2000 Grand National

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2000 Grand National
Grand National
Colours of Mrs J Maxwell Moran.png
Location Aintree
Date8 April 2000
Winning horse Flag of Ireland.svg Papillon
Starting price 10/1
Jockey Flag of Ireland.svg Ruby Walsh
Trainer Flag of Ireland.svg Ted Walsh
Owner Flag of the United States.svg Mrs. J. Maxwell Moran
  1999
2001  
External videos
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg Replay of the 2000 Grand National in full Racing TV, YouTube

The 2000 Grand National (known as the Martell Grand National for sponsorship reasons) was the 153rd official renewal of the Grand National steeplechase that took place at Aintree Racecourse in England on 8 April 2000.

Contents

The race was won in a time of 9 minutes 9.7 seconds and by a distance of 1+14 lengths by 10/1 shot Papillon, ridden by jockey Ruby Walsh. The winner was trained by his father Ted Walsh and ran in American Betty Moran's colours of green with ice blue piping. The field was limited to a maximum of 40 competitors of which 17 completed the course without mishap. None of the horses who failed to complete the course were injured. [1]

Racecard

NoColoursHorseAgeHandicap

(st-lb)

SP JockeyTrainer
1
Colours of J G Read.png
Young Kenny912-0014/1Brendan Powell Snr Peter Beaumont
2
Colours of Andrew Cohen.png
Sunny Bay (IRE)1111-1266/1Chris MaudeSimon Sherwood
3
Colours of Darren Mercer.png
Escartefigue (FR)811-0950/1Jimmy McCarthy Paul Nicholls
4
Colours of J D Martin.png
Djeddah (FR)911-0816/1Thierry Doumen Francois Doumen
5
Colours of Robert Burke.png
Bobbyjo (IRE)1011-0612/1 Paul Carberry Thomas Carberry
6
Colours of Sir Stanley Clarke.png
Listen Timmy (NZ)1011-0550/1 Tony Dobbin Alan King
7
Colours of Trevor Hemmings.png
The Last Fling (IRE)1011-0514/1Seamus Durack Sue Smith
8
Colours of Peter Luff.png
Stormy Passage (IRE)1011-0350/1 Andrew Thornton Philip Hobbs
9
Colours of N B Mason.png
Red Marauder 1011-0218/1Richard GuestNorman Mason
10
Colours of Chiu Fat Yuen.png
Addington Boy (IRE)1211-0233/1 Adrian Maguire Ferdy Murphy
11
Colours of Mrs Josephine Skinner.png
Buck Rodgers (IRE)1111-0050/1Ken WhelanVictor Bowens
12
Colours of George Dilger.png
Niki Dee (IRE)1010-1325/1Robbie SupplePeter Beaumont
13
Colours of Mrs J Maxwell Moran.png
Papillon (IRE)910-1210/1 Ruby Walsh Ted Walsh
14
Colours of Gerard Nock.png
Senor El Betrutti (IRE)1110-12100/1 Carl Llewellyn Susan Nock
15
Colours of Mrs Strachan Mrs D Lewis Mrs J Griffith.png
Star Traveller910-1110/1 Richard Johnson Henry Daly
16
Colours of Capt E J Edwards-Heathcote.png
Village King (IRE)710-1150/1 Jim Culloty Philip Hobbs
17
Colours of Mrs Jane Lane.png
Call It A Day (IRE)1010-1150/1 Barry Geraghty Alan King
18
Colours of Sport Racing Club (1).png
Micko's Dream (IRE)810-1014/1Jason Titley Willie Mullins
19
Colours of Trevor Hemmings (2).png
Espirit De Cotte (FR)810-0850/1 Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson
20
Colours of Mr & Mrs Raymond Anderson Green.png
Sparky Gale (IRE)1010-0833/1Brian StoreyColin Parker
21
Colours of Independent Twine Manufacturing Co Ltd.png
Feels Like Gold (IRE)1210-0728/1Brian HardingNicky Richards
22
Colours of Michael Wingfield Digby.png
Kendal Cavalier1010-0633/1Barry Fenton Toby Balding
23
Colours of Mrs Noreen McManus.png
Lucky Town (IRE)910-0520/1David CaseyEnda Bolger
24
Colours of R M Penny.png
Earthmover (IRE)910-0514/1Joe TizzardPaul Nicholls
25
Colours of Mrs S Warner.png
Hollybank Buck (IRE)1010-0433/1Peter NivenTony Martin
26
Colours of P A Deal, J S Dale & A Stennett.png
Royal Predica (FR)610-0450/1Glenn Tormey Martin Pipe
27
Colours of M J Fenn.png
Kingdom Of Shades (USA)1010-0450/1Tom Jenks Venetia Williams
28
Colours of Ms Liv Saether Myskja.png
Trinitro910-03100/1Robert BellamyRune Haugen
29
Colours of Two Plus Two.png
Torduff Express (IRE)910-0350/1 Robert Thornton Paul Nicholls
30
Colours of John W Egan, Philip Banks, Mrs B Grainger.png
The Gopher (IRE)1110-0366/1Warren MarstonDavid Wintle
31
Colours of Darren Mercer (1).png
Mely Moss (FR)910-0125/1Norman WilliamsonCharles Egerton
32
Colours of Terry Neill.png
Dark Stranger (FR)910-019/1 F Tony McCoy Martin Pipe
33
Colours of F J Salisbury.png
Choisty (IRE)1010-0050/1Robert WidgerAndrew Haynes
34
Colours of Mr Harold Morris & The Daily Mail.png
Flaked Oats (IRE)1110-0050/1 Timmy Murphy Paul Nicholls
35
Colours of Terry Neill (1).png
Art Prince (IRE)1010-00100/1Dean GallagherMartin Pipe
36
Colours of Karl Casey.png
Merry People (IRE)1210-0040/1Garrett CotterJohn Queally
37
Colours of Major A M Everett (1).png
Druid's Brook1110-0066/1Rupert WakleyKim Bailey
38
Colours of S N J Embiricos.png
Brave Highlander (IRE)1210-0050/1Philip Hide Josh Gifford
39
Colours of Michael Gates.png
Camelot Knight1410-00150/1Ollie McPhail Nigel Twiston-Davies
40
Colours of R J Gilbert.png
Celtic Giant1010-00100/1Bruce GibsonLen Lungo


