Jockeys' Reactions To Grand National Rides

Derek Fox, who won the race on One For Arthur, said: "I ended up in front earlier than I wanted but once I was there I kept him up to his work. It's a lonely run for a horse on his own and the sound of the crowd started to distract him, so I just kept him up to his work all the way to the line. He's an eight-year-old by Milan and is only just coming to his prime. Scu (Peter Scudamore assistant trainer) gave me great advice this morning. He talked me through the whole race and it was almost exactly the way it worked out. It's a massive help having someone like him to talk to me."

Jamie Codd, on the second Cause Of Causes, said: "He is a great little horse to do what he has done there. He is incredible. It was just unfortunate that there was one two good for us today. Second in a Randox Grand National and he is only 16 hands. I am delighted - a little bit disappointed but delighted."

Davy Russell, on third Saint Are, said: "I had to take all the chances. I needed every inch. I wanted him on the bridle for as long as possible. A couple of them passed me at the third last but I still had to wait because of the way he finishes his races. If I had taken him off the bridle there I wouldn't have finished. He was good over the last two and the horses in front got quite tired. He ran on well. It was my best experience of the race."

Noel Fehily, on the fourth Blaklion, said: "It was a great ride and he jumped well. Just ran out off puff two out."

Robert Dunne, fifth on Gas Line Boy, said: "He ran a cracker and jumped great. We got a lovely passage all the way. Perhaps I wouldn't have won it but if I had sat a little bit longer we might have been third. I thought after we jumped the second last we were going to win. He ran well and it was great to get a ride in the race."

Tom Scudamore, sixth on Vieux Lion Rouge, said: "I got a great run but the petrol tank emptied."

Leighton Aspell, seventh on Lord Windermere, said: "I got a really great ride. He misbehaved before the race but once the race got off he was a really good ride. We started from the back and improved and improved. It was just from two out that we ran out of stamina."

Robbie Power, eighth on Regal Encore, said: "Absolutely brilliant. He jumped like a buck all the way and run a blinder."

Ruby Walsh, ninth on Pleasant Company, said: "He ran well."

David Noonan, 11th on Ballynagour, said: "It was my first experience of the race. I couldn't have asked for a better spin. We jumped well and travelled, he is a bridle horse but from two out the tank was very empty. He was very willing for me."

Sean Bowen, 12th on Le Mercurey , said: "He jumped round and he jumped well. I was flat out all the way."

Jake Greenall, 13th on Goodtoknow, said: "He jumped fantastically well, better than a normal fence. He almost travelled too well for the first circuit. We had a breather going out onto the second [circuit] he jumped right at the Canal Turn, bumped into another horse, and I nearly came out the side. After that he stuck it out."

Harry Cobden, 14th on Just A Par, said: "We completed and he jumped well. He didn't really travel well early on because they went fairly fast. He was always struggling [with the pace] but we got round."

Richie McLernon, 15th on La Vaticane, said: "She got round and completed but got a bit tired after the third last. Gave me a great spin."

David Bass, 16th on The Last Samurai, said: "He's run well again and has given me a good spin. I would say the weight, and that it is quite warm, has gone against him. He has run his normal honest race. We can try again next year."

Jack Kennedy, 18th on Roi Des Francs, said: "I got a great spin, he just got tired."

Ms Katie Walsh, 19th on Wonderful Charm, said: "He ran well and we finished! He jumped super."

Mr Sam Waley-Cohen, fell at the sixth on The Young Master, said: "He just didn't get high enough and fell."

Mark Enright, hampered and then unseated at the ninth on Thunder And Roses, said: "A loose horse fell in front of me and just bumped me and I fell off. He was in a nice rhythm."

Paddy Brennan, pulled before the 27th on Perfect Candidate, said: "It was a good ride but he was always lacking a gear to keep up with the race. Round here you have got to travel. Then he made a bad mistake and I pulled him up."

Conor O'Farrell, pulled up before the 29th on Doctor Harper, said: "I don't think my lad enjoyed it. He was never really that enthusiastic taking on his jumps. I've jumped him round but at the end he got a bit tired."

Sean Flannagan, pulled up before the 29th on Wounded Warrior, said: "I have gone the shortest route all the way. He jumped really well but he just run out of gas at the end."

Adrian Heskin, pulled up before the 29th on Double Shuffle, said: "I got a great ride off him and he might be a horse for next year."

Barry Geraghty, pulled up before the 30th on More Of That, said: "I had a good ride but he just faded from four out. I was going backwards rather than forwards."

Jonathan Moore, pulled up Shantou Flyer before the 27th, then said: "A loose horse turned me sideways as I landed, and for whatever reason he flipped his palate and started gurgling. Whether it was impact from the loose horse or not I don't know, but he must have the heart of a lion to have gone on as long as he did. I pulled him up when it was better to be safe than sorry."

Aidan Coleman, 17th on Tenor Nivernais, said: "I got round and he gave me a fantastic ride. He needs softer ground and wasn't quite quick enough early on, but he chipped away and got into, but just wasn't quite quick enough."

Tom Scudamore, who was sixth on Vieux Lion Rouge, said: "I had a great ride, he just wasn't good enough. From the second-last he was running out of puff, but he's run a stormer and I couldn't have asked for more."

Charlie Deutsch, whose first Grand National ride came on Houblon Des Obeaux, finished 10th, then said: "The race went really well, he jumped very well, but it was all happening a bit quick. He stayed on and I had a great spin. It was brilliant, better than I had imagined."

David Noonan, 11th on Ballynagour, said: "He jumped well, took to the fences well, jumping economically and sensibly, and he travelled until two out, but we were on empty from there. He completed the course and is fine, but he knows he's had a race."

Paul Townend, who pulled up O'Faolains Boy after the last, said: "He didn't quite get home, but I got a super ride off him. I pulled up after the last, but he took me a long way. I had a pretty good run round - as good as you can expect in a National."

Henry Brooke, pulled up Highland Lodge before the last. He said: "I looked after him when he got tired, and he was fine after getting some water on him. I rode him to keep out of trouble and had a good spin."

Leighton Aspell, seventh on Lord Windermere, said: "Once I eventually got him to the start he gave me a lovely ride. He got me into a nice position, but I haven't quite seen out the four and a quarter miles. He jumped really good."

David Mullins, last year's winning jockey, rode Stellar Notion, who pulled up at the 13th. He said: "I jumped the first six and thought it was going to be as easy as last year, but horses can make fools of you."

Bryan Cooper, pulled up Rogue Angel after the last, having made