2023 Grand National Review

Placing	Horse	Age	Weight	Trainer	Jockey	Starting Price
1st	Corach Rambler	9	10-05	Lucinda Russell	Derek Fox	8/1F
2nd	Vanillier	8	10-06	Gavin Cromwell	Sean Flanagan	20/1
3rd	Gaillard Du Mesnil	7	11-00	Willie Mullins	Paul Townend	10/1
4th	Noble Yeats	8	11-11	Emmet Mullins	Sean Bowen	10/1
5th	The Big Dog	10	11-05	Peter Fahey	Aidan Coleman	12/1
6th	Born By The Sea	9	10-02	Paul John Gilligan	Phillip Enright	50/1
7th	Roi Mage	11	10-08	Patrick Griffin	Felix De Giles	33/1
8th	Mister Coffey	8	10-04	Nicky Henderson	Nico de Boinville	33/1
9th	A Wave Of The Sea	7	10-06	Joseph O'Brien	Shane Fitzgerald	66/1
10th	Le Milos	8	10-11	Dan Skelton	Harry Skelton	12/1
11th	Our Power	8	10-02	Sam Thomas	Sam Twiston-Davies	25/1
12th	Enjoy D'allen	9	10-05	Ciaran Murphy	Simon Torrens	50/1
13th	Fortescue	9	10-02	Henry Daly	Hugh Nugent	100/1
14th	Carefully Selected	11	11-01	Willie Mullins	Michael O'Sullivan	50/1
15th	Minella Trump	9	10-06	Donald McCain	Theo Gillard	50/1
16th	Francky Du Berlais	10	10-02	Peter Bowen	Ben Jones	125/1
17th	Ain't That A Shame	9	10-05	Henry De Bromhead	Rachael Blackmore	10/1
Did Not Complete
Fell	Sam Brown	11	11-04	Anthony Honeyball	Jonathan Burke	66/1
Fell	Hill Sixteen	10	10-02	Sandy Thomson	Ryan Mania	80/1
Fell	Fury Road	9	11-06	Gordon Elliott	Jonjo O'Neill Jr	33/1
Fell	The Big Breakaway	8	10-10	Joe Tizzard	Brendan Powell	40/1
Pulled Up	Any Second Now	11	11-12	Ted Walsh	Mark Walsh	14/1
Pulled Up	Back On The Lash	9	10-02	Martin Keighley	Adam Wedge	22/1
Pulled Up	Coko Beach	8	11-00	Gordon Elliott	Harry Cobden	28/1
Pulled Up	Dunboyne	8	10-02	Gordon Elliott	Jack Tudor	50/1
Pulled Up	Cape Gentleman	7	10-08	John Joseph Hanlon	Jody McGarvey	100/1
Pulled Up	Capodanno	7	11-05	Willie Mullins	Danny Mullins	22/1
Pulled Up	Velvet Elvis	7	10-06	Thomas Gibney	Darragh O'Keeffe	25/1
Unseated Rider	Delta Work	10	11-04	Gordon Elliott	Keith Donoghue	11/1
Unseated Rider	Darasso	10	10-13	Joseph O'Brien	Luke Dempsey	100/1
Unseated Rider	Cloudy Glen	10	10-04	Venetia Williams	Charlie Deutsch	80/1
Unseated Rider	Diol Ker	9	10-08	Noel Meade	Kieren Buckley	100/1
Unseated Rider	Eva's Oskar	9	10-02	Tim Vaughan	Alan Johns	50/1
Unseated Rider	Galvin	9	11-11	Gordon Elliott	Davy Russell	22/1
Unseated Rider	Longhouse Poet	9	11-00	Martin Brassil	JJ Slevin	20/1
Unseated Rider	Lifetime Ambition	8	11-03	Jessica Harrington	Sean O'Keeffe	33/1
Unseated Rider	Gabbys Cross	8	10-02	Henry De Bromhead	Peter Carberry	50/1
Unseated Rider	Recite A Prayer	8	10-02	Willie Mullins	Jack Foley	80/1
Unseated Rider	Mr Incredible	7	10-04	Willie Mullins	Brian Hayes	14/1

The 2023 Grand National was disrupted and delayed by animal rights protestors who tried to get on to the course with a view to trying to stop the race taking place. Thankfully the police managed to deal with the protests and the race eventually got under way just under fifteen minutes later than the 5.15 advertised start time.

