Horses ran shoulder to shoulder in this weekend’s Grand National

The Randox Health 2019 Grand National has just galloped its way onto the never ending list of sports competitions! In Liverpool, England, on April 6, jockeys and their horses met at the Aintree Racecourse to compete against each other for the top prize. This race was the 172nd annual running of the Grand National horse race. The pinnacle of this festival was the showpiece steeplechase which began on April 4.

There were 112 entries with 47 alone coming from Ireland. The final line-up, however, consisted of 40 horses which was announced on 4 April 2019. Besides Mall Dini being withdrawn due to injury and replaced by Just A Par, no further withdrawals occurred.
Gordon Elliott broke the record for the most amount of horses trained in a single running of the race, entering in 11 horses. Elliott had also been the initial trainer for both Outlander and Don Poli, though these horses were sold prior to the race and passed on to new trainers.

The event was sponsored by Randox Health as part of an agreement signed in 2016 for the company to sponsor the race for five years, starting in 2017.

The race was won by 4/1 favourite Tiger Roll, ridden by Davy Russell and trained by Gordon Elliott. Tiger Roll became the first horse since Red Rum in to win back-to-back Nationals since 1974, as well as the first favorite to win the race since Comply or Die back in 2008. 19 of the 40 horses that started managed to complete the course.

Unfortunately, 2 horses were brought down due to injuries, 3 horses fell, 2 horses unseated their riders, and 14 horses pulled up. Out of 40 horses, only 19 were able to finish the course. Furthermore, the race was marred by the death of Up For Review, after being brought down at the first fence, becoming the first fatality in the race since 2012.

The top five for the finishing order were:
– Tiger Roll (Horse), Davy Russell (Jockey), Gordon Elliott (Trainer)
– Magic of Light (Horse), Paddy Kennedy (Jockey), Jessica Harrington (Trainer)
– Rathvinden (Horse), Ruby Walsh (Jockey), Willie Mullins (Trainer)
– Walk in The Mill (Horse), James Best (Jockey), Robert Walfor (Trainer)
– Anibale Fly (Horse), Mark Walsh (Jockey), Tony Martin (Trainer)

Featured Image – Tiger Roll crossing the finish line a second before Magic of Light Courtesy of i2-prod.liverpoolecho.co.uk

by Isaac Ma