Grand National Runners
The official declaration for the 2012 Grand National runners hasn’t been announced yet. Although the bookmakers are giving Ante-Post odds on a selection of horses that are almost certain to run. We have listed those runners below. You can view the horses recent form, trainer information and likely jockey who will ride them. Please bear in mind that this could all change as the race day gets closer.
Please remember that if you take Ante-Post odds with a bookmaker you will not get your stake back if the horse is withdrawn! It is advisable to wait until the bookmakers go ‘Non Runner – No Bet’, this usually happens a few days before the race (The 2012 Grand National is on the 14th April).
Place your Grand National bets with Paddy Power and you’ll get a terrific free bet deal – Remember, Paddy Power payout each-way bets on the first 5 horses home – giving you more chances to win! Just click any of the ‘Bet Now’ buttons below.
BALLABRIGGS | ODDS 16/1
WEIGHT () | AGE (10) | NAT. (IRE) | NO. () | JOCKEY ()
The winner of the 2011 Grand National, Ballabriggs is clearly the ante post favourite for the 2012 Grand National should he run again. Given his favourable recent history he is likely to be heavily handicapped and as he will be another year older, the race may not suit him as much as it did in 2011.
LATEST FORM (111/1121-)
He hasn't run since the 2011 Grand National but with the hunt season just getting under way he is sure to be lining up in the not-too-distant future.
Jason Maguire
Jason Maguire, 31, is an Irish horse racing jockey who won the 2011 Grand National on Ballabriggs. He rode his first winner, Search For Peace at Cheltenham on November 12, 1999. He then went on to ride for Tom George's stable for the next seven years and had a Cheltenham Festival victory on Galileo in 2002. In 2007, he switched to ride for Donald McCain, Jr. and after eight unsuccessful rides in the Grand National, his best previous finish was sixth on Cloudy Lane in 2008, he went on to win it on 14/1 shot Ballabriggs.
Donald McCain Jr.
Racehorse trainer Donald started training in 2006 at Bankhouse, taking over from his father, the legendary 'Ginger' McCain. Set in the heart of rural Cheshire, Bankhouse has stabling for more than 100 horses. In only five seasons training Donald has been responsible for in excess of 360 winners including the Aintree Grand National in 2011 with Ballabriggs as well as at the Cheltenham Festival with Cloudy Lane, Whiteoak, Peddlers Cross and Ballabriggs.
THE MIDNIGHT CLUB | ODDS 16/1
WEIGHT () | AGE (10) | NAT. (IRE) | NUMBER () | JOCKEY ()
The Midnight Club is the Irish, 10 year old, trained by Willie Mullin's who was one of the ante-post favourites for the 2011 Grand National. With incredibly consistent form under his belt, The Midnight Club could be one to watch in this years race.
He performs well under large weights and on heavy ground but has yet had a win over 3 miles 1f so stamina could be an issue for him, unless of course, he's being trained to go the distance.
A 6th place finish in the 2011 Grand National has proved that he can certainly get around the course but given that he'll be 11 for the 2012 Grand National it might be too much for him to win it - a favourable handicap may just give him the edge though.
LATEST FORM (3133/216-)
He hasn't run since the 2011 Grand National but with the hunt season just getting under way he is sure to be lining up in the not-too-distant future.
RUBY WALSH
Ruby Walsh is one of the most famous and successful jockeys in the world. Son of the former champion amateur jockey Ted Walsh, he rode to victory in the Aintree Grand National in 2000 at his first attempt, on Papillon, a horse trained by his father.
In the 2004/5 season Walsh won three of the four Nationals: the Irish on the 2006 Grand National winner, Numbersixvalverde, the Welsh on subsequent 2007 Grand National winner Silver Birch, and the English on Hedgehunter.
To date Walsh has ridden over fourteen hundred winners including seventeen winners at the Cheltenham Festival including the 2007 Cheltenham Gold Cup on the favourite, Kauto Star and a second Queen Mother success in 2008 on the brilliant five-year-old Master Minded. In 2007, Walsh won the inaugural British Horseracing Board Jockeys' Order of Merit award.
