quarter second to Elegant Escape in G3 Coral Welsh Grand National Handicap Chase (3m 5f 110y) at Chepstow on December 27.

*Previously won Coral Welsh Grand National Trial Handicap Chase (2m 7f 131y) on heavy going at Chepstow on December 8.

*All three career wins have come at Chepstow, with the grey also having landed a novices' chase and a novices' handicap chase at the Welsh venue in 2017/18 campaign.

*Winning Irish point-to-pointer who was sold to trainer David Pipe for £55,000 in at Tattersalls Cheltenham in April, 2016.

Background: Taunton-based brother and sister partnership John White and Anne Underhill inherited their love of racing from their father Arthur White, a Taunton-based Ford car dealer, who was a successful owner. His horses were trained by John Thorne and David Pipe's father Martin. Arthur White's best horse was Beau Ranger, winner of the 1987 Mackeson Gold Cup at Cheltenham and the 1986 Whitbread Gold Label Chase (now the G1 Betway Bowl) at Aintree. Beau Ranger was also third in both the G1 Cheltenham Gold Cup (1988) and the G1 Queen Mother Champion Chase (1989). Racing Interests: Since their father's death, John White and Anne Underhill, along with another sister Sarah Ling, have continued to own racehorses with their best performers including the G1 winners Tamarinbleu (Clarence House Chase, Ascot, 2008) and Dynaste (Ryanair Chase, Cheltenham, 2014 and Kauto Star Novices' Chase, Kempton Park, 2012).

Born: February 7, 1973 Background: Son of 15-time champion Jump trainer Martin Pipe, who in 2001 had a record 10 runners in the Randox Health Grand National. David started riding in point-to-points in 1992, going on to gain 22 wins over the next five seasons, plus two under Rules, which included victory aboard Bonanza Boy in the Ludlow Gold Cup. After finishing as a rider, he had spells with trainers around the world - Michael Dickinson in the US, Criquette Head-Maarek in France and Joey Ramsden in South Africa, before setting up as a point-to-point trainer, handling Horus, Lord Atterbury and Celestial Gold. Based at Purchas Farm, a mile away from his father's Pond House Stables on the Somerset/Devon border, he sent out 164 point-to-point winners over six seasons, including Well Armed, successful 15 times. He picked up the reins at Nicholashayne after his father retired in 2006 and promptly won with the first runner under his own name, Standin Obligation, at Kelso on May 9, 2006 and less than two years later emulated his father's 1994 Grand National victory with Miinnehoma when he saddled Comply Or Die to take the great Aintree race. Comply Or Die finished second in the following year's Grand National. Pipe's G1 victories include Un Temps Pour Tout (2015 French Champion Hurdle), Dynaste (2014 Ryanair Chase) and Moon Racer (2015 Champion Bumper), while he has accumulated 15 Cheltenham Festival successes. His best British season came in 2006/7 with 134 winners, while he has sent out 35 winners this season, "a transition one" up to and including Monday, March 25. Tom Scudamore is the stable jockey, while his father Peter was stable jockey to Martin Pipe.

Born: October 4, 1995. Background: Noonan hails from Kilbrien, County Cork and graduated from pony racing and the hunting field to riding in point to points. He had his first British ride under Rules in March, 2014 at Fontwell on Mobaasher for trainer Patricia Shaw in a conditional and amateur jockeys' hands and heels handicap hurdle. He became attached to the David Pipe yard, starting out as an amateur and progressing to be a conditional jockey. He rode his first winner on Purple 'n Gold for his boss at Kempton in May, 2014. He partnered two winners in that 2014/2015 season, but the following season was his breakthrough campaign (2015/2016) when he enjoyed 41 successes, forging a close link with trainer Anthony Honeyball as well as Pipe, and became champion amateur British Jump jockey as well as turning professional in December, 2015. He rode out his claim out at Sedgefield on March 29, 2017, when Mr Clarkson won a handicap hurdle. The 2015/16 season was his best with 41 British victories, while he is on 15 wins this campaign (up to and including April 2). He was nominated for Conditional Jockey of the Year at the 2016 Lesters and had his first-ever mount in the Randox Health Grand National in 2017 on Pipe-trained Ballynagour, who finished 11th.

 

Breeding: b g Heron Island (IRE) - Peggy Cullen (IRE) (Presenting (GB))

Breeder: Killian Traynor

Born: May 20, 2008

Owner: Ronnie Bartlett

Trainer: Willie Mullins IRE

Jockey: Ruby Walsh

Form: 111F23/P/2113112BU14-1

*Impressed on his reappearance this term when comfortably defeating Alpha Des Obeaux in the G2 Bobbyjo Chase (3m 1f) at Fairyhouse on February 23, 11 days after the weights were issued. This was a personal best performance by the chaser, who is now 8lb well in on ratings for the 2019 Randox Health Grand National.

*Took high rank among the staying novice chasers last season, finishing second in the G1 Drinmore Novice Chase (2m 4f) at Fairyhouse before landing the G2 National Hunt Chase (4m) at the Cheltenham Festival.

*Lightly-raced for an 11-year-old, having been off the track for 1,004 days between March, 2014, and December, 2016.

*€100,000 purchase at the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale in June, 2013, after winning a Downpatrick bumper for Ian Ferguson, and ended that season with a good third behind stablemate Faugheen over hurdles at the Cheltenham Festival in the G1 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle.

 

Born: October, 1963 Background: Ronnie Alexander Bartlett is the Chairman of Albert Bartlett, one of the UK's most popular potato brands based in Airdrie, Lanarkshire, Scotland. The company, established by Ronnie's grandfather in 1948, supplies 20 per cent of Britain's fresh potatoes, sourced from over 100 farms nationwide. It has production sites in Airdrie, Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Cornwall and Jersey, as well as international operations in Holland (2011), France (2012) and North America (2012). The 2017 Sunday Times Rich List valued Ronnie and his brother Alan at £110m. Racing interests: Ronnie has owned racehorses for 25 years, the best of them being the hugely talented Simonsig. Trained by Nicky Henderson, Simonsig was a dual winner at the Cheltenham Festival in the 2012 G1 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle and the following year's Racing Post Arkle Novices' Chase (2013). Bartlett's select string of no more than a dozen horses is currently headed by Randox Health Grand National contender Rathvinden. As well as Henderson and Willie Mullins, he also has horses with Philip Hobbs, Gordon Elliott, Arthur Moore and Joseph O'Brien, plus store horses with point-to-point trainer Ian Ferguson. Since 2010, his company Albert Bartlett has sponsored a series of three-mile novices' hurdles which culminates with the G1 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Born: September 15, 1956 Background: A six-time champion amateur rider in Ireland, his successes in the saddle included the 1983 Fox Hunters' Chase at Aintree on Atha Cliath (among the also-rans were Robert Waley-Cohen, chairman of Cheltenham Racecourse, and former Aintree Racecourse chairman Lord Daresbury). As a jockey in the Randox Health Grand National, his rides included The Ladys Master, who ran out in 1983, and Hazy Dawn, who fell at the sixth the following year. He partnered three winners at the Cheltenham Festival. He hails from one of Ireland's most famous racing families, being a son of the late Paddy Mullins, the outstanding all-round trainer whose most dazzling star was Dawn Run, winner of the 1984 Champion Hurdle and 1986 Cheltenham Gold Cup. Training Achievements: Assisted his father and Jim Bolger before taking out a training licence in 1988. He has been Ireland's champion Jump trainer 12 times. He has won most of the major prizes in Britain and Ireland, and several in France as well. He is the winning-most trainer ever at the Cheltenham Festival, with 65 successes to his credit, including Champion Hurdles with Annie Power, Faugheen and Hurricane Fly, and an extraordinary nine in the Champion Bumper, starting with Wither Or Which (which he also rode) in 1996. This year, Al Boum Photo provided Mullins with an elusive first Cheltenham Gold Cup success, having trained the runner-up on six occasions. He has been leading trainer at The Festival for six of the last nine years (including a record eight winners in 2015). Mullins' star performer in the early part of the century was Florida Pearl, who was placed in two Cheltenham Gold Cups, won the 1998 RSA Chase, the 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2004 Irish Gold Cups in Ireland as well as the 2001 King George VI Chase and the 2002 Betway Bowl at Aintree. The brilliant Hurricane Fly won the Unibet Champion Hurdle in 2011 and 2013 and Mullins' other Cheltenham Festival winners include the amazing Quevega who created history by becoming the only horse to win the same race in six consecutive years (the OLBG Mares' Hurdle). Mullins has around 200 horses at his Closutton yard near Bagenalstown in Co Carlow. His first Grand National runner as a trainer, Micko's Dream, fell at the first in 2000. Mullins, a former chairman of the Irish Trainers' Federation, also suffered disappointment in 2004 when Hedgehunter departed at the final fence in the Randox Health Grand National when looking assured of a place. The following year Hedgehunter won the Grand National, coming home 14 lengths clear of Royal Auclair, and he also finished second in 2006.

 

Born: May 14, 1979 Background: Ruby (Rupert) Walsh is a son of 11-time Irish amateur champion jockey Ted Walsh, now a trainer and television pundit. He is the second of Walsh's four children; one sister, Katie, was a highly successful amateur rider and another, Jennifer, acts as his agent. Ted Walsh junior, the other son, is married to former leading amateur rider Nina Carberry and they have a daughter, Rosie. Ruby is acknowledged as one of the best riders and horsemen of his generation and now rides primarily for Ireland's top stable, that of Willie Mullins. He used to split his time between Britain , where he was the main jockey for trainer Paul Nicholls, and Ireland , an arrangement which lasted for 11 years. He had his first success under Rules aboard Siren Song at Gowran Park on July 25, 1995, and followed in his father's footsteps when capturing the Irish amateurs' championship at the age of 19 while still studying for his Leaving Certificate. He was champion Irish Jump jockey in his first season as a professional (1998/99) and has taken the title a further 10 times (2000/2001, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2015/16). Walsh has won the Grand National twice on Papillon (2000, trained by his father) and Hedgehunter (2005) for Mullins. He is the most successful jockey of all time at the Cheltenham Festival (with 59 winners), where he has been leading rider 11 times. His Cheltenham Festival victories include the 2007 and 2009 G1 Magners Cheltenham Gold Cups on Kauto Star, three Betway Queen Mother Champion Chases (2004 Azertyuiop, 2008 and 2009 Master Minded), four Unibet Champion Hurdles (2011 and 2013 Hurricane Fly, 2015 Faugheen, 2016 Annie Power) and five Sun Racing Stayers' Hurdles (2012, 2011, 2010 and 2009 Big Buck's, 2017 Nichols Canyon). There are few omissions in his list of big-race successes; he won five King George VI Chases on Kauto Star and is the only current rider to have won all four national Grand Nationals - as well as Papillon and Hedgehunter, he took the Irish version on Numbersixvalverde (2005), the Welsh version on Silver Birch (2005) and the Scottish version on Take Control (2002). He also won the Australian equivalent on Bashboy in 2015 and the American Grand National Hurdle on Rawnaq in 2016. Walsh enjoyed another notable success abroad when Mullins' Blackstairmountain became the first European-trained winner of Japan's biggest Jump race, the Nakayama Grand Jump, in 2013. His autobiography was published in October, 2010. He is married to Gillian and the couple have two daughters, Isabelle and Elsa.

 

Born: May 12, 2008

Breeding: b g King's Theatre - Go On Eileen (Bob Back)

Breeder: John Browne

Owner: J P McManus

Trainer: Anthony Honeyball

Jockey: Jonathan (J J) Burke

Form: 1/12/2124/840174/53F1PPP/2PP1P8/03P1P-63

*Successful twice in Listed handicap chases over three miles at Ascot, taking Silver Cup in December, 2016, and Swinley Chase in February, 2018.

*Not disgraced when eighth in 2017 Randox Health Grand National. Also ran well when third in valuable G3 Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury in December, 2017.

*His best effort this season came when third when attempting repeat victory in Listed Swinley Chase at Ascot on February 16.

*Smart bumper performer who finished a seven-length second in the G1 Weatherbys Champion Bumper at the 2013 Cheltenham Festival.

*Bought privately by his current owner in September, 2012 after winning on his career debut in a February, 2012 bumper at Southwell. Was an eight-length winner of a bumper at Chepstow on his first run in the famous J P McManus colours in October, 2012.

*Anthony Honeyball purchased Regal Encore for £20,000 at the Doncaster Bloodstock Sales' Spring Store sale in May, 2011.

