What a thrill the 2022 Grand National was! Crowds of fans were back at Aintree, the sun was shining and the British nation cheered on their favourite horses in the year’s biggest race.
It was the 174th annual running of the National and it took place on Saturday, 9 April 2022.
As the 40 runners and riders made their way to the starting tape, just one would tear up the history books ten minutes later.
History Making Noble Yeats
That was the winner, Noble Yeats, trained by Emmet Mullins and ridden by Sam Waley-Cohen. Having started the day on odds of 66/1, he went off as a 50/1 outsider.
But with fluid jumping and plenty of heart, Noble Yeats became the first seven-year-old to win the race since Bogskar in 1940. Plus, he was also a novice!
Sam Waley-Cohen became the first amateur jockey to win the Grand National since Marcus Armytage on Mr Frisk in 1990.
It was also the jockey’s last ever race, as he had previously announced that he would retire after the 2022 Grand National.
It was a terrific day for the Waley-Cohen’s and their connections who have given so much to the sport over the years.
Rest Of The Field
For the rest of the 39 Grand National runners, it was a mixed bag of results.
The first fence was the undoing of both Enjoy D’Allen and Mount Ida who both unseated their riders. By fence three Eclair Surf was a faller, bringing down Anibale Fly with him.
The Canal Turn (fence 8) was the undoing of three more – De Rasher Counter (unseated), Death Duty (fell) and Run Wild Fred (fell).
By the end of the first circuit of the Grand National course, 15 runners were out of contention.
From there on, those that didn’t finish the race were mostly pulled up.
In total, 15 Grand National runners finished the race, 25 did not.
Unfortunately for all involved, and in particular the connections, Discorama and Eclair Surf were euthanised following injuries sustained in the race.
Grand National 2022 Finishing Order
In the end, only 15 runners and riders finished the 2022 Grand National. The 2022 Finishing Order is below:
| Position | Name | Age | Handicap (st–lb) |
SP | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Noble Yeats | 7 | 10-10 | 50/1 | Sam Waley-Cohen | Emmett Mullins |
| 2 | Any Second Now | 10 | 11-08 | 15/2F | Mark Walsh | Ted Walsh |
| 3 | Delta Work | 9 | 11-09 | 10/1 | Jack Kennedy | Gordon Elliott |
| 4 | Santini | 10 | 11-02 | 33/1 | Nick Scholfield | Polly Gundry |
| 5 | Fiddlerontheroof | 8 | 11-04 | 12/1 | Brendan Powell | Colin Tizzard |
| 6 | Longhouse Poet | 8 | 11-04 | 12/1 | Darragh O’Keeffe | Martin Brassil |
| 7 | Freewheelin Dylan | 10 | 10-10 | 50/1 | Ricky Doyle | Dermot McLoughlin |
| 8 | Coko Beach | 7 | 10-13 | 50/1 | Jonjo O’Neill Jr | Gordon Elliott |
| 9 | Escaria Ten | 8 | 11-01 | 25/1 | Adrian Heskin | Gordon Elliott |
| 10 | Romain De Senam | 10 | 10-05 | 125/1 | Philip Armson | David Pipe |
| 11 | Samcro | 10 | 11-01 | 80/1 | Sean Bowen | Gordon Elliott |
| 12 | Commodore | 10 | 10-05 | 33/1 | Charlie Deutsch | Venetia Williams |
| 13 | Class Conti | 10 | 10-10 | 100/1 | Sam Twiston-Davies | Willie Mullins |
| 14 | Blaklion | 13 | 10-08 | 50/1 | Harry Skelton | Dan Skelton |
| 15 | Lostintranslation | 10 | 11-06 | 50/1 | Harry Cobden | Colin Tizzard |
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 | Enjoy D’Allen | Conor Orr | 18/1 | Unseated Rider |
| 1 | Mount Ida | Denis O’Regan | 66/1 | Unseated Rider |
| 3 | Anibale Fly | Luke Dempsey | 80/1 | Brought Down |
| 3 | Eclair Surf | Tom Bellamy | 14/1 | Fell |
| 8 | De Rasher Counter | Dam Wedge | 66/1 | Unseated Rider |
| 8 | Death Duty | Jordan Gainford | 33/1 | Fell |
| 8 | Run Wild Fred | Davy Russell | 11/1 | Fell |
| 9 | School Boy Hours | Sean Flanagan | 33/1 | Pulled Up |
| 9 | Minella Times | Rachael Blackmore | 9/1 | Fell |
| 9 | Agusta Gold | Danny Mullins | 66/1 | Fell |
| 9 | Deise Aba | Tom O’Brien | 80/1 | Pulled Up/td> |
| 13 | Discorama | Bryan Cooper | 33/1 | Pulled Up |
| 15 | Domaine De L’Isle | Harry Bannister | 125/1 | Unseated Rider |
| 15 | Burrows Saint | Paul Townend | 33/1 | Unseated Rider |
| 15 | Kildisart | James Bowen | 50/1 | Fell |
| 17 | Snow Leopardess | Aidan Coleman | 10/1 | Pulled Up |
| 22 | Cloth Cap | Tom Scudamore | 33/1 | Pulled Up |
| 23 | Dingo Dollar | Ryan Mania | 28/1 | Unseated Rider |
| 24 | Mighty Thunder | Derek Fox | 40/1 | Pulled Up |
| 26 | Fortescue | Hugh Nugent | 28/1 | Unseated Rider |
| 26 | Poker Party | Robbie Power | 66/1 | Pulled Up |
| 27 | Brahma Bull | Brian Hayes | 80/1 | Pulled Up |
| 27 | Good Boy Bobby | Daryl Jacob | 22/1 | Pulled Up |
| 28 | Top Ville Ben | Thomas Dowson | 80/1 | Pulled Up |
| 28 | Two For Gold | David Bass | 33/1 | Pulled Up |
So there you have the 2022 finishing order for the race. The Grand National in 2022 was thrilling.
This writer screamed for joy watching Sam Waley-Cohen finally win the race he so richly deserved, making history in what was a simply spectacular race.
So roll on the Grand National 2023 when we get to do it all over again!
