2005 Grand National
Encyclopedia
The 2005 Grand National (known as the John Smith's
Grand National for sponsorship reasons) was the 158th official annual running of the world-famous Grand National
steeplechase
which took place at Aintree
near Liverpool
, England
, on 9 April 2005 and attracted the maximum permitted field of forty competitors for total prize money of £700,000 including £406,000 to the winner.
The nine-year-old 7-1 favourite Hedgehunter
, ridden by Ruby Walsh
and trained by Willie Mullins
in Carlow
, Ireland
, won the race by 14 lengths, in a time of nine minutes and 21 seconds. 40-1 shot Royal Auclair finished second, from 66-1 rated Simply Gifted in third.
The start of the race was moved back twenty-five minutes in order to avoid clashing with the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles. Over half of the field completed the course and all the horses returned safely, although Frenchman's Creek was retired afterward. There was much media interest in Carrie Ford, the rider of Forest Gunner, who was considered the first genuine opportunity a woman had to win a Grand National. The pair were sent off as second favourite and finished fifth.
The main race was seen by the largest attendance at Aintree since the Monday National of 1997
, with a crowd of 70,850 people, and a total of 151,660 over the course of the three-day meeting.
on television and radio in the United Kingdom in accordance with the Ofcom Code on Sports and Other Listed and Designated Events
which recognises the Grand National as a sporting event of significant public interest.
The television coverage was part of a Grandstand
special for the 46th consecutive year. Race commentary was provided by a four-man team consisting of Ian Bartlett
, Tony O'Hehir, Darren Owen
, and lead commentator Jim McGrath
who called the runners home for the eighth year.
after the 1999 race and became only the ninth rider ever to weigh out for a 15th National, having previously won the race in 1992 and 1998
.
Nine riders made their Grand National debut, with Christian Williams finishing second and Carrie Ford fifth, while Tom Malone, David Dunsdon, Peter Buchanon and Robbie Power also completed the course. However, Alan Crowe's first ride ended at the second fence while Paddy Brennan and Tom Greenall also failed to reach the finishing post.
John Smith's Brewery
John Smith's is a brewery founded in 1758 by Backhouse & Hartley at Tadcaster in North Yorkshire, England. John Smith bought the brewery in 1847. John Smith's is the sixth highest selling beer brand in the United Kingdom, and the highest selling ale brand. The brewery is currently owned by...
Grand National for sponsorship reasons) was the 158th official annual running of the world-famous Grand National
Grand National
The Grand National is a world-famous National Hunt horse race which is held annually at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, England. It is a handicap chase run over a distance of four miles and 856 yards , with horses jumping thirty fences over two circuits of Aintree's National Course...
steeplechase
Steeplechase
Steeplechase may refer to:* Steeplechase, an event in horse racing* SteepleChase, a Danish jazz label* Steeplechase , a 1975 arcade game released by Atari...
which took place at Aintree
Aintree Racecourse
Aintree Racecourse is a racecourse in Aintree, Merseyside, England.It was served by Aintree Racecourse railway station until the station closed in the 1960s....
near Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, on 9 April 2005 and attracted the maximum permitted field of forty competitors for total prize money of £700,000 including £406,000 to the winner.
The nine-year-old 7-1 favourite Hedgehunter
Hedgehunter
Hedgehunter is an Irish race horse, who won the 2005 Grand National steeplechase, ridden by Ruby Walsh and trained by Willie Mullins. He had fallen at the final fence the previous year when well placed. He then finished second in 2006 to Numbersixvalverde...
, ridden by Ruby Walsh
Ruby Walsh
Ruby Walsh is the reigning Irish National Hunt champion jockey. He is the second child, and eldest son, of former champion amateur jockey Ted Walsh and his wife Helen.-Success:...
and trained by Willie Mullins
Willie Mullins
Willie Mullins is an Irish racehorse trainer and former jockey. He is based at Closutton, Bagenalstown, Co Carlow, Ireland...
in Carlow
Carlow
Carlow is the county town of County Carlow in Ireland. It is situated in the south-east of Ireland, 84 km from Dublin. County Carlow is the second smallest county in Ireland by area, however Carlow Town is the 14th largest urban area in Ireland by population according to the 2006 census. The...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, won the race by 14 lengths, in a time of nine minutes and 21 seconds. 40-1 shot Royal Auclair finished second, from 66-1 rated Simply Gifted in third.