WILLIE MULLINS
Willie Mullins commenced training in 1988 having worked as assistant to both his father, Paddy, and to Jim Bolger. He still rates his father as the biggest influence on his career.
Willie has enjoyed considerable success at the highest level, with plenty of Cheltenham Festival successes, notably with now-retired stable star Florida Pearl, who won an amazing 16 of his 33 starts and getting on for £1million in prize money.
His victories included the Bumper and the Sun Alliance Chase in successive years at Cheltenham and more famously, the Aintree Grand National, when he trained Hedgehunter to a 2005 Grand National win. Willie trains in a lovely setting at County Carlow in Ireland.
Junior has gone straight in as an ante post favourite for the 2012 Grand National for a number of reasons. He is trained by the incredibly successful David Pipe and narrowly missed out on a place in 2011 due to the due handicap he was given.
As he will be nine years old and likely to be carrying more weight this year, he is certainly one to keep an eye on before the race.
LATEST FORM (43131/321-)
He didn't perform to his usual high standards at Ascot back in June but that doesn't mean that Junior won't pull it out of the bag come April 2012. The 2011/12 hunt season should put him through his paces and indicate whether he can be considered a serious contender for the 2012 Grand National.
DAVID PIPE
David has quickly carved a niche for himself as an extremely successful and talented Point-to-Point trainer and during his six seasons as a trainer of Pointers, he amassed no fewer than 164 winners, including 47 Point-to-Points and two Hunter Chases in his final season.
When his father, Martin Pipe, retired at the end of April 2006, David channelled his talents towards the Pond House string and by the end of the season his tally stood at 134 winners (more than any other trainer), prize money won was in excess of £1.6million and he had finished third in the trainers championship behind Paul Nicholls and Jonjo O’Neill.
The 2007/08 season was to prove even more spectacularly successful - a Cheltenham Festival double (An Accordion - William Hill Trophy and Our Vic - Ryanair Chase) was followed up by another double at the Grand National meeting for good measure. Comply Or Die provided the highlight of the whole season with his sensational victory in the John Smiths Grand National itself – a feat that took his father twenty years to achieve.
Synchronised | ODDS 16/1
WEIGHT () | AGE (10) | NAT. (IRE) | NUMBER () | JOCKEY ()
A real contender for the 2012 Grand National, Synchronised' odds have shortened dramatically since his most recent and surprising win in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown during the Christmas Festival. He also won the 2010 Welsh Grand National and is a good solid horse who can go the distance which is why the odds on him keep shortening.
LATEST FORM (5613-P731)
Synchronised loves Soft/Heavy ground and does his best work in these tough conditions so check the going on the day as this will make an incredible difference to his performance. He is well capable of going the distance and jumps well with five wins from his eight career chase starts. He has also returned third on two occasions giving him a staggering 87.5% return on each-way bets.
AP McCoy
Sixteen times Champion Jockey, AP McCoy is one of the greatest jockeys to ever grace the planet and despite it taking 15 attempts at the Aintree Grand national he finally won it in 2010 on board Don't Push It and took him to third place the following year despite having the heaviest handicap. Will he choose Synchronised over Don't Push It for the 2012 Grand National? Both are JP McManus horses and both are trained by Jonjo O'Neill. The going at Aintree on the run-up will play a large part in his choice.
Jonjo O'Neill
Since 2001 Jonjo O'Neill has been based out of Jackdaws Castle and in his first season there sent out 114 winners. In the 2006/07 season he recorded 126 winners which earned close to £2m in prize money. His stable boasts superstar names such as Butler’s Cabin, Albertas Run, Witchita Lineman, Don’t Push It, Synchronised and Theatrical Moment and with one Grand National win already under his belt, you can bet that he's more than keen for a second!
With the news that On His Own was to be given an entry in to the 2012 Grand National on April 14th 2012, his odds shortened dramatically from 33/1, to 25/1 to 16/1 making him the fifth ante-post favourite for the race with Paddy Power.
