2016 Grand National

Last updated

2016 Grand National
Grand National
2016 Crabbie's Grand National.jpg
Owner Gigginstown House Stud.svg
Location Aintree Racecourse
Date9 April 2016
Winning horse Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Rule The World
Starting price 1033 33/1
Jockey Flag of Ireland.svg David Mullins
Trainer Flag of Ireland.svg Mouse Morris
Owner Flag of Ireland.svg Gigginstown House Stud
Conditions Soft (heavy in places) [1]
  2015
2017  
External videos
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg Full replay of the 2016 Grand National Racing TV, YouTube

The 2016 Grand National (officially known as the 2016 Crabbie's Grand National for sponsorship reasons) was the 169th annual running of the Grand National horse race at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England. The showpiece steeplechase took place on 9 April 2016, the final day of a three-day meeting. A field of 39 runners competed for a share of a prize fund of £1 million. [2]

Contents

The 2016 National was won by 33/1 shot Rule The World, ridden by David Mullins and trained by Mouse Morris. [3] In second place was the 8/1 joint-favourite The Last Samuri. Sixteen of the 39 runners completed the race, held on the softest going since the 2001 race. [3]

The race was sponsored by ginger-beer producer Crabbie's for the third and final time. It was broadcast live on television by Channel 4 for the fourth year running and the final time; the TV rights moved to ITV in 2017. There was live radio coverage by BBC Radio, which has held the radio rights since 1927, and by Talksport, which covered the main race live for the third time. [4]

Race card

A total of 126 entries were received for consideration in the 2016 Grand National, of which 96 remained after the second of two scratching deadlines, and 87 then advanced to the final confirmation stage. On 7 April the final field of 40 horses was announced as starters for the showpiece race. Four reserves were on standby, but there were no withdrawals before the deadline on 8 April.

O'Faolains Boy was subsequently a non-runner, being declared lame in the morning of the race, reducing the field to 39 from the maximum of 40. A notable absentee was the 2014 winner Pineau de Re, who was rated 46th in the handicap and thus did not qualify for the final field. The joint-favourites with bookmakers were the 2015 winner and top-weight Many Clouds and The Last Samuri. [5]

NoHorseAgeHandicap
(stlb)
SP Jockey Trainer
1 Many Clouds (IRE)911–108/1 JF Leighton Aspell Oliver Sherwood
2 Silviniaco Conti (FR)1011–0812/1 Noel Fehily Paul Nicholls
3First Lieutenant (IRE)1111–0450/1 Bryan Cooper Mouse Morris (IRE)
4Wonderful Charm (FR)811–0340/1 Sam Twiston-Davies Paul Nicholls
5Ballynagour (IRE)1011–0250/1 Tom Scudamore David Pipe
6O'Faolains Boy (IRE)911–01NR Brian Hughes Rebecca Curtis
7Gilgamboa (IRE)811–0128/1 Robbie Power Enda Bolger (IRE)
8On His Own (IRE)1211–0133/1Mr. Patrick Mullins Willie Mullins (IRE)
9The Druids Nephew (IRE)911–0016/1Denis O'ReganNeil Mulholland
10Triolo d'Alene (FR)911–0050/1Jeremiah McGrath Nicky Henderson
11Rocky Creek (IRE)1010–1366/1 Andrew Thornton Paul Nicholls
12 Sir Des Champs (FR)1010–1320/1Ms. Nina Carberry Willie Mullins
13Holywell (IRE)910–1211/1Richie McLernon Jonjo O'Neill
14 Shutthefrontdoor (IRE)910–1112/1 Barry Geraghty Jonjo O'Neill
15Soll1110–1140/1Conor O'FarrellDavid Pipe
16Buywise (IRE)910–1033/1Paul MoloneyEvan Williams
17Boston Bob (IRE)1110–1025/1 Paul Townend Willie Mullins
18Aachen1210–1050/1Henry Brooke Venetia Williams
19Morning Assembly (IRE)910–0916/1 Davy Russell Pat Fahy (IRE)
20Double Ross (IRE)1010–0980/1Ryan Hatch Nigel Twiston-Davies
21Goonyella (IRE)910–0812/1Johnny BurkeJim Dreaper (IRE)
22Ucello Conti (FR)810–0825/1 Daryl Jacob Gordon Elliott (IRE)
23Unioniste (FR)810–0828/1Nick ScholfieldPaul Nicholls
24Le Reve (IRE)810–0850/1Harry SkeltonLucy Wadham
25Gallant Oscar (IRE)1010–0816/1 Mark Walsh Tony Martin (IRE)
26Onenightinvienna (IRE)710–0833/1 Tom O'Brien Philip Hobbs
27The Last Samuri (IRE)810–088/1 JFDavid BassKim Bailey
28Kruzhlinin (GER)910–0733/1 Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs
29 Rule The World 910–0733/1 David Mullins Mouse Morris
30Just a Par (IRE)910–0640/1 Sean Bowen Paul Nicholls
31Katenko (FR)1010–0640/1Will KennedyVenetia Williams
32Vics Canvas (IRE)1310–06100/1Robert DunneDermot McLoughlin (IRE)
33Black Thunder (FR)910–0650/1Mr. Sam Waley-Cohen Paul Nicholls
34Ballycasey (IRE)910–0650/1Ms. Katie Walsh Willie Mullins
35Hadrian's Approach (IRE)910–0650/1 Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson
36Vieux Lion Rouge (FR)710–0566/1James ReveleyDavid Pipe
37Pendra (IRE)810–0550/1 Aidan Coleman Charles Longsdon
38Saint Are (FR)1010–0516/1 Paddy Brennan Tom George
39Home Farm (IRE)910–0450/1 Andrew Lynch Henry de Bromhead (IRE)
40The Romford Pele (IRE)910–0433/1Trevor WhelanRebecca Curtis

