Grand National: What the jockeys said
Aidan Coleman, Balko Des Flos (2nd): “I couldn’t be happier with him. He was super. He jumped brilliantly and travelled into it really well. He did everything right but just didn’t win. All credit to him.”
Mark Walsh, Any Second Now (3rd): “He was very unlucky, he very nearly got brought down at the third last and he’s done great to finish third.”
Patrick Mullins, Burrows Saint (4th): “I had a fantastic spin and he did everything right. We got a lovely position and he jumped fantastic. I was chatting to Rachael (Blackmore) going past the stands with a circuit to go and we were both very happy with where we were. We were side by side all of the way, and I was trying to get on to her boot and get a lead off her, but from the second-last I just couldn’t go with her. He got very tired and maybe he didn’t stay, but it was nearly the perfect ride.”
Jack Kennedy, Farclas (5th): “I was absolutely delighted with him. He jumped and travelled great but probably just didn’t see out the trip. I had a brilliant time on him.”
Harry Skelton, on Blaklion (6th): “He gave me a brilliant spin. He just doesn’t quite stay. He was a pleasure to ride, he has great enthusiasm for racing at twelve years old. He just loves the game.”
Sam Waley-Cohen, Jett (8th): “He came alive. He jumped and travelled so well and I didn’t want to break his rhythm, so I just let him stay where he was and keep jumping. He probably didn’t quite get home today, but that was a lot of fun for an amateur to go and do that, he looked after me and we had a lot of fun.”
Sean O’Keefe, Cabaret Queen (9th): “She ran great and jumped super. She loved it and just got a bit tired. She ran a very good race.”
Kevin Sexton, Shattered Love (10th): “She was flat out for the first circuit and we were going nowhere, but she jumped brilliant. After a circuit she started latching on to a few and she ran a cracker in the end.”
Jody McGarvey, Alpha Des Obeaux (11th): I had a lovely run around and avoided all of the trouble. He jumped very well but didn’t have the legs to get me home.”
Gavin Sheehan, Hogan’s Height (12th): “I was forward enough where I was. My lad was an absolute pleasure, he loved jumping those fences. He jumped from fence for fence and he was a bit further back than I’d have liked, but that was just a joy to ride in that race and I can’t wait to go over those fences again in the Becher and the Sefton.”
Tabitha Worsley, Sub Lieutenant (14th): “He’s run a blinder. They were always going a bit too quick for him but we had a lovely run around and he stayed on well.”
Brian Hayes, Class Conti (15th): “Class Conti jumped great, travelled ok early on, but just didn’t get home.”
NON-FINISHERS:
Tom Scudamore, on 11/2 favourite Cloth Cap (PU 28th): “We had a great ride for a long way. We got to the canal turn and a lot came by me and we struggled from there. He got very tired after the last ditch so we pulled-up.”
Kielan Woods, Ami Desbois (Fell 15th): “I was getting a great spin until I got brought down at The Chair by Tom Bellamy - my horse seems fine, though.”
Ben Poste, Minellacelebration, (UR 11th): “I was having a great time until I fell off him!”
Robbie Power, Magic of Light (UR 4th): “It was very quick anyways. She jumped the first three fences really well and made a bad mistake at the fourth and just unseated me.”
Darragh O'Keeffe, Chris’s Dream (UR 27th): “I got a lovely run round and a good spin and he just got in a bit too tight to the ditch. Other than that a good spin.”
Conor O’Farrell, Vieux Lion Rouge (Fell 20th): “It’s just very unfortunate really, he jumped his way into a lovely position going out onto the second circuit and it was unlike him around here. He’s just got in too deep and didn’t get the landing gear but thankfully he’s up and lives to fight another day.”
Daryl Jacob, Bristol De Mai (PU 22nd): “It was just too much weight to be honest. The ground was too good and too much weight and he just couldn’t sustain the gallop that they went.”
Sean Bowen, Give Me A Copper (PU 29th): “I think he burst a blood vessel so we stopped at Canal Turn.”