Born: March 10, 1951 in Co Limerick, Ireland. Background: John Patrick 'J P' McManus attended the Christian Brothers School on Sexton Street, Limerick. He left his father's plant hire business at the age of 20 to become a racecourse bookmaker, but then took the less well-trodden route of gamekeeper-turned-poacher when becoming a professional punter. McManus recalls one of his first bets as being on Merryman II in the 1960 Grand National when he was just nine, but the bet that changed his life was £4 on Linden Tree in a Newmarket maiden in 1970, the horse winning at 100/8. He had another £4 on when Linden Tree won the Observer Gold Cup at 25/1, and £5 each-way at 33/1 for the Derby, when the horse beat all bar Mill Reef. He was dubbed "the Sundance Kid" by journalist Hugh McIlvanney after landing a number of major gambles during the 1970s. McManus has a host of business interests including dealing on the financial markets from his Geneva, Switzerland, base (since circa 1994), part-ownership of the Sandy Lane Hotel in Barbados, where he also has a house and an extensive global property portfolio. With Coolmore supremo John Magnier, he bought a 28.7% stake in Manchester United through the Cubic Expression company before subsequently selling out to US tycoon Malcolm Glazer in 2005. He was in the news shortly after that because of his stake in the pub and restaurant operator Mitchells and Butler. In 2018, The Irish Independent valued McManus as having assets of €2.1 billion. Racing interests: McManus purchased his first racehorse, Cill Dara, at the age of 26 and is the biggest Jump owner in terms of numbers in Britain and Ireland, with over 400 horses in training. He owns Jackdaws Castle, the Gloucestershire yard that Jonjo O'Neill trains from, and has invested heavily in improving facilities since purchasing the property in 2001. Mister Donovan provided him with his first Cheltenham Festival success in the 1982 Sun Alliance Novices' Hurdle and McManus has enjoyed 59 winners in total at the meeting - including five this year. He has amassed a record eight victories in the G1 Unibet Champion Hurdle - far more than any other owner. He has also won a G1 Cheltenham Gold Cup with Synchronised (2012) and three G1 Stayers' Hurdles with Baracouda (2002 & 2003) and More Of That (2014). A full 28 years after his first runner in the race, McManus finally achieved a long-held ambition when Don't Push It, trained by Jonjo O'Neill and ridden by A P McCoy, won the 2010 Grand National at Aintree He has had plenty of horses placed in the Randox Health Grand National too, as well lots of success during the Randox Health Grand National Festival. He has been British champion Jump owner 10 times - in the 2005/6, 2006/7, 2008/9, 2009/10, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2016/17 & 2017/18 seasons. He retained record-breaking 20-time champion Jump jockey A P McCoy as his main jockey from April, 2004 until the rider's retirement in April, 2015. Barry Geraghty took over that position, with McCoy having an advisory role. Frank Berry is the longstanding McManus racing manager. McManus bought Martinstown Stud, Co. Limerick, in 1982 and built a big mansion there in 2004. Other interests: McManus does a lot of work for charity, including his Pro-Am golf tournament, which takes place every five years (it will be staged next in 2020) and has raised over 140 million euros. He supports many charitable projects in Co Limerick. McManus is also a keen backgammon player and a big hurling fan. Personal life: He is married to Noreen and they have three children, John, Kieran and Sue Ann.

Born: May 2, 1980 Background: Anthony Honeyball comes from an equine background. His father John was a trainer and saddled 1973 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner The Dikler to a first point-to-point success, as well as being a Master of the Taunton Vale Hunt, while his mother Sue was a show jumper. Career: Honeyball was a successful Jump jockey, starting out as an amateur for Richard Barber and then becoming a conditional for Paul Nicholls. He partnered his first winner under Rules on Jazz Duke at Taunton on December 9, 1999. After gaining 45 winners under Rules, Honeyball took up training in 2006 and was originally based at a yard in the Quantocks, Somerset, owned by his parents, before transferring to stables rented from Richard Barber at Seaborough in Dorset. In 2012, he moved into nearby Potwell Farm at Mosterton, north of Beaminster, where he still trains. The trainer saddled his first winner on December 18, 2006 with Classic Fair. He has gone from strength to strength since then, enjoying a career-best 34 Jump winners in 2017/18, plus four on the Flat in 2017.He has sent out 14 winners (up to and including Monday, March 18) so far this season.He is married to Rachael Green, also formerly a Jump jockey. Rachael started out in the eventing word, working for international riders and competing up to intermediate level. Her initial point-to-point victory, aged 19, was while working for trainer Robert Alner in 2002.She later joined Richard Barber's stable where she became a national point-to-point champion in 2006. She partnered over 100 winners on the point-to-point circuit and 76 under Rules, riding out her claim. They have a son called Harry and a daughter, Hattie. The best horses he trains are Regal Encore and Ms Parfois, who were both engaged in the 2019 Randox Health Grand National, worth £1 million and run over four miles, two furlongs and 74 yards and 30 fences at Aintree on Saturday, April 6. The J P McManus-owned Regal Encore has captured two valuable Listed handicaps chases at Ascot and finished third in the 2017 G3 Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury and runner-up in the G1 Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham in 2013. The 11-year-old chaser has already competed in the Randox Health Grand National, finishing a staying-on eighth behind One For Arthur in 2017 and was a non-runner in the 2018 renewal.The admirable mare Ms Parfois, taken out of the Randox Health Grand National on Monday, April 1 because of an infection in a foot, was runner-up at both Cheltenham and Aintree in the 2017/18. She came second in the G2 National Hunt Chase over four miles during the Cheltenham Festival, while at Aintree she finished three and three-quarter lengths behind Terrefort in the G1 Betway Mildmay Novices' Chase over three miles and a furlong of the Mildmay Course. The best of the consistent eight-year-old's two efforts this season came when she was the staying-on three-length runner-up in the Listed Midlands Grand National over four and quarter miles at Uttoxeter on March 16.

Born: December 23, 1995 Background: The son of County Cork trainer Liam Burke, Jonathan Burke has progressed from the amateur ranks. The 23-year-old from Conna turned professional in May, 2014, on the advice of Ted Walsh. He was appointed first jockey to the powerful Alan and Ann Potts string in Ireland, replacing Andrew Lynch, in September 2014 until November, 2016. Burke broke a bone in his neck in a pony race at the age of 15 and took out an amateur licence the following year. As an amateur, his highest-profile victory came on Very Much So for Willie Mullins (for whom he had been riding out since the age of 11) in the Goffs Land Rover Bumper at Punchestown in April, 2014, and among the paid ranks he took his first Grade One prize on the Potts's Sizing John, trained by Henry De Bromhead, in the Future Champions Novices' Hurdle at Leopardstown in December, 2014. He rode his first winner in Britain on Goonyella, a Potts stalwart trained by Jim Dreaper, in the Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter in March, 2015, and enjoyed Grade One success at Aintree when Sizing Granite took the 2015 Doom Bar Maghull Novices' Chase. He endured a terrible time with injuries from late 2016 into the first half of 2017. He was appointed stable jockey to British trainer Charlie Longsdon in July, 2017 and won the Red Rum Handicap Chase at Aintree on the Longsdon-trained Bentelimar in 2018. This season he has partnered 40 winners in Britain, including the G2 Kingmaker Novices' Chase on Glen Forsa for Mick Channon at Sandown in February. He replaces Mark Walsh, who moves to owner J P McManus' number one hope Anibale Fly after Barry Geraghty's broken leg injury.

Breeding: ch g Shirocco (GER) - Impudent (IRE) (In The Wings (GB))

Breeder: Joe Rogers

Born: March 13, 2010

Owner: Diana Whateley

Trainer: Philip Hobbs

Jockey: Richard Johnson

Form: 2/11321P/21100/1324126/1P2-616

*Marked himself down as a Randox Health Grand National contender with a battling success in the G3 BetVictor.com Handicap Chase (3m 3f 71y) at Cheltenham in November.

*His only start since then was back at Cheltenham the following month in a similar contest over three and a quarter miles, in which he finished sixth behind Cogry (also still holding a Randox Health Gran  d National entry).

*His 2017/18 campaign yielded a handicap chase (2m 7f 131y) success at Chepstow and second behind fellow Aintree contender Step Back in the G3 bet365 Gold Cup (3m 4f 166y) at Sandown Park in April.

*Four-time winner over hurdles including the G3 Holloway's Handicap Hurdle (2m 3f 58y) at Ascot in January, 2016.

*From the family of high-class hurdler Royal Shakespeare and cost €140,000 as an unraced three-year-old from Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale in June, 2013.

 

Background: Diana and her husband Grahame, based in Worcestershire, have been married for over 40 years and have three children. Grahame, born in June, 1943, has been in the property industry for over 50 years and is chairman of private equity firm Cedar Invest Ltd, as well being a director of lots of other companies. The couple, who support a number of charity initiatives, have homes in Worcestershire, the French Alps and Majorca. Grahame, a keen rugby follower, founded Castlemore Securities Ltd in 1973, which was one of Britain's biggest independent property developers before it into administration in February, 2009 during the banking crisis. Racing interests:members at Cheltenham Racecourse for just shy of 35 years. Grahame had 20 rides in Midlands' point-to-points as an amateur rider. The first horse to successfully carry Diana's two-toned blue silks was the Philip Hobbs-trained Duncaster Castle at Wincanton in April, 2002. Another horses with Hobbs, Boychuk provided a first G2 success at Cheltenham in November, 2005. Since then, the owners and Hobbs have enjoyed a string of big-race victories with stalwarts such as Menorah, a winner of at the Grand National Festival, and Captain Chris, who won 24 races between them and were both successful at the Cheltenham Festival. Other leading names include seven-time graded race winner Wishfull Thinking and 2016 Coral Cup victor Diamond King. Their string of about 20 horses is currently spread mainly between Hobbs and up-and-coming young trainer Olly Murphy, whose bloodstock agent father Aiden is responsible for sourcing the Whateleys' horses.

 

Born July 26, 1955 Background: Philip was brought up surrounded by horses. His father Tony Hobbs farmed, and had a permit to train for many years, breeding several good horses to run in the family colours. After school at King's College, Taunton, Philip went on to Reading University and achieved a BSc honours degree. He rode at Hickstead, showjumping as a junior, and gained several point-to-point winners and winners under National Hunt rules as an amateur before turning professional at the age of 21. Partnered 160 winners in a 10-year riding career including the Black and White Gold Cup at Ascot, the Killiney Novice Chase and the Midlands Grand National on such good horses as West Tip and Artifice. Hobbs made four appearances in the Grand National as a professional jockey in the 1980s and, although one of the best horses he rode was West Tip, he didn't get the leg up on him in the National, with those four rides resulting in two falls, one ninth place and an 11th. He started training in August, 1985, with only six horses and was successful with his very first runner, North Yard at Exeter. He is now one of Britain's top Jump trainers and has gone close to winning the Randox Health Grand National with What's Up Boys, second in 2002, Balthazar King, runner-up in in 2014 and Samlee, third in 1998. Philip's wife Sarah, whom he married in 1982, is the daughter of Bertie Hill, who won a gold medal in three-day eventing at the 1956 Olympics at Stockholm. They have three daughters, Caroline, Katherine and Diana. Achievements: He has trained over 2,000 winners, including 20 at the Cheltenham Festival. Major Wins include: Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (2002 Flagship Uberalles) and Unibet Champion Hurdle (2003 Rooster Booster) Aintree: He has been leading trainer at the Randox Health Grand National Festival at least three times - 2006, 2001 and 2000. His big wins at Aintree include Manifesto Novices' Chase (2012 Menorah), Anniversary 4-YO Juvenile Hurdle (2000 Lord Brex, 2006 Detroit City) and Mildmay Novices' Chase (2001 What's Up Boys). 

 

Born: July 21, 1977 Background: Attended Belmont Abbey School, the alma mater of Peter Scudamore, before leaving at 16 to take a job with then champion trainer David Nicholson. He was born and raised at Madley, Herefordshire, where his parents have a farm. Johnson comes from racing stock as his mother Sue holds a licence to train, while his father Keith, who won the 1982 Midlands Grand National on Bridge Ash, and his grandfather Ivor were both good amateur riders. Johnson has been unlucky to ride mostly in the same era as Tony McCoy as he has finished runner-up to his rival in the jockeys' championship on 16 occasions, but for the first time in 2015/16, with his great rival retired, he became champion Jump jockey. He has taken the title in both seasons since - 2016/17 and 2017/18. He is leading the way again this season. His first winner came at Hereford aboard Rusty Bridge on April 30, 1994, and he has gone on to capture some of racing's biggest prizes, notably the Cheltenham Gold Cup at aboard Looks Like Trouble (200) and Native River (2018, the 2002 Queen Mother Champion Chase on Flagship Uberalles, as well as Rooster Booster's famous triumph in the 2003 Champion Hurdle. Other top-flight winners he has partnered include Florida Pearl, Anzum, Mighty Man, Detroit City, Planet Of Sound, Landing Light, Menorah, Captain Chris and Reve De Sivola. He has a total of 23 winners at the Cheltenham Festival. He has a good record at Aintree and won the Randox Health Topham Chase over the Grand National course in 2001 on Gower Slave. He has twice finished second in the Randox Health Grand National - What's Up Boys (2002) and Balthazar King (2014). He was the leading jockey at the Randox Health Grand National Festival in 2002. He equalled the record for the number of rides in the Grand National in 2016 - reaching the 20-mark which McCoy achieved in 2015. He did not participate in the 2017 and 2018 Randox Health Grand Nationals, but will set the record for the number of Grand National rides this year on Rock The Kasbah - 21. In 2007 he married Fiona Chance, daughter of the dual Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning trainer Noel Chance and they have three children - Willow, Casper and Percy.

 

Breeding: b g Milan (GB) - Crevamoy (IRE) (Shardari GB))

Breeder: Distillery Stud

Born: May 25, 2010

Owners: Neal Griffith and Heather Haddock

Trainer: Tom George

Jockey: Paddy Brennan

Form: 6F2244/2211P/321B2/2F5P52-420

*Finished 13th, beaten 42 lengths, on his latest start in the G3 Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on March 12.

*Has won just once over fences in 14 chase starts, capturing a novices' chase at Cheltenham (3m 1½f) in December 2016.