Leading contenders

Dark Stranger was sent off as the 9/1 favourite, largely due to his being the mount of champion jockey Tony McCoy. The pairing had won the Mildmay of Flete Handicap Chase at the recent Cheltenham meeting but had yet to win a race over three miles. [2] The favourite backers' hopes were dashed early in the race when McCoy took a heavy fall at the third fence.

Star Traveller was a regular winner of good three mile chases prior to finishing third in a three-mile chase at the Cheltenham festival. The mount of Richard Johnson was sent off at 10/1 and led for much of the race before being pulled up after going lame when hitting the 25th fence. [3]

Papillon was the subject of a huge public gamble from 33/1 to 10/1 on the day of the race. The Irish trained runner had undergone an unusual preparation of hurdles but had previously been second in the Irish Grand National and Irish Hennessey Cognac Gold Cup. Ruby Walsh kept his mount in the leading group throughout before taking the lead four fences from home, going on to win by 1+14 lengths.

Bobbyjo was popular with the public having won the previous year's National and was sent off at 12/1. He was again partnered by Paul Carberry and featured prominently in the early stages of the race until making a bad mistake at the seventh fence. The pair were always struggling to stay in touch after that and finished 11th.

Earthmover was a top hunter chaser who had run steadily in three-mile chases, including the Welsh National where he finished third, leading many to view him as an ideal Aintree type. [4] He was sent off at 14/1 and ridden by Joe Tizzard but the pair parted company at the fourth fence.

Micko's Dream was considered the form horse going into the race after winning two three-mile chases in January and February but was sent off at 14/1 due to concerns that the ground was not soft enough for him. His partnership with Jason Titley ended in a first-fence fall.

The Last Fling was also sent off at 14/1 after a string of encouraging performances over three miles during the season, although he was largely outpaced in the recent Cheltenham Gold Cup. Ridden by Seamus Durack, The Last Fling was always working hard to stay on the tail of the leading half-dozen before finishing seventh.

Young Kenny was regarded as a perfect Grand National horse after winning the Midlands Grand National, Scottish Grand National and Singer & Friedlander Grand National trial but was also faced with the task of trying to be the first horse to carry the 12 stone top weight to victory for over 20 years. He started at 14/1 with Brendan Powell in the saddle but the pair came to grief at the tenth fence.

The retirement of both Richard Dunwoody and Graham Bradley after the 1999 running left two-time former winner Carl Llewellyn as the most senior rider in the weighing room, weighing out for a National for the tenth time. Eventual winner Ruby Walsh was among five riders making their debut in the race with all the other debut riders acquitting themselves well. Future winner Barry Geraghty finished fifth with Ollie McPhail and Bruce Gibson also completing the course, while Jimmy McCarthy fell at the final fence.

