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!

Related Posts