Grand National 2024: Best Runners

Biography

• Place of birth: Ireland
• Weight: 11-10
• Career wins: 8
• Foaled: April 18, 2008
• Colour: Chestnut Gelding
• Breeder: Paul & Clare Rooney
• Trainer: Kim Bailey

The Last Samuri is regarded as one of the top Grand National runners around. He has been transformed into this status as a result of some impressive wins already. He has also been able to benefit from the training of Kim Bailey, who has produced some magnificent horses over the years. Mr Frisk is the record holder amongst the Grand National horses, and Bailey managed to achieve success on the back of Mr Frisk in 1990.

Bailey has been in charge of The Last Samuri only since the last campaign. It was immediately apparent that The Last Samuri would become one of the top Grand National names around. He has managed two big handicap wins on the way to Aintree.

The Last Samuri was easily ten pounds more than the handicap mark of the course. Jockey David Bass was responsible for overseeing the horse at the previous Grand National. It looked like he was on the verge of getting an unlikely success at that tournament before he was beaten by Rule The World.

David Bass has been the main jockey for The Last Samuri over the last few years, but it is looking increasingly likely that Brain Hughes will be controlling him for the forthcoming events. It is almost certain that he will be one of the top options in the list of Grand National horses. Riding under a new jockey could bring its fair share of problems, but The Last Samuri has managed to step away quite brilliantly from such issues in the past.

A reason for this thoroughbred being regarded as one of the finest Aintree horses Grand National can hope to see is because of his recent form. After having struggled with a weight issue for a considerable amount of time, The Last Samuri is unlikely to surprise many if he goes into the 2018 tournament with a ten pound higher weight rating than before. Certainly, not one of the biggest horses in Grand National, even trainer Kim Bailey has pointed that the horse may struggle with the issue of weight.

This Chestnut Gelding is currently owned by Paul & Clare Rooney. He specialises only in the jump events. One of the reasons for The Last Samuri being considered as one of the top runners in Grand National is the impressive eight career wins he has achieved despite being only eight years old. In 16 runs in his career, this Grand National runner has managed eight wins.

Biography

• Place of birth: Ireland
• Weight: 11-10
• Career wins: 5
• Foaled: April 22, 2008
• Colour: Bay Gelding
• Breeder: Gigginstown House Stud
• Trainer: M. F. Morris

Owned by Gigginstown House Stud, Rogue Angel is an Irish race horse which has been in the racing scene since 2012. After having been part of 35 starts in his career, a return of five wins may seem disappointing but there is a reason why he is considered as one of the top horses in the Grand National 2021 list.

Rogue Angel was elevated to the position of a race winner only into his second race. After starting as one of the favourites, Rogue Angel managed to maintain his position to secure a victory at the Corrib Oil Maiden Hurdle. In the following reasons, however, he was unable to make much of an impact. The pedigree remains a major factor when it comes to choosing the Grand National list of horses to consider, and the Rogue Angel shines high. Carrigeen Kohleria is the dam, and he was foaled on April 22nd, 2008.

A long wait for the second victory followed, but it arrived in the form of success at the Buy Your 2014 Annual Membership Beginners Chase towards the end of 2013. After having gone clear at the start, Rogue Angel managed to maintain his lead throughout the event. It was a surprise result considering that he was not one of the favourites to win. Favourite Touch The Eden could only manage a second place finish.

After an extremely disappointing 2014 which saw Rogue Angel fail to win any race, Connolly's Red Mills Amateur National For The Conyngham Cup Handicap Chase saw the Grand National runner come close to winning. Despite leading at the start of the race, he was beaten by Portrait King. The Guinness Galway Blazers Handicap Chase provided the first win for Rogue Angel in 2015. He was prominent throughout the race and managed to hold off any threat from early favourites like Perfect Promise and Urano.

Perhaps, his biggest success was to come in September 2015. After starting behind favourite The Paparrazi Kid, he managed to grab the lead before the second turn. Even though there was once again heavy competition from other horses for the Grand National like Urano, Rogue Angel managed to hold on for the win.

Rogue Angel is one of the horse names Grand National is expected to favour and part of the reason is the 2016 success in the Boylesports Irish Grand National Chase. Rogue Angel needed to overcome favourite Bless The Wings for a win, and he exactly managed to do so. Despite strong pressure, Rogue Angel ended up winning the event.

