Late drama before the start of the 2019 KCC Grand National with two last minute non-runners to report. First, Corrupt Accountant was withdrawn after the RSPCA intervened on learning that his rider, Bernard Rogers, was putting up 6 stones overweight. "Unimaginable cruelty has been averted," said a spokesman, following with some advice to a non-plussed Mr Rogers that he should "go on a diet". More drama was to follow when it was discovered that Bruce Holland, the rider of Just Bruce, was not intending to turn up until just before 11pm, so the horse had to be withdrawn.
Which left 27 runners to line up in front of packed stands at Aintree racecourse. Ahead of them lay 4 miles 2.5 furlongs and 30 of the most famous fences in the world. Unlike the real version, however, where the first prize alone is £500,000, the KCC National boasted a total prize fund of diddley squat! Still, who can put a value on glory?
And then the tapes went up and the field set off at its customary madcap pace across the Melling Road towards the first fence. Well, almost all the field, as Bold Carl (Carl Pickering) and Paul Superstar (Paul Lam) were already going so slowly that they didn't have the pace to get off the ground to jump the first fence, and both refused. And then there was the usual mayhem amongst those who did make it that far, as Banjo Paterson (pulled up or fell in his first 5 point to point races) and Smart Teacher (only finished three of 14 point to point races) both came down, putting Andrew Paterson and Andy Ward out of the race as well.
So already the field was thinning out, but the extra space didn't help Bernard much at fence number 2, where Bernard Charnley was unseated, thankfully without any lasting damage. Even though he looked the absolute image of Munch's The Scream as he flew through the air, towards a very bumpy landing
No casualties at fences 3, 4 and 5 as the race settled down, but Nick Mottram then fell at fence number 6 - the fearsome Becher's Brook - on Nicky Nutjob. I think we could have seen this coming as the horse had started 71 hurdle races, but pulled up on his one and only start over fences. Also down here was Diamond Joshua, who had once threatened to be quite a good horse over hurdles, but who ended up as a big disappointment over fences. No parallels intended with the chess career of his jockey, Joshua Pink!
Mr Johnson went at fence 7 (Foinavon) putting Mike Johnson out of the race, and at the Canal Turn (fence 8) Impish Jude was a casualty. Well done to pilot Jude Shearsby, though, on getting a horse who had never run in a steeplechase before this far.
Onto Valentine's Brook (fence 9), where another of the no-hopers, Dr Donnelly (guess the jockey!), fell and at fence 11 the six time point to point winner Web Master, under Rod Webb, refused - just as he had done in his last ever race. (Before this one, of course!)
The survivors then approached The Chair - fence 15 and the biggest on the course, where, in front of the grandstand, Beer Goggles came to grief. A top class hurdler, but very dodgy over fences, and the sight of this obstacle was enough to scare the bejesus out of him. Dave Shurrock was unseated, but luckily a St John's Ambulance man was on hand to provide a reviving pint of Slaughterhouse Saddleback bitter.
At the end of the first circuit Algis Toleikis had to pull up on Baltic Magic who despite being a safe jumper, was well behind and in need of a lie down. Pulling up too was Stuart Blaiklock on Captain Stuart, who seldom raced over further than 2 miles and who had no intention of changing that statistic today.
This left just 13 horses to head out on the second circuit, with all the pre-race favourites still going well, but a few of the lesser fancied horses clearly struggling, and soon they began to fall out of contention.
First, Mighty Mark, winner of just a single chase (at Towcester in 1993) went at fence 17 as the author of this drivel could find no excuse to let him go any further, and at fence 18 Mr Watson (ridden by the dashing eye-patched Roy Watson) fell, bringing down the freewheeling Ukrainian Star (Nick Fesenko) and thus ending the international participation in the race.
At the fence before Becher's the last of the outsiders departed, after a gallant effort from the outclassed two time chase winner Hello Steve (Steve Payne), and now just nine were left standing - eight top class horses and one no hoper plugging on miles behind.
It had been a miracle that the high class Ballyandy had got this far under Andy Baruch, as he was a much better hurdler than chaser, and so it was no surprise when he fell at fence 22 (Becher's Brook, second time around).
Pulling up before the Canal Turn (fence 24) was the prolific Philip's Woody, whose 13 chase victories were all at 2m 5f or less. He had given Phil Wood a terrific spin around, but a lack of stamina was sure to get him in the end.
Over Valentine's and the next three fences the race developed into a terrific struggle between some truly great horses. Captain Chris (Chris Aldridge) led the field back over the Melling Road and onto the racecourse proper (that's what the commentators always say at this point), with two Cheltenham Gold Cup winners, Kicking King (Tony King) and Sizing John (John Ambler) in close attendance. A bit further back in fourth was the talented Puffin' Billy, ridden by up and coming talent Billy Fellowes. This was a horse who had once beaten Grand National runner up The Last Samuri in a 3m chase, but over the extended 4m 2f here his stamina was just beginning to give out.
