How many times did Katie Walsh ride in the Grand National?

Born on December 18, 1984, in Co. Kildare, Katie Walsh is, of course, the youngest daughter of trainer Ted Walsh and the younger sister of twelve-time Irish Champion National Hunt Jockey Rupert ‘Ruby’ Walsh. She retired from race riding on April 27, 2018, aged 34, immediately after winning at the Punchestown Festival on Antey, trained by Wille Mullins, but, for the better part of 15 years, was a trailblazing amateur jockey, who rode a total of 189 winners in Britain and Ireland, including three at the Cheltenham Festival.

Indeed, alongside sister-in-law Nina Carberry, who is married to Ted Walsh Jr., Katie Walsh still jointly holds the record for the number of rides by a female jockey in the Grand National, having contested the Aintree marathon six times.The pick of her placings and, at the time, the highest placing ever achieved by a female rider, came of her first attempt in 2012. On that occasion, she rode Seabass, trained by her father, who was sent off 8/1 joint-favourite and looked, briefly, like he might win. The 9-year-old led over the final fence, but was joined, and passed, on the run-in, eventually finishing third, beaten a nose and five lengths.

The partnership tried again in 2013, with Seabass sent off clear 11/2 favourite, despite being 5lb higher in the weights than the previous year. He was driven along from the third-last fence, but soon weakened out contention, finishing in thirteenth place, 85¾ lengths behind the surprise winner Auroras Encore. The following year, Katie Walsh finished in the same position on Vesper Bell, trained by Willie Mullins and, in 2015, suffered her one and only non-completion in the National, when unseated by Ballycasey, also trained by Mullins, at the penultimate fence. Thereafter, she finished nineteenth, and last, on Wonderful Charm, trained by Paul Nicholls, in 2017 and twelfth on

Baie Des Iles, trained by her husband, Ross O’Sullivan, in 2018, but both horses were completely tailed off.

 

Katie Walsh’s twitter account: https://twitter.com/katiewalsh9

How many horses have won the Grand National more than once?

How many horses have won the Grand National more than once?  Of course, the most successful horse in the recent history of the Grand National was Tiger Roll, who won back-to-back renewals of the world famous steeplechase in 2018 and 2019, but was denied the chance of a third win by the coronavirus pandemic, in 2020, and by his owner, Michael O’Leary, in 2021 and 2022. Readers of a certain age may also remember – and everyone will almost certainly have heard of – Red Rum, who won the Grand National an unprecedented three times, in 1973, 1974, and 1977.

However, the names of the other multiple winners of the Grand National – of which there are six, seven or eight, depending on the ground rules applied – are probably less familiar. To clarify, The Duke won the first two runnings of the Grand Liverpool Steeplechase, in 1836 and 1837, but the races were subsequently stricken, some historians say erroneously, from the ‘official’ Grand National records. Likewise, Poethyln won the so-called ‘War National’, staged at Gatwick in 1918, and won again when the Grand National returned to Aintree in 1919.

As far as ‘official’ renewals of the Grand National at Aintree are concerned, the first dual winner was Abd-El-Kader, in 1850 and 1851. He was followed by Peter Simple, who had won the Grand National for the first time in 1849, but returned four years later, as a doughty 15-year-old, to do so again. Thereafter, The Lamb (1868 and 1871) and The Colonel (1869 and 1870) won four renewals between them in as many years and, towards the end of the century, the indefatigable Manifesto – who ran in the Grand National a record eight times between 1895 and 1904 – prevailed twice, in 1897 and 1899. Before Red Rum, the last horse to win the Grand National more than once was Reynoldstown, who recorded back-to-back victories in 1935 and 1936; the legendary Golden Miller failed to complete the course on both occasions.

The Fastest & Slowest Grand National Winner

The Fastest & Slowest Grand National Winner  It’s uncanny the number of people who remember the fastest winner of the Grand National. Mr Frisk, ridden by Marcus Armytage, in 1990. In fact, a number of anoraks have stated the time 8m 47.8s.

Clearly, speed wins the day.

It is usually followed by someone saying: ‘The ground was Firm.’

Looking at the race via the Racing Post. The Grand National was very much a different beast back in 1990.

You may be asking: ‘What do you mean?’

Well, on the 7th April 1990, the Aintree Grand National was sponsored by Seagram and detailed as a (Listed race). 4M 4f on Firm ground. 30 fences, just as it is today. However, there were 38 runners (not even extraordinary fast going could dent the enthusiasm). Also, and this must be a reflection of inflation, the win prize money was £70,870,60. When you consider today’s win prize money is £500,000 it shows which direction things have gone in 30+ years.

Amazingly, the race was run in a course record, fast by (22.20s).

Only one other horse has run under nine minutes: 2015 – Many Clouds (trained by Oliver Sherwood) at odds of 25/1 (8m 56.8).

That is a long introduction to consider the antithesis and the slowest ever Aintree Grand National winner.

I guess it pays to have a little bit of context.

Now, you may be able to use some logic to appreciate the slowest winner (which seems like a contradiction in terms). However there is a touch of irony about the slowest winner of the Grand National.

We have to go back to the first ever running in 1839. Lottery, a nine-year-old, ridden by Jem Mason, trained by George Dockery and owned by John Elmore. Lottery returned the 5/1f. This gelding won in a time of 14m 53.0s.

You may be Saying: ‘How could Lottery be so slow when Mr Frisk was so fast?’

It should be remembered that back in the day, the burden of being a talented horse saw Lottery carry a welter weight of 12 stone. In fact, Lottery was the hot favourite in 1839 with one Victorian commentator saying: ‘He could trot faster than most of his rivals could gallop.’

It should be noted in the early years (until 1847) the race was called The Grand Liverpool. All horses carried level weight (12 stone). Also, the race itself was dramatically eventful as can be seen when Lottery competed in the 1840 Grand Liverpool.

In the smallest ever field of 13 runners, the 4/1 second favourite: ‘Lottery reached the Stone Wall in front of the stands in second place but clipped the top of the obstacle, falling amid a flurry of dismantled masonry…’

This was a very different time.

Even in those days there were welfare issues for horse and jockey. The press were very critical of the incident at the wall where many spectators thought Tom Oliver has been killed by his fall when he was carried away to the stands.

Adding to the mayhem, P. Barker, riding 30/1 outsider Weathercock was later discovered unattended in a barn near Seed’s farm where none of the connections of his mount had made inquiries to his state.

As a result, the wall was replaced with a water jump for the next running.

To be fair, these early races sound so traumatic, I’m surprised anyone thought about timing the race!