| 2006 Grand National | |
|---|---|
| Grand National | |
| Location | Aintree |
| Date | 8 April 2006 |
| Winning horse | Numbersixvalverde  Republic of Ireland |
| Winning Jockey | Niall Madden |
| Conditions | Good |
The 2006 Grand National Steeplechase, sponsored by John Smiths was the one hundred and fifty-ninth official annual running of a Handicap Steeple-chase Horse race which took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool on Saturday April 8th 2006[1] and attracted the maximum allowed field of forty competitors for total prize money of £689,360 including £399,140 to the winner[2].
Contents |
The competitors and betting
Clan Royal was the long time ante-post favourite with the public on the back of finishing second in 2004 and being carried out while leading in 2005, as well as being partnered by champion jockey, Tony McCoy but public money on race day came for 2005 winner Hedgehunter who was again to be partnered by Ruby Walsh. This pair were to go off as co favourites while other popular choices among the public were Racing Post Chase winner Innox from France, Garvivonnian, the winner of the Becher Chase over one circuit of the National course five months earlier, 2005 Betfred Gold Cup winner Jack High, 2005 Irish Grand National winner Numbersixvalverde, and the grey Ross Comm, considered to have been underestimated in the handicap by 10 lbs. The most experienced rider in the race was twice winner Carl Llewellyn, taking his fifteenth and final ride in the race on the outsider Baron Windrush.
| starting price | number | name | age | weight in stones and lbs | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | colours |
| 33/1 | 1 | Royal Auclair | 9 | 11-12 | Christian Williams 2nd on the same horse in 2004 | Paul Nicholls | Cive Smith | Green with yellow spots, yellow and green halved sleeves, purple cap |
| 5/1 Co Fav | 2 | Hedgehunter | 10 | 11-12 | Ruby Walsh won with same horse in 2004 and Papillon in 2000 | Willie Mullins Ireland | Trevor Hemmings | Yellow and green quarters, white sleeves, green cap |
| 22/1 | 3 | Cornish Rebel | 9 | 11-09 | Joe Tizzard never placed in eight rides | Paul Nicholls | Graham Roach | Red with white crossbelts, hoops on sleeves and star on cap |
| 50/1 | 4 | Therealbandit | 9 | 11-09 | Richard Johnson second once in nine rides | Martin Pipe | David Johnson | Blue with green sleeves and red cap |
| 50/1 | 5 | It Takes Time | 12 | 11-08 | Timmy Murphy second once in nine rides | Martin Pipe | David Johnson | Blue with green sleeves and white cap with green spots |
| 150/1 | 6 | Le Roi Miguel | 8 | 11-07 | Liam Heard debut | Paul Nicholls | Green/Rose/Cowell | White with black spot, green sleeves with white armband and cap |
| 100/1 | 7 | Native Upmanship | 13 | 11-00 | Conor O'Dwyer third once in ten rides | Arthur Moore Ireland | Sue Magnier | Navy blue |
| 10/1 | 8 | Innox | 10 | 10-13 | Robert Thornton fifth once in ten rides | François Doumen France | J P McManus | Green and orange hoops, green cap with white star |
| 40/1 | 9 | Silver Birch | 9 | 10-12 | Sam Thomas debut | Paul Nicholls | Paul Barber & Des Nichols | Dark green with v, lime green sleeves, dark green and white checked cap |
| 100/1 | 10 | Whispered Secret | 7 | 10-12 | Rodi Greene unplaced once in four rides | Martin Pipe | David Manasseh & Dan Levine | Blue with yellow piping and chevrons on sleeves |
| 100/1 | 11 | Rince Ri | 13 | 10-12 | Andrew McNamara debut | Ted Walsh Ireland | Frank Moriarty | Claret and white stripes with checked cap |