Biography

• Place of birth: Ireland
• Weight: 11-1
• Career wins: 7
• Foaled: May 4, 2010
• Colour: Chestnut Gelding
• Breeder: Brocade Racing
• Trainer: C. L. Tizzard

Native River is an Irish racehorse which has been a lifetime jump racing specialist. Since starting out in 2014, he has taken part in 16 runs and ended up being successful in seven. Since most of the successes have come in the top events, Native River is rightly considered as one of the top runners for the Grand National 2021.

Native River managed a win in only his second race in the John Smith's Maiden Hurdle. This victory was so impressive that he was soon propelled into the higher classes with the Weatherbys Printing 'The French Furze' Novices' Hurdle in November 2014.

Native River impressed onlookers with his ability to control the race with a steady pace and leading from the front. Backed by trainer C L Tizzard, Native River was starting to make his presence felt in the Grand National horses names but not before achieving victory at the 32RedSport.com 3/1 Mullins Cheltenham Win Novices' Hurdle.

Owned by Brocade Racing, Native River was just gearing up for greater successes. The year 2015 was reasonably good for the horse as he managed to win three major titles including the bet365 Novices' Chase at Newbury. Even though he was held up in the near, Native River managed to come out fighting in the last few turns and never relinquished the lead that he took in the before last turn. It was victories like these that made the Grand National runners and riders to take notice.

He was sired by Indian River and he is in the process of making his own great bloodline. If the successes in 2013 and 2015 brought him to the list of top names of Grand National horses, it was the victories in 2016 that truly elevated him to the next level.

After losing to Minella Rocco in a close contest at Cheltenham, he went on to win the Betfred Mildmay Novices' Chase at Aintree. As one of the favourites to win the race, he stayed untouched for the majority of the race to beat Henri Parry Morgan and Blaklion. This was immediately followed by a close loss against Silsol in the bet365 Hurdle. Even though it was a disappointment, it was quickly forgotten with one of the greatest prizes in the form of the Hennessy Gold Cup win.

He managed to get Grand National runners like Carole's Destrier to end up winning an incredible prize. Most of the seven wins achieved by Native River have come in the last two years; it is the kind of form shown by the top horses for Grand National 2021.

Biography

• Place of birth: Ireland
• Weight: 11-9
• Career wins: 3
• Foaled: March 28, 2010
• Colour: Bay Gelding
• Breeder: John P McManus
• Trainer: Jonjo O'Neill

Foaled in 2010, Minella Rocco is in Irish racehorse currently owned by John P McManus. Despite being a relative newcomer to the world of horse racing, he has already found himself being thrust upon the pressure of being one of the horses in the Grand National 2021. Minella Rocco has taken part only in the jump events so far.

After entering into the world of racing in 2015, he has managed eight starts with three of them ending up as victories. The win rate of 37.5% for such a young horse are factors that have made him a popular amongst the horses Grand National 2021 is likely to see.

Minella Rocco’s first race was in February 2015 when he lined up as one of the 12 runners at Kempton Park. Trained by Jonjo O'Neill, he managed to win his first event – New Racing UK iPad App Novices' Hurdle. This victory alone was not enough to elevate the status of Minella Rocco, but it arrived in the form of a Newbury event – Physicool 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle – only a few days later.

He was not going to race again until the end of 2015, but it was clear that the long time out of the action brought in some rustiness. After struggling at events at Haydock and Cheltenham, Minella Rocco was hoping for a better 2016. It was of paramount importance if he was going to be considered as one of the Grand National runners for 2021. The BetBright Realfansonly Novices' Chase race at Cheltenham saw Minella Rocco finishing a disappointing sixth out of seven runners as a result of a mistake.

Fortunes improved dramatically at Ascot in the Sodexo Reynoldstown Novices' Chase. After starting out as one of the six runners, Minella Rocco was initially disappointed to have been held up. After a couple of turns, Minella Rocco started making good progress and was just beaten by Vyta Du Roc. The excellent performance raised expectations going into the upcoming races, and he managed to sustain his form at the 146th Year Of The National Hunt Chase Challenge despite being at the rear.

The Grade 3 BetVictor Handicap Chase at Cheltenham saw Minella Rocco finish a close third from Viconte Du Noyer and Warrantor. Even though it was not a win, his good performance elevated the horse into one of the runners Aintree Grand National should keep a watch. Sired by German thoroughbred Shirocco, it is clear that Minella Rocco has an incredible pedigree to dominate top events.