*Second in the 2017 renewal of the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

*Has also filled the runner-up position at Cheltenham in handicap events over three miles and two furlongs in April, 2018 and December, 2018.

*Trained by Tom Lacey, before joining Tom George in October, 2016.

Neal Griffith, who works in the City of London, and his partner Heather Haddock, live in Longdon, Gloucestershire. They own horses with Tom George, Henry Oliver and Samuel Drinkwater. Heather does the pre-training at home on their farm. This is their first runner in the Randox Health Grand National. Some of the horses they have had in training include The Big Bite (Tom George), Max Ward (Tom George) and Randox Health Grand National runner Singlefarmpayment.

Born: June 4, 1967 Background: Began his training career in 1993 with 14 horses from his base at Springbank Stables in Slad, near Stroud, Gloucestershire. At the age of 26, he was one of the youngest Jump trainers in the country, but he had plenty of experience, having previously worked for Martin Pipe, Arthur Moore and Francois Doumen, three of the then most successful trainers in England, Ireland and France respectively. Tom George's local track is Cheltenham and he won there with Newton Point in his rookie season. A boost for his yard came when Galileo (POL) won the Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, 2002, providing the trainer with an initial success at The Festival. The horse was racing for only the second time over hurdles, having been bought off the Flat in Poland. Nacarat provided George with a G1 success in the Betway Bowl at the 2011 Grand National Festival, while he has also enjoyed G1 success in France, with Halley taking the Prix Maurice Gillois Grand Steeple-Chase 4 Ans in 2011. God's Own has been a flagbearer for the stable in recent years, with three G1 triumphs including in the 2016 JLT Melling Chase at Aintree. George enjoyed a great season in 2017/18, headed by the performances of Summerville Boy - winner of the G1 Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown in January and the G1 Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. Tom is married to Sophie, daughter of former trainer John Edwards, who helps source horses for the yard. Their son Noel rides successfully as an amateur. Edwards trained Little Polveir, who had had three runs in the Grand National before being sold for 15,000 guineas to trainer Toby Balding who sent the horse out to win the 1989 Grand National. George sent out Saint Are to finish second in 2015 and third in 2017.

Born: April 13, 1981, Ardrahan in Co Galway, Ireland Background: Spent the summer of 1995 working for Co Kildare handler Gerry Stack before embarking on a five-season apprenticeship with the leading Irish Flat trainer Jim Bolger, for whom he rode eight winners. The first of those came on Ivory Isle at Gowran Park in August, 1998. He became too heavy and tall for the Flat and moved to Paul Nicholls' stable in England as a conditional jockey in 2001. He stayed there for two and a half years, riding winners for Nicholls and Jeff King, before joining Philip Hobbs in the 2003/04 season as one of that yard's conditionals. Brennan also struck up a good rapport with Ashley Brook, on whom he won the G1 Doom Bar Maghull Novices' Chase at Aintree in 2005, and enjoyed a first Cheltenham Festival success that year aboard Shamayoun in the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle. Brennan was appointed as retained rider to owners Andrea and Graham Wylie for the 2006/07 season after dropping into trainer Howard Johnson's County Durham yard for a cup of tea and toast. He rewarded those connections when guiding Inglis Drever to victory in the 2007 G1 Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham - the gelding's second success in the race. Brennan left Johnson and joined Gloucestershire-based handler Nigel Twiston-Davies as stable jockey in the 2007/08 season, his best to date with 104 British successes. The 2010 victory aboard Imperial Commander in the Cheltenham Gold Cup provided Brennan with what he described as the best day of his life, and he has ridden a total of six winners at the Cheltenham Festival. He left Twiston-Davies after four years and became the rider for Tom George from March, 2011 until 2016. In recent seasons, Brennan has enjoyed big-race wins on the Colin Tizzard-trained Cue Card, including the G1 King George VI Chase at Kempton Park in 2015, two renewals of Haydock Park's G1 Betfair Chase (2015 & 2016) and the G1 Betway Bowl Chase at the 2016 Grand National Festival. Other Randox Health Grand National Festivals triumphs includes Nacarat (2011 Betway Bowl Chase), Khyber Kim (2010 Betway Aintree Hurdle), God's Own (2016 JLT Melling Chase), Irish Raptor (2009 Randox Health Topham Handicap Chase), Pettifour (2008 Doom Bar Sefton Novices' Hurdle), Tidal Bay (2007 Betway Mersey Novices' Hurdle). He has linked up with trainer Fergal O'Brien in recent seasons.

Breeding: b g Indian River (IRE) - Stepitoutmary (FR)(Roselier (FR))

Breeder: Patrick Macken

Born: 23 April 2009

Owner: Cracker and Smodge Partnership

Trainer: Mark Bradstock

Jockey: Nico de Boinville

Form: 19/2311-76

*Would be one of the most inexperienced horses ever to win the Grand National after just eight starts under Rules, six of which have been over fences.

*Began his career point-to-pointing in Ireland, where he ran eight times and won three of his last four races. Sold afterwards to Mark Bradstock for £47,000 at Tattersalls Ireland Cheltenham Sale in May, 2016.

*Made a winning debut for current connections in maiden hurdle at Ludlow (3m) in February, 2017.

*Impressive winner of valuable bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown (3m 5f) in April 2018, only 10 days after first chase success in a novice event at Fakenham (3m).

*Unplaced on both starts this season, finishing seventh in a handicap chase (2m 7½f) at Chepstow on October 13 and sixth in the G3 Classic Handicap Chase (3m 5f) at Warwick on January 12.

*Has muscle enzymes problems and needs warming up before he can be ridden and is fitted with special bar-shoes as he is flat-footed.

'Cracker' and 'Smodge' are the nicknames of the children of Jamie Macleod, a long-standing owner with Mark Bradstock. Step Back was the first horse to race in the partnership's name, and the only other runner they have had was Eglantier, who made a winning debut in a bumper at Fontwell in March. They therefore enjoy an impressive strike rate of four wins from only nine runners, including in the 2018 bet365 Gold Cup.Jamie Macleod had four winners in his own name with the Bradstocks between 2004 and 2006, Something Gold winning an Ascot bumper first time out and Toemac landing bumpers at Kempton and Taunton and a novice hurdle at Plumpton. Go White Lightning was a 100/1 fourth in the 2005 National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham carrying his colours.

 

Born: November 5, 1957 Background: Worked for the late Fulke Walwyn for 10 years, including five years as assistant trainer. Rode 18 winners as an amateur jockey, including three for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. He took out a permit to train in 1988 before moving to a full licence in 1992. Switched stables from East Garston, near Lambourn, to Old Manor Stables, the former yard of Tim Forster, in 1994. Married to Sara, daughter of the late Lord Oaksey, well-known amateur jockey, journalist and television pundit, and grand-daughter of trainer "Ginger" Dennistoun. Sara, who assists Mark and was Coneygree's regular rider at home, was joint leading lady amateur rider in the 1984/85 National Hunt Season. Son Alfie, whose ambition was to be a jockey, became the first individual to represent Team GB in both eventing and showjumping in one season and has represented Great Britain in successful Young Riders Nations Cup teams at Deauville in both 2014 and 2015. Daughter Lily has competed in the National Pony Trials and was selected to join the British squad for the European Championships in 2014. Bradstock trained Coneygree to become the first novice since Captain Christy in 1974 to win the G1 Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2015. Other big race wins include: Leamington Novices' Hurdle (2008 Carruthers), Reynoldstown Novices' Chase (2009 Carruthers), Hennessy Gold Cup (2011 Carruthers), Kauto Star Novices' Chase (2014 Coneygree) and the Betfair Denman Chase (2015 Coneygree).

Born: Hampshire, August 14, 1989, Background: Learnt his trade on horses in eventing and showing and won a class at the Horse of the Year Show when he was nine. He comes from a family where equestrian competition at the top level is second nature. His late mother was on the national dressage squad, while her sister, Phillippa, rode at Badminton, and is now married to the trainer Pat Chamings. De Boinville was educated at Bradfield College in Berkshire where he completed A-Levels and gained a place at Newcastle University to read history and politics. This stint at university was short-lived; he dropped out after six weeks and returned home to Hampshire to pursue life as a jockey. Before university he worked as a pupil assistant to Richard Gibson in Chantilly, France. De Boinville's ambition to become a Jump jockey led him to Seven Barrows, where he mixed working at Nicky Henderson's famous yard with riding in point-to-points. De Boinville turned professional in 2014. Although Henderson still remains his premier employer, he also regularly rides for Wantage-based trainer Mark Bradstock, who trained Coneygree to win the 2015 Cheltenham Gold Cup to provide the jockey's biggest success. De Boinville rode his first winner at the Cheltenham Festival in 2014 on Whisper in the Coral Cup, a horse he also partnered to victory in the Ryanair Stayers' Hurdle at Aintree a year later. He has ridden 10 winners at the Cheltenham Festival in total, including the G1 Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase in 2018 and 2019 aboard Altior. He was leading jockey at this year's Cheltenham Festival with three winners. Major victories have also included the 2017 G1 King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day on Might Bite, the 2018 G1 Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on Altior and the 2018 G1 Christmas Hurdle at Kempton with Verdana Blue, This year he has won the G1 Triumph Hurdle and G1 Doom Bar Anniversary 4YO Juvenile Hurdle on Pentland Hills. In July, 2018 he married Serena Cookson, who breeds and produces Connemara ponies. They live near Northleach in Gloucestershire.

 

Breeding: b g Kayf Tara (GB) - One For Me (GB) (Tragic Role (USA))

Breeder: Mrs PG Lewin

Born: 8 May, 2009

Owner: Jane Williams & Len Jakeman

Trainer: Jane Williams

Jockey: Lizzie Kelly

Form:  1/221/13112P/67113/5241U1/943P76-P36PU

*Made history at Kempton in December, 2015 when his win in G1 Kauto Star Novices' Chase (3m), ridden by Lizzie Kelly, was a first over Jumps at that level for a female rider.

*Landed a second G1 win when beating Cue Card a neck in Betway Bowl (3m1f) at Aintree in April 2017, ridden once again by Kelly, who has partnered him in all but one of his 32 races.

*Has not won since then and most recently unseated his rider when in mid-field at fence 21 of 32 in Glenfarclas Cross-Country Chase (3m 6f) won by Tiger Roll at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

*Officially changed trainers from Nick Williams to his wife Jane this season.

 

Jane Williams trains at Culverhill Farm, George Nympton, Devon, alongside her husband Nick. Jane took out her own licence to train under Rules in August, and has sent out 10 winners so far. She was a chartered accountant for 25 years, running a business in South Molton with Nick. She has three children - jockey Lizzie Kelly, who was the first woman to ride a Grade One winner in Britain and who has partnered two winners at the Cheltenham Festival, Chester, a conditional jockey, and Loveday, who, Jane says, "probably rides the best of the three but who hates racing." Jane's only previous runner over the Grand National fences was Blackstaff, who Lizzie rode for Jane in the 2012 Foxhunters' Chase.

 

Len Jakeman is the Group Finance Director for the Tewkesbury-based MX Group, who are shower and bathroom retailers and was founded in 1975. Jakeman has been involved in racehorse ownership for many years. Horses with whom he has been involved with include the Venetia Williams-trained Royale De Vassy and the Alan King-trained Velrev, a G3 winner over fences.

 

Born: April 24, 1993 Background: Devon-based Lizzie is the daughter of Jane Williams, who trains her 2019 Randox Health Grand National ride Tea For Two. Her stepfather Nick Williams has provided the majority of her 70 winners, which have included two Cheltenham Festival victories courtesy of Coo Star Sivola in the 2018 G3 Ultima Handicap Chase and Siruh Du Lac in the 2019 Brown Advisory & Merribelle Stable Plate. Kelly became the first woman to ride a Grade One winner in Britain when she took the Kauto Star Novices' Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day in 2015. In 2017 Kelly rode Tea For Two to win the G1 Betway Bowl at the Randox Health Grand National Festival. Other major victories include the 2018 G2 Cleeve Hurdle and the 2017 G2 Relkeel Hurdle, both at Cheltenham, on Agrapart. Educated at West Buckland School, she did a degree in Events Management at Winchester University. She worked for trainers such as Willie Mullins, Henrietta Knight, Alan King and Emma Lavelle in her holidays, and spent time with Neil King as a conditional jockey. She has also had work experience with Newbury Racecourse on the marketing side.

 

 

Breeding: b g Authorized (IRE) - Swiss Roll IRE (Entrepreneur GB)

Breeder: G O'Brien

Born: March 14, 2010

Owner: Gigginstown House Stud

Trainer: Gordon Elliott IRE

Jockey: Davy Russell

Form: 121/71P6430/40/P114U2221331P/2P511-411

*The 9/2 favourite with Betway, official betting partner of the Randox Health Grand National Festival.

*Aiming to p the first back-to-back winner of the Randox Health Grand National since Red Rum (1973, 1974, 1977), following his head victory over Pleasant Company in 2018.

*He is 9lb higher in the handicap this year, with a rating of 159 for the 2019 Randox Health Grand National. But his current official rating has leapt to 167, meaning he is 8lb well in.

*Four-time Cheltenham Festival winner who looked as good as ever, if not better, on his latest appearance when taking the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase impressively by 22 lengths on March 13, a race he also captured in 2018. His other Cheltenham Festival successes came in the 2014 G1 JCB Triumph Hurdle and 2017 G2 National Hunt Chase.

