Grand National Winners

Between 1839 and 2021 there have been 173 Grand Nationals run at Aintree. As one of the nation’s favourite sporting events, winning horses, jockeys and trainers are catapulted into the limelight.

With 40 runners typically going to post, winning the 4 mile 4 furlong contest is far from a straight forward task, safely navigating the 30 fences over two circuits of the Grand National course is a monumental achievement in itself.

Below we have all the winners of the big race as well as more detailed descriptions of how the race was won in recent years.

Latest Grand National Winners

Below we have the latest ten Grand National winners between 2011 and 2021. Amongst them we have the first female jockey to win, the first back-to-back winner since Red Rum and one of only three grey winners.

2021: Minella Times at 11/1

The Grand National winner makes the headlines in any year but Minella Times’s victory in 2021 had added significance as rider Rachael Blackmore became the first female jockey to win the race.

Coming just three weeks after being crowned Cheltenham Festival Champion Jockey, Blackmore was well fancied to create another slice of history with Henry de Bromhead’s runner priced at 11/1.

A typically patient ride, Blackmore held Minella Times in a handy position just behind the pace setters and at the head of the chasing pack. Sweeping past long-time leader Jett two fences from home the JP McManus owned runner powered clear taking the last fluently to win an historic race by 6½ lengths to stablemate Balko Des Flos, with Any Second Now, another JP McManus horse, in third and Burrows Saint in fourth.

2019: Tiger Roll at 4/1

Tiger Roll became only the fourth horse to win back-to-back Grand Nationals at Aintree in 2019, the first to do so since Red Rum in 1974.

Tiger roll began the year with victory in the Boyne Hurdle at Navan before storming to success at the Cheltenham Festival by winning the 3m 6f Cross Country Chase by 22 lengths. Keith Donoghue was in the saddle for both of those wins but Gordon Elliot called on the services of Davy Russell to keep the winning formula from twelve months earlier.

Carrying 11 stone 5 pounds, the third highest weight in the race, didn’t put off the punters who backed Tiger Roll into 4/1 favouritism. Traveling mid division for much of the race, both horse and jockey had to call upon all their Aintree experience with errors at fences 26 and 27. Russell drove his ride to the front between fences 29 and 30, taking the final fence well and holding off a rallying Magic Of Light to a chorus of cheers, etching Tiger Roll’s name into the history books.

2018: Tiger Roll at 10/1

Gordon Elliott picked up his second Grand National in 2018 with Tiger Roll, eleven years after the County Meath based trainer was victorious with Silver Birch. It was also a second win for Michael O’Leary and his Gigginstown House Stud who had won just two years previously with Rule The World.

Jockey Davy Russell avoided being brought down at Becher’s when race leader I Just Know fell in front of him. Tiger Roll remained in the middle of the field with Russell losing his irons for a short time after the 19th.

Tiger Roll was ridden into a more prominent position after Valentine’s on the second circuit, contesting for the lead with Pleasant Company with three to jump. The eight-year-old kicked on after the last fence to go six lengths clear at the elbow, Pleasant Company reeled the leader back in with 100 yards to go but Davy Russell and Tiger Roll clung on to win by a head.

2017: One For Arthur at 14/1

When One For Arthur won the 170th Grand National for Lucinda Russell in 2017 he became only the second Scottish trained winner of the race alongside Rubstic who triumphed back in 1979.

One For Arthur started the season with a handicap win at Kelso before staying on strongly around the Grand National Course at Aintree when finishing fifth in the Becher Chase. This was then followed by a resounding six length victory in a strong renewal of the Classic Chase at Warwick.

Jockey Derek Fox rode a fairly uneventful race towards the back of the field for the majority of the running, only making a move to get in contention with three fences to jump. By the penultimate fence he was second behind the favourite Blaklion, jumping into the lead at the last. This turn of foot took him three lengths clear of Cause Of Causes chasing him home in second, extending this to four and a half lengths by the winning line.

2016: Rule the World at 33/1

Rule The World was one of three runners owned by Michael O’Leary and the Gigginstown House Stud in the 2017 Grand National alongside Sir Des Champs and First Lieutenant.

Incredibly, the Michael ‘Mouse’ Morris trained Rule The World hadn’t won a race over fences prior to the Aintree showpiece. He finished second to the New One in the 2013 Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and was second in the 2015 Irish Grand National behind another Gigginstown runner, Thunder And Roses.

Jumping impeccably, jockey David Mullins held Rule The World within touching distance of the leaders for most if the race but he had to hold on after a bad mistake four fences from the finish. Both horse and rider quickly composed themselves however, losing almost no ground to the race leader and favourite, The Last Samuri.

At the last fence, Rule The World was in third position tracking a hard ridden The Last Samuri and 100/1 shot Vics Canvas. Switching to the outside at the elbow, Rule The World proved the stronger stayer and pulled away in the run in to take the race by six lengths.