Biography

• Place of birth: Ireland
• Weight: 11-1
• Career wins: 8
• Foaled: April 21, 2009
• Colour: Bay Gelding
• Breeder: Gigginstown House Stud
• Trainer: G Elliot

Don Poli is the Irish thoroughbred currently owned by Gigginstown House Stud. Don Poli first entered into racing in the 2012-13 season. Don Poli straightaway showed a lot of promise and the capability to become one of the future Grand National horses by finishing second in his opening two races. He had lost out to Black Et White in the first race and to Festive Felon in the second. Yet, it did not take long for Don Poli to become one of the horses Grand National would like to see.

At the start of 2014, he managed to win the I.N.H. Stallion Owners E.B.F. Maiden Hurdle at Thurles by managing to beat Kerrieonvic. His first victory had come at the age of just five. He clearly had a lot of potential and it was not surprising to see Don Poli listed as one of the top Grand National horses names. The first major success, though, was set at the Grade 3 Surehaul Mercedes-Benz Novice Hurdle at Clonmel. Don Poli once again managed to beat seven-year-old Goonyella for the title.

The guide to Grand National horses was witnessing Don Poli making incredible progress and he took part in his first Grade 1 race in April 2014. However, he just lost out to Beat That in the Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle. After having been third halfway through the race, Don Poli did well to recover and finish second.

The wait for a Grade 1 victory did not last long, as Topaz Novice Chase game Don Poli the crown that made him a serious contender when it comes to horses on the Grand National list. Immediately following this success, Don Poli claimed a title chase to by every horse looking to make it big – the RSA Chase at Cheltenham in March 2015. He managed to finish well clear of Southfield Theatre to assert his superiority at the top events.

The Growise Champion Novice Chase at Punchestown in April 2015 was a major disappointment, as Don Poli came last among the 5 runners. Great horses quickly recover from setbacks and Don Poli brought this capacity with by jumping to win the Lexus Chase, a Grade 1 event, at Leopardstown.

His recent form does not make him one of the top runners Aintree Grand National has seen. The 2016 Betfred Bowl Chase at Aintree saw Don Poli lose out to Cue Card. JNwine.com Champion Chase and Bibby Financial Services Ireland Punchestown Gold Cup are some of the latest disappointments for this Grand National runner.

Biography

• Place of birth: Ireland
• Weight: 11-10
• Career wins: 10
• Foaled: May 30, 2006
• Colour: Bay Gelding
• Breeder: John P McManus
• Trainer: J E Kiely

Carlingford Lough is an Irish racehorse which specialises in the jump events. John P McManus, who owns several top Grand National horses, is also behind Carlingford Lough. He has been trained by J E Kiely throughout his racing career, which started in 2011. After finishing in a disappointing seventh out of 18 runners in his first race, Carlingford Lough went on to manage back-to-back victories in the subsequent races. It made him a prominent figure in the Grand National horses. Carrying a weight of 11-10, salthillhotel.com Handicap Hurdle saw Carlingford Lough emerged as a top runner. At just five years of age when he achieved his first victory, it was clear that it would take another couple of years before Carlingford Lough was a regular fixture in the favourites for Grand National runners. Sired by King's Theatre, who was a winner of the Queen Elizabeth Stakes and King George VI, Carlingford Lough clearly has the pedigree when it comes to winning the major events. King's Theatre has sired many runners who have gone on to win events like Ascot Chase and Ryanair Chase. Carlingford Lough has managed 29 runs in his career so far and these have led to 10 victories. Even though he had managed to achieve victories early on in his career, Carlingford Lough found it difficult to sustain the success during the 2013 and 2014 seasons. The inconsistencies early on in his career certainly did not affect the probability of being named as one of the top in the list of Grand National horses. However, it certainly was a stumbling block when it came to making the appearance in the top events. This Irish racehorse was not competing in the class I events until 2013. The motivation to make the jump up was provided by success at the www.thetote.com Galway Plate. After starting as a favourite for the race, he managed to keep up the position under strong pressure from Quantitativeeasing. It was the Topaz Novice Chase success towards the end of 2013 which pointed to the emergence of Carlingford Lough as one of the top horses running in the Grand National. He followed up this result with wins at Growise Champion Novice Chase and Hennessy Gold Cup to be regarded as one of the inform horses around. He has managed to continue the form into 2016 after winning the Irish Gold Cup and Bibby Financial Services Ireland Punchestown Gold Cup. These victories have truly made Carlingford Lough one of the big names of the Grand National horses to consider in 2021.

