TONY McCOY finally removed a huge weight from his shoulders after tasting success for the first time in the Grand National at Aintree yesterday afternoon.
McCoy had never won the race in 15 previous attempts despite having been champion jockey 14 times with more than 3,000 career wins.
But, much to his relief, this year he delivered at last on Don't Push It in front of a crowd of 70,000.
McCoy is a man who rarely shows his emotions but the 35-year-old could not hide his elation after this win.
He said: "I'm the biggest dreamer in the world. I dream every day, and for the past five or six years I've dreamt that I would win the National."
This was also a first win in the National for the horse's trainer, Jonjo O'Neill, and his owner JP MacManus.
Don't Push It began the day as a dark horse but, by the time the race started, he had become much fancied.
As the biggest market mover, his odds halved from 20/1 on Friday to a start price of 10/1 joint favourite.
The other favourite, Big Fella Thanks, had been well backed all week but he required a shock late change of jockey after Ruby Walsh suffered a broken arm having fallen badly in the 14.50.
Barry Geraghty took the reins and guided him to a commendable fourth place behind Black Apalachi in second and State of Play in third.
The race began in confusion as a false start brought back memories of the National that never was in 1993.
Then, as the starter lined up the horses for a second start, fancied grey King Johns Castle showed little interest in getting ready for the restart.
When jockey Paul Carberry finally mounted his horse after several attempts, the silly grey remained stubborn and refused to move.
And so, it was a field of 39 that approached the first of 30 fences.
But the race was short-lived for the likes of Eric's Charm, Pablo du Charmil, My Will and Made in Taipan who all fell at the opening few hurdles.
By the time they reached fence six, Conna Castle, Black Apalachi and Hello Bud had emerged as the frontrunners with Don't Push It well back in the field.
Conna Castle took a wide bearing around the Canal Turn but retained the lead ahead of Black Apalachi and Hello Bud, ridden by 17-year-old A-level student Sam Twiston-Davies.
This remained the running order until the first few fences of the second circuit.
Then, at fence 20, Black Apalachi took over the lead from Conna Castle who was sucked back into the field and eventually pulled up two from home.
As they approached the Canal Turn for the second time, Don't Push It began to make some headway and was in the chasing pack alongside Hello Bud and Big Fella Thanks.
Still, Black Apalachi held onto the lead. But it was soon clear that nothing would take the win away from McCoy this time.
Demonstrating perfect timing, Don't Push It approached the final fence almost level with Black Apalachi for the first time.
A brilliant leap put Don't Push It in the lead as Black Apalachi gave a tired jump by contrast.
Then, the gap in energy levels showed as McCoy rode around The Elbow into an ever-more comfortable lead, eventually winning by five lengths.
This was a huge win for McCoy, the biggest of his career. And, after almost two decades of trying, few can say he did not deserve it.
FOR THE RECORD - WHERE THEY FINISHED
Finishers:
1st Don't Push It 10/1jf
2nd Black Apalachi 14/1
3rd State of Play 16/1
4th Big Fella Thanks 10/1jf
5th Hello Bud, 6th Snowy Morning, 7th Character Building, 8th Cloudy Lane, 9th Tricky Trickster, 10th Joe Lively, 11th Cerium, 12th Comply or Die, 13th Piraya, 14th Preists Leap
Non-finishers:
FENCE 1 Eric's Charm (f)
FENCE 2 Pablo du Charmil (f)
FENCE 4 My Will (f)
FENCE 5 Made in Taipan (f)
FENCE 8 Can't Buy Time (ur)
FENCE 14 Irish Raptor (f), Royal Rosa (ur)
FENCE 15 Arbor Supreme (ur)
FENCE 17 Beat The Boys (pu)
FENCE 19 Madison du Berlais (ur), The Package (ur)
FENCE 20 Backstage (bd), Vic Venturi (f), Flintoff (pu), Nozic (pu)
FENCE 22 Ballyfitz (f), Maljimar (f)
FENCE 23 Dream Alliance (pu), Ellerslie George (ur)
FENCE 26 Mon Mome (f)
FENCE 27 Ballyholland (pu), Palypso de Creek (f)
FENCE 28 Niche Market (pu), Conna Castle (pu), Ollie Magern (pu)
DID NOT START King Johns Castle
(f)=fell, (ur)=unseated rider, (pu)=pulled up, (bd)=brought down
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PREVIEW
THE world's greatest steeplechase takes place at Aintree later today with an eager field of 40 all hoping to be this year's hero at the John Smith's Grand National.