*Away from Cheltenham, he has enjoyed victories in the 2016 Munster National at Limerick and the 2019 G2 Boyne Hurdle at Navan.

*Bought from Sheikh Mohammed's Darley operation by trainer Nigel Hawke as an unraced three-year-old and subsequently scored on his hurdling debut at Market Rasen in September, 2013, after which he was purchased for £80,000 by Mags O'Toole on behalf of Gigginstown House Stud.

*Half-brother to G2 Lonsdale Cup winner Ahzeemah.

*A stable favourite at Gordon Elliott's yard, Tiger Roll was once described by owner Michael O'Leary as "a little rat of a thing".

 

Gigginstown House Stud, covering over 1,000 acres at Delvin near Mullingar, Co Westmeath, Ireland is the residence of Michael O'Leary, chief executive of Ryanair, Europe's largest budget airline. O'Leary was born on March 20, 1961, the second of six children, and educated at Clongowes Wood College in County Kildare before reading business studies at Trinity College Dublin. He was a tax consultant at accountants KPMG (1984-86) and became financial adviser to Tony Ryan, founder of Ryanair. He progressed to be Ryanair's deputy chief executive in 1991 and chief operating officer in 1993. He has overseen the rapid development of Ryanair since 1994 when he became chief executive, and his worth was valued at £908 million in the 2018 Sunday Times Rich List, thanks mainly to his significant shareholding in Ryanair. He has often been a controversial figure in business, thanks to outspoken opinions and a penchant for generating publicity. In March, 2019, he announced that he will step back from the day-to-day running of Ryanair to take on a more strategic and overseeing role. Racing interests: O'Leary started off with horses in training on the Flat with David Wachman and Mick Halford, but he has rapidly become a major Jump owner with a string only rivalled by fellow Irishman J P McManus. His horses run under the Gigginstown House Stud banner. He used to have many horses with Ireland's top Jump trainer, Willie Mullins, but took all 60 away in September, 2016, after a row over training fees. His team of over 250 horses in training in Ireland, is split between mainly Gordon Elliott, Henry de Bromhead, Noel Meade and Joseph O'Brien. His racing enthusiasm was boosted when one of his first horses, War Of Attrition, won the 2006 Cheltenham Gold Cup. His 27 Cheltenham Festival winners, including one this year, also feature the 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Don Cossack. O'Leary won the Randox Health Grand National in 2016 with Rule The World, trained by Mouse Morris and previously without a win over fences, and again in 2018 with Tiger Roll. O'Leary's brother Eddie, based at Lynn Lodge Stud in Mullingar, oversees the Gigginstown racing operation; the young horses are brought along at Pat Doyle's County Tipperary stables and in point-to-points. Gigginstown has had retained jockeys, notably Davy Russell and Bryan Cooper, but neither lasted in the job. However, Russell has returned to ride plenty of Gigginstown horses, including two winners at the 2018 Cheltenham Festival and Tiger Roll in the 2018 Randox Health Grand National. Gigginstown has owned three of the last four winners of the three mile, five furlong Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse, usually run two weeks before the Randox Health Grand National - Thunder And Roses (2015), Rogue Angel (2016) and General Principle (2018). O'Leary married former banker Anita (Farrell) in 2003 and they have four children. 

 

Born:  March 2, 1978, in Summerhill, Co Meath Background: A very successful point-to-point rider, Elliott also partnered 46 winners as an amateur under Rules. He started his racing career while still at school, working at Tony Martin's stable in County Meath. He moved to Britain, joining Martin Pipe in 1997, and learnt a lot during his spell in Somerset. His biggest victory as a rider was on board King's Road, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, in the 1998 Punchestown Champion Bumper. After commencing handling point-to-pointers, he started his main training career from Capranny Stables in Trim, Co Meath in early 2006 and bought the 78-acre Cullentra House Farm, Longwood, Co Meath, in 2011, where the facilities have been built up from scratch, with a capacity of over 200 horses, two gallops, three schooling grounds, an equine pool, a natural spa and more. The trainer has emerged over the last few seasons as the main challenger to Willie Mullins' dominance in Ireland and had a major boost when receiving the pick of 60 horses that Gigginstown House Stud removed from Mullins in September, 2016. Elliott is part of a select group of trainers to saddle a winner at both the Cheltenham Festival and Royal Ascot, having sent out Commissioned to land the Queen Alexandra Stakes at the prestigious Flat meeting in June, 2016. He also sent out Dirar to win the Ebor Handicap at York in 2010. Training Career: Elliott's first runner under Rules came at the 2006 Cheltenham Festival, when Brandon Mountain was pulled up in the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Handicap Hurdle. He continued to send runners over to the UK and enjoyed almost instant success, most notably with Arresting, who notched up four victories between May and July, 2006. Elliott's Grand National victory with Silver Birch in April, 2007 was remarkable not only because he was just 29 at the time, but also because he had yet to saddle a winner in his native country. The winners in Ireland soon followed and Elliott gained an initial G1 victory with Jessies Dream in the Drinmore Novice Chase in December, 2010, and celebrated his first Cheltenham Festival successes in 2011 with Chicago Grey in the National Hunt Chase and Carlito Brigante in the Coral Cup. His Cheltenham Festival haul now stands at 25, following three wins this year, and includes Don Cossack's victory in the 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup. He was the leading trainer at the Cheltenham Festival for the first time in March, 2017 with six successes. Elliott plundered his second leading trainer award at The Festival in 2018 following a remarkable record-equalling eight winners over the four days, emulating Willie Mullins' best - eight wins at The Festival in 2015. Elliott has finished second to Mullins in the Irish Jump trainers' championship for six consecutive seasons and is on course to do so again this term, though he set a new record for the number of winners (210) in an Irish Jump season in 2017/18, eclipsing the previous best of 193 set by Mullins. For the third season in succession, Elliott has emulated one of his mentors, Martin Pipe, as the only other Jump trainer to saddle more than 1,000 runners. First winner as a trainer - Arresting, Fugro-Technip Handicap Hurdle, Perth, June 11, 2006.

Randox Health Grand National Record - 16:  2007 SILVER BIRCH (WON); 2009 Silver Birch (FELL 22nd); 2010 Backstage (UR 20th); 2011 Backstage (10th); 2012 Tharawaat (8th), Chicago Grey (BD 5th); 2013 Tarquinius 8th, Chicago Grey (PU 30th); 2015 Cause Of Causes (8th); 2016 Ucello Conti (6th) 2017 Cause Of Causes (2nd), Roi Des Francs (18th), Ucello Conti (UR 22nd); 2018 TIGER ROLL (WON), Bless The Wings (3rd), Ucello Conti (UR 27th).

 

Born:  June 27, 1979 Background: Hails - like fellow Jump jockey Denis O'Regan - from Youghal in County Cork and progressed from pony racing to become one of Ireland's leading point-to-point riders, winning the championship outright in 2001 and sharing the title with J T McNamara in 2002. His first Aintree success came in 2000 when he rode, as an amateur, the Pat Fahy-trained Quadco to win the Champion National Hunt Flat Race at 33/1. The retirement of another one-time Irish point-to-point star, Adrian Maguire, saw him travel over to Britain as stable jockey to Yorkshire-based Ferdy Murphy and he turned professional on November 12, 2002, with his first success in that sphere coming on Inn Antique at Sedgefield on November 12. He enjoyed his first big success when Truckers Tavern won the 2003 Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock and the same horse went on to be second to Best Mate in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Russell lost his job as number one jockey to Murphy in January, 2004, after 14 months as he also wanted to continue riding in Ireland at weekends. He took the Topham Handicap Chaseover the Grand National fences on 50/1 outsider Cregg House in 2005. He had his first Cheltenham Festival success in 2006 when Native Jack won the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase. Russell won the Irish jockeys' championship on two occasions (2011/12 & 2012/13). He was retained jockey to Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary, whose horses run in the maroon and white silks of Gigginstown House Stud, from 2007 until January 1, 2014, although he still rides regularly for the outfit as freelance. He has a great record at the Cheltenham Festival where his 22 winners include victory on Lord Windermere in the 2014 G1 Cheltenham Gold Cup - he partnered four winners over the four days in 2018 and finished up as the leading rider at the meeting. He currently rides Britain and Ireland on a regular basis. He had a fabulous season in 2017/18 as he also finished as Ireland's champion Jump jockey, with 119 wins. He has accumulated 777 winners in Ireland his season (up to and including April 3) and is third behind Paul Townend and Rachael Blackmore. He was the oldest rider at the age of 38 in the 2018 Randox Health Grand National and won on Tiger Roll, owned by O'Leary and trained by Gordon Elliott. He has not partnered Tiger Roll in three races so far this season, with Keith Donoghue up for the two successes in the G2 Boyne Hurdle at Navan in February and the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at last month's Cheltenham Festival.

Breeding: bb g Kapgarde (IRE) - Hot D'Or (FR) (Shafoun (FR))

Breeder: Gilles Chaignon

Born: May 22, 2008

Owner: Brocade Racing, J P Romans & Terry Warner

Trainer: Colin Tizzard

Jockey: Tom O'Brien

Form: F4PP54131/94235P/1446/F481512/651B6791/392P01-435P

*Would become the first horse to win both the Randox Health Topham Handicap Chase and the Randox Health Grand National (Churchtown Boy won the Topham in 1977, before finishing second to Red Rum two days later).

*Has captured the last two renewals of the G3 Randox Health Topham Chase (2017 & 2018) over two miles and five furlongs of the Grand National Course at Aintree.

*Pulled up behind Randox Health Grand National favourite Tiger Roll in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on his latest start.

*Fine third, beaten six lengths, behind fellow Randox Health Grand National runner Walk In The Mill in the G3 Becher Chase (3m 2f) over the Grand National fences on December 8.

*Finished second in the Grand Sefton Handicap Chase (2m 5f) over the Grand National fences at Aintree in December, 2017.

*Overall record over the Grand National fences reads 1123.

*Fifth in the G3 Classic Chase at Warwick on January 12 and fourth in a novice hurdle at Cheltenham on October 27 on his other two runs this season.

*Began career in France with Gilles Chaignon before joining Colin Tizzard in October 2013.

Brocade Racing comprises retired farmers Garth and Anne Broom, owners of 2018 Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Native River. The Brooms had always been interested in racing and had family connections with the sport - Anne's father had horses in training with Gerald Cottrell, and Garth's uncles were amateur riders - but they did not become owners until they retired from farming and sold their Wellington farm. John Romans, who owns eight park homes sites across the south west of England, has been involved in racehorse ownership for around a decade. The best horse he has owned to date is Welsh Grand National winner Elegant Escape. Terry Warner has owned nine winners at the Cheltenham Festival, including 2003 Champion Hurdle hero Rooster Booster and 2006 Triumph Hurdle winner Detroit City. Detroit City also won the 2006 Anniversary 4-Y-O Hurdle at the Randox Health Grand National Festival. Warner and his wife Jill live on a farm in Dursley, between Bristol and Gloucester. Warner ran a chain of sports shops, but retired after suffering a heart attack at Uttoxeter Racecourse in 1998.

Born: January 7, 1956 Background: The second son of Leslie and Marjorie Tizzard, Colin grew up on the family farm in Milborne Port on the Dorset/Somerset border, enjoying hunting, shooting and fishing. Dairy farming and horses have always been his passions and he has made a success of both enterprises, though he announced towards the end of 2018 that the dairy farming has run its course. Colin was a member of the Pony Club before riding with some success in point-to-points and later under Rules as an amateur. He started training two point-to-point horses in 1995 for his son Joe to ride. Joe was a Jump jockey for nearly 20 years and celebrated four victories at The Festival, headed by Cue Card's successes in the 2010 Weatherbys Champion Bumper and 2013 Ryanair Chase. Cue Card was trained by Colin throughout his career, which lasted for eight seasons and yielded almost £1.5 million in prize money. Joe, who rode more than 600 winners under Rules before retiring from race riding in March, 2014, now acts as an assistant trainer to his father. Colin's wife Pauline and daughter Kim, who is also an assistant trainer, are very much involved in the business, which took a further step forward in September, 2015 with the transfer of the horses from Venn Farm on the London Road just outside Milborne Port to new premises at nearby Spurles Farm, which has been expanded twice more since. Colin Tizzard is now established as one of the leading Jump trainers in the country. He finished third in the Jump trainers' championship for the second successive season in 2017/18, with almost £2 million in prize money and a career-best tally of 79 winners. He saddled Native River to land the 2018 G1 Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup. Tizzard has trained 72 winners so far this season (as of April 3) and has amassed over £1.7 million in prize money.

