It was smiles all round for Lucinda Russell, Derek Fox and The Ramblers ownership syndicate as Corach Rambler triumphed in the 2023 Grand National.
It was an edition of the Aintree showpiece beset by protests and chaos, which saw the start of the race delayed as police and stewards sort to restore order. They ended up making a whopping 118 arrests.
But connections of the 8/1 winner – only the fourth outright favourite to win the race in the past 30 years – won’t mind after they landed a very happy £570,000 payday.
The bookies, somehow, managed to get away without too much of a pasting from the biggest casual betting event of the year – Corach Rambler had lost favouritism on the Friday as the rain poured on Merseyside, which perhaps stopped them from taking a big hit.
The victor takes the spoils, but once again the Grand National course accounted for a number of horses in the field despite the going drying to good-to-soft.
| Fence | Fell | Unseated Rider | Brought Down | Pulled Up | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 21 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 24 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 5 | 9 | 1 | 7 | 22 |
Let’s take a closer look at the fallers and non-finishers at the 2023 Grand National:
First Circuit
It looked as though a full field of 40 would take to the Aintree track, alas Escaria Ten was declared a non-runner of the morning of the race.
In the end, just 17 would complete the course….
Fence 1
- Fell: Hill Sixteen
- Unseated Rider: Cloudy Glen, Diol Ker, Galvin, Recite a Prayer
Perhaps affected by the manic scenes ahead of the race, the first fence – normally a fairly tame introduction to proceedings – accounted for five horses in the field.
Hill Sixteen fell and tragically had to be put down, as Cloudy Glen, Diol Ker, Galvin and Recite a Prayer all unseated their respective riders.
Fence 2
- Fell: Fury Road, The Big Breakaway
- Unseated Rider: Darasso
The second fence, another that typically doesn’t befall too many, also accounted for three more horses as the 2023 Grand National got off to the most chaotic start in years.
The two fallers, Fury Road and The Big Breakaway, were amongst the dark horses to challenge for the title, while the outsider Darasso also dispensed with jockey Luke Dempsey.
Fence 8 – Canal Turn
- Unseated Rider: Longhouse Poet
Order was seemingly restored and there were no more fallers until Canal Turn, which remains one of the most challenging obstacles on the Grand National course.
But on the first circuit there was only one victim: Longhouse Poet, the 201/ chance, casting aside handler JJ Slevin.
Fence 9 – Valentine’s Brook
- Brought Down: Lifetime Ambition
You can’t help but feel sorry for Lifetime Ambition and Season O’Keefe, who were brought down by a loose horse as they tackled Valentine’s Brook.
Fence 13
- Pulled Up: Cape Gentleman
Jody McGarvey decided to pull up Cape Gentleman at the thirteenth fence as he found the pace a little too hard to handle.
Fence 15 – The Chair
- Fell: Gabby’s Cross, Sam Brown
As is customary, The Chair proved just too uncomfortable for some, with Gabby’s Cross and Sam Brown both falling at the 5ft 2in monstrosity.
Second Circuit
Fence 18
- Pulled Up: Any Second Now, Dunboyne, Velvet Elvis
As the ferocious pace continued, three jockeys decided enough was enough and pulled up their mounts – including Mark Walsh on the fancied Any Second Now.
Fence 21
- Unseated Rider: Delta Work, Eva’s Oscar
You could almost hear the sound of betting coupons up and down the land being torn up as Delta Work, the 11/1 chance from Gordon Elliott, unseated Keith Donoghue at the 21st fence alongside Eva’s Oscar.
Fence 24 – Canal Turn
- Unseated Rider: Mr Incredible
The second tilt at the Canal Turn saw another take a tumble, as Mr Incredible unseated Brian Hayes.
Fence 27 – Open Ditch
- Pulled Up: Back on the Lash
Thankfully there were no more fallers in the 2023 Grand National, although Adam Wedge was the first of three jockeys to pull up their horses as the race reached its business end.
Fence 29
- Pulled Up: Coko Beach
The almighty 4m 2f assignment ultimately proved too much for Coko Beach, who was pulled up by Harry Cobden within touching distance of the finish.
Fence 30
- Pulled Up: Capodanno
The welfare of all horses takes precedence in National Hunt racing, and no more was that evident than in Danny Mullins’ decision to pull up Capodanno with just one fence left to take.