2015: Many Clouds at 25/1

Many Clouds started the 2014/15 National Hunt season with a listed win at Carlisle before triumphing in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury. Another victory followed in January with a valuable handicap triumph at Cheltenham before a tilt at the Gold Cup at the Festival in March where Many Clouds finished in a credible sixth place.

This strong season did take its toll with the handicapper when it came to the Grand National however, with the Oliver Sherwood trained gelding given the the second top weight of 11 stone 9 pounds.

Having ridden the winner of the previous year’s Grand National, jockey Leighton Aspell knew just what of took to triumph in the big one at Aintree. Racing in mid-division for much of the first circuit, Aspell brought Many Clouds to a more prominent position as the field past the stands for the first time.

With five fences to jump, Many Clouds took the lead but had the 6/1 favourite, Shuttthefrontdoor under A P McCoy in what would be his last Grand National, for company. As they jumped the final fence, Shuttthefrontdoor weakened leaving Many Clouds in control, seeing out the race with a staying on Saint Are back in second place.

2014: Pineau De Re at 25/1

Pineau De Re began his career with Irish trainer Philip Fenton but had only raced seven times before the age of eight due to a lengthy layoff. In 2013 he was switched to the Worcestershire yard of Dr Richard Newland, his swansong for Fenton was victory in the Ulster Grand National at Downpatrick by 23 lengths.

His first attempt at the Grand National fences came in December of 2013 in the Becher Chase, falling at the eighth fence. He bounced back to run two more times that month. A third place finish in the 2014 Pertemps Final at Cheltenham completed the Grand National prep.

Leighton Aspell was booked to ride the 25/1 shot, with the 11-year-old carrying 10 stone and 6 pounds. Aspell kept his ride out of trouble in mid-field, avoiding the falling Long Run at Valentine’s on the first circuit and staying onboard after a mistake on the home straight first time around.

Pineau De Re was ridden towards the front as the field moved out into the country for a second time, joining the leaders after the third fence from home. Despite jumping out to the right, Pinaeau De Re took the lead two fences from home going clear by the elbow. The chasing Balthazar King and Double Seven couldn’t reel the leader back in giving Leighton Aspell his first Grand National win at his seventh attempt.

2013: Auroras Encore at 66/1

Auroras Encore had twice attempted to win the Scottish Grand National before a tilt at the Aintree National. A fall at Ayr in 2010 was followed by the narrowest of defeats in 2012 when finishing second to Merigo by a head.

That run in the Scottish National would’ve given trainer Sue Smith and Auroras Encore’s connections hope they could have a chance at Aintree the following year though he was winless for the season going into the 2013 race and was beaten by 53 lengths at Kelso the month before.

Jockey Ryan Mania held Auroras Encore close to the front of the pack for most of the first circuit and joined the leading group after passing the winning post for the first time. Approaching the second to last fence, the 11-year-old was in behind Oscar Time and Teaforthree who were disputing the lead.

With Oscar Time weakening, Auroras Encore outjumped Teaforthree at the last and was driven clear in the final furlong to win by 9 lengths at the big price of 66/1 to the staying on Cappa Bleu .

2012: Neptune Collonges at 33/1

Paul Nicholls had won most major National Hunt prizes in Britain but the Grand National eluded him until 2012, when Neptune Collonges won the race’s closest ever finish.

The French grey won a string of high class jumps races in his time including triumphing twice in the Punchestown Gold Cup in 2007 and 2008. Neptune Collonges was narrowly beaten by Giles Cross in the 2012 Haydock Grand National trial and only had Gold Cup winner Synchronised, 2011 Grand National winner Ballabriggs, and Weird Al ahead of him in the weights, carrying 11 stone and 6 pounds.

Neptune Collonges spent much of the first circuit towards the rear of the field but jockey Daryl Jacob moved his ride forward as the second circuit began. Jumping fluently, Neptune Collonges joined a group of eight horses who drew away from the rest of the field. Sitting third going into the home straight, Neptune Collonges dug deep to pip Sunnyhillyoy by a nose on the line.

2011: Ballabriggs at 14/1

The name ‘McCain’ will always be intrinsically linked to the Grand National with Donald ‘Ginger’ McCain the trainer of legendary three-time winner of the race, Red Rum. In 2011 it was McCain’s son Donald Jr. whose named entered the history books as the victorious trainer of Ballabriggs.

Carrying the colours of Trevor Hemmings, who also owned the 2005 winner Hedgehunter, jockey Jason Maguire rode Ballabriggs prominently from the beginning of the race. As runners past the stands on the first circuit it was Ballabriggs who took the lead over the water jump. Despite nodding on landing at Valentine’s, Ballabriggs remained in the lead. He was pushed all the way to the finish by Oscar Time in second place but McCain’s runner proved too strong.

Full List of Grand National Winners

Below we have a full list of Grand National Winners including the unofficial first three races and those run at Gatwick Racecourse during the First World War.

Grand National Winners

*races not counted as official Grand Nationals
**races run at Gatwick Racecourse