Finishing order

PositionNameJockeyAgeWeight (st, lb)Starting priceDistance
1st Papillon Ruby Walsh 910-1210/1Won by 1+14 lengths
2ndMely Moss Norman Williamson 910-0125/112 lengths
3rdNiki DeeRobbie Supple1010-1325/17 lengths
4thBrave HighlanderPhilip Hide1210-0550/1A neck
5thAddington Boy Adrian Maguire 1211-0233/13 lengths
6thCall It A Day Barry Geraghty 1010-1150/14 lengths
7thThe Last FlingSeamus Durack1011-0514/19 lengths
8thLucky TownDavid Casey910-0520/12 lengths
9thDjeddahThiery Doumen911-0816/127 lengths
10thHollybank Buck Peter Niven 1010-0433/17 lengths
11th Bobbyjo Paul Carberry 1011-0612/14 lengths
12thKendal CavalierBarry Fenton1010-0633/11+12 lengths
13thSuny BayChris Maude1111-1266/111 lengths
14thFeels Like GoldBrian Harding1210-0728/134 length
15thCamelot KnightOllie McPhail1410-06150/117 lengths
16thKingdom Of ShadesTom Jenks1010-0450/122 lengths
17thCeltic GiantBruce Gibson1010-07100/1Last to complete

Non-finishers

FenceNameJockeyAgeWeight (st, lb)Starting priceFate
30thEscartefiguerJimmy McCarthy811-0950/1Fell
27th (open ditch)Star Traveller Richard Johnson 910-1110/1Pulled up lame
24th (Canal Turn)Buck RogersKen Whelan1111-0050/1Fell
22nd (Becher's Brook)Esprit De Cotte Mick Fitzgerald 810-0850/1Fell
22nd (Becher's Brook)Stormy Passage Andrew Thornton 1011-0350/1Fell
20thFlaked Oats Timmy Murphy 1110-0350/1Fell
20thVillage King Jim Culloty 710-1150/1Fell
17thListen Timmy Tony Dobbin 1111-0550/1Pulled up
14thMerry PeopleGarret Cotter1210-0540/1Unseated rider
13thThe GopherWarren Marston1110-0366/1Fell
13thTorduff Express Robert Thornton 910-0350/1Fell
12thDruid's BrookRupert Wakley1110-0566/1Unseated rider
10thYoung KennyBrendan Powell912-0014/1Fell
6th (Becher's Brook) Red Marauder Richard Guest1011-0218/1Fell
4thChoistyRobert Widger1010-0050/1Fell
4thEarthmoverJoe Tizzard910-0514/1Fell
3rd (open ditch)Dark Stranger Tony McCoy 910-019/1 FUnseated rider
2ndSparky GayleBrian Storey1010-0833/1Unseated rider
1stMicko's DreamJason Titley810-1014/1Fell
1stTrinitroRobert Bellamy910-03100/1Fell
1stRoyal PredicaGlen Tormey610-0450/1Fell
1stSenor El Betrutti Carl Llewellyn 1110-12100/1Fell
1stArt PrinceDean Gallagher1010-04100/1Fell

[5] [6] [7]

Media coverage

The BBC retained the rights to broadcast the race live for 41st consecutive year and it was shown as a Grandstand Grand National special. Sue Barker made her debut as the anchor presenter, making her the fifth person and first woman to host the BBC broadcast. Barker presented the programme from the unsaddling enclosure, which was situated outside where the weighing room bar is today, with interviews with celebrity racegoers, connections of the competitors, former Aintree heroes and the winning connections after the race. [8]

Coming towards the last in the National. Papillon led over it but here's Mely Moss on the nearside... They're racing towards the elbow and it's the plunge horse Papillon whose found a bit extra. He's sprinted two lengths in front for Ruby Walsh. Battling on in second is Mely Moss. They straighten up for home. A hundred yards left to go! Papillon on the nearside, Mely Moss the farside trying hard to wear him down. It's Papillon holding on with fifty yards left to go. And Papillon wins the Martell Grand National!

Commentator Jim McGrath describes the climax of the race

The rest of the BBC team comprised Clare Balding as a roving reporter on the course and in the saddling boxes. Balding had also been the anchor presenter on BBC's coverage of the previous two days of the Aintree meeting. Angus Loughran brought betting news and Richard Dunwoody interviewed the riders in the weighing room. The racing commentary team for the third consecutive year was John Hanmer, Tony O'Hehir and lead commentator Jim McGrath who, for the third year, called the winner home. [9]

A post-race re-run, using slow motion and additional camera angles, including inside fences was presented by Richard Pitman.

The BBC television pictures were also syndicated globally for international broadcast while independent television cameras were also on course to provide pictures and commentary for SIS, broadcast into UK bookmakers' outlets.

BBC Radio also presented a live race commentary for the 59th time since its first broadcast in 1927.

All of the major national daily newspapers in the UK published pullout sections of their Saturday morning editions ranging from four to sixteen pages with most including full colour guides of the competitors.

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References

  1. Full race result BBC website Saturday 8 April 2000
  2. Independent online Wednesday 5 April 2000 'McCoy's National mount is Stranger' [ dead link ]
  3. "Preview feature on Star Traveller". Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 12 March 2010.
  4. Full race runner preview
  5. full finishing order BBC website; Saturday 8 April 2000
  6. Japanese television coverage of the race
  7. At The Races television broadcast
  8. Sunday Independent article 'Barker kept on the back foot on Pitman's turf' by Stan Hey Sunday 9 April 2000 [ dead link ]
  9. BBC race coverage from Youtube