Born: November 28, 1986 Background: His father Jim is brother to the brilliant trainer Aidan O'Brien and plays a key role at his Ballydoyle stable in Co Tipperary. From the age of 13, Tom rode out at weekends and in school holidays at Ballydoyle, aboard champions such as High Chaparral, Rock Of Gibraltar and Mozart. He joined Philip Hobbs's stable as a 17-year-old, initially riding as an amateur and in point-to-points, and had his first success aboard The Names Bond at Warwick on December 18, 2004. O'Brien also has an association with trainer Peter Bowen, for whom he finished second aboard McKelvey when having his first Randox Health Grand National ride in 2007. He landed the Coral Welsh National in 2009 on Dream Alliance and has enjoyed one success at the Cheltenham Festival - Silk Affair in the 2009 Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle. Aidan O'Brien still takes a keen interest in his nephew's progress - "when he sits down to watch me ride, he often gets on the phone to give me a rollicking," said Tom. He partnered the Peter Bowen-trained Always Waining to two of his record-breaking three successes over the Grand National fences in the Randox Health Topham Chase at Aintree and also won the 2013 Betfred Becher Chase over the Grand National fences on the Hobbs-trained Chance Du Roy. His biggest successes so far this season have been in the G3 Coral Welsh Grand National at Chepstow aboard Elegant Escape and in the G1 Unibet Tolworth Novices' Hurdle at Sandown on Elixir De Nutz, both for Colin Tizzard.

 

 

Breeding: br g Presenting (GB) - Coolsilver (IRE) (Good Thyne (USA))

Breeder: Colette O'Driscoll

Born: April 8, 2009

Owner: Andrea & Graham Wylie

Trainer: Willie Mullins IRE

Jockey: Danny Mullins

Form: 120/3114P1/2148-138

*Lightly-raced 10-year-old who had almost two years off the track between April, 2016, and February, 2018.

*Successful in two of five starts over fences last season, in novice contests at Gowran Park and Killarney, as well as finishing fourth behind stablemate Al Boum Photo in the G1 Ryanair Gold Cup at Fairyhouse in April.

*Returned this season with a promising third in the Thyestes Handicap Chase (3m 1f) at Gowran Park in January and again shaped well prior to a shuddering mistake three out when eighth in the G3 Ultima Handicap Chase (3m 1f) at Cheltenham on March 12.

*Won the G2 Dorans Pride Novice Hurdle (3m) at Punchestown in December, 2015.

 

Background: Multi-millionaire Graham Wylie made his money in the computer software industry. He is the son of Scottish parents - his father was a coalminer from Stirling and his mother a seamstress from Hawick, where Wylie was born in 1959. After graduating from Newcastle University in 1980 with a degree in computer science and statistics, he founded Sage in 1981 with David Goldman, Phil Lever and Paul Muller, selling accountancy software. The company floated on the stock exchange in 1989. After stepping down as managing director of Sage in May, 2003, Wylie sold a number of his shares and gained over £120 million. A huge Newcastle United fan, he married his second wife Andrea Stone at Slaley Hall, Northumberland in May, 2003 - the event was described as the "north-east's wedding of the decade," and was attended by over 250 guests, including Alan Shearer and Sir Bobby Robson. Pop superstar Ronan Keating performed at the couple's wedding (for a reputed £175,000), singing When You Say Nothing At All, from the 1999 film Notting Hill, which the couple saw on their first date. Graham Wylie founded a new company, Technology Services Group (TSG), in 2003. He owns Close House Country Club and golf course, and Gosforth Shopping Centre, and was awarded a CBE for his services to industry in the 2004 New Year's Honours list. Graham's contribution to the North East region has been acknowledged by the award of honorary doctorates by both the University of Newcastle and Northumbria University, and the freedom of the city of Newcastle. The Sunday Times Rich List in 2018 estimated he is worth £160 million. The Wylies live close to Hexham in Northumberland and Andrea has also excelled at showing dogs, primarily miniature bull terriers, another interest they share, winning the best of breed prize at Crufts 2013 with her Maltese dog Hi-Lite Come Dance With Me. The couple's twin daughters Kiera and Zahra were born in December, 2009. Kiera was born with a defective heart, which has led the Wylies to fund raise for the heart unit at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital among other charitable endeavours. Racing Interests: Their first horse Lord Transcend, named after Andrea's hair and beauty salon in Hexham, won at 33/1 on his debut at Newcastle in March, 2002, and went on to prove himself a high-class horse over hurdles and fences, winning six times in all, before a leg injury sustained at Haydock in January, 2006, cut short his racing career. Having caught the 'racing bug' through the success of Lord Transcend, Graham and Andrea Wylie invested millions of pounds and built up a large string in training with Howard Johnson. At Doncaster's 2003 May Sale, Graham Wylie set a then record for a Jump horse when paying 340,000 guineas for Royal Rosa, which was a wedding present for his wife. Howard Johnson was banned from racing for four years in August 2011, and as a result, the Wylies reduced their 60-strong string by half and sent 12 to British Jump champion Paul Nicholls and seven to Irish Jump champion Willie Mullins. Their horses these days are all trained by Mullins, with around 15 in training. Have seen their colours carried to victory at the Cheltenham Festival on 13 occasions, including three in 2016 (Yorkhill, Black Hercules and Solar Impulse). Their star has been three-time Stayers' Hurdle victor Inglis Drever. The Wylies bred high-class performer Augusta Kate at their Chesters Stud. 

 

Born: September 15, 1956 Background: A six-time champion amateur rider in Ireland, his successes in the saddle included the 1983 Fox Hunters' Chase at Aintree on Atha Cliath (among the also-rans were Robert Waley-Cohen, chairman of Cheltenham Racecourse, and former Aintree Racecourse chairman Lord Daresbury). As a jockey in the Randox Health Grand National, his rides included The Ladys Master, who ran out in 1983, and Hazy Dawn, who fell at the sixth the following year. He partnered three winners at the Cheltenham Festival. He hails from one of Ireland's most famous racing families, being a son of the late Paddy Mullins, the outstanding all-round trainer whose most dazzling star was Dawn Run, winner of the 1984 Champion Hurdle and 1986 Cheltenham Gold Cup. Training Achievements: Assisted his father and Jim Bolger before taking out a training licence in 1988. He has been Ireland's champion Jump trainer 12 times. He has won most of the major prizes in Britain and Ireland, and several in France as well. He is the winning-most trainer ever at the Cheltenham Festival, with 65 successes to his credit, including Champion Hurdles with Annie Power, Faugheen and Hurricane Fly, and an extraordinary nine in the Champion Bumper, starting with Wither Or Which (which he also rode) in 1996. This year, Al Boum Photo provided Mullins with an elusive first Cheltenham Gold Cup success, having trained the runner-up on six occasions. He has been leading trainer at The Festival for six of the last nine years (including a record eight winners in 2015). Mullins' star performer in the early part of the century was Florida Pearl, who was placed in two Cheltenham Gold Cups, won the 1998 RSA Chase, the 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2004 Irish Gold Cups in Ireland as well as the 2001 King George VI Chase and the 2002 Betway Bowl at Aintree. The brilliant Hurricane Fly won the Unibet Champion Hurdle in 2011 and 2013 and Mullins' other Cheltenham Festival winners include the amazing Quevega who created history by becoming the only horse to win the same race in six consecutive years (the OLBG Mares' Hurdle). Mullins has around 200 horses at his Closutton yard near Bagenalstown in Co Carlow. His first Grand National runner as a trainer, Micko's Dream, fell at the first in 2000. Mullins, a former chairman of the Irish Trainers' Federation, also suffered disappointment in 2004 when Hedgehunter departed at the final fence in the Randox Health Grand National when looking assured of a place. The following year Hedgehunter won the Grand National, coming home 14 lengths clear of Royal Auclair, and he also finished second in 2006.

Born: 23 April, 1992. Background: Danny is a son of successful trainers Tony and Mags Mullins, a grandson of Dawn Run's trainer Paddy Mullins, and a nephew of multiple champion Irish trainer Willie Mullins and also of successful trainer Tom Mullins. He is a cousin of Grand National-winning rider David Mullins (Rule The World, 2016). Mullins had 73 winners on the Flat in Ireland (placed twice in race to be champion apprentice) and has had well over 200 over Jumps there. He has also had eight Jump winners in Britain. He was a star of the pony racing circuit, with 126 winners, and his first win under Rules came on My Girl Sophie for Jim Bolger at Leopardstown on 21 May, 2008. He rode a treble on the Flat at the Galway Festival later the same year, and has had further trebles over hurdles at Wexford in 2015 and over fences at Sligo in 2016. He has also ridden a winner on the same card for both his mother and father on more than one occasion. He is a multiple G1 winner, including on The Tullow Tank (2013 Bar One Racing Novice Hurdle and 2013 Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle), Mount Benbulben (2013 Growise Champion Novice Chase), Felix Yonger (2015 BoyleSports Champion Chase) and Footpad (2016 GAIN Spring Juvenile Hurdle). He has had two previous rides at Aintree and was a close second over the Grand National fences on Joseph O'Brien's Katnap in the 2017 Randox Health Topham Chase won by Ultragold. He has ridden his Randox Health Grand National mount Up For Review three times and won a novice chase at Killarney on him in May, 2018.

Breeding: b g Anzillero (GER) - Libido Rock (FR) (Video Rock (FR))

Breeder: M Contignon & Mme N Contignon

Born: April 8, 2009

Owner: Gigginstown House Stud

Trainer: Henry de Bromhead IRE

Jockey: Rachael Blackmore

Form: 61/1101/211236/12FU22/14/55538-0260930

*Second Randox Health Grand National ride for leading Irish professional jockey Rachael Blackmore, who is seeking to become the first woman to partner the winner of the great chase.

*Finished eighth to Tiger Roll in the 2018 Randox Health Grand National.

*Well-beaten 14th to Siruh Du Lac on his latest start in the G3 Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate Handicap Chase (2m 4½f) at the Cheltenham Festival.

*Third to fellow Randox Health Grand National runner Rathvinden in the G3 Bobbyjo Chase (3m 1f) at Fairyhouse on February 23.

*Joined Henry de Bromhead from Willie Mullins in October, 2016 and won his first start for the yard in the G1 JNWine.com Champion Chase (3m) at Down Royal the following month.

*Second to Vautour in the 2016 renewal of the G1 Ryanair Chase (2m 5f) at the Cheltenham Festival, beaten six lengths, before filling the runner-up position behind Menorah on his final start for Mullins in the G2 bet365 Oaksey Chase (2m 6½f).

*Began his career with Emmanuel Clayeux, before joining Mullins in 2013.

Gigginstown House Stud, covering over 1,000 acres at Delvin near Mullingar, Co Westmeath, Ireland is the residence of Michael O'Leary, chief executive of Ryanair, Europe's largest budget airline. O'Leary was born on March 20, 1961, the second of six children, and educated at Clongowes Wood College in County Kildare before reading business studies at Trinity College Dublin. He was a tax consultant at accountants KPMG (1984-86) and became financial adviser to Tony Ryan, founder of Ryanair. He progressed to be Ryanair's deputy chief executive in 1991 and chief operating officer in 1993. He has overseen the rapid development of Ryanair since 1994 when he became chief executive, and his worth was valued at £908 million in the 2018 Sunday Times Rich List, thanks mainly to his significant shareholding in Ryanair. He has often been a controversial figure in business, thanks to outspoken opinions and a penchant for generating publicity. In March, 2019, he announced that he will step back from the day-to-day running of Ryanair to take on a more strategic and overseeing role. Racing interests: O'Leary started off with horses in training on the Flat with David Wachman and Mick Halford, but he has rapidly become a major Jump owner with a string only rivalled by fellow Irishman J P McManus. His horses run under the Gigginstown House Stud banner. He used to have many horses with Ireland's top Jump trainer, Willie Mullins, but took all 60 away in September, 2016, after a row over training fees. His team of over 250 horses in training in Ireland, is split between mainly Gordon Elliott, Henry de Bromhead, Noel Meade and Joseph O'Brien. His racing enthusiasm was boosted when one of his first horses, War Of Attrition, won the 2006 Cheltenham Gold Cup. His 27 Cheltenham Festival winners, including one this year, also feature the 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Don Cossack. O'Leary won the Randox Health Grand National in 2016 with Rule The World, trained by Mouse Morris and previously without a win over fences, and again in 2018 with Tiger Roll. O'Leary's brother Eddie, based at Lynn Lodge Stud in Mullingar, oversees the Gigginstown racing operation; the young horses are brought along at Pat Doyle's County Tipperary stables and in point-to-points. Gigginstown has had retained jockeys, notably Davy Russell and Bryan Cooper, but neither lasted in the job. However, Russell has returned to ride plenty of Gigginstown horses, including two winners at the 2018 Cheltenham Festival and Tiger Roll in the 2018 Randox Health Grand National. Gigginstown has owned three of the last four winners of the three mile, five furlong Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse, usually run two weeks before the Randox Health Grand National - Thunder And Roses (2015), Rogue Angel (2016) and General Principle (2018). O'Leary married former banker Anita (Farrell) in 2003 and they have four children.  