Jack Tudor, Potters Corner (PU 22nd): “He just needs softer ground to be honest with you. When he hit is flat spot in the mid part of the race they were just getting away from him and in that ground I just wasn’t able to get back on their tails to keep going, but he’ll have another day.”
Tom Bellamy, Canelo (fell 15th): “He just tipped up. It’s what these fences can do and he didn’t make much of a mistake, it just got the better of him.”
Sam Twiston Davies, Ballyoptic (refused 19th): “We never travelled, but had a nice time.”
Mr Jamie Codd, Milan Native (PU 29th): “He just jumped too big and was out of contention early on.”
Jonathan Burke, on Double Shuffle (fell 12th): “I was having a great spin until we fell!”
Ryan Mania, Definitly Red (PU 29th): He couldn’t go the early pace but then settled into a real nice rhythm and went well for about a circuit and a half. Jumping Bechers the second time he was starting to get tired, and by the time we got to the Melling Road he was really tired and I pulled him up.”
Denis O’Regan (Anibale Fly, PU 13th): “He was brought to a standstill at the first and that was it. His chance was gone.”
Richie Mclernon, Kimberlite Candy (PU 29th): “I was flat out all of the way. He jumped well though.”
Brian Hughes (Lake View Lad, fell first): “We fell at the first.”
Sean Flanagan, Tout Est Permis (PU 29th): I got a nice position early and jumped well, but I’ve tired from a long way out.
Derek O’Connor, OK Corral (PU 21st): “He started off the race jumping brilliantly but then lost his confidence after a mile and a half or two miles and we just petered out of the race after that.”
Nick Scholfield, Lord Du Mesnil (PU 21st): “I had a great spin but he needs soft ground and unfortunately it didn’t rain. I ended up pulling him up.”
Sean Quinlan, Takingrisks (PU 17th): “He was a bit too careful and never really enjoyed it, so I pulled him up with a circuit to go.”
Jonjo O’Neill (Mister Malarkey, PU 17th): He didn’t want to have a cut at it today and got a bump, but he can throw in a run like that sometimes.”
Grand National: What the trainers said
Nicky Richards
Takingrisks, (PU 17TH)
“He went a circuit then pulled up. It’s a difficult start and we wanted to get up in the first quarter of them but we were playing catch up from the gate.
“Our race was over in the first part. He was getting no light and he didn’t get in any rhythm and he kept getting little knocks. His race was over in the first furlong.
“I’m glad Sean (Quinlan) pulled him up. We will run him until Christmas next season and see if the first is still burning.”
Jonjo O’Neill
Cloth Cap (PU 28TH, 11/2 Fav)
“Tom (Scudamore) said he was going away grand and he just started gurgling a little bit and he did the right thing and pulled him up. He was having a great run and everything was going grand then he stopped. We will get him checked out but we will look at his wind. Tom just said he got slower and slower but he did the right thing.”
Paul Nicholls
Yala Enki (UR 20th)
“Yala Enki unseated and came down in the country. The horse seems fine but I’m not sure about Bryony.”
Give Me A Copper (PU 29th)
He said: “Give Me A Copper just plodded round and he gave Sean a nice round and the horse did what I thought he would do. He didn’t jump well enough but he ran okay.”
Nicky Henderson
OK Corral (PU 21st)
He said: “He baulked at the first and that was about the end of it. Derek (O’Connor) said he jumped the first brilliantly but just landed on a loose horse. He was totally on the backfoot from then.”
Lisa O’Neill
Farclas (5th)
She said: “Farclas jumped and travelled really well and Jack (Kennedy) seemed happy with him. You need a lot of luck in a race like this so he ran a solid race.”
Shattered Love (10th)
She said: “It was a bit of an unknown today and we didn’t know what would happen with her but she is a class filly. She ran okay.”
Alpha Dea Obeaux (11th)
“Alpha Des Obeaux ran his race but was not good enough.”
Milan Native (PU 29th)
“Jamie said he was unsure about off the fences and frightened himself a small bit.”