Despite unprecedented global circumstances, the folks at Aintree Racecourse outdid themselves with the 2021 Grand National festival. We may not have seen the usual thousands of fans in the stands on April 10th 2021, but that didn’t dim the light of the National.

Giving credit where it’s due, ITV did a fantastic job covering the event as 40 horses and jockeys lined-up in what was to be another great race.

Cloth Cap from Jonjo O’Neill went off as the race favourite on odds of 11/2 with jockey Tom Scudamore on board. But it was not to be as the duo pulled up at fence 28.

History Making Blackmore

So with the favourite out of contention, it was all to race for. And boy did we get the thrill of a lifetime as Rachael Blackmore took the race by the reins and led the field from two fences out, for what would a history-making victory.

On board Minella Times for trainer Henry De Bromhead and owner JP McManus, Blackmore became the first female jockey to win the Grand National as fans of National Hunt racing rejoiced around the country and the world.

It was the crowning glory to what had already been an exceptional year for the young Irish jockey. She had already won the Cheltenham Festival jockey title with six wins and the National simply solidified her credentials as one of the finest jockeys riding today.

Rest Of The Field

For the rest of the 39 Grand National runners, it was a mixed bag of results. Unfortunately for all involved, and in particular the connections, The Long Mile suffered an injury while running on a flat portion of the race and had to be euthanised after the race.

The first fence was the undoing of Lake View Lad. A firm favourite, the grey was well fancied but fell and was unharmed. It was the fourth fence before Magic Of Light, second in the 2019 race, unseated her jockey, Robbie Power.

Minellacelebration was next to unseat as Ben Poste hit the ground at fence 11. There were a couple of more fallers – Double Shuffle at fence 12, Canelo at fence 15, and Vieux Lion Rouge at fence 20.

However, the vast majority of the non-finishers simply pulled-up. On the second-last fence, there were really only five horses still left in contention. They included Minella Times, Any Second Now, Discorama, Burrows Saint and Balko Des Flos.

Minella Times took the lead two out and maintained it to the finish. Stablemate, the 100/1 Balko Des Flos finished in second place, giving trainer Henry De Bromhead a one-two in the race.

Prize money was reduced in 2021 due to the lack of ticket sales, so the whole race was worth just £750,000 as opposed to the usual £1 million.

Finishing Order

In the end, only 15 runners and riders finished the 2021 Grand National. The Finishing Order is below:

Position	Name	Age	Handicap (st–lb)	SP	Jockey	Trainer
1	Minella Times	8	10-03	11/1	Rachael Blackmore	Henry De Bromhead
2	Balko De Flos	10	10-09	100/1	Aidan Coleman	Henry De Bromhead
3	Any Second Now	9	10-09	15/2	Mark Walsh	Ted Walsh
4	Burrows Saint	8	10-13	9/1	Patrick Mullins	Willie Mullins
5	Farclas	7	10-03	16/1	Jack Kennedy	Denise Foster
6	Blaklion	12	10-02	50/1	Harry Skelton	Dan Skelton
7	Discorama	8	10-06	16/1	Bryan Cooper	Paul Nolan
8	Jett	10	10-07	80/1	Sam Waley-Cohen	Jessica Harrington
9	Cabaret Queen	9	10-05	80/1	Sean O’Keeffe	Willie Mullins
10	Shattered Love	10	10-07	33/1	Kevin Sexton	Denise Foster
11	Alpha Des Obeaux	11	10-09	80/1	Jody McGarvey	Denise Foster
12	Hogans Height	10	10-03	100/1	Gavin Sheehan	Jamie Snowden
13	Acapella Bourgeois	11	10-12	20/1	Danny Mullins	Willie Mullins
14	Sub Lieutenant	12	10-03	50/1	Tabitha Worsley	Georgia Howell
15	Class Conti	9	10-06	66/1	Brian Hayes	Willie Mullins

Non Finishers Order

Below is the finishing order for those runners and riders that didn’t manage to make it around in 2021.

Fence	Name	Jockey	SP	Fate
1	Lake View Lad	Brian Hughes	50/1	Fell
4	Magic Of Light	Robbie Power	14/1	Unseated Rider
11	Minellacelebration	Ben Poste	80/1	Unseated Rider
12	Double Shuffle	Jonathan Burke	66/1	Fell
13	Anibale Fly	Denis O’Regan	28/1	Pulled Up
15	Canelo	Thomas Bellamy	66/1	Fell
15	Ami Desbois	Kielan Woods	100/1	Brought Down
17	Takingrisks	Sean Quinlan	14/1	Pulled Up
17	Mister Malarky	Jonjo O’Neill Jnr	12/1	Pulled Up
20	Yala Enki	Bryony Frost	40/1	Unseated Rider
20	Vieux Lion Rouge	Conor O’Farrell	66/1	Fell
21	Ballyoptic	Sam Twiston-Davies	66/1	Refused
21	OK Corral	Derek O’Connor	80/1	Pulled Up
21	Lord Du Mesnil	Nick Scholfield	50/1	Pulled Up
22	Bristol De Mai	Daryl Jacob	25/1	Pulled Up
22	Potters Corner	Jack Tudor	22/1	Pulled Up
23	The Long Mile	Luke Dempsey	50/1	Pulled Up
26	Talkischeap	Tom Cannon	33/1	Pulled Up
27	Chris’s Dream	D O’Keeffe	40/1	Unseated Rider
28	Cloth Cap	Tom Scudamore	11/2f	Pulled Up
29	Kimberlite Candy	Richie McLernon	20/1	Pulled Up
29	Give Me A Copper	Sean Bowen	33/1	Pulled Up
29	Definitly Red	Ryan Mania	28/1	Pulled Up
29	Tout Est Permis	Sean Flanagan	100/1	Pulled Up
29	Milan Native	Jamie Codd	50/1	Pulled Up

So there you have the finishing order for the race. The Grand National in 2021 was thrilling. This writer shed a few tears watching Rachael Blackmore making history in what was, despite all of the adverse conditions, a simply spectacular race.

So roll on the Grand National 2022 when we get to do it all over again!