Runners and riders must overcome 30 fences over the two circuits of the famous course which totals a truly gruelling 4 miles and 856 yards in length.
The race attracts even the most casual punters, often with spurious reasons for backing a particular horse such as its name or colours.
And this guide identifies some of the stories likely to produce the most media interest. Coverage on BBC1 begins at 1pm with the race scheduled to start at 4.15pm.
Front runner
Favourite Big Fella Thanks (10/1) gives Jockey Ruby Walsh a big chance to win his third National after past successes on Papillon in 2000 and Hedgehunter in 2005.
In contrast to Walsh, victory would be champion trainer Paul Nicholls’ first win in this race.
Of course, the National is the race where anything can happen and a lack of experience could count against Big Fella Thanks - no seven-year-old horse has won this race for 70 years.
But, if any jockey can be trusted to deliver under pressure, Irishman Walsh can be, having won on Hedgehunter at 7/1.
Repeat success
The winners from the last two years, Mon Mome (12/1) and Comply or Die (16/1), are both in this year’s race. If either horse wins, it will become the first horse since the great Red Rum to win the National on more than one occasion.
Last year, Mon Mome became the first 100/1 winner of the National since Foinavon in 1967. Foinavon has since had a fence on the Aintree course named after his success which was attributed to a huge pile-up.
Mon Mome’s shock win was no such fluke and the French thoroughbred has proved its worth again in recent times – finishing third in the Cheltenham Gold Cup at 50/1.
Comply or Die, the 2008 winner, was strongly fancied for back-to-back wins. He almost achieved it but had to settle for second place, some 12 lengths behind Mon Mome, despite a valiant attempt.
This year, jockey Timmy Murphy and trainer David Pipe will hope to go one better again.
Galloping greys
No grey horse has won the National since Nicolaus Silver in 1961 but the Carberry family hopes that will change this year.
Paul Carberry mounts 2008 runner-up King Johns Castle (28/1) as this year’s oldest rider while his sister Nina Carberry, on Character Building (20/1), hopes to become the first woman to ride the winner of this great race.
Two other grey horses, Beat the Boys (100/1) and Piraya (150/1), have made the cut but both of those will be running as rank outsiders.
Still waiting
Fourteen-time champion jockey Tony McCoy may have ridden more than 3,000 winners in a sparkling career but, incredibly, he has never won the biggie at Aintree.
This year, McCoy is in good company having chosen Don’t Push It (20/1) as his ride. Trainer Jonjo O’Neill and owner JP McManus have never won the National either.
McCain magic
No Grand National aficionado will forget the glorious Red Rum and his three victories in the 1970s.
And, although he had to wait quite some time, trainer Ginger McCain oversaw a fourth success when Amberleigh House galloped home in 2004.
Ginger is now retired but handed over control of his Cheshire stables to his son, Donald, who will hope to continue the McCains’ legacy at Aintree with Cloudy Lane (40/1), ridden by Jason Maguire.
Young gun
Teenager Sam Twiston-Davies was granted special dispensation by the British Horseracing Authority to ride Hello Bud (40/1).
Grand National rules prevent jockeys with fewer than 15 career wins taking part but 17-year-old Twiston-Davies has made the cut on account of the capability which he has already shown at his tender age.
Hello Bud is one of five entries from Sam's trainer father Nigel Twiston-Davies who enjoyed a shock win in the Cheltenham Gold Cup last month, courtesy of Imperial Commander.
Dream ticket
The fairytale story of this year’s National could be Dream Alliance (40/1).
A 23-strong syndicate bred the horse on a slagheap allotment and paid £10 a week to fund revolutionary stem-cell treatment after he suffered a career-threatening injury at Aintree.
Now, back at the famous course, Welsh National winner ‘Dream’ hopes to provide a finish appropriate to his name for jockey Tom O’Brien.
Name game
Certain horses are likely to be backed regardless of odds, given the open nature of the race.
Casual punters looking for a reason to lay money on a horse will often look for a personal connection with the horses’ names.
And so, this year, expect Vic Venturi (25/1), Joe Lively (80/1), Ellerslie George (100/1), Eric’s Charm (40/1), Ollie Magern (150/1) and Royal Rosa (100/1) to be backed by Victors/Victorias, Joes/Joannas, Georges, Erics, Ollies and Rosas respectively.