Race overview

The outsider Aachen led the field on the first circuit with Double Ross very prominent and The Last Samuri and Many Clouds close behind the leaders. The most notable early faller was the third-favourite Holywell at the second fence. The Romford Pele was in a handy position until falling at the Canal Turn. Silviniaco Conti was pulled up at the 14th whilst On His Own and Sir Des Champs, both trained by Willie Mullins, fell at The Chair.

As the horses set out on the second circuit some of the early leaders began to fade and the 2015 runner-up Saint Are led the field, with The Last Samuri and Many Clouds disputing second. In the heavy conditions, several riders decided to pull their horses up rather than face Becher's a second time. Many Clouds went to the front at the 19th fence and raced alongside The Last Samuri for several fences before making a bad mistake at the 26th, after which he began to struggle under the top weight. [6]

The Last Samuri led the field into the final turn ahead of Morning Assembly and the 100/1 outsider Vics Canvas, who had made a remarkable recovery after almost falling at Becher's Brook on the first circuit. Rule The World was beginning to make steady progress. The Last Samuri cleared the final fence just ahead of Vics Canvas, with Rule The World a length behind in third place. The three leaders were virtually level at the elbow with Vics Canvas on the rail, Rule The World on the outside and The Last Samuri in between them. In the final furlong Rule The World drew ahead and won by six lengths from The Last Samuri, with eight lengths back to Vics Canvas in third. Gilgamboa finished another two lengths behind in fourth, ahead of Goonyella, Ucello Conti, Vieux Lion Rouge, Morning Assembly and Shutthefrontdoor. Many Clouds was the last of the 16 finishers. [7]

All 39 runners returned to the stables with no major concerns. [8] However, over the three days of the Grand National Festival a total of five horses died from injuries sustained during racing. [9]

Finishing order

Placed horses
Owner Gigginstown House Stud.svg
1: Rule The World
Owner Mr and Mrs Paul Rooney.svg
2: The Last Samuri
Owner Bodeen Bandits Partnership.svg
3: Vics Canvas
Owner Mr John P McManus.svg
4: Gilgamboa

The sixteen horses to complete the course finished as follows: [7]

PositionHorseJockey SP DistancePrize money
1 Rule The World David Mullins 33/16 lengths £561,300
2The Last SamuriDavid Bass8/1 JF8 lengths £211,100
3Vics CanvasRobert Dunne100/12 lengths £105,500
4Gilgamboa Robbie Power 28/119 lengths £52,700
5GoonyellaJohnny Burke12/11+34 lengths £26,500
6Ucello Conti Daryl Jacob 25/111 lengths £13,200
7Vieux Lion RougeJames Reveley66/114 lengths £6,800
8Morning Assembly Davy Russell 16/112 length £3,600
9 Shutthefrontdoor Barry Geraghty 12/19 lengths £2,000
10UnionisteNick Scholfield28/15 lengths £1,000
11Le Reve Harry Skelton 50/17 lengths
12BuywisePaul Moloney33/1A distance
13Pendra Aidan Coleman 50/114 lengths
14Triolo d'AleneJeremiah McGrath50/120 lengths
15Just a Par Sean Bowen 40/11 length
16 Many Clouds Leighton Aspell 8/1 JFLast to complete

Non-finishers

The runners who failed to complete were as follow: [7]