The start of the race was moved back twenty-five minutes in order to avoid clashing with the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles. Over half of the field completed the course and all the horses returned safely, although Frenchman's Creek was retired afterward. There was much media interest in Carrie Ford, the rider of Forest Gunner, who was considered the first genuine opportunity a woman had to win a Grand National. The pair were sent off as second favourite and finished fifth.
The main race was seen by the largest attendance at Aintree since the Monday National of 1997
1997 Grand National
The 1997 Grand National was the 150th official renewal of the world-famous Grand National steeplechase held at Aintree near Liverpool, England...
, with a crowd of 70,850 people, and a total of 151,660 over the course of the three-day meeting.
Finishing order
| Position | Name | Rider | Age | Weight (st, lb) | Starting price | Distance or fate |
| 1st | Hedgehunter Hedgehunter Hedgehunter is an Irish race horse, who won the 2005 Grand National steeplechase, ridden by Ruby Walsh and trained by Willie Mullins. He had fallen at the final fence the previous year when well placed. He then finished second in 2006 to Numbersixvalverde... |
Ruby Walsh Ruby Walsh Ruby Walsh is the reigning Irish National Hunt champion jockey. He is the second child, and eldest son, of former champion amateur jockey Ted Walsh and his wife Helen.-Success:... |
9 | 11-1 | 7/1 F | 14 lengths |
| 2nd | Royal Auclair | Christian Williams | 8 | 11-10 | 40/1 | A head |
| 3rd | Simply Gifted | Brian Harding | 10 | 10-6 | 66/1 | 4 lengths |
| 4th | It Takes Time | Timmy Murphy Timmy Murphy Timothy James Murphy , commonly known as Timmy Murphy, is a National Hunt jockey who overcame difficult personal problems to win the 2008 John Smith's Grand National at Aintree Racecourse on the horse Comply or Die. He recorded his 1,000th winner at Taunton on 21 January 2010.- References :... |
11 | 10-11 | 18/1 | 9 lengths |
| 5th | Forest Gunner | Carrie Ford | 11 | 10-7 | 8/1 | ½ length |
| 6th | Nil Desperandum | Jim Culloty Jim Culloty Jim Culloty is a racehorse trainer and retired professional National Hunt jockey who won both the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National in the same season.... |
8 | 10-11 | 16/1 | 11 lengths |
| 7th | Innox | Robert Thornton Robert Thornton (jockey) Robert "Choc" Thornton is an English National Hunt jockey currently employed as stable jockey to Alan King.... |
9 | 10-6 | 11/1 | 3½ lengths |
| 8th | Heros Collonges | John P. McNamara | 10 | 10-11 | 66/1 | 2½ lengths |
| 9th | Just In Debt | Tony Dobbin Tony Dobbin Tony Dobbin is a retired Northern Irish National Hunt jockey who rode mainly in Great Britain. He rode the winner of the Grand National on Lord Gyllene in 1997 and won over 1,200 races during his career in the saddle. He was the regular stable jockey for Nicky Richards... |
9 | 10-7 | 33/1 | 5 lengths |
| 10th | Amberleigh House Amberleigh House Amberleigh House was the horse that won the 2004 Grand National. He is now retired and living at the National Stud in Newmarket.-Staff:Amberleigh House was trained by legend Ginger McCain, and was usually ridden by jockey Graham Lee, amongst others... |
Graham Lee Graham Lee (jockey) Graham Lee is a successful Irish National Hunt jockey in Great Britain and Ireland. Prior to May 2006, he was the main stable jockey for Howard Johnson, but was replaced by Paddy Brennan, allegedly after a disagreement over his return from an injury. Lee became the main stable jockey and deputy... |
13 | 11-3 | 16/1 | 1½ lengths |
| 11th | Bindaree Bindaree Bindaree is a racehorse who was the winner of the 2002 Grand National when ridden by Jim Culloty and the 2003 Welsh Grand National when partnered by Carl Llewellyn.... |
Carl Llewellyn | 11 | 11-3 | 33/1 | 1 length |
| 12th | Iznogoud | Tom Scudamore Tom Scudamore Tom Scudamore is a third-generation British flat and steeplechase jockey. He is the son of eight-time champion jockey Peter Scudamore; his grandfather Michael won the Grand National on Oxo in 1959.-Background:... |
9 | 10-9 | 125/1 | 1¼ lengths |
| 13th | Polar Red | Tom Malone | 8 | 10-8 | 100/1 | 9 lengths |