Born: October 28, 1972 Background: De Bromhead is the son of former farmer and trainer Harry de Bromhead. He initially trained to be an accountant, but left college after realising that this career was not for him. He took a job at Coolmore Stud and worked with Robert Alner in Dorset, as well as with his father, before joining Sir Mark Prescott's Newmarket yard. He also worked at Tattersalls for three months before returning to Coolmore Stud in 1998. After his father had been incapacitated by a stroke in 1999, he took over the reins at the Co Waterford yard and sent out his first winner with his very first runner when Fidalus won at Tramore on New Year's Day in 2000. De Bromhead trained a stream of winners in his first few years - including Feeling Grand, River Clodagh and Whatareyouhaving. His career was significantly boosted by the investment of owners Ann and Alan Potts in 2005. The best performer trained by de Bromhead for the Potts' was Sizing Europe, who went on to propel de Bromhead into the big time. The son of Pistolet Bleu won the Grade One Irish Champion Hurdle in January, 2008, before embarking on a chase campaign which saw him progress into one of the best two-milers of his generation. He won the Queen Mother Champion Chase in March, 2011, as well as the Grade One Tingle Creek Chase in December, 2011. In an unexpected decision, Ann and Alan Potts removed all their horses from de Bromhead in the autumn of 2016. De Bromhead won his second Queen Mother Champion Chase at the 2017 Cheltenham Festival with Special Tiara, and in 2018 he was victorious in the G1 Ryanair Chase at the Festival with Balko Des Flos. He also took the G1 Ryanair Stayers' Hurdle at the 2018 Randox Health Grand National Festival with Identity Thief. De Bromhead is enjoying his best season to date, with 90 winners in Ireland (up to 3 April) and two Cheltenham Festival successes (Minella Indo in the G1 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle and A Plus Tard in the Close Brothers Handicap Chase).

Major wins include: Irish Champion Hurdle (2008 Sizing Europe, 2017 Petit Mouchoir); Irish Arkle Chase (2010 An Cathaoir Mor, 2017 Some Plan); Arkle Challenge Trophy (2010 Sizing Europe); Queen Mother Champion Chase (2011 Sizing Europe, 2017 Special Tiara); Ryanair Chase (2018 Balko Des Flos); Tingle Creek Chase (2011 Sizing Europe); Maghull Novices' Chase (2013 Special Tiara); Punchestown Champion Chase (2012 & 2014 Sizing Europe); Celebration Chase (2015 Special Tiara); Fighting Fifth Hurdle (2015 Identity Thief).

Born: May 19, 1989. Background: From Killenaule, County Tipperary, where her parents have a beef farm, Rachael Blackmore rode 11 point-to-point winners and enjoyed seven successes as an amateur rider under Rules before turning professional in March, 2015, becoming only the second female professional Jump jockey in Ireland (Maria Cullen was the first in the 1980s). She had combined amateur riding with her university education, studying Science at the University College Dublin and then Equine Science at the University of Limerick. She also studied at night school for a Business Studies Diploma. She gained her first success in the paid ranks when Most Honourable, trained by John 'Shark' Hanlon, was a winner at Clonmel on September 3, 2015. Hanlon had also provided Blackmore with her initial success as an amateur rider when Stowaway Pearl won at Thurles on February 10th, 2011. With 32 Irish winners, she became the first female jockey to win the Irish Conditional Riders' title in the 2016/2017 season. Rachael rode her first winner on the Flat in a conditions' race at Killarney on May 16, 2017 on the Denise O'Shea-trained Supreme Vinnie. She enjoyed a notable success when partnering the Ellmarie Holden-trained Abolitionist to land the €100,000 Download The Ladbrokes Exchange App Leinster National Handicap Chase at Naas on March 12, 2017. She rode out her claim when winning the Oulart Maiden Hurdle on the Colin Bowe-trained Sweet Home Chicago at Wexford on June 21, 2017. It was her 60th racecourse success. She is currently enjoying by far her best season and is a clear second behind Paul Townend in the jockeys' table, trailing him by 85 to 102 as of April 2. She enjoyed two winners at the 2019 Cheltenham Festival, on A Plus Tard in the Close Brothers' Novices' Chase and on Minella Indo in the G1 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle, both for Henry de Bromhead.

Breeding: b g Nidor (FR) - Jossca (FR) (Badolato (USA))

Breeder: Eric Leray & Veronique Leray

Born: May 13, 2009

Owner: Simon Munir & Isaac Souede

Trainer: Nicky Henderson

Jockey: Daryl Jacob

Form: 952F5/7142F/4341132358/1437528034/31619784/P4653332-671P

*Won six times in France for trainer Eric Leray, most recently in G3 chase (2m7f) at Auteuil in October, 2016, before joining Nicky Henderson in autumn 2018.

*Impressive eight-length winner of G2 handicap chase (3m) at Ascot off a mark of 148 on debut for new connections - put up to 160 for that win.

*Pulled up in G2 Cotswold Chase (3m) at Cheltenham in January on only subsequent appearance.

Simon Munir was born in October, 1964, and educated at Harrow, where subsequent Flat trainer William Haggas was a friend. He lives in Hertfordshire. He hoped to play for Arsenal when younger and is still an enthusiastic supporter of the team, with a box at the Emirates Stadium. The CEO and one of the founders of Galaxy Asset Management in 1999, he previously worked for Merrill Lynch, based in Geneva for 10 years, and then ran its Monaco operation. He is also a board member of Pladis, the global snacking company. His first horse was No Speeches, owned in partnership with four colleagues, and a winner on the Flat for them at Lingfield in 1996 when trained by Simon Dow at Epsom. He sponsored Jack Berry's yard and had horses with Haggas and Sir Mark Prescott before upping his involvement in Jump racing. His first major winner in that sphere was Soldatino in the 2010 JCB Triumph Hurdle. In recent years, Munir has owned horses in partnership with Isaac Souede. The American was heavily involved for 30 years with the London-headquartered Permal Group. Souede was most recently chairman and chief investment strategist at Permal which merged with EnTrust in 2016. He was largely responsible, in his various roles as CEO and CIO, for the creation of the investment processes and the growth of the business from $450 million to $20+ billion when it was sold to Legg Mason in 2005. He was also general partner of Ann Arbor Partners LP, a principal investment firm based in the United States. In May, 2017, it was announced that Souede had joined San Francisco-based alternative asset manager SCP Investments as chairman and chief global strategist. He is based in New York and works alongside SCP founder and CIO, Sandy Colen, managing a segregated portfolio expressing his top down views using stocks and ETFs. Souede was educated at the State University of New York and the University of Michigan, before becoming an accountant. Both Munir and Souede have invested heavily in young horses, mostly bought by their racing manager Anthony Bromley of Highflyer Bloodstock. They have horses with trainers including Nicky Henderson, Alan King, Nigel Twiston-Davies, Harry Fry, David Pipe, Oliver Sherwood and Ben Pauling in Britain, and Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott in Ireland. They also have a sizeable team of horses in France, principally with Guillaume Macaire, Guy Cherel, Jacques Ortet, Yannick Fouin and Guy Henrot. They retain Daryl Jacob as their jockey. Their green colours have been carried by Top Notch, Edward D'Argent, Wholestone, Messire Des Obeaux, Bristol De Mai, Sceau Royal, Footpad, Peace And Co, Vyta Du Roc, Wholestone, Terrefort, Call Me Lord, Missy Tata, C'est Jersey, Ballybolley and L'Ami Serge among others. They have over 50 horses in training.

Born: December 10, 1950. Background: Born in Lambeth, London. The son of financier and amateur jockey John Henderson MBE, who founded Racecourse Holdings Trust, the forerunner for Jockey Club Racecourses and the owner of Cheltenham Racecourse, he was educated at Eton and the Royal Agricultural College. He worked for stockbrokers Cazenove in London and Australia, where he gained experience riding work at Randwick, before devoting himself full-time to racing.Henderson first made his name in Britain as an amateur rider, finishing runner-up three times in the non-professional championship. His main wins as a rider came on Happy Warrior in the 1977 Foxhunters' Chase at Aintree and on Acquaint in Sandown's Imperial Cup the same year. Henderson recorded his 78th and final win under Rules on Rolls Rambler in the Horse & Hound Cup at Stratford in June, 1978. He became assistant trainer to Fred Winter in 1974 and received his own training licence in July, 1978, taking over from Roger Charlton at Windsor House Stables in Lambourn, Berkshire. He moved to Seven Barrows, to the north of the village, in 1992, after swapping yards with Peter Walwyn. One of Britain's leading Jump trainers, Henderson has been at the top of his profession since 1985. His 64 wins at the Cheltenham Festival includes a record seven Unibet Champion Hurdles, six JCB Triumph Hurdles, six Racing Post Arkle Chases, two Magners Cheltenham Gold Cups, six Betway Queen Mother Champion Chases, two Sun Racing Stayers' Hurdles and two Ryanair Chases. First Winner As A Trainer - Dukery at Uttoxeter, October 14, 1978. He has yet to win the Randox Health Grand National, coming closest with runners-up Zongalero (1979) and The Tsarevich (1987). His record at Aintree includes five wins in the Randox Health Topham Chase, three JLT Melling Chases and two Betway Aintree Hurdles. Accolades: Henderson has won the British Jump trainers' championship five times - 1985/86, 1986/87, 2012/2013, 2016/2017 and 2017/18. He was made a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order in the 2018 New Year's Honours List, reflecting his role as principal Jump trainer to the late Queen Mother and Her Majesty The Queen.

 

Born: August 28, 1983, in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford Background: the son of a fisherman, Jacob initially attended the Racing School in Kildare and then spent two years with Dessie Hughes before having a summer riding out Flat horses with Richard Hannon in Wiltshire. He then joined Robert and Sally Alner's Dorset stable and rode their point-to-pointers, and after a season with Paul Keane returned to the Alners in the summer of 2006. He enjoyed a fantastic 2006/07 season, highlighted by success on The Listener in the Grade One Lexus Chase at Leopardstown in December, 2007, his first victory in his homeland since he switched to Britain in 2003. During his time with Hughes, he became very friendly with Kieran Kelly, who died in a fall in 2003, and Daryl dedicated his Lexus triumph to Kieran, who was instrumental in encouraging him to make the move to England. It was the decision of owner Ray Humphreys to give the ride on The Listener to Jacob, having "jocked off" Andrew Thornton, and the partnership flourished in the 2007/08 season, with further G1 victories in the John Durkan Chase at Punchestown and the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown. Jacob enjoyed a dream 48 hours at the end of 2009, as he partnered the Nick Williams-trained Me Voici to victory in the G1 Future Champions Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow on December 27 and landed the G1 Challow Novices' Hurdle at Newbury two days later on Reve De Sivola, also for Williams. On his first start in the Grand National in 2007, Jacob finished a gallant fourth on Philson Run, and the jockey was first successful over the famous fences with I Hear Thunder, who triumphed in the 2006 Grand Sefton Chase. He partnered the Williams-trained Diamond Harry in the 2010 Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury and also gained the first of two Cheltenham Festival winners in the 2011 JCB Triumph Hurdle with Zarkandar for Paul Nicholls. The biggest victory of his career came in the 2012 Grand National when he came with a great late run on Neptune Collonges to score by a nose from Sunnyhillboy, the closest-ever verdict in the race. Jacob was appointed stable jockey to Nicholls in the summer of 2013, but was ousted from the job after just a year. He is now retained by owners Simon Munir & Isaac Souede and enjoyed his best season in 2016/2017 with 88 British winners. Some of Jacob's big-race wins include Betfair Chase wins (2017 & 2018) on Bristol De Mai and the 2017 G1 Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil on L'Ami Serge.

 

Breeding: ch g Sabiango (GER) - Indecise (FR) (Cyborg (FR))

Breeder: F M Cottin

Born: March 2, 2009

Owner: Professor Caroline Tisdall & John Gent

Trainer: David Pipe

Form: 1110/11103/390/111U267/116/4749-2PP

*Has completed the course three times in the Randox Health Grand National, finishing seventh in 2016, sixth in 2017, and ninth last year, never threatening to get involved after being hampered at the eighth fence (Canal Turn first time around).

 

Professor Caroline Tisdall first became interested in racing as a child and started owning Jump horses in 2010 with trainer David Pipe on the recommendation of Sir Mark Prescott, the Newmarket-based Flat trainer, whom she had met through her position on the board of the Countryside Alliance. An art historian, Tisdall was the Guardian's art critic from 1970 to the early 1980s, and has written books and made films, especially about artist Joseph Beuys. She became an honorary Professor of the Department of Rural Future at Oxford Brookes University and is involved in conservation projects in Britain and Africa. Tisdall has enjoyed three successes at the Cheltenham Festival (in partnership with Bryan Drew) - the dual (2016 & 2017) Ultima Handicap Chase hero Un Temps Pour Tout and the 2015 Weatherbys Champion Bumper scorer Moon Racer. Un Temps Pour Tout was the £450,000 sale topper at Newbury's DBS Hennessy sale in 2013. John Gent founded Gent Transport and Warehousing in 1974, and has been joined in the business by his three sons, Chris, Rob and Dave over the years. Based in Yate, north of Bristol, the company operates out of a 65,000 square foot warehouse and is one of the leading palletised distribution, warehousing and storage companies in the South West. John Gent, who used to run in marathons, has been involved in racehorse ownership for over 20 years, and has had horses with Gary Moore and Richard Phillips as well as David Pipe. He lives in Clevedon, Somerset.

Born: February 7, 1973 Background: Son of 15-time champion Jump trainer Martin Pipe, who in 2001 had a record 10 runners in the Randox Health Grand National. David started riding in point-to-points in 1992, going on to gain 22 wins over the next five seasons, plus two under Rules, which included victory aboard Bonanza Boy in the Ludlow Gold Cup. After finishing as a rider, he had spells with trainers around the world - Michael Dickinson in the US, Criquette Head-Maarek in France and Joey Ramsden in South Africa, before setting up as a point-to-point trainer, handling Horus, Lord Atterbury and Celestial Gold. Based at Purchas Farm, a mile away from his father's Pond House Stables on the Somerset/Devon border, he sent out 164 point-to-point winners over six seasons, including Well Armed, successful 15 times. He picked up the reins at Nicholashayne after his father retired in 2006 and promptly won with the first runner under his own name, Standin Obligation, at Kelso on May 9, 2006 and less than two years later emulated his father's 1994 Grand National victory with Miinnehoma when he saddled Comply Or Die to take the great Aintree race. Comply Or Die finished second in the following year's Grand National. Pipe's G1 victories include Un Temps Pour Tout (2015 French Champion Hurdle), Dynaste (2014 Ryanair Chase) and Moon Racer (2015 Champion Bumper), while he has accumulated 15 Cheltenham Festival successes. His best British season came in 2006/7 with 134 winners, while he has sent out 35 winners this season, "a transition one" up to and including Monday, March 25. Tom Scudamore is the stable jockey.

