Grand National: Gamble pays off for Many Clouds

“What do trainers know?” Oliver Sherwood’s honest reaction after the gallant Many Clouds won the Crabbie’s Grand National was indicative of how horses can make fools of one of the most intelligent men in racing.
SAME AGAIN: Jockey Leighton Aspell celebrates on board Many Clouds after victory in the Grand National. Picture: Mike Egerton/PA.SAME AGAIN: Jockey Leighton Aspell celebrates on board Many Clouds after victory in the Grand National. Picture: Mike Egerton/PA.
SAME AGAIN: Jockey Leighton Aspell celebrates on board Many Clouds after victory in the Grand National. Picture: Mike Egerton/PA.

If Sherwood had allowed his head to rule his heart, he would not be a National-winning trainer – he has ever-enthusiastic owner Trevor Hemmings to thank for persuading him to run the eight-year-old at Aintree four weeks after a below-par performance in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Now the trainer is already contemplating a second National for this stout stayer who produced one of the best performances in recent Aintree history just 16 months after winning a three-runner race at Wetherby that Sherwood, Hemmings and jockey Leighton Aspell said was important to the horse’s development.

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“I thought that it was a year too soon to come here and Trevor knows that,” admitted Sherwood, who confirmed that his hero had fully recovered from the exertions of the marathon and post-race treatment for exhaustion.

“It was his decision. I said ‘the horse is healthy, he’s fit, he’s well and, if you want to run, we will run’. It was his decision to run, end of story. It wasn’t my decision, so he must get all the credit, not me. What do trainers know?”

Even though this will also be remembered as AP McCoy’s final National before retirement, and whose mount Shutthefrontdoor faded into fifth place, this should not detract from an outcome that defied statistics. Many Clouds is the first Hennessy winner to go on and land a National. His winning time was one of the quickest ever recorded – and the horse carried 11st 9lb. Only Red Rum in 1974 has put up a better weight-carrying run in recent times.

Victorious 12 months ago on Pineau De Re who was 12th on Saturday, Aspell – who retired from the sport in 2007 before making a comeback – is the first rider to win successive Nationals on two different horses since Bryan Marshall on Early Mist and Royal Tan in 1953 and 1954.

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Hemmings, one of racing’s great benefactors, is the first owner in more than a century to win three Nationals with different horses – his white, green and yellow colours were also victorious with Hedgehunter in 2005 and Ballabriggs in 2011.

And it was also the first time that a Sherwood-trained horse has completed the course – his four previous runners all came to grief.

Stood on the vantage point reserved for owners and trainers, he turned his back on the race as Many Clouds held off the challenge of recent Catterick winner Saint Are and Monbeg Dude, who jumped over a fallen horse at Becher’s Brook before running on to finish third.

As for Mon Parrain who is owned by Harrogate businessman John Cotton and his wife Barbara, he finished 11th under 17-year-old jockey Sean Bowen, while Night In Milan was 18th of the 19 finishers for Saltburn trainer Keith Reveley and his jockey son James. Middleham’s Henry Brooke pulled up Across The Bay late on.

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Much credit afterwards went to Ruby Walsh whose quick-thinking led to the Canal Turn being bypassed on the second circuit so vets could tend to Balthazar King.

The horse is being treated for rib injuries after being kicked by Walsh’s mount Ballycasey following a shuddering fall first time around that left many fearing the worst.

It led to Neil Mulholland’s The Druids Nephew being in the lead before coming to grief four out.

There will be some concern several horses, including Many Clouds, finished the race in a distressed state. The heat did not help, but the changes to the obstacles do mean that the National is now run at a far faster pace. Aintree will be relieved there have been no equine fatalities for three successive renewals.

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As for the future, Many Clouds will have a long summer off before preparing to defend his hard-won title. With time on his side, he has the scope – and class – to become a dual winner.

North Yorkshire jockey Brian Hughes, a first fence casualty in the National, brought up his maiden century of winners with Warden Hill’s win at Market Rasen.

Here’s where your money went at Aintree.

1st: Many Clouds 25-1

2nd: Saint Are 25-1 1, 3/4 length

3rd: Mondbeg Dude 40-1 ,6 lengths

4th: Alvarado 20-1 3, 1/2 length

5th: Shutthefrontdoor 6-1Fav, 1 1/2 lengths

6th: Royale Knight 25-1; 7th: Tranquil Sea 33-1; 8th: Cause Of Causes 14-1; 9th: Soll 9-1; 10th Chance Du Roy 40-1; 11th Mon Parrain 33-1; 12th Pineau De Re 25-1; 13th Owega Star 50-1; 14th Spring Heeled 25-1; 15th Oscar Time 20-1; 16th First Lieutenant 14-1; 17th Rocky Creek 8-1; 18th Night In Milan 20-1; 19th: Dolatulo 66-1

Casualties: Fence 1: Al Co (unseated), Gas Line Boy (fell), Ely Brown (fell); Fence 3: Rubi Light (unseated rider); Fence 4: Corrin Wood (pulled up); Fence 5: Unioniste (fell); Fence 6: River Choice (fell); Fence 8: Balthazar King (fell), Ballycasey (brought down); Fence 18: Court By Surprise (pu); Fence 25: Lord Windermere (pu), Across The Bay (pu), Super Duty (pu); Fence 26: Rebel Rebellion (pu), The Rainbow Hunter (fell), The Druids Nephew (fell); Fence 28: Portrait King (fell); Fence 29: Godsmejudge (pu), Wyck Hill (pu), Bob Ford (pu)