2021 Grand National

2021 Grand National

Grand National
Location	Aintree
Date	10 April
Winning horse	Minella Times
Jockey	Rachael Blackmore

The 2021 Grand National (officially known as the Randox 2021 Grand National) was run at 5:15 pm BST on 10 April 2021. It was the 173rd annual running of the Grand National horse race, taking place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England. The event was once again sponsored by Randox Health, although the sponsorship name on the race from this year onwards was shortened to just Randox.

The race was won by Minella Times, trained by Henry de Bromhead and ridden by Rachael Blackmore, who became the first female jockey to win the Grand National. De Bromhead also trained the second placed finisher Balko des Flos.

Due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, the race, and the accompanying festival meeting, took place behind closed doors for the first time in its history. Despite speculations and calls from some leading figures in racing for the meeting to be pushed back in the calendar so that it could possibly take place when betting shops are open, it was confirmed the race would retain its original date.

Race card

On 3 February 106 entries were announced. The early favourite in ante-post betting was the 2018 and 2019 winner Tiger Roll, but he was withdrawn before the first scratching stage by the Gigginstown House Stud, citing excessive weight allocation. Cloth Cap was left as the favourite.

No	Horse	Age	Handicap (st–lb)	SP	Jockey	Trainer
1	Bristol De Mai	10	11-10	33/1	Daryl Jacob	Nigel Twiston-Davies
2	Chris's Dream	9	11-7	80/1	D.J. O'Keeffe	Henry de Bromhead
3	Yala Enki	11	11-3	50/1	Bryony Frost	Paul Nicholls
4	Ballyoptic	11	11-1	125/1	Sam Twiston-Davies	Nigel Twiston-Davies
5	Definitly Red	12	11-1	66/1	Ryan Mania	Brian Ellison
6	Lake View Lad	11	11-0	66/1	Brian Hughes	N. W. Alexander
7	Burrows Saint	8	10-13	9/1	Mr. Patrick Mullins	Willie Mullins
8	Magic Of Light	10	10-13	16/1	Robbie Power	Jessica Harrington
9	Acapella Bourgeois	11	10-12	25/1	Danny Mullins	Willie Mullins
10	Talkischeap	9	10-12	50/1	Tom Cannon	Alan King
11	Tout Est Permis	8	10-12	150/1	Sean Flanagan	Noel Meade
12	Anibale Fly	11	10-12	28/1	Denis O'Regan	Tony Martin
13	Mister Malarky	8	10-12	14/1	Jonjo O'Neill Jnr	Colin Tizzard
14	Kimberlite Candy	9	10-10	22/1	Richie McLernon	Tom Lacey
15	Any Second Now	9	10-9	15/2	Mark Walsh	Ted Walsh
16	Balko Des Flos	10	10-9	150/1	Aidan Coleman	Henry de Bromhead
17	Alpha Des Obeaux	11	10-9	80/1	Jody McGarvey	Denise Foster
18	Ok Corral	11	10-8	80/1	Mr. Derek O'Connor	Nicky Henderson
19	Takingrisks	12	10-7	20/1	Sean Quinlan	Nicky Richards
20	Shattered Love	10	10-7	40/1	Kevin Sexton	Denise Foster
21	Jett	10	10-7	125/1	Mr. Sam Waley-Cohen	Jessica Harrington
22	Lord Du Mesnil	8	10-6	66/1	Nick Scholfield	Richard Hobson
23	Potters Corner	11	10-6	28/1	Jack Tudor	Christian Williams
24	Class Conti	9	10-6	80/1	Brian Hayes	Willie Mullins
25	Milan Native	8	10-6	40/1	Mr. Jamie Codd	Denise Foster
26	Discorama	8	10-6	16/1	Bryan Cooper	Paul Nolan
27	Vieux Lion Rouge	12	10-5	80/1	Conor O'Farrell	David Pipe
28	Cloth Cap	9	10-5	11/2 F	Tom Scudamore	Jonjo O’Neill
29	Cabaret Queen	9	10-5	150/1	S.F. O'Keeffe	Willie Mullins
30	Minellacelebration	11	10-5	80/1	Ben Poste	Katy Price
31	Canelo	8	10-4	66/1	Tom Bellamy	Alan King
32	The Long Mile	7	10-4	50/1	L.P. Dempsey	J.P. Dempsey
33	Give Me A Copper	11	10-4	50/1	Sean Bowen	Paul Nicholls
34	Farcias	7	10-3	16/1	Jack Kennedy	Denise Foster
35	Minella Times	8	10-3	11/1	Rachel Blackmore	Henry de Bromhead
36	Sub Lieutenant	12	10-3	80/1	Tabitha Worsley	Georgie Howell
37	Hogan's Height	10	10-3	150/1	Gavin Sheehan	Jamie Snowden
38	Double Shuffle	11	10-2	125/1	Jonathan Burke	Tom George
39	Ami Desbois	11	10-2	150/1	Kielon Woods	Graeme McPherson
40	Blaklion	12	10-2	50/1	Harry Skelton	Dan Skelton
R1	Some Neck	10	-	-	-	John McConnell
R2	Secret Reprieve	7	-	-	-	Evan Williams
R3	Kauto Riko	10	-	-	-	Tom Gretton
R4	Fagan	11	-	-	-	Alex Hales

Sources: Trainers and weights Jockeys Starting prices

• Note Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms in the jockeys name denotes an amateur.