Born May 22, 1982 Background: Tom Scudamore was appointed stable jockey to David Pipe in the 2006/2007 season, marking a return to Pond House in Somerset where he began his career as an amateur for Pipe's father Martin, and where his own father Peter Scudamore, was also stable jockey. Tom comes from an illustrious line of jockeys. His great-grandfather Geoffrey rode winners as an amateur, grandfather Michael was Oxo's pilot when winning the 1959 Grand National and his father was the eight-time champion Jump jockey with 1,677 successes, but never won the Randox Health Grand National, achieving his best finishing position on third-placed Corbiere in 1985. Tom has made a big impression since leaving Cheltenham College after A-levels in 2000. He won the amateur riders' title in the 2000/01 season and also landed the 2001 Flat amateurs' championship. After 52 unpaid successes, he turned professional in October, 2001, and alongside the backing of Martin Pipe (to whom he was a conditional jockey) he was supported by Nigel Twiston-Davies, to whom his father was formerly assistant. Big victories have come aboard Madison Du Berlais (2008) and Sizing Tennessee (2018) in Newbury's Ladbrokes Trophy and again on Madison Du Berlais in the G1 Betway Bowl at Aintree, while he has also enjoyed G1 success on the tough staying hurdler Lough Derg and the chasers Dynaste and Grands Crus. At the Cheltenham Festival, he has ridden a total of 10 winners. Thistlecrack, on whom he won the 2016 Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham and the King George VI Chase at Kempton, has also given him G1 triumphs in the Doom Bar Sefton Novices' Hurdle (2015), the G1 Liverpool Stayers' Hurdle (2016) at Aintree and the G1 Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot.

 

 

Breeding: gr g Cloudings (IRE) - Rare Vintage (IRE) (Germany (USA))

Breeder: Gleadhill House Stud Ltd

Born: April 25, 2010

Owner: Trevor Hemmings

Trainer: Sue Smith

Jockey: Danny Cook

Form: 3215/21222P/222F3F7/124233-1P2

* Aiming to provide owner Trevor Hemmings with an unprecedented fourth victory in the Randox Health Grand National.

*Progressive staying chaser who showed the benefit of a wind operation when second behind Beware The Bear in the G3 Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham on March 12. Rating raised by 5lb after that excellent performance, so 5lb well-in.

*Started this campaign with victory in a valuable handicap chase at Haydock Park in November, though was pulled up on next start in the G3 Welsh Grand National at Chepstow on December 27, after which underwent a wind operation.

*Proved himself over a marathon trip in last season's G3 Scottish Grand National (4m), coming home a close third behind Joe Farrell.

*Scored over the Mildmay Course at Aintree when winning a novices handicap chase in October, 2017.

*Homebred and by the same sire, Cloudings, as Hemmings' most recent Grand National hero Many Clouds (2015).

 

Born:  June 11, 1935 Background: Brought up in Woolwich Arsenal, South-East London, where his father worked at the Royal Ordnance factory. Was sent to Lancashire as a five-year-old during World War II and began life as a bricklayer's apprentice after leaving school at 15. Became involved in the Pontins holiday business and eventually came to own the company. He sold Pontins to Scottish & Newcastle in exchange for a significant S & N shareholding in 1989. He bought back Pontins in 2000 but retained a stake in S & N, which netted him £218 million when the company was sold in January, 2008. Sold Blackpool Tower and the Winter Gardens to the North West resort's town council for £40 million in March, 2010. In 2012, agreed to sell his major shareholding in Arena Leisure Plc, which owned Folkestone, Lingfield, Southwell, Wolverhampton and Windsor racecourses and managed Doncaster and Worcester, to the Reuben brothers. Owns a controlling shareholding in Preston North End FC (since 2010), the Trust Inns pub company with over 350 pubs and the Northern Trust Group which is a substantial property investment, development, land management and regeneration business with 8m square feet in over 200 industrial, trade counter and office parks extending from the South Midlands to the central belt of Scotland. He is chairman of the TJH Foundation, a charity which provides grants to organisations such as Macmillan Cancer Relief, St John Ambulance, Crimestoppers Trust, Royal National Lifeboat Association, the Injured Jockeys' Fund and Racing Welfare. In 2011, he was appointed a Commander of the Victorian Order (CVO) for his work as vice-president of the Princess Royal Trust Carers. In 2018, the Sunday Times estimated Hemmings' wealth at £1 billion, up from £850 million the previous year. As well as racehorses, he also has eventers who are ridden by Zara Phillips - she partnered the Hemmings-owned High Kingdom to win team silver in three-day eventing at London 2012. He is famous for wearing a flat cap. Racing Interests: Fulfilled greatest ambition when Hedgehunter carried his colours to victory in the 2005 Grand National. After years of trying, Hemmings had finally emulated his mentor Fred Pontin, owner of the 1971 National hero Specify, with his 13th Grand National runner. Ballabriggs added a second Grand National success in 2011 and Many Clouds a third in 2015. He tried to win Grand National for first time with Stan Mellor-trained Rubika, 14th in 1992. His first winner came on the Flat in 1985. Hemmings brings on young jumping stock at Gleadhill House Stud, near Chorley, Lancashire, managed by former trainer Mick Meagher, and at his Monymusk Stud in Co Cork. He also has Wood Farm Stud in Shropshire, which is managed by his son Philip. Hemmings, who was made an honorary Jockey Club member in December, 2006, is based on the Isle of Man (since 2002) and is said to have paid £12 million for the Ballavoddan Manor estate on the island where his retired horses live at his Ballaseyr Stud. He has enjoyed 11 winners at the Cheltenham Festival, headed by dual Ryanair Chase hero Albertas Run and has around 70 horses in training in Britain. Randox Health Grand National Achievements: One of only four owners to have won the race three times along with Noel Le Mare (Red Run 1973, 1974 & 1977), James Machall (1873 Disturbance, 1874 Reugny, 1876 Regal) and Sir Charles Assheton-Smith (1893 Cloister, Jerry M 1912, Covertcoat 1913). His winners have been Hedgehunter (9-11-01, 7/1 favourite, trained by Willie Mullins & ridden by Ruby Walsh - 2005), Ballabriggs (10-11-00, 14/1, Donald McCain/Jason Maguire - 2011) and Many Clouds (8-11-09, 25/1, Oliver Sherwood/Leighton Aspell - 2015).

 

Born: February 23, 1948 Background: Became the third woman to train the winner of the Grand National in 2013 with outsider Auroras Encore (66/1). Has developed a formidable training operation at Craiglands Farm, 1,000 feet up on the Yorkshire Moors at High Eldwick near Bingley, where she first took out a permit to train in 1990 and a full licence the following year. Raised on a Sussex farm, rode (as Susan Dye) in Britain's first ladies' race and her late father owned horses with Arthur Pitt. She was brought up on show jumping and met her future husband, the sport's legend Harvey, at Hickstead. She moved north in 1989 to Craiglands, - Harvey, born in the nearby village of Gilstead on December 29, 1938, has never lived more than three miles distant. The Smiths share the duties of their training operation, with Sue looking after the day-to-day training and the entries, and Harvey taking care of the gallops, feeding and driving the box to the races. Harvey Smith personally laid down 18 furlongs of all-weather training strips surfaced with a mixture that includes pig hair. Apart from Auroras Encore, one of their best horses has been Wetherby specialist Mister McGoldrick, winner of two G2 Castleford Chases and a G3 handicap chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Their best season to date has been 61 British winners in 2013/14. 

Born: June 18, 1983, in Romford, Essex. Background: Danny Cook gained an interest in horseracing by watching the sport on TV as a youngster. His father was a landscape gardener. After leaving school and working for his father, Cook considered an alternative career in the Army before enrolling at the Northern Racing College despite having no experience with horses. Riding Career: Cook's first ride was as an amateur rider on Kafi at Bangor in August, 2001. A move to the Barry Leavy yard in May, 2004, brought some success and he then joined Jim Old. After a stop-start career, Cook came to David Pipe's Somerset yard where he did well and in the 2008/09 season he finished runner-up to Oliver Greenall in the amateur riders' championship with 21 winners. He turned professional as a conditional jockey ahead of the 2009/10 season and rode his first Cheltenham Festival winner in 2010 aboard Great Endeavour in what is now the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate. He ended that Jump season with 25 successes. He subsequently made the move north to Yorkshire due to his connection with owner Dan Gilbert and now rides predominantly for Sue Smith (stable jockey) and Brian Ellison. His best total was 51 winners in 2016/2017 and he has ridden 35 winners so far this term (as of April 4) Other Information: Cook was banned for six months in 2015 after testing positive for cocaine, an event he described as "a catastrophic error of judgment". Big-Race Wins: Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate (2010 Great Endeavour), Peter Marsh Chase (2016 Cloudy Too, 2010 Our Vic), Altcar Novices' Chase (2015 Wakanda), Many Clouds Chase (2017 & 2018 Definitly Red), Cotswold Chase (2018 Definitly Red), Scottish Champion Hurdle (2018 Midnight Shadow), Charlie Hall Chase (2018 Definitly Red), Peter Marsh Chase (2019 Wakanda), Relkeel Hurdle (2019 Midnight Shadow)

 

 

Breeding: b g Walk In The Park (IRE) - Libre Amour (FR) (Lost World (IRE))

Breeder: Alain Jollivet & Celine Lefevre

Born: May 11, 2010

Owner: Baroness Harding

Trainer: Robert Walford

Jockey: James Best

Form: P3521/F22352/1197/513P-3133

*Bidding to become the first horse to win both the Becher Handicap Chase (3m 2f), which is run over the Grand National fences, and Randox Health Grand National in the same season, having stayed on well to beat Vieux Lion Rouge by four and a half lengths in the former in December. Amberleigh House (2001/2004) and Silver Birch (2004/2007) also won the Becher Handicap Chase three years before capturing the Grand National, while Earth Summit (1998) won both races in the same calendar year, but different seasons.

*Missed out on last year's Randox Health Grand National - he made the final field of 40 as a reserve, but became a non-runner after being found lame on the day.

*Has made two appearances over hurdles since his Becher Handicap Chase success, finishing third in novices' hurdles at Chepstow on January 7 and at Exeter on March 5.

*Has come to grief only once in 23 starts, when brought down by a loose horse at Auteuil, France, in April 2015.

 

Born: November 9, 1967 Background: Diana "Dido" Harding, Baroness Harding of Winscombe, is the former chief executive of telecommunications company, the TalkTalk Group which is listed on the stock exchange. Her grandfather Field Marshal John Harding, 1st Barron of Petherton, commanded the desert rats during World War II, while her father Lord Harding was also an officer in the British army. Baroness Harding grew up on the family farm in Dorset and graduated with a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford University, where she studied alongside future Prime Minister David Cameron. She also gained an MBA from Harvard Business School before working for a variety of major international brands, including McKinsey & Company, Tesco, Thomas Cook, Woolworths, Tesco and Sainsbury's. Baroness Harding was appointed CEO of TalkTalk in 2010 and spent seven years with the company before leaving in May, 2017, to focus on public service activities. She is currently the chair of NHS Improvement, a government organisation which is responsible for overseeing all NHS hospitals and private companies that provide NHS-funded care, with other responsibilities including non-executive director on the Bank of England's Court of Directors. She is a trustee of DotEveryone, a member of the UK National Holocaust Memorial Foundation Advisory Board and Senior Independent Director of MindGym PLC. She married John Penrose, the MP for Weston-super-Mare, in October, 1995, - the couple have two children - and was created a Conservative life peer in September, 2014. In 2014, she was ranked the 10th most influential woman in the UK on the BBC Woman's Hour Power List. Racing Interests: In 1993, Baroness Harding borrowed £7,000 from a bank to purchase a horse, Cool Dawn, to ride herself in point-to-points with the help of trainer Robert Alner. Cool Down won five times under Harding, including hunter chases at Ascot and Kempton, and was also runner-up for the amateur jockey in the Foxhunter Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in 1996. Shortly afterwards, Alner and Harding agreed that a professional jockey would ride Cool Dawn in any race worth more than £35,000, and the chaser went on to win the 1998 Cheltenham Gold Cup under Andrew Thornton. Harding has ridden over the Grand National fences, finishing ninth in the Fox Hunters' Chase on Unlimited Free in 2004. She officially stopped riding competitively at the age of 40, but has continued to partake in charity races, including winning the Magnolia Cup, in which she is a regular participant, at Glorious Goodwood in August, 2017. Harding has served as a director at Cheltenham Racecourse and also sits on the board of The Jockey Club.

