Corach Rambler has won the 2023 Grand National after a stunning run from Derek Fox.
Fox joins an elite group of jockeys to win the people’s race on two occasions having done the same in 2017 on One for Arthur.
The showpiece race of the Aintree Festival was delayed after protestors breached heavy security to get onto the track. At around 5pm, a number of individuals were successful in clearing the steel fence that had been erected to keep them out.
That saw horses forced to remain in the paddock, with jockeys kept in the weighing room well beyond the scheduled 5.15pm start. An expedited parade meant the race officially got underway around 14 minutes late.
Mister Coffey did much of the running but faded badly over the final few jumps with Corach Rambler steaming in at the end. The defending champion Noble Yeats also earned a place, but the extra weight meant it would always be difficult to repeat the feat.
The Lucinda Russell trained horse went off as the 8/1 favourite and underlined that support with a near faultless run to win the race from Vanillier by about three lengths.
Corach Rambler was happy to travel in the pack for the majority of the race, but was travelling supremely before he made his dash for history and glory. Fox then jumped into the lead over the last and pulled away, but faced fierce resistance from Vanillier, but was ultimately held off.
Fox told ITV Racing: "He is just a phenomenal horse. I can't believe it. He normally gets his head up a wee bit but today he travelled everywhere. He is the cleverest horse. He is so intelligent."
Legendary jockey Peter Scudamore is part of the victorious training team and his son Tom offered an emotional response to his father finally winning the big one. "You don't know what this horse means for my father [Peter Scudamore], I can't tell you. They were in tears before the race,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live.
Derek [Fox] has worked so hard to get back into it. It just shows the beauty of this sport. He is such a character. Dad understands him, they understand each other. He means more to dad than myself and my brother. I can't tell you.
“He is part of the family to them - that's what makes me so emotional. I know what this will mean to dad. I am just so proud of him. I am proud of him, I am proud of Lucinda [Russell]. It is just unbelievable.”
Lucinda Russell also had a message for the protestors who attempted to halt the race indefinitely: “Those guys that went out to protest on the course, they think it’s about horse welfare but that horse loves the sport. He loves everything that he does. He’s kept in the best condition and I’m just so delighted that he can run in a race like that and perform like that.
“He has got greatness and it’s what he deserves. Corach Rambler, in our hearts, is just the best horse. Now in the public hearts he is as well. To win the National, I know how important it is, I know how it changed my life with (One For) Arthur – for Corach to achieve that too is just fantastic.
“It’s all about the horse, for me it’s not about the betting – though I did back him and quite a lot actually!
She added: “I hope those guys who were protesting will look at our website and our Facebook posts and see how they are looked after. It is so important they understand how we care for them every inch of the way.
“It is about Corach, he is just amazing. He took to those fences brilliantly, he understood them, he worked them out – he loved it.”
Full Grand National 2023 results
1. Corach Rambler
2. Vanillier
3. Gaillard Du Mesnil
4. Noble Yeats
5. The Big Dog
6. Born By The Sea
7. Roi Mage
8. Mister Coffey