| 14th | Joly Bay | Mr. David Dunsdon | 8 | 10-10 | 16/1 | 15 lengths |
| 15th | L'aventure | Robbie McNally | 6 | 10-5 | 66/1 | 5 lengths |
| 16th | Monty's Pass Monty's Pass Monty's Pass was the winner of the 2003 Grand National at Aintree, Liverpool when ridden by Barry Geraghty, trained by Jimmy Mangan and running in the colours of the Dee Racing Syndicate, a group of owners based in Donaghadee, Northern Ireland and led by Blackpool born bingo hall owner, Mike... |
Barry Geraghty Barry Geraghty Barry Geraghty is an Irish jockey.Geraghty rode his first winner in January 1997, three years later he became the Irish Champion jump jockey for the first time. He rode his first Cheltenham winner on the Jessica Harrington trained Moscow Flyer in the 2002 Arkle Chase.He won the Grand National in... |
12 | 11-6 | 33/1 | 6 lengths |
| 17th | Strong Resolve | Peter Buchanan | 9 | 10/6 | 9/1 | 16 lengths |
| 18th | Spot Thedifference | Robbie Power Robbie Power Robbie "Puppy" Power, son of Irish show-jumper Con Power, is the National Hunt jockey who rode 33-1 outsider Silver Birch to victory in the 2007 John Smith's Grand National at Aintree Racecourse on Saturday 14 April 2007 .-Footnotes:... |
12 | 10-7 | 25/1 | 17 lengths |
| 19th | Arctic Copper | Davy Russell Davy Russell Davy Russell is an Irish jockey who competes in National Hunt racing. Russell's first win as a professional jockey was for English-based Irish trainer Ferdy Murphy on Inn Antique in a novice hurdle at Sedgefield, 12 November 2002... |
11 | 10-6 | 200/1 | 21 lengths |
| 20th | Europa | Jason Maguire Jason Maguire Jason Maguire , is a Irish horse racing jockey who won the 2011 Grand National on Ballabriggs.-Early life and career:Maguire is the nephew of another former jockey Adrian Maguire. He started out in Irish pony races and as he started his career rode his first winner, Search For Peace at Cheltenham... |
9 | 10-6 | 150/1 | 14 lengths |
| 21st | Shamawan | James Barry | 10 | 10-6 | 200/1 | Last to finish |
| Non finishers | ||||||
| Fence 28 | Fondmort | Mick Fitzgerald Mick Fitzgerald Mick Fitzgerald is an Irish National Hunt jockey who rode mainly in Great Britain. He has ridden the winners of the Grand National, on Rough Quest in 1996, and the Cheltenham Gold Cup on See More Business in 1999. He was the stable jockey for Nicky Henderson and was leading jockey at the... |
9 | 11-6 | 50/1 | Tailed off, pulled up |
| Fence 28 | Glenelly Gale | Mr. Tom Greenall | 11 | 10-11 | 150/1 | Tailed off, pulled up |
| Fence 27 (open ditch) | Colnel Rayburn | Paul Carberry Paul Carberry Paul Carberry is an Irish National Hunt jockey.- Background :He was born on 9 February 1974. He hails from a racing family. He is the son of jockey Tommy Carberry, who was a famous National Hunt jockey in the 1960s and 1970s. His uncle is Arthur Moore, one of Ireland's leading National Hunt trainers... |
9 | 10-7 | 20/1 | Tailed off, pulled up |
| Fence 22 (Becher's Brook Becher's Brook Becher's Brook is a fence jumped during the Grand National, a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England. It is jumped twice during the race, as the sixth and 22nd fence, as well as on four other occasions during the year... ) |
Clan Royal | Tony McCoy Tony McCoy Anthony Peter McCoy OBE , commonly known as A. P. McCoy or Tony McCoy, is a Northern Irish horse racing jockey.... |
10 | 10-11 | 9/1 | Carried out by loose horses |
| Ad Hoc | Joe Tizzard | 11 | 10-12 | 33/1 | Fell | |
| Marcus Du Berlais | Barry Cash | 8 | 10-5 | 25/1 | Unseated rider | |
| Ballybough Rasher | Alan Dempsey | 10 | 11-04 | 100/1 | Refused | |
| Fence 21 | Double Honour | Paddy Brennan Paddy Brennan (jockey) Paddy Brennan, is an Irish jockey who rode the winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2010.A native of Ardrahan, County Galway, Brennan was a keen GAA player with dreams of becoming a county hurler. He only became involved in horseracing after a neighbour noticed his talent with hunt horses... |
7 | 10-8 | 25/1 | Fell |
| Le Coudray | Conor O'Dwyer | 11 | 11-12 | 33/1 | Tailed off, pulled up | |
