Purple Grand National Horses

Lord Du Mesnil did not have the kind of start over fences that you would expect from horses that go on to contest the Grand National as he fell or unseated five times in his first nine tries at the bigger obstacles. Current trainer Richard Hobson acquired the horse from France (where he was still a maiden) and had fell twice in six starts over fences. Things didn’t improve when switched to Hobson as the horse fell at Uttoxeter on his first start of the year and then unseated his rider on the Mildmay course at Aintree. Lord Du Mesnil was then switched back to hurdles for six races where he placed a couple of times but thankfully managed to retain the partnership with his jockey. Trainer Hobson then decided to try fences again and disaster struck as the horse fell again when looking to have a winning chance at Catterick. After a short break, Lord Du Mesnil tried again over fences and this time the penny started to drop for the horse with a couple of runner-up spots at Stratford and Sedgefield before he finally got his head in front at Newcastle. The penny had finally dropped with Lord Du Mesnil and since that victory at Newcastle he has won a further three times and gone up over thirty pounds in the handicap. Three victories at Haydock followed where he demonstrated that stamina on soft ground is his strong suit. Richard Hobson has now tried Lord Du Mesnil three times over the Grand National fences with the record of: 9PP and especially on the last of those occasions in this season’s Becher Chase the nine-year-old gelding did not seem to be enjoying himself before being pulled up before two out. He had also been pulled up in last year’s National where he was up with the leaders for a circuit but weakened very quickly on the second circuit and it was reported that he hadn’t enjoyed the good to soft ground. Lord Du Mesnil is usually admirably consistent but his last two runs have been disappointing when finishing twenty-five lengths behind Royal Pagaille in the Peter Marsh at Haydock and then pulling up in the Grand National trial at the same track where he had finished first and second in for the last two years. With questions marks about his current form, the suitability of the course and the unlikeliness to get the soft ground conditions he needs, Lord Du Mesnil looks an unlikely winner of the 2022 Grand National.