LATEST FORM (414P1-B1)
On His Own has displayed very good form recently and is fresh off the back of a win in the Goffs Thyestes Handicap Chase at Gowran Park, Ireland on 26th Jan 2012. He traveled very well over the 3m and the 16 fences and made up for the fact that he had previously been brought down in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown a month earlier where he had gone off as 7/2f.
With six career chase starts producing three wins, he may not necessarily be the most experienced horse to set off on Grand National day and with the new regulations in place, his ability to go the distance isn't in question as he has won over 3m1f, but then again so have many others.
On His Own has had five different jockeys in the last year alone so who will ride him on grand national day is anybody's guess especially as Willie Mullins has entered 12 for the race. As the time gets closer, the jockeys will be booked and announced so come back then for more information!
Willie Mullins
Willie Mullins commenced training in 1988 having worked as assistant to both his father, Paddy, and to Jim Bolger. He still rates his father as the biggest influence on his career.
Willie has enjoyed considerable success at the highest level, with plenty of Cheltenham Festival successes, notably with now-retired stable star Florida Pearl, who won an amazing 16 of his 33 starts and getting on for £1million in prize money.
His victories included the Bumper and the Sun Alliance Chase in successive years at Cheltenham and more famously, the Aintree Grand National, when he trained Hedgehunter to a 2005 Grand National win. Willie trains in a lovely setting at County Carlow in Ireland.
WEST END ROCKER | ODDS 20/1
WEIGHT () | AGE (10) | NAT. (IRE) | NUMBER () | JOCKEY ()
A recent winner at Aintree in December 2011, West End Rocker is trained by Alan King and was unfortunate in the 2011 Grand National, when he was brought down at the 6th fence. He carried 10-05 and would be lucky to be handicapped so low again. He prefers to going Good/GdSft and with eight wins/places from his 14 career chase starts would have netted you about 57% return on your cash if you had bet each-way on him in every race.
LATEST FORM (07/11PB-P1)
A good solid win at Aintree on December 3rd 2011 in a field of 14 where he romped home by a massive 22 lengths over nearest rival Niche Market. But, pulled up at Cheltenham the previous month and brought down in the 2011 Grand National.
Wayne Hutchinson
With over 1300 races to his name and over 165 wins, Wayne Hutchinson is a solid jockey who has competed in three previous Grand Nationals, including 2010 on Erics Charm when he fell at the first. He works for trainer Alan King and is the yards second jockey behind Robert Thornton. He learnt his trade from two former greats in the shape of Stan Mellor and Jeff King, before coming to Barbury in the summer of 2002.
Alan King
Born in 1966, he went to work at David Nicholson’s Condicote yard as a teenager, where he soon became Assistant. In December 1999 he took out his own licence at Jackdaws Castle, where he trained 31 winners in six months. On 1 June 2000 King moved to Barbury Castle, which has since been improved and expanded in the quest for more winners. In 2009 he secured top trainer honours at the 2009 John Smith’s Grand National meeting with three successes.
Always Right | ODDS 20/1
WEIGHT () | AGE (10) | NAT. (IRE) | NUMBER () | JOCKEY ()
Owned and trained by John Wade, Always Right is the Irish 10 year old who's making a splash in the 2012 Grand National proceedings. With only 10 chase career starts under his belt, he has won five of them and also placed second and third giving a 70% return on each-way bets. Despite his recent Pull-Up at Wetherby, Always Right has terrific form and could be the one to watch.
LATEST FORM (1/2113-1P)
Always Right appears to prefer Soft going winning three of his five starts on this type of ground although he looks capable enough to travel well on Good ground as well. He notched up three wins in 2011 across a variety of weight and field sizes and has run and placed at over 4 miles and came third in the Scottish Grand National in April 2011 under the guidance of James Reveley.
James Reveley
James Reveley has ridden in two previous Grand National - 2009 He rode Rambling Minster but pulled up at the 19th and in 2011 he rode That's Rhythm, the 50/1 who fell at the first. With over 1400 races under his belt, over 160 wins and 500 places Reveley is a jockey to watch as he's still only 22 years of age. His father is horse trainer Keith Reveley but he frequently rides for Nick Williams and John Wade to name but two.