Biography

• Place of birth: United Kingdom
• Weight: 11-7
• Career wins: 9
• Foaled: 23 February 2007
• Colour: Bay
• Breeder: John Oaksey
• Trainer: Mark Bradstock

Foaled on February 23, 2007, Coneygree is a British racehorse which still remains undefeated in the Chase events. He takes part in the National Hunt races as one of the top Grand National names to back. Coneygree created history in 2015 when he became the first horse in more than 40 years to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup as one of the novice runners. It is undoubtedly a strong element that makes him one of the favourite runners for the Grand National 2021.

Coneygree made his debut at the National Hunt flat races in the 2011-12 season. In his first race, he managed to secure a victory at the Uttoxeter Racecourse by beating Dannanceys Hill.

The subsequent season saw the emergence of Coneygree as a top thoroughbred with victories at two hurdle events – Hyde Novices' Hurdle and Bristol Novices' Hurdle. Just when it seemed that he would build on this victory and be one of the top Grand National names, Coneygree suffered a pelvic injury in 2013 that saw him miss the entire campaign. His return in 2014, though, was spectacular as he managed to go on an incredible in terms of Chase events. Berkshire Novices' Chase and Kauto Star Novices' Chase were added to the list in 2014.

The greatest success that has transformed into one of the top horses in Grand National races was the Cheltenham Gold Cup success in 2015. Victory at the Denman Chase was one of the factors that lead to the success. Despite being a novice, his owners showed a lot of faith in running Coneygree at the Cheltenham Gold Cup and they were rewarded quite brilliantly.

He is expected to be one of the runners for Aintree Grand National. The only lingering doubt before placing him as a favourite for the victory is that Coneygree excels in terms of chases but his record at hurdles is still not the best.

Biography

• Place of birth: Ireland
• Weight: 11-10
• Career wins: 10
• Foaled: 21 April 2007
• Colour: Brown
• Breeder: Aidan Aherne
• Trainer: Oliver Sherwood

  It was not until 2014 when he emerged as the winner of major events. The Hennessy Gold Cup was the title that put Many Clouds on the path of glory. He quickly managed to build on this and enjoy a brilliant 2015 season, which still ranks as his best. After winning the Cotswold chase, Many Clouds went on to win the ultimate horse racing event in the world, Grand National. His successes as one of the best horse for Grand National-led to the British Jump Racing Horse of the Year title in 2015. Many Clouds still remains as the youngest horse to win the Grand National in the last decade. After having picked up total earnings of close to ?780,000, Many Clouds still has to go a long way but he is one of the top 5 horses for Grand National 2021. Obviously, one of the major titles missing from the trophy cabinet of Many Clouds is the Cheltenham Gold Cup title. Even without this victory, one can safely assume that Many Clouds will be one of the top horses at Grand National 2021. His form in 2015 was a major factor behind Many Clouds being one of the top horse names Grand National 2016 witnessed. It is not the case for 2021 as The Last Samuri is seen as the title favourite according to the Grand National horse guide.

Biography

• Place of birth: United Kingdom
• Weight: 11-10
• Career wins: 6
• Foaled: 30 March 2007
• Colour: Bay
• Breeder: Mrs P G Wilkins and Mr D Vallely
• Trainer: Mouse Morris

Rule the World is a thoroughbred born in the United Kingdom but trained in Ireland. He is regarded as one of the greatest runners at Grand National after winning the 2016 event as a novice. He has been showing some good form when it comes to hurdle events since 2013, but Rule the World became a surprise Grand National Aintree runners to win the event. Some of the prior success achieved by Rule the World was in 2013 and 2014. He won the Slaney Novice Hurdle and Limestone Lad Hurdle in these years respectively.

The progress made by Rule the World is especially surprising considering that he took more than 80 times in order to win his first over fences event. It was followed by a second place finish in as much as five races – a run that includes the Irish Grand National. However, the 2015-16 season turned out to be a purple patch for the horse foaled on 30 March 2007. After managing to finish on the podium in five races, Rule the World went on to lift the 2016 Grand National event despite being only given a price of 33/1 in the horse list for Grand National 2016.

Over the years, Rule the World has suffered numerous injuries especially to his pelvis. It has undoubtedly taken the edge off his performances when it comes to official Grand National runners. However, the unimaginable victory at the 2016 event has already made him as one of the confirmed the Grand National runners. It may be highly unlikely that he would repeat the feat of 2016 and go on to defend his title.

Owner Morris is of the opinion that Rule the World might have gone on to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup at least five times if not for the injuries. Despite suggestions that he may retire immediately after the 2016 success, Morris would be just happy that Rule the World truly managed to live up to his name that year.