 

Born: October 22, 1980 Background: Son of former amateur rider and trainer, Tim Walford, and former amateur jockey Gillian. Robert's brother Mark took over the licence from Tim in 2014 and trains at the family stables in Sheriff Hutton, Yorkshire. Robert grew up riding at his local Pony Club in Middleton and started riding in point-to-points at the age of 17 and moved down to Dorset in September, 1999, to become stable amateur jockey to trainer Robert Alner. Enjoyed a dream first ride at the Cheltenham Festival in March, 2000, when guiding Honey Mount to victory in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase. Turned professional at the end of 2001 and gained his biggest success as a jockey on Kingscliff in the G1 Betfair Chase at Haydock Park in November, 2005. Retired from riding in 2012 having partnered 200 winners and set up a training yard at Okeford Fitzpaine, just four miles from where Robert and Sally Alner used to train. Sent out his first winner as a trainer at Plumpton on November 5, 2012, as Carole's Destiny won a novices' hurdle. He is married to the Alner's daughter Louise, who has enjoyed success as a point-to-point trainer. Apart from Walk In The Mill's victory in the Becher Handicap Chase, Walford has also anjoyed major success with Carole's Spirit, who twice won at Listed level, and Camping Ground, winner of the G2 Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham in January, 2016.

 

Born: November 30 1990 Background: Brought up on a farm in Callington, Cornwall, James started riding at an early age. His first pony was a Shetland pony called Lady. His mother Margaret was the district commissioner of the East Cornwall Hunt branch of the Pony Club and James took part in all Pony Club activities, including hunting and eventing. He left school aged 16 and went to work for Flat trainer Luca Cumani in Newmarket for three months before joining Philip Hobbs. His first race-riding experience came in point-to-points and in 2010 he was joint-winner - with Grant Cockburn - of the Wilkinson Sword, given to the leading male rider under 21. However, he received his award on crutches, having broken both legs in an Easter Monday fall in Somerset. He has ridden 163 winners under Rules so far. He rides for a variety of West Country trainers, including Robert Walford, Victory Dartnall and Polly Gundry. He scored the biggest victory of his career to date when taking the Randox Health Becher Chase over the Grand National fences on the Robert Walford-trained Walk In The Mill in December, 2018.

 

Breeding: b g Midnight Legend (GB) - Samandara (FR) (Kris (GB))

Breeder: Alan King Racing And Miss J M Bodycote

Born: March 19, 2009

Owner: Trevor Hemmings

Trainer: Paul Nicholls

Jockey: Harry Cobden

Form: 246/67112/2P205/13253115/U22P-41P0

*Captured the Betway Grand Sefton Handicap Chase (2m 5f) over the Grand National fences at Aintree on December 8 by a length and a half under Sean Bowen.

*Was pulled up behind Tiger Roll in the 2018 Randox Health Grand National

*Tenth on latest start behind stable companion San Benedeto in the G3 Greatwood Gold Cup (2m 4f) at Newbury on March 2.

*Fourth on first run this season in a handicap chase (2m 4f) over the Mildmay Course at Aintree on November, 2018.

*Head second to Wakanda in the Listed Sky Bet Chase (3m) at Doncaster in January, 2018.

*Began career with trainer Nicky Richards before joining Paul Nicholls in 2015.

*One of three runners in the 2019 Randox Health Grand National for owner Trevor Hemmings, who is bidding for a record fourth win in the Randox Health Grand National. Victory in the 2019 renewal would make Hemmings the most successful owner of all time in the race.

Born: June 11, 1935 Background: Brought up in Woolwich Arsenal, Southeast London, where his father worked at the Royal Ordnance factory. Was sent to Lancashire as a five-year-old during World War II and began life as a bricklayer's apprentice after leaving school at 15. Became involved in the Pontins holiday business and eventually came to own the company. He sold Pontins to Scottish & Newcastle in exchange for a significant S & N shareholding in 1989. He bought back Pontins in 2000 but retained a stake in S & N, which netted him £218 million when the company was sold in January, 2008. Sold Blackpool Tower and the Winter Gardens to the North West resort's town council for £40 million in March, 2010. In 2012, agreed to sell his major shareholding in Arena Leisure Plc, which owned Folkestone, Lingfield, Southwell, Wolverhampton and Windsor racecourses and managed Doncaster and Worcester, to the Reuben brothers. Owns a controlling shareholding in Preston North End FC (since 2010), the Trust Inns pub company with over 350 pubs and the Northern Trust Group which is a substantial property investment, development, land management and regeneration business with 8m square feet in over 200 industrial, trade counter and office parks extending from the South Midlands to the central belt of Scotland. He is chairman of the TJH Foundation, a charity which provides grants to organisations such as Macmillan Cancer Relief, St John Ambulance, Crimestoppers Trust, Royal National Lifeboat Association, the Injured Jockeys' Fund and Racing Welfare. In 2011, he was appointed a Commander of the Victorian Order (CVO) for his work as vice-president of the Princess Royal Trust Carers. In 2018, the Sunday Times estimated Hemmings' wealth at £1 billion, up from £850 million the previous year. As well as racehorses, he also has eventers who are ridden by Zara Tindall - she partnered the Hemmings-owned High Kingdom to win team silver in three-day eventing at London 2012. He is rarely seen without his famous flat cap. Racing Interests: Fulfilled greatest ambition when Hedgehunter carried his colours to victory in the 2005 Grand National. After years of trying, Hemmings had finally emulated his mentor Fred Pontin, owner of the 1971 National hero Specify, with his 13th Grand National runner. Ballabriggs added a second Grand National success in 2011 and Many Clouds a third in 2015. He tried to win Grand National for the first time with the Stan Mellor-trained Rubika, 14th in 1992. His first winner came on the Flat in 1985. Hemmings brings on young jumping stock at Gleadhill House Stud, near Chorley, Lancashire, managed by former trainer Mick Meagher, and at his Monymusk Stud in Co Cork. He also has Wood Farm Stud in Shropshire, which is managed by his son Philip. Hemmings, who was made an honorary Jockey Club member in December, 2006, is based on the Isle of Man (since 2002) and is said to have paid £12 million for the Ballavoddan Manor estate on the island where his retired horses live at his Ballaseyr Stud. He has enjoyed 11 winners at the Cheltenham Festival, headed by dual Ryanair Chase hero Albertas Run and has around 70 horses in training in Britain. Randox Health Grand National Achievements: One of only four owners to have won the race three times along with Noel Le Mare (Red Run 1973, 1974 & 1977), James Machall (1873 Disturbance, 1874 Reugny, 1876 Regal) and Sir Charles Assheton-Smith (1893 Cloister, Jerry M 1912, Covertcoat 1913). His winners have been Hedgehunter (9-11-01, 7/1 favourite, trained by Willie Mullins & ridden by Ruby Walsh - 2005), Ballabriggs (10-11-00, 14/1, Donald McCain/Jason Maguire - 2011) and Many Clouds (8-11-09, 25/1, Oliver Sherwood/Leighton Aspell - 2015).

Born:  April 17, 1962 at Lydney, Gloucestershire Background: The son of a policeman, he grew up in Olveston. He started riding in point-to-points after leaving school at 16 and worked for a couple of yards before becoming a conditional jockey with Sussex-based Josh Gifford for two years and then joining Devon trainer David Barons. He partnered 133 winners between 1980 and 1989, with his biggest British successes coming in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury on Broadheath (1986) and Playschool (1987), who also won the Irish Gold Cup with Nicholls up in 1988. Having struggled to keep his weight down, he retired from riding in 1989 and assisted Barons, trainer of not only Broadheath and Playschool but also Seagram, who won the 1991 Grand National at Aintree during Nicholls' time at the stable. Nicholls took out his own licence to train at Manor Farm Stables in Ditcheat on November 1, 1991, with just eight horses and has come a long way since. Manor Farm Stables, which has been expanded, is the main yard, with Highbridge the second yard just outside the village. Daughter Megan is an apprentice jockey on the Flat. Achievements: 10-time champion Jump trainer (2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2015/16) and became the first handler to accrue more than £4 million in a season in 2007/08. He gained his 2,000th winner at Down Royal on November 5, 2011, less than 20 years after taking out his licence, making him the fastest Jump trainer to reach the landmark figure. Has sent out 45 winners at the Cheltenham Festival and is the third most successful trainer ever there. His successes include victories in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (1999 Call Equiname, 2004 Azertyuiop, 2008 & 2009 Master Minded, 2015 Dodging Bullets), Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup (1999 See More Business, 2007 & 2009 Kauto Star, 2008 Denman) and the Sun Racing Stayers' Hurdle (Big Buck's 2009, 2010, 2011 & 2012). He also won the Unibet Champion Hurdle with Rock On Ruby in 2012. At Aintree, he has captured the Grand National with Neptune Collonges in 2012 and sent out Big Buck's for four consecutive victories (2009 to 2012) in the G1 Ryanair Stayers' Hurdle. He has been leading trainer at the Randox Health Grand National Festival three times - in 2008, 2011 & 2015. He is fighting for his 11th Jump trainers' championship this season and is leading the title race over Nicky Henderson. He saddled his 3,000th career winner courtesy of Capitaine in a handicap hurdle at Taunton on Tuesday, February 19, 2019.

Randox Health Grand National Record - 75: 1992 Just So (6th); 1996 Vicompt De Valmont (10th), Brackenfield (UR 19th), Deep Bramble (PU 29th); 1997 Straight Talk (FELL 14th); 1998 What A Hand (FELL 1st), Court Melody (FELL 6th), General Crack (PU 11th); 1999 Strong Chairman (15th), Double Thriller (FELL 1st); 2000 Earthmover (FELL 4th), Torduff Express (FELL 13th), Flaked Oats (FELL 20th), Escartefigue (UR 30th); 2001 Earthmover (FELL 4th); 2002 Murt's Man (PU 17th), Ad Hoc (BD 27th); 2003 Montifault (5th), Fadalko (UR 6th), Ad Hoc (UR 19th), Shotgun Willy (PU 22nd), Torduff Express (UR 27th); 2004 Exit To Wave (PU 9th); 2005 Royal Auclair (2nd), Heros Collonges (8th), L'Aventure (15th), Ad Hoc (FELL 22nd); 2006 Royal Auclair (FELL 1st), Le Duc (UR 8th), Silver Birch (FELL 15th), Heros Collonges (UR 15th), Le Roi Miguel (PU 19th), Cornish Rebel (PU 19th); 2007 Le Duc (UR 6th), Royal Auclair (FELL 9th), Eurotrek (PU 22nd), Thisthatandtother (PU 30th); 2008 Cornish Sett (12th), Turko (FELL 25th), Mr Pointment (PU 30th); 2009 My Will (3rd), Big Fella Thanks (6th), Cornish Sett (17th), Eurotrek (PU 17th); 2010 Big Fella Thanks (4th), Tricky Trickster (9th), My Will (FELL 4th), Nozic (UR 20th); 2011 Niche Market (5th), Ornais (FELL 4th), The Tother One (FELL 6th), What A Friend (PU 27th); 2012 NEPTUNE COLLONGES (WON); 2013 Join Together (12th), What A Friend (PU 19th), Harry The Viking (PU 26th); 2014 Rocky Creek (5th), Hawkes Point (18th), Tidal Bay (UR 8th); 2015 Mon Parrain (11th), Rocky Creek (17th), Rebel Rebellion (PU 26th), Unioniste (Fell 5th); 2016 Unioniste (10th), Just A Par (15th), Rocky Creek (PU 12th), Silviniaco Conti (PU 14th), Wonderful Charm (PU 21st), Black Thunder (PU 21st); 2017 Le Mercurey (12th), Just A Par (14th), Wonderful Charm (19th), Vicente (FELL 1st), Saphir Du Rheu (FELL 11th); 2018 Warriors Tale (PU 29th)

Born: November 5, 1998 Background: Harry Cobden comes from a farming family, based at Lydford-on-Fosse near Somerton in Somerset. His parents are Sarah and William and he has a brother, James. Educated at Sexey's School in Bruton, Somerset, Cobden was highly successful in pony racing and point-to-points - he was national novice men's champion - as an amateur rider and has established himself as a rising star of the weighing room. He started out riding for trainer Anthony Honeyball and permit holder David Brace before joining Britain's multiple champion Jump trainer Paul Nicholls. He was runner-up in the conditional jockeys' championship with 30 successes in 2015/16 and took the title the following season with 63 winners. He enjoyed his first winner under Rules aboard El Mondo in a hunters' chase at Leicester on March 6, 2015. He sprung to prominence when landing the 2015 Greatwood Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham on Old Guard when aged 16 and enjoyed his first G1 success aboard Irving in the 2016 Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle. He rode out his claim on February 4, 2017, when landing the Scottish County Hurdle on Diego Du Charmil. He has invested some of his earnings in cattle and land. He enjoyed his first Cheltenham Festival success on Kilbricken Storm in the 2018 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle, and won the G1 RSA Insurance Novices' Chase with Topofthegame at the 2019 Festival. He collected the G1 King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day and the G2 Denman Chase at Newbury this season on Clan Des Obeaux; other big wins this season include the G1 Ascot Chase with Cyrname and the G1 randoxhealth.com Henry VIII Novices' Chase at Sandown aboard Dynamite Dollars. At the 2018 Grand National meeting, Cobden took the Randox Health Topham Chase over the Grand National fences on Ultragold, and the G1 Doom Bar Maghull Novices' Chase on Diego Du Charmil.