John Wade
John Wade has a yard of 32 horses that he trains at Sedgefield. Wade is a rarity, an owner-trainer, and a successful businessman. His main trade is in quarrying, demolition and waste and he bought Always Right when he was just four years old. He is based out of Howe Hills Stables and Howe Hills Stable and insists that Always Right is a horse who is going places.
Three wins from three chase starts is probably why Hold On Julio has grabbed the bookies attention for the 2012 Grand National especially as his most recent was the 32Red.com HBLB Handicap Chase on 7th Jan 2012 but is such a limited career enough to take the world's toughest race??
LATEST FORM (PP/1-11)
Hold On julio has incredibly limited form to gauge any reasonable deductions from. With only three races under his belt it's difficult to determine if he could even be a real contender in 2012. On the upside is the fact that he's clearly a long distance horse preferring races over 3m.
The downside is that he likes the going very much Gd-Sft which is often not the case at Aintree. however a good few days of rain in April could rectify this giving him a reasonable chance of causing a fuss on the day.
Wayne Hutchinson
Wayne Hutchinson is Alan King's second jockey and has been racking up enough winners recently to more than earn his keep. His race riding has now developed confidence and maturity to the point where he is not only an excellent back-up to “Choc”, but also, when not riding a Barbury horse, is first choice jockey for fellow trainer, Jim Old.
The son of a postman, Hutchinson learnt his trade from two former greats in the shape of Stan Mellor and Jeff King, before heading to Alan King's stables in Barbury in the summer of 2002.
Alan King
Born in 1966, Alan is a farmer’s son who has nurtured a passion for racing from an early age. As a teenager he went to work at David Nicholson’s Condicote yard, where he soon became Assistant, a position Alan would keep until the “Duke’s” retirement 15 years later.
It was then, in December 1999 that he took out his own licence at Jackdaws Castle, where he trained 31 winners in six months. These included Anzum, who won the Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot and Relkeel, winner of the Grade 2 Bonusprint Hurdle aat Cheltenham.
On 1 June 2000 Alan moved to Barbury Castle, which has since been improved and expanded in the quest for more winners.
Chicago Grey | ODDS 25/1
WEIGHT () | AGE (8) | NAT. (IRE) | NUMBER () | JOCKEY ()
An interesting horse, the Gordon Elliott trained Chicago Grey is a bit of a jack-of-all-trades. He runs equally well on both Good and Heavy ground, runs primarily in the 2m bracket but yet has run and won at over 4m and despite being only 8 years old did place 8th in the 2011 Scottish Grand National making him one to keep an eye on for 2012 - 9 years old, Irish, Grand National Winning Trainer and perhaps Paul Carberry on board - all very good signs.
LATEST FORM (11F2518-U)
A good finish in the 2011 Scottish Grand National may give Chicago Grey the edge at Aintree. A month earlier he went into the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham as favourite and won it so he really can raise his game on the big occasions.
Paul Carberry
Hailing from one of the fore-most racing families in Ireland, Paul Carberry, is the son of jockey Tommy Carberry and brother to fellow jockey Nina Carberry. A former Grand National winner on Bobbyjo in 1999, Paul has ridden in 15 Grand Nationals and is a formidable jockey who would love to bag his second win!
Gordon Elliott
The 2007 Grand National proved that age, experience and reputation are not precursors for success, when Gordon Elliott, a novice trainer who had not yet had a single winner in his homeland of Ireland, won the steeplechase with 33-1 shot Silver Birch.
The then 29 year old Elliott became the youngest ever trainer to win the race. He had just entered his second season as a licensed trainer, and he had bought Silver Birch from legendary Champion trainer Paul Nicholls. The irony will of course not have been lost on Nicholls, who despite his impressive track record as a jumps trainer, has yet to win the Grand National.