King Johns Castle (28/1) will not only attract interest by grey fans (see above) but also Johns, while keen cricketers are sure to have their ears pricked at the Venetia Williams-trained horse, Flintoff (50/1).
The Flintoff name is not a coincidence – double Ashes hero Andrew part-owns the horse.
FULL LIST OF RUNNERS AND RIDERS
No Form Name (Trainer) Jockey
1 01-3244 MADISON DU BERLAIS (David Pipe) Tom Scudamore
2 1-P3463 MON MOME (Venetia Williams) Aidan Coleman
3 211501 VIC VENTURI (Dessie Hughes) Paddy Flood
4 151U-02 BLACK APALACHI (Dessie Hughes) Denis O'Regan
5 5-50030 JOE LIVELY (Colin Tizzard) Joe Tizzard
6 01-423P DON'T PUSH IT (Jonjo O'Neill) AP McCoy
7 P002-00 COMPLY OR DIE (David Pipe) Timmy Murphy
8 121-210 TRICKY TRICKSTER (Paul Nicholls) Barry Geraghty
9 1-03520 NICHE MARKET (Bob Buckler) Harry Skelton
10 2404P2 MADE IN TAIPAN (Tom Mullins) Niall Madden
11 UPP/-21P DREAM ALLIANCE (Philip Hobbs) Tom O'Brien
12 FU-3644 CLOUDY LANE (Donald McCain) Jason Maguire
13 1P00-60 NOZIC (Paul Nicholls) Liam Treadwell
14 53-2057 MY WILL (Paul Nicholls) Nick Scholfield
15 3606-4F PABLO DU CHARMIL (David Pipe) Danny Cook
16 P6-51110 BALLYHOLLAND (Colin McBratney IRE) Andrew McNamara
17 0112313 BACKSTAGE (Gordon Elliott IRE) Davy Condon
18 FP-1P1PP BEAT THE BOYS (Nigel Twiston-Davies) Brian Hughes
19 100-000U0 PREISTS LEAP (Tom O'Leary IRE) Philip Enright
20 1103223 SNOWY MORNING (Willie Mullins IRE) Paul Townend
21 314F-016 CAN'T BUY TIME (Jonjo O'Neill)
22 2U136-2U1 BIG FELLA THANKS (Paul Nicholls) Ruby Walsh
23 60/144-P STATE OF PLAY (Evan Williams) Paul Moloney
24 143301-00 CHARACTER BUILDING (John Quinn) Nina Carberry
25 00-12100 ELLERSLIE GEORGE (IRE) (Nick Mitchell) Christian Williams
26 02P5-011 ERIC'S CHARM (Oliver Sherwood) Wayne Hutchinson
27 212/0-0000 KING JOHNS CASTLE (Arthur Moore IRE) Paul Carberry
28 043545U CONNA CASTLE (IRE) (Jimmy Mangan IRE)
29 2P-4P1540 BALLYFITZ (Nigel Twiston-Davies) David England
30 F2-305467 OLLIE MAGERN (Nigel Twiston-Davies) Tom Molloy
31 330-30U2 ARBOR SUPREME (IRE) (Willie Mullins IRE) Paul Townend
32 02P-253 MALJIMAR (IRE) (Nick Williams) Daryl Jacob
33 03-02312 THE PACKAGE (David Pipe) Graham Lee
34 000-33010 PIRAYA (David Pipe) Johnny Farrelly
35 U01-4U5 IRISH RAPTOR (Nigel Twiston-Davies) Paddy Brennan
36 50PP/05-0 CERIUM (FR) (Paul Murphy)
37 1P6-1420 PALYPSO DE CREEK (Charlie Longsdon) Tom Siddall
38 11-035U00 HELLO BUD (Nigel Twiston-Davies) Sam Twiston-Davies
39 P63/52-P FLINTOFF (Venetia Williams) Andrew Tinkler
40 56/-33P5 ROYAL ROSA (FR) (Howard Johnson)
Expected Going: Good to soft
Weather forecast: Sunshine, 16 deg C
Full list of odds at Ladbrokes.com
A note on reading form:
1 = 1st, 2 = 2nd, up to 6 = 6th, 0 = Lower than 6th, P = Pulled Up, U = Unseated Rider, F = Fell, / = Change in season, - = Change in calendar year. Latest results to the right.
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