Finishing order

Position	Name	Age	Handicap (st–lb)	SP	Jockey	Trainer
1	Minella Times	8	10–3	11/1	Rachael Blackmore	Henry de Bromhead
2	Balko Des Flos	10	10–9	100/1	Aidan Coleman	Henry de Bromhead
3	Any Second Now	9	10–9	15/2	Mark Walsh	Ted Walsh
4	Burrows Saint	8	10–13	9/1	Patrick Mullins	Willie Mullins
5	Farclas	7	10–3	16/1	Jack Kennedy	Mrs Denise Foster
6	Blaklion	12	10–2	50/1	Harry Skelton	Dan Skelton
7	Discorama	8	10–6	16/1	Bryan Cooper	Paul Nolan
8	Jett	10	10–7	80/1	Sam Waley-Cohen	Jessica Harrington
9	Cabaret Queen	9	10–5	80/1	Sean O'Keeffe	Willie Mullins
10	Shattered Love	10	10–7	33/1	Kevin Sexton	Mrs Denise Foster
11	Alpha Des Obeaux	11	10–9	80/1	Jody McGarvey	Mrs Denise Foster
12	Hogan's Height	10	10–3	100/1	Gavin Sheehan	Jamie Snowden
13	Acapella Bourgeois	11	10–12	20/1	Danny Mullins	Willie Mullins
14	Sub Lieutenant	12	10–3	50/1	Tabitha Worsley	Georgia Howell
15	Class Conti	9	10–6	66/1	Brian Hayes	Willie Mullins

Non-finishers

Fence	Name	Jockey	SP	Fate
1	Lake View Lad	Brian Hughes	50/1	Fell
28	Cloth Cap	Tom Scudamore	11/2 Fav	Pulled up
13	Anibale Fly	Denis O'Regan	28/1	Pulled up
17	Takingrisks	Sean Quinlan	14/1	Pulled up
12	Double Shuffle	Jonathan Burke	66/1	Fell
26	Talkischeap	Tom Cannon	33/1	Pulled up
19	Ballyoptic	Sam Twiston-Davies	66/1	Refused
27	Chris's Dream	D J O'Keeffe	40/1	Unseated rider
21	Ok Corral	Mr Derek O'Connor	80/1	Pulled up
19	Lord Du Mesnil	Nick Scholfield	50/1	Pulled up
22	Bristol De Mai	Daryl Jacob	25/1	Pulled up
29	Give Me A Copper	Sean Bowen	33/1	Pulled up
22	Potters Corner	Jack Tudor	22/1	Pulled up
29	Definitly Red	Ryan Mania	28/1	Pulled up
11	Minellacelebration	Benjamin Poste	80/1	Unseated rider
15	Canelo	Thomas Bellamy	66/1	Fell
17	Mister Malarky	Jonjo O'Neill Jr.	12/1	Pulled up
15	Ami Desbois	Kielan Woods	100/1	Brought down
29	Tout Est Permis	Sean Flanagan	100/1	Pulled up
4	Magic Of Light	Robbie Power	14/1	Unseated rider
29	Kimberlite Candy	Richie McLernon	20/1	Pulled up
	The Long Mile	L P Dempsey	50/1	Pulled up
21	Yala Enki	Bryony Frost	40/1	Unseated rider
18	Vieux Lion Rouge	Conor O'Farrell	66/1	Fell
29	Milan Native	Mr Jamie Codd	50/1	Pulled up

Broadcasting and media

"It is Minella Times who leads them towards the elbow, three or fourth lengths clear from Balko Des Flos, Any Second Now and Burrows Saint. Rachael Blackmore heads towards the elbow, with 200 yards between herself and an Aintree victory. Balko Des Flos and Any Second Now are about five lengths down. 150 yards to go! Minella Times, Rachael Blackmore, still five lengths clear! And it is Minella Times who is keeping up the gallop towards the line! Minella Times, Rachael Blackmore raise the bar, still higher! She won the National on Minella Times for Henry De Bromhead!"

ITV lead commentator Richard Hoiles describes the climax of the race.

As the Grand National is accorded the status of an event of national interest in the United Kingdom and is listed on the Ofcom Code on Sports and Other Listed and Designated Events, it must be shown on free-to-air terrestrial television in the UK. The race was broadcast live on TV by ITV for the fourth time, and the first year in its new three year deal with the British Horseracing Association.

The coverage was co-anchored by Ed Chamberlin and Francesca Cumani. Analysis was provided by former Grand National winning jockeys Sir Anthony McCoy and Mick Fitzgerald, with Ruby Walsh also contributing via remote link from the course. Reports were provided by Alice Plunkett, Rishi Persad, Luke Harvey and Matt Chapman - who also provided updates on betting during the broadcast. Oli Bell and Chris Hughes covered viewers comments on social media. The commentary team was Mark Johnson, Ian Bartlett and Richard Hoiles, who called the finish for the fourth time. Following the race, Bell, Fitzgerald and Walsh guided viewers on a fence-by-fence re-run of the race.

Because of the death of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh on 9 April, coverage of the second day of the meeting was moved to ITV4, with no advertisement breaks or sponsorship bumpers.

See also

• Horse racing in Great Britain
• List of British National Hunt races

External links

• Grand National Official Website
• Grand National Beginner's Guide