| 66/1 | 12 | Puntal | 10 | 10-12 | Barry Geraghty winner in 2003 on Monty's Pass | Martin Pipe | Terry Neill | White with red spotted sash and armbands, quartered cap |
| 33/1 | 13 | Lord Of Illusion | 9 | 10-11 | Jason Maguire unplaced thrice in four runs | Tom George | Patrick Kennedy | Green with white inverted chevrons, white sleeves with green stars, white and pink quartered cap |
| 50/1 | 14 | Ebony Light | 10 | 10-10 | Stephen Craine debut | Donald McCain | Roger Bellamy | White with blue cross of lorraine, striped sleeves and white cap |
| 100/1 | 15 | First Gold | 13 | 10-10 | Richard McGrath fifth once in three rides | François Doumen France | J P McManus | Green and orange hoops with purple cap |
| 5/1 co fav | 16 | Clan Royal | 11 | 10-10 | Tony McCoy third twice in ten rides | Jonjo O'Neill | J P McManus | Green and orange hoops with white cap |
| 33/1 | 17 | Le Duc | 7 | 10-10 | Jamie Moore failed to complete only previous ride | Paul Nicholls | Green/Rose/Cowell | White with black star, green sleeves with white armband, green cap |
| 33/1 | 18 | Sir Oj | 9 | 10-10 | Paul Carberry winner in 1999 on Bobbyjo | Noel Meade Ireland | Brian Keenan | Claret and pink checks |
| 33/1 | 19 | Forest Gunner | 12 | 10-10 | Miss Nina Carberry debut | Richard Ford | John Gilsenan | White with red braces, black sleeves and red cap |
| 20/1 | 20 | Joe's Edge | 9 | 10-10 | Davy Russell unplaced once in three rides | Ferdy Murphy | Chemipetro Limited | Grey with red cross of lorraine, checked sleeves and red cap |
| 25/1 | 21 | Juveigneur | 9 | 10-09 | Mick Fitzgerald won in 1996 on Rough Quest | Nicky Henderson | Trevor Hemmings | Green and yellow quarters with white sleeves and cap |
| 50/1 | 22 | Amberleigh House Winner in 2004 | 14 | 10-09 | Graham Lee won on the same horse in 2004 | Donald McCain | Halewood International Ltd | Black with red and white striped sleeves and hooped cap |
| 80/1 | 23 | Ballycassidy | 10 | 10-09 | Leighton Aspell second once from three rides | Peter Bowen | Roddy Owen & P Fullagar | White with red v, red and green striped sleeves, red cap |
| 40/1 | 24 | Inca Trail | 10 | 10-09 | Brian Harding third once in five rides | Donald McCain | Halewood International Ltd | Black with red and white striped sleeves, white cap |
| 11/1 | 25 | Garvivonnian | 11 | 10-08 | Garrett Cotter unplaced once in three rides | Ned Mitchell Ireland | Angela Long | Red and yellow diablo and checked cap |
| 11/1 | 26 | Numbersixvalverde | 10 | 10-08 | Niall Madden debut | Martin Brassill Ireland | Bernard Carroll | Green, black sleeves, white cap |
| 200/1 | 27 | Iznogoud | 10 | 10-08 | Tom Scudamore unplaced twice in five rides | Martin Pipe | The County stores and Avalon surfacing | Yellow with burgundy crossbelts, blue sleeves, yellow and blue quartered cap |
| 9/1 | 28 | Jack High | 11 | 10-07 | David Casey unplaced twice in four rides | Ted Walsh Ireland | Brenda Ross | Pink wth blue diamond hoop and diamonds on sleeves, white cap |
| 25/1 | 29 | Haut De Gamme | 11 | 10-07 | Keith Mercer | Ferdy Murphy | The Haut De Gamme Partnership | Black with sky stripe and hoops on sleeves, hooped cap |
| 33/1 | 30 | Nil Desperandum | 9 | 10-07 | Tommy Treacy failed to complete in two rides | Frances Crowley Ireland | Mike Shone | Red, white sleeves, red and grey quartered cap |
| 66/1 | 31 | Baron Windrush | 8 | 10-07 | Carl Llewellyn won in 1992 on Party Politics and 1998 on Earth Summit | Nigel Twiston-Davies | The Double octagon partnership | Yellow and orange diamonds, yellow sleeves and cap |
| 66/1 | 32 | Heros Collonges | 11 | 10-07 | J P McNamara unplaced twice in five rides | Paul Nicholls | Merchant rentals Plc | Grey, blue v, sleeves, star on cap |