FenceHorseJockey SP Fate
1Hadrian's Approach Nico de Boinville 50/1Unseated rider
2First Lieutenant Bryan Cooper 50/1Fell
2HolywellRichie McLernon11/1Fell
8(Canal Turn)The Romford PeleTrevor Whelan33/1Unseated rider
12(ditch)Rocky Creek Andrew Thornton 33/1Pulled up
14Silviniaco Conti Noel Fehily 12/1Pulled up
15(The Chair)On His OwnMr. Patrick Mullins33/1Fell
15(The Chair) Sir Des Champs Ms. Nina Carberry 20/1Fell
18Gallant Oscar Mark Walsh 16/1Unseated rider
19(open ditch)Ballynagour Tom Scudamore 50/1Unseated rider
21SollConor O'Farrell40/1Pulled up
21The Druids NephewDenis O'Regan16/1Pulled up
21Home Farm Andrew Lynch 50/1Pulled up
21Black ThunderMr. Sam Waley-Cohen 50/1Pulled up
22(Becher's Brook)KatenkoWill Kennedy40/1Fell
22(Becher's Brook)Onenightinvienna Tom O'Brien 33/1Unseated rider
22(Becher's Brook)Boston Bob Paul Townend 25/1Pulled up
22(Becher's Brook)AachenHenry Brooke50/1Pulled up
24(Canal Turn)Wonderful Charm Sam Twiston-Davies 40/1Pulled up
26Double RossRyan Hatch80/1Pulled up
27(open ditch)Kruzhlinin Richard Johnson 33/1Pulled up
29BallycaseyMs. Katie Walsh 50/1Unseated rider
30Saint Are Paddy Brennan 16/1Pulled up

Broadcasting and media

The Last Samuri just leads the way in the National, but here comes Rule The World charging on the outside, then Vics Canvas, and Rule The World is beginning to get up on the nearside now, charging on in the hands of David Mullins. And racing up towards the line, Rule The World rules at Aintree and wins the Crabbie's Grand National!

Channel 4 lead commentator Simon Holt describes the climax of the race.

As the Grand National is accorded the status of an event of national interest in the United Kingdom and is listed on the Ofcom Code on Sports and Other Listed and Designated Events, it must be shown on free-to-air terrestrial television in the UK. The race was broadcast live on TV by Channel 4, as part of their four-year deal for the race secured back in 2012. This was the final year that Channel 4 broadcast the race live, after ITV secured the rights from 2017 onwards. [10]

The coverage was led by Clare Balding and Nick Luck, supported by Emma Spencer, Jim McGrath and Graham Cunningham in the trackside studio. Retired champion jockey Sir Anthony McCoy provided expert opinions throughout the coverage, with reports from Mick Fitzgerald and Alice Plunkett and betting updates by Tanya Stevenson and Brian Gleeson. The commentary team was by Richard Hoiles, Ian Bartlett and Simon Holt, who called the winner home for the final time. After the race, Luck, Fitzgerald and McCoy provided viewers with a fence-by-fence analysis of the race. Channel 4 ran all-day coverage from Aintree on the day of the race, with extended editions of The Morning Line and Weekend Brunch airing prior to the main broadcast. [11] The coverage of the race was watched by 10 million viewers, an increase of 1.1 million on the previous year, and attracted a 59% share of the television audience. [12]

See also

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References

  1. "Crabbie's Grand National Chase (Grade 3 Handicap)". Sporting Life. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
  2. "The Crabbies Grand National". The Crabbies Grand National.
  3. 1 2 Tyers, Alan (9 April 2016). "The Grand National 2016 winner, full result, and fallers: Rule the World wins at Aintree for David Mullins and Mouse Morris". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  4. Riley, Stuart (28 October 2015). "Balding to return as Grand National host". Racing Post . Archived from the original on 8 April 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  5. Keogh, Frank (7 April 2016). "Grand National 2016: Aintree field headed by Many Clouds". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
  6. "Relive the drama of the Grand National". BBC Sport. 9 April 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 "2016 Grand National result". Racing Post. 9 April 2016.
  8. "Rule The World wins the Grand National with 19-year-old David Mullins". The Guardian. 9 April 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  9. Kathryn Snowdon, Grand National Festival 2016 At Aintree Racecourse Sees Five Horses Die After Kings Palace Is Pulled Up And Destroyed, Huffington Post, 11 April 2016
  10. "British horseracing announces exclusive domestic TV rights deal with ITV". ITV Press Centre. 2 January 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  11. Channel 4 To Provide Nearly 10 Hours Dedicated to the Grand National
  12. Dietz, Andrew (10 April 2016). "Big boost to National audience as 10m tune in". Racing Post . Archived from the original on 23 April 2016.