But lurking right behind the leading four were two horses, Mathew (Matt Smiglarski) and Ben Nevis (Ben Graff) who seemed to be going better and better as the race progressed. This was the point when stamina really came into play, and where even very good horses could find the extreme race distance pushing them beyond their limits.
Captain Chris was the first to give way. A three time Grade 1 chase winner at up to 2m 5f, and beaten only a neck in the 2012 King George VI chase over 3 miles, he was running on empty over the 29th fence, where there was nothing between the Cheltenham Gold Cup winners Kicking King (2005) and Sizing John (2017). But still Mathew and Ben Nevis were staying on from behind, and once over the final fence it was these two who forged clear. Two real course specialists who were guaranteed to get every yard of the marathon trip. Past the Elbow, only now did Mathew give way and at the line the winner of the KCC Grand National was Ben Nevis - who had won the real Grand National 1980.
So many congratulations to Ben Graff on winning the first (and probably last) running of the KCC Grand National. And for not giving the answer away to anyone else, as he had a rather strong suspicion that he was destined for glory!
Mathew was a gallant second, as befitted another real Grand National winner - but as his triumph came back in 1847 he was just conceding a few too many years (130 in fact) to stand much chance of outspeeding Ben Nevis after the last! Kicking King just hung on for third ahead of Sizing John, with Captain Chris a weary fifth and Puffin' Billy an excellent sixth for his young jockey.
The finishers were completed by the plucky Magical Morris, although he was so far behind that most of the crowd had already gone home when he crossed the line. Still, a great effort by the old boy, who must have given his young rider, William Morris, a thrilling experience.
The Result
Horse Rider
1 Ben Nevis Ben Graff
2 Mathew Matt Smiglarski
3 Kicking King Tony King
4 Sizing John John Ambler
5 Captain Chris Chris Aldridge
6 Puffin' Billy Billy Fellowes
7 Magical Morris William Morris
Pulling up before the Canal Turn (fence 24) was the prolific Philip's Woody, whose 13 chase victories were all at 2m 5f or less. He had given Phil Wood a terrific spin around, but a lack of stamina was sure to get him in the end.
Over Valentine's and the next three fences the race developed into a terrific struggle between some truly great horses. Captain Chris (Chris Aldridge) led the field back over the Melling Road and onto the racecourse proper (that's what the commentators always say at this point), with two Cheltenham Gold Cup winners, Kicking King (Tony King) and Sizing John (John Ambler) in close attendance. A bit further back in fourth was the talented Puffin' Billy, ridden by up and coming talent Billy Fellowes. This was a horse who had once beaten Grand National runner up The Last Samuri in a 3m chase, but over the extended 4m 2f here his stamina was just beginning to give out.
But lurking right behind the leading four were two horses, Mathew (Matt Smiglarski) and Ben Nevis (Ben Graff) who seemed to be going better and better as the race progressed. This was the point when stamina really came into play, and where even very good horses could find the extreme race distance pushing them beyond their limits.
Captain Chris was the first to give way. A three time Grade 1 chase winner at up to 2m 5f, and beaten only a neck in the 2012 King George VI chase over 3 miles, he was running on empty over the 29th fence, where there was nothing between the Cheltenham Gold Cup winners Kicking King (2005) and Sizing John (2017). But still Mathew and Ben Nevis were staying on from behind, and once over the final fence it was these two who forged clear. Two real course specialists who were guaranteed to get every yard of the marathon trip. Past the Elbow, only now did Mathew give way and at the line the winner of the KCC Grand National was Ben Nevis - who had won the real Grand National 1980.
So many congratulations to Ben Graff on winning the first (and probably last) running of the KCC Grand National. And for not giving the answer away to anyone else, as he had a rather strong suspicion that he was destined for glory!
Mathew was a gallant second, as befitted another real Grand National winner - but as his triumph came back in 1847 he was just conceding a few too many years (130 in fact) to stand much chance of outspeeding Ben Nevis after the last! Kicking King just hung on for third ahead of Sizing John, with Captain Chris a weary fifth and Puffin' Billy an excellent sixth for his young jockey.
The finishers were completed by the plucky Magical Morris, although he was so far behind that most of the crowd had already gone home when he crossed the line. Still, a great effort by the old boy, who must have given his young rider, William Morris, a thrilling experience.
The Result
Horse Rider
1 Ben Nevis Ben Graff
2 Mathew Matt Smiglarski
3 Kicking King Tony King
4 Sizing John John Ambler
5 Captain Chris Chris Aldridge
6 Puffin' Billy Billy Fellowes
7 Magical Morris William Morris
So much for the Grand National and so much for the jumps season. Now its the turn of flat racing. KCC Derby anyone? (Watch this space!)
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