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Few could blame Barry Geraghty if he arrives at Aintree this week in something of a bad temper after the 30-day ban he received at Limerick last Sunday, but make mention of the name Monty’s Pass and a smile will never be too far from his face. 13 years have passed since Monty’s Pass landed a huge gamble for his connections in the Grand National and capped what had been a breakthrough season for his then 23-year-old jockey. Geraghty arrived at Aintree high on confidence after a Cheltenham that had yielded five winners, including the Queen Mother Champion Chase on Moscow Flyer, and his belief was matched by that of Monty’s Pass’ owners, who had backed their charge at 66/1 in January. He was eventually sent off at 16/1, but travelled and jumped like the certainty his connections believed him to be in the race and had 12 lengths to spare over runner-up Supreme Glory at the line. A steady stream of big-race winners has followed for Geraghty and, although a repeat success in the National has so far eluded him, his record around the fearsome Aintree circuit stands up to the closest of scrutiny. He recorded back-to-back wins in the Topham with Triolo d’Alene (2013) and Ma Filleule (2014), while placed efforts in the National aboard the likes of old hero Monty’s Pass, Slim Pickings and Big Fella Thanks suggest likely National mount Shutthefrontdoor could be worthy of each-way support on Saturday.
Sam Twiston-Davies may be the least experienced of the top five over the National fences, but he has been around long enough to see his father train two National winners (Earth Summit in 1998, Bindaree in 2002) and received the perfect education over the challenging obstacles from family favourite Hello Bud. A 17-year-old Sam Twiston-Davies was only five years older than Hello Bud when the pair went to post for the 2010 Grand National, but he gave his mount a swashbuckling ride from the front and ultimately finished a highly creditable fifth on his first ride in the race. Hello Bud was pulled-up in the following year’s race and finished seventh in 2012, but it was the Becher Chase that the bold jumping front-runner will forever be associated with. He capped a landmark week for his young pilot when landing the race in 2010, just eight days after Twiston-Davies had ridden Little Josh to victory in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, and was retired on the spot after his popular win in the 2012 renewal. Little Josh was no mug over the National fences either and came out barely an hour later to provide his rider with a double in the Grand Sefton, and yet another memorable afternoon. Twiston-Davies was understandably devastated after Little Josh’s tragic death in the following April’s Topham Chase, but Hello Bud still lives in a field at the family home and the jockey will be hoping Wonderful Charm occupies a similar place in his affections come Saturday evening.
Tom O’Brien may only be second jockey to trainer Philip Hobbs, but he is quietly establishing a very healthy record over the National fences with three wins to his name, and narrowly beating Sam Twiston-Davies to a spot in the top three on account of his second in the 2007 Grand National aboard Mckelvey. The Peter Bowen trained gelding was arguably unlucky not to win that day too, breaking down with a tendon injury in the closing stages, but showing tremendous courage to get to within a length of Silver Birch at the line. Nevertheless, O’Brien didn’t have to wait too long for a first win over the famous fences and his mount on that occasion will need no introduction to Aintree regulars. Always Waining had already won his first Topham when O’Brien took over the reins in 2011 and he returned to form on Merseyside once again when overhauling the strong-travelling Mon Parrain on the approach to the elbow and landing the contest for the second consecutive year. Always Waining returned to complete the hat-trick, and make history, under O’Brien in 2012 and the jockey will return to Aintree this week with fond memories thanks to the Topham specialist. O’Brien’s third win at the track came with the Hobbs trained Chance du Roy in the 2013 Becher Chase and, although his mount Onenightinvienna remains a novice after only four starts over fences, the jockey’s knowledge of the course will be a significant asset in Saturday’s National.
Ruby Walsh is widely regarded to be one of the greatest Jump jockeys of all time and recently recorded his 52nd victory at the Cheltenham Festival, a meeting at which he has dominated in recent years. He isn’t too shabby over the unique Aintree obstacles either and enjoyed a day he will never forget when winning the National at the first attempt aboard his father’s Papillon in 2000. Walsh’s mount was available at 33/1 on the morning of the race, but was ultimately sent off the 10/1 joint second-favourite and always looked likely to justify the market support in the race and realise his rider’s “boyhood dream”. Walsh was fourth in the next two Nationals (Papillon in 2001, Kingsmark in 2002), before teaming up with Hedgehunter and the familiar face of Willie Mullins in 2005. The Trever Hemmings-owned gelding had looked beaten when falling at the last in the 2004 renewal, but was expected to make amends the following year and did so in no uncertain terms as the 7/1 favourite. He proved himself to be one of the classier Grand National winners in recent years and made a bold bid to defend his title when second under top weight in 2006. Walsh has also landed the Becher (2004, Silver Birch) and two renewals of the Topham (It’s Time For A Win in 2002, Gwanako in 2008) in a remarkable career, and his mount is sure to be well backed as he looks for a third win in the world’s biggest race.
Three of his wins over the National fences may have come in a race his rivals are unable to compete in, but that shouldn’t detract from the incredible record Sam Waley-Cohen has put together at Aintree. The intricacies of a well-publicised ban he received last month mean that Waley-Cohen himself is unable to take part in Thursday’s Foxhunters’ Chase and misses the chance to improve his already impressive record in that contest. The triple threat of owner/trainer/father Robert Waley-Cohen gave him the first of three victories with former Triumph Hurdle winner Katarino in 2005 and the partnership returned to repeat the feat a year later. Waley-Cohen took his record to three wins from five starts over the National fences when guiding Liberthine to victory in the following day’s Topham and, while such a strike rate was always going to be difficult to maintain, the businessman has hardly disgraced himself in 18 subsequent rides. Indeed, a third Foxhunters’ (Warne, 2014) and second Topham (Rajdhani Express, 2015) have also come his way in recent years, while the 13-year-old Oscar Time gave him a first win in the Becher in 2014. However, Grand National glory has so far proved elusive, and a second place aboard the aforementioned Oscar Time in 2011 has made Waley-Cohen’s desire to win the race burn as brightly as the orange sleeves of his father’s colours. There are several runners still without a recognised pilot at the time of writing and connections could do a lot worse than ring the amateur with an impressive 26% strike rate over the famous fences.
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