An unusually large number of horses failed to negotiate the first two fences with five falling or unseating at the first fence (Recite A Prayer, Galvin, Diol Ker, Cloudy Glen and Hill Sixteen) and three more failing to negotiate the second fence (Darasso, The Big Breakaway and Fury Road). Sadly, Hill Sixteen’s fall was fatal, and it seems very likely that the extended delay to the start caused by protestors contributed to the number of fallers at the first two fences.

At fence three, Coco Beach and Lifetime Ambition were vying for the early lead, closely followed by Mister Coffey, Minella Trump and Longhouse Poet. This quintet continued at the head of affairs down toward the sixth fence, Becher’s Brook. Coko Beach was a length clear jumping the fence from Lifetime Ambition with Back On The Lash and Our Power also in contention.

The field moved on with no fallers at either Becher’s Brook or Foinavon but with three loose horses giving the field concern as they moved down to the tricky Canal Turn. Longhouse Poet was a faller there but the loose horse caused havoc at the ninth fence (Valentines) running across the front of the fence, with one loose horse crashing into Lifetime Ambition and causing him to unseat his rider.

After the chaos at Valentines, Mister Coffey has pushed through to take the lead from Coko Beach and Our Power. Over the tenth fence, Corach Rambler got his first call from the commentators as he moved up to around sixth place.

Over the Melling Road for the first time, Moster Coffey was moving clear of the field whilst Dunboyne was tailing off at the rear.

On the run towards The Chair, Cape Gentleman was pulled up.

At the Chair, Coko Beach took off just in front of Mister Coffey from Roi Mage, The Big Dog and Our Power who made a bad mistake. Gabbys Cross and Sam Brown were out of the race at that fence.

The whole field cleared the Water Jump but Dunboyne was finally pulled up. Going out on the second circuit the first fence was bypassed and previously twice placed Any Second Now pulled up at this point after failing to get into contention following being badly hampered on the first circuit. Velvet Elvis also pulled up here.

At the nineteenth fence, the leader Coko Beach made a bad mistake and jockey Harry Cobden did remarkably well to stay in the race.

Twenty-three horses were still involved as the field took the twenty-first fence where Evas Oskar and Delta Work unseated their riders.

Next up was Becher’s Brook for the second time where Mister Coffey, Coko Beach and The Big Dog jumped the fence in unison.

The remaining field negotiated the Canal Turn safely, although Back On The Lash made a very bad mistake. Mr Incredible’s saddle slipped after the Canal Turn and he unseated Brian Hayes.

At the twenty-sixth fence Mister Coffey’s lead was increasing but Corach Rambler was noted travelling powerfully in around sixth place. Minella Trump made a bad mistake at that fence.

At the third-last fence, Mister Coffey held a three length lead from The Big Dog, Roi Mage, Our Power and Corach Rambler.

Nico De Boinville kicked on at the Melling Road, opening up a five length lead over the whole field.

As they moved down to the second last, Corach Rambler was travelling easily moving into second place. Le Milos got his first mention as he moved into sixth place and also making ground were Home By The Sea, Gaillard Du Mesnil and Vanillier.

Jumping the last Corach Rambler loomed up menacingly beside the weakening Mister Coffey with three lengths back to The Big Dog, followed by Roi Mage, Gaillard Du Mesnil, Home By The Sea, Le Milos, Vanillier and last year’s winner, Noble Yeats.

Corach Rambler then powered to an eight length lead at The Elbow, but Lucinda Russell’s gelding began idling and cocking his head on the run-in which must have given connections palpitations. Mister Coffey got swamped by fast finishers after the last eventually weakening to finish a gallant eighth.

The horse who briefly looked as if he may catch Corach Rambler was the grey Vanillier who powered away from the chasing pack, but Corach Rambler regained his concentration and eventually ran out a worth two-and-a-quarter length winner.

Willie Mullins and Paul Townend capped another fine season with Gaillard Du Mesnil finishing third just under a further five lengths behind Vanillier.

Last year’s winner Noble Yeats stayed on for fourth place just pipping The Big Dog for that placing. Born By The Sea outran his big odds in sixth and Roi Mage ran well to finish seventh.

Trainer Lucinda Russell was celebrating her second win in the Grand National following the 2017 win of One For Arthur, a huge achievement for the Scottish trainer and her team.

Corach Rambler was ten pound ‘well-in’ as his second victory in the Ultima Chase at the Cheltenham Festival came after the publication of the weights and that advantage proved too much for his opponents but such is the progression of this horse there must be a very good chance he could emulate Tiger Roll and Red Rum in winning back to back Grand Nationals.