Sunnyhillboy | ODDS 25/1
WEIGHT () | AGE (9) | NAT. (IRE) | NUMBER () | JOCKEY ()
A good, solid horse, Sunnyhillboy has been suffering from poor form recently - at least in comparison to the 2009/2010 season and also, dare I say it, since AP McCoy stopped regularly pairing with him. Owned by JP McManus and trained by Jonjo O'Neill, he has run at Aintree but never over 4miles with the large bulk of his races between 2 and 2.5 miles. Proven over hurdles, the 2012 Grand National may just be a tad too much for this fella.
LATEST FORM (73F-37P)
Poorer form than usual of late, Sunnyhillboy has more wins over hurdles than chases and may need another couple of races under his belt if he is to be seriously considered for the 2012 Grand National. Most recently he pulled up at Cheltenham in December despite going into the race as 7/2f.
Richie McLernon
Despite racing the most with AP McCoy, it's unlikely that he will ride him in the 2012 Grand National so it's more probable that Richie McClernon will be on board. McClernon has ridden in nearly a 1000 races but with just over 85 wins to his name, the stats don't necessarily bode well for him and he has never won on Sunnyboyhill.
Jonjo O'Neill
Since 2001 Jonjo O'Neill has been based out of Jackdaws Castle and in his first season there sent out 114 winners. In the 2006/07 season he recorded 126 winners which earned close to £2m in prize money. His stable boasts superstar names such as Butler’s Cabin, Albertas Run, Witchita Lineman, Don’t Push It, Synchronised and Theatrical Moment and with one Grand National win already under his belt, you can bet that he's more than keen for a second!
Organisedconfusion | ODDS 25/1
WEIGHT () | AGE (7) | NAT. (IRE) | NUMBER () | JOCKEY ()
Organisedconfusion is a fantastic young horse with some superb form behind him including winning the Irish Grand National with Nina Carberry in April 2011. But there are a couple of things to take note of. Firstly he has never raced outside of Ireland, secondly he's only seven years old and thirdly he really only runs on Soft to Heavy ground. There is also little consistency when it comes to a regular jockey and when it comes to the Grand National solid jockey partnership can make all the difference.
LATEST FORM (6312-133)
Off the back of some tremendous form, Organisedconfusion is a solid horse who generally wins or places in 50% of the races he starts. He can run and win carrying anything from 9-13 all the way through to 11-12 but given his age and two 3rd places this season he would handicapped quite low by the BHA and as such could have a good advantage, only though if it buckets down at Aintree on the run-up to April 14th and the ground is sodden.
Nina Carberry
Niece to Organisedconfusion trainer Arthur Moore, Nina Carberry is the biggest female name in jump racing. She rode in her first Grand national in 2006 on board Forest Gunner where she finished 9th and followed it up in 2010 and 2011 on Character Building where she finished 7th and 15th respectively. She has also won the Irish Grand National in 2011 and if Organisedconfusion gets the nod for Aintree then she may just have a chance of making history!
Arthur Moore
Based out of Co. Kildare, Ireland, Arthur Moore has been training horses for over 35 years and has racked up an impressive list of wins including the irish Grand National twice. He is uncle to the Carberry jockeys and although has been tremendously successful at Cheltenham and all of the top Irish racecourses, he has never won the Aintree Grand National. A well respected and formidable trainer, he's aiming the Grand National and Organisedconfusion may be the ace up his sleeve.
This will be Planet Of Sound's first entry and with reasonable form behind him, a fantastic jockey on board and a hugely success trainer by his side, his chances are pretty good for the 2012 Grand National.
LATEST FORM (12F01/35-2)
Planet Of Sound has had an incredibly successful career for years so don't be fooled by the form above. From his 13 chase starts, he has returned four wins, two seconds and three thirds which is nine in the money giving a return of nearly 70% on each-way bets. He had a small blip back in Feb/March 2010 but since then he's been back in form and likes the going Good/GdSft so Aintree should definitely suit him.
Richard Johnson
Despite being a highly talented and equally successful jockey, with well over 2,000 career wins, Richard Johnson is also famously known for living with Zara Philips, the Queen's granddaughter in a relationship that created a great deal of media interest but that ended in 2003.