| Fence 20 | Foly Pleasant | Andrew Thornton Andrew Thornton Andrew Thornton is a National Hunt jockey. He was born on October 28, 1972 in Cleveland and schooled at Barnard Castle School in County Durham. He rides mainly for Caroline Bailey,Seamus Mullins,Henrietta Knight,Ben Pollock and Richard Rowe.as well as for many other trainers. He is not related to... |
11 | 11-0 | 50/1 | Fell |
| Fence 19 (open ditch) | Jakari | Richard Johnson Richard Johnson (jockey) Richard Johnson is an English National Hunt jockey.-Background:Johnson comes from a racing family with his father being an amateur jockey and his mother, Sue Johnson, a successful trainer.-Jockey career:... |
8 | 10-10 | 33/1 | Tailed off, pulled up |
| Fence 15 (The Chair) | Take The Stand | Leighton Aspell | 9 | 11-5 | 16/1 | Unseated rider |
| Fence 13 | Astonville | Brian Crowley | 11 | 10-13 | 100/1 | Pulled up |
| Fence 10 | Merchant's Friend | Noel Fehily | 10 | 10-6 | 80/1 | Fell |
| Fence 9 (Valentine's) | Native Emperor | Dominic Elsworth | 9 | 10-5 | 100/1 | Unseated rider |
| Fence 2 | Ballycassidy | Seamus Durack | 9 | 11-5 | 66/1 | Unseated rider |
| Risk Accessor | Alan Crowe | 10 | 11-4 | 100/1 | Unseated rider | |
| Fence 1 | Lord Atterbury | Mark Bradburne | 9 | 10-6 | 25/1 | Fell |
| Frenchman's Creek | James McCarthy | 11 | 10-9 | 50/1 | Unseated rider |
Coverage
The race was covered live by the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
on television and radio in the United Kingdom in accordance with the Ofcom Code on Sports and Other Listed and Designated Events
Ofcom Code on Sports and Other Listed and Designated Events
The Ofcom Code on Sports and Other Listed & Designated Events is a series of regulations issued originally by the Independent Television Commission then by Ofcom when the latter assumed most of the ITC's responsibilities in 2003, which is designed to protect the availability of live coverage of...
which recognises the Grand National as a sporting event of significant public interest.
The television coverage was part of a Grandstand
Grandstand (BBC)
Grandstand was a British television sport programme. Broadcast between 1958 and 2007, it was one of the BBC's longest running sports shows, alongside BBC Sports Personality of the Year.Its first presenter was Peter Dimmock...
special for the 46th consecutive year. Race commentary was provided by a four-man team consisting of Ian Bartlett
Ian Bartlett
Ian Bartlett is a horse racing commentator and occasional analyst for the BBC.. He has also commentated for Channel 4 Racing.For the BBC's television coverage of the Grand National, Bartlett commentates on four sections of the 4½-mile steeplechase, from the 1st to 5th fence, 10th to 12th, 17th to...
, Tony O'Hehir, Darren Owen
Darren Owen
Darren Charles Owen is a horse racing commentator, born 3 June 1967 in St. Asaph, North Wales.Having been interested in horse racing since a young age, Owen won the regional final of an amateur sports commentator competition, organised by BBC Radio 2 and sponsored by Fosters Lager, in 1989. He...
, and lead commentator Jim McGrath
Jim McGrath (Australian commentator)
Jim Aloysius McGrath is the BBC's senior horse racing commentator. He was previously deputy race commentator, and sometimes a paddock commentator.-Career:...
who called the runners home for the eighth year.
Jockeys
Carl Llewellyn had been the senior rider in the weighing room since the retirement of Richard DunwoodyRichard Dunwoody
Thomas Richard Dunwoody MBE is a retired British jockey in National Hunt racing. He was a three-time Champion Jockey, riding 1699 British winners in his career. His father was a leading Point to Point rider...
after the 1999 race and became only the ninth rider ever to weigh out for a 15th National, having previously won the race in 1992 and 1998
1998 Grand National
The 1998 Grand National was the 151st official renewal of the world-famous Grand National steeplechase that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 4 April 1998....
.
Nine riders made their Grand National debut, with Christian Williams finishing second and Carrie Ford fifth, while Tom Malone, David Dunsdon, Peter Buchanon and Robbie Power also completed the course. However, Alan Crowe's first ride ended at the second fence while Paddy Brennan and Tom Greenall also failed to reach the finishing post.