| 100/1 | 33 | Tyneandthyneagain | 11 | 10-07 | Peter Buchanan unplaced in only previous ride | Howard Johnson | Howard Johnson | Red, blue chevrons, hooped cap |
| 66/1 | 34 | Risk Accessor | 11 | 10-06 | Noel Fehily sixth once in five rides | Jonjo O'Neill | J P McManus | green and orange hoops, purple cap |
| 25/1 | 35 | Direct Access | 11 | 10-06 | Tony Dobbin won in 1997 on Lord Gyllene | Nicky Richards | The Direct access partnership | Orange and blue hoops, orange sleeves with blue armband, orange cap |
| 50/1 | 36 | Colnel Rayburn | 10 | 10-06 | John Cullen Fell in only other ride | Paul Nolan Ireland | Thatch (Ferns) Racing sndicate | White and red diablo, white sleeves with black hoops, white and black hooped cap |
| 100/1 | 37 | Iris Royal | 10 | 10-06 | Marcus Foley Fell in only other ride | Nicky Henderson | Sir Robert Ogden | Pink and violet quarters, white sleeves, pink and violet quartered cap |
| 16/1 | 38 | Ross Comm grey | 10 | 10-05 | Dominic Elsworth | Sue Smith | Kevin Treanor | Red, grey v, diablo sleeves and quartered cap |
| 33/1 | 39 | Shotgun Willy | 12 | 10-05 | Andrew Tinkler sixth in only previous ride | Richard Guest | Paul Beck | Blue and yellow diablo, purple and orange diablo sleeves, blue and yellow quartered cap |
| 50/1 | 40 | Just In Debt | 10 | 10-04 | Alan Dempsey | Martin Todhunter | Bill Hazeldean | Red, blue stars and sleeves with red stars, white cap |
The Race
There was one false start when Ross Comm tried to bite the tape as it went to rise. The runners were recalled and got away second time despite the calls from Conor O'Dwyer that his mount Native Upmanship wasn't ready, being left twenty lengths adrift at the start as Shotgun Willy led over the first fence which claimed Juveigneur, Whispered Secret, Tyneandthyneagain, last year's runner up Royal Auclair and the highly fancied Innox, while the run down to Becher's Brook for the first time also ended the hopes of Baron Windrush, at the third, Ross Comm at the fourth and Ebony Light at the fifth with Just In Debt failing to negotiate the famous brook.
Shotgun Willy was headed at the Canal Turn by the tighter jump of Ballycassidy but it was Puntal who moved to the front at Valentine's Brook and led the field back to the racecourse minus Le Duc who had unshipped his rider back at the Canal Turn.
Thirty of the original forty starters continued onto the racecourse to the Chair fence in front of the stands where Jack High, Silver Birch and Heros Collonges all came to grief. Garvivonnian also made the latest of several blunders there and was pulled up before taking the water jump, which marked the half way point of the race.
Ballycassidy and Puntal had enjoyed a lead of about six lengths on the racecourse but the former began to draw away from the latter, and the rest of the field on the run to Becher's for the second time while behind him Lord Of Illusion, Iris Royal, Shotgun Willy, Cornish Rebel, Le Roi Miguel, Direct Access and Amberleigh House all pulled up with Haut De Gamme falling at the twentieth fence.
Becher's Brook itself claimed tail ender Sir Oj and Foinavon's saw the tiring First Gold unseat his rider to leave sixteen runners still in the contest as the field tuned at the Canal for the final time.
Ballycassidy still led by four lengths at this point from Hedgehunter, Therealbandit, Clan Royal, Numbersixvalverde, Inca Trail, Risk Accessor, Joe's Edge, Forest Gunner, Colnel Rayburn, Nil Desperandum, Puntal, It Takes Time and Native Upmanship with only the struggling Rince Ri and Iznogoud too far behind to challenge.
Ballycassidy hesitated at Valentine's Brook however and took a horrible looking fall to leave Hedgehunter leading the still tightly packed survivors back towards the finish while behind him the fourth last fence was far enough for Native Upmanship and Rince Ri who both refused after seeing Therealbandit, Iznogoud and Colnel Rayburn all pulled up and It Takes Time also called it a day after taking the third last flight to leave nine runners coming back onto the race course for the final time.
The race still lay between eight of the nine survivors at this stage as Hedgehunter led Clan Royal, Inca Trail, Numbersixvalverde, Forest Gunner, Risk Accessor, Nil Desperandum and Joe's Edge with only Puntal detached from the group.
The long run towards the second last fence paid for Joe's Edge and Forest Gunner while Hedgehunter, Clan Royal and Numbersixvalverde jumped abreast with their three rivals still tucked in behind. Inca Trail and Risk Accessor were both beaten by the last jump which Numbersixvalverde jumped just ahead of Hedgehunter and Clan Royal with Nil Desperandum still in touch in fourth.
Numbersixvalverde was now pushed out to take the run in and reached the rail a length and a half up on Hedgehunter with equal distances to Nil Desperandum and Clan Royal and from there on he increased his advantage over the other three to win by six lengths.[3][4]
Finishing order
| position | name | starting price | dstance |
| Winner | Numbersixvalverde | 11/1 | 6 lengths |
| Second | Hedgehunter | 5/1 Co Fav | 1 1/4 lengths |
| Third | Clan Royal | 5/1 Co Fav | short head |
| Fourth | Nil Desperandum | 33/1 | A distance {more than 30 lengths} |
| 5th | Risk Accessor | 66/1 | 16 lengths |
| 6th | Puntal | 66/1 | 2 1/2 lengths |
| 7th | Joe's Edge | 20/1 | 22 lengths |
| 8th | Inca Trail | 40/1 | 3 1/2 lengths |
| 9th | Forest Gunner | 33/1 |
Non-finishers
| fence | name | fate |
| first (1) | Royal Auclair | fell |
| first (1) | Innox | fell |
| first (1) | Whispered Secret | unseated |
| first (1) | Juveigneur | fell |
| first (1) | Tyneandthyneagain | fell |
| Westhead (3) | Baron Windrush | unseated |
| Plain fence (4) | Ross Comm | fell |
| Plain fence (5) | Ebony Light | fell |
| Becher's Brook (6) | Just In Debt | fell |
| Canal Turn (8) | Le Duc | unseated |
| The Chair (15) | Silver Birch | fell |
| The Chair (15) | Jack High | unseated |
| The Chair (15) | Heros Collonges | unseated |
| Water (16) | Garvivonnian | pulled up |
| First (17) | Lord Of Illusion | pulled up |
| First (17) | Iris Royal | pulled up |
| Fan (18) | Shotgun Willy | pulled up |
| Westhead (19) | Cornish Rebel | pulled up |
| Westhead (19) | Le Roi Miguel | pulled up |
| Westhead (19) | Direct Access | pulled up |
| Plain fence (20) | Haut De Gamme | fell |
| Plain fence (21) | Amberleigh House | pulled up |
| Becher's Brook (22) | Sir Oj | fell |
| Foinavon's (23) | First Gold | unseated |
| Valentine's (25) | Ballycassidy | fell - while leading |
| Open Ditch (27) | Therealbandit | pulled up |
| Open Ditch (27) | Native Upmanship | refused |
| Open Ditch (27) | Rince Ri | refused |
| Open Ditch (27) | Iznogoud | pulled up |
| Open Ditch (27) | Colnel Rayburn | pulled up |
| Second Last (29) | It Takes Time | pulled up |
Aftermath
Winning jockey Niall Madden said that he had been given a dream ride all the way but wasn't actually sure he had won until he crossed the line, despite believing that he would win a long way from home. The second, Ruby Walsh, third, Tony McCoy and fourth, Tom Treacy, riders all agreed that the rain the previous day had gone against their runners, despite all believing that they would win crossing the Melling Road to turn for the second last flight. Fifth placed Noel Fehily also believed he was going to win on Risk Accessor crossing the Melling Road but confessed that his mount didn't get the trip. Barry Geraghty felt that Puntal's chance went when hitting the twentieth fence very hard, which winded him slightly before rallying to pick up stragglers late on. The other three riders to complete the course were all naturally delighted to get the full race while each stated that their mounts were well beaten by two fences out.
