Niall Madden - County Meath, Ireland
Not many jockeys can say that they were victorious on their Grand National debut; indeed many much respected and big-prize winning jockeys have battled for years to triumph at the National; but that is exactly what Niall Madden did in 2006, when he was aged just 20. The horse in question was Numbersixvalverde, and to add insult to injury for all those well-versed National contenders, it was also Madden’s first ever appearance as a jockey in Britain.
It must have been both an extremely proud and somewhat envious father that watched Madden that day, as Niall Snr, nicknamed ‘Boots’, had always had ambitions of winning the National. He first rode in the race in 1978, but fell on So, and did so again in his next two attempts on Kilkiwell (1981) and Gandy VI (1982). Attitude Adjuster got him round the course three times, where he finished eighth, fifth and twelfth from 1987 to 1989.
Obviously being brought up by a Grand National contender inspired Niall Jnr, nicknamed ‘Slippers’, and he had his own aspirations of becoming a Grand National jockey, winning his first race at the age of 16 in a handicap hurdle in Wexford. He won again 19 days later, while his third win was on J.P. McManus’s Live Our Dreams.
Riding Numbersixvalverde in the Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park gave Madden a total of 39 wins in the 2004-05 season, making him Ireland’s champion amateur rider and earning him the position of second jockey to Noel Meade. Ruby Walsh took over riding Numbersixvalverde for the Irish National, but was booked on his 2005 winner Hedgehunter for the 2006 Aintree Grand National, leaving Numbersixvalverde free for Madden.
To prepare for the greatest steeplechase in the world, Madden studied video footage of Bobbyjo’s 1999 victory and walked the course with his father, who advised him to stay towards the rear for the first circuit and then make rapid headway through the field. Madden took his father’s word as gospel, waiting to take the lead until the last and then driving on to win by six lengths from Hedgehunter, who was 18lb heavier than Numbersixvalverde.
Madden may only have secured his 30th win that season with his Grand National victory, but Tony McCoy, who had already scored 178 wins, only managed to come in third on Clan Royal.
In 2007, five days before the Grand National, Madden come third in the Irish National on 33/1 American Jennie, just two and three quarter lengths behind Tony McCoy on Butler’s Cabin. Madden then brought Numbersixvalverde back to Aintree, where he did exceedingly well as a jockey to get him to sixth place, given his 9lb rise in the weights – and winning back to back Grand Nationals is something that only Red Rum has ever achieved!