No stranger to the Grand National, he rode Quinz in 2011, Tricky Trickster in 2010 and Parsons Legacy in 2009. In fact, he has ridden in the last 14 Grand Nationals with his best finish coming in 2002 on What’s Up Boys when he finished in 2nd place.
Philip Hobbs
Philip Hobbs was brought up in a racing family where his father, Tony Hobbs, had a permit to train for many years, breeding several good horses to run in the family colours.
He rode at Hickstead, show jumping as a junior, and rode several point-to-point winners and winners under National Hunt rules as an amateur before turning professional at the age of 21. Riding Career Philip rode 160 winners in a ten year career including The Black and White Gold Cup at Ascot, The Killiney Novice Chase and The Midlands Grand National on such good horses as West Tip and Artifice. He then started training in August 1985 with only 6 horses.
Horses under his care include the very famous Parsons Legacy, Dream Alliance and Monkerhostin - all of whom have previously run in the Grand National.
This will be Shakalakaboomboom's first entry and with fantastic recent form behind him, a Grand National winning jockey on board and one of the most successful trainers in the UK working on him, his chances are more than good for the 2012 Grand National.
LATEST FORM (311797-11)
Two recent wins at Cheltenham and Punchestown have solidified Shakalakaboomboom as an ante-post favourite for the 2012 Grand National and with good reason. He had a superb 2010, went a little off the boil in early 2011 but is now back with a bang and causing quite a stir with the bookies. All of his wins have come at carrying over 11-00 so there's no fear from the handicapper and he can go the distance having won at over 3m1f. He also likes the ground good so if the stars line up for him on the day he could be a real contender.
Barry Geraghty
Barry Geraghty is one of the most successful and accomplished jockeys in the racing industry and from 2002/03 when he led Moscow Flyer in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, and won no less than five races in that festival, he has gone from strength to strength.
He continued the season in incredible form taking the most coveted prize of them all – the Aintree Grand National on the Jimmy Mangan-trained Monty’s Pass. In recognition of his amazing year, Geraghty was voted as ‘Sports Personality Of The Year’ later that season for his wonderful victories, the first time that this prize had been won by anyone in the racing industry.
Nicky Henderson
Nicky Henderson needs no introduction to those who are keen National Hunt racing enthusiasts. Henderson started training in 1978 and has trained over thirty Cheltenham National Hunt Festival winners. He has three times been the leading National Hunt trainer, but has so far been denied success in the Grand National.
If ever there was a year for Nicky Henderson to win this coveted title, this could be it. Shakalakaboomboom is the one to get your each-way bet on!
This will be Cappa Bleu's first entry and with mixed form behind him, he may not necessarily be the first choice for many punters. But a recent win at Haydock, where he carried 11-11, followed by a third place at Chepstow has brought him more positive attention and his odds have shortened considerably.
LATEST FORM (11/3F2P/13)
Cappa Bleu has only had five chase starts resulting in two wins and two third places so up against the more experienced horses such as Ballabriggs, things could be tough for him. He likes the ground Gd/Sft and has the ability to go the distance with a win at over 3m2f but as careers go, he may need a bit more under his belt before he could be considered a real contender for the 2012 Grand National.
Paul Moloney
One of the jockeys who has really been catching the eye of late is Paul Moloney – since the start of October he has a 41 per cent strike rate with 14 winners coming from 34 rides, backing all of his rides would have resulted in a remarkable £60.24 profit to a level £1 stake!
Statistically, since the start of last season he has ridden 108 winners, but he has also finished second 105 times and third on 101 occasions meaning that 43 per cent of his rides have finished in the first three. Paddy Power pays out to top 5 in the 2012 Grand National so he could be worth a punt.
Evan Williams
The grandson to a point-to-point trainer, Evan Williams needed no introduction into the horse racing scene and has kept up the family tradition by being incredibly successful from his yard at Aberogwrn Farm.
In 2002 he won the National Point-to-Point Championship and later became the leading point-to-point trainer in Britain. In all Evan has trained and ridden over 200 point-to-point winners. To date over 480 winners have been trained from Aberogwrn Farm.