Of those that didn't complete the course only one rider, Tony Dobbin pulled up because the horse, Direct Access wasn't enjoying it while Jason Maguire was forced to pull up Lord Of Illusion when the horse bled. JP McNamara felt he was unlucky to be unseated from Heros Collonges at the Chair because his horse was baulked while Andrew McNamara confessed that Rince Ri was stopped by a loose horse falling into the ditch in front of him rather than actually refusing. Leighton Aspell was the only rider to exit the race while lying in the first half dozen when long time leader Ballycassidy fell but he stopped short of saying that he felt they would win, merely feeling that they deserved to get round after their front running performance.
Tyneandthyneagain continued riderless after falling at the first fence until he fell into the open ditch along the canal side. Upon being returned to the stables he was found to have a serious spinal injury and had to be humanely destroyed.
Former winner Amberleigh House was retired after the race after returning tired but fresh and having enjoyed one last spin around Aintree.
Stephen Craine was taken to hospital with a broken collar bone after his fall from Ebony Light while Paul Carberry suffered a sprained ankle after his fall from Sir Oj.[5]
Coverage
The race was broadcast live on BBC television and radio. The television coverage was as a Grandstand special and was the forty-seventh time the race had been televised live as part of the programme. The televising of the race included cameras inside the first fence and three 'jockey' cams, cameras inside jockey's caps, Christian Williams on Royal Auclair, Leighton Aspell on Ballycassidy and Sam Thomas on Silver Birch. The programme was presented by Sue Barker and Clare Balding with summary from Richard Pitman, Peter Scudamore and Norman Williamson. John Parrott and Rishi Persad interviewed spectators and celebrity racegoers on course with Angus Loughran reviewing the betting market. The race commentary team was Ian Bartlett, Tony O'Heir, Darren Owen and lead commentator Jim McGrath who called the runners home.
"And on the far side Hedgehunter comes towards it but he was outjumped by Numbersixvalverde. The Irish National winner has taken the lead now as they charge towards the elbow. It's Numbersixvalverde in front of hedgehunter who's battling on. In behind them is Nil Desperandum, Clan Royal is starting to weaken. They're on the elbow now as they turn for home as Numbersixvalverde in front here. he's two length, two or three lengths in front for 'Slippers' Madden, having his first ride in the Grand National. As they come up towards the line it's Numbersixvalverde who's out jumped and out stayed them for 'Slippers' Madden. Twenty year old 'Slippers' Madden wins it in his first ride."
This was also the seventy-fourth live radio broadcast of Grand National day, being broadcast on radio five live with commentators John Hunt, Dougie Fraser, Gary O'Brien and Matthew Hill.[6]
Prior to the race nineteen leading racing correspondents were asked to pick their top four. Only one, BBC website's 'Honest Frank' correctly predicted the winner.[7]
References
Official BBC coverage of the 2006 Grand National
- ^ [1]
- ^ [Racing Post data]http://www.racingpost.com/horses/result_home.sd?race_id=398944&r_date=2006-04-08&popup=yes
- ^ The original BBC coverage of the 2006 Grand National. http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/sol/newsid_4890000/newsid_4892000/4892018.stm?bw=bb&mp=wm&news=1&bbcws=1
- ^ The full detailed replay of the race from the BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/sol/newsid_4890000/newsid_4892000/4892092.stm?bw=bb&mp=wm&news=1&bbcws=1
- ^ http://www.racingbetter.co.uk/races_2006/aintree/grand_national_entries.html
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2006/04_april/06/national.shtml
- ^ [Grand National tips 2006] http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/horse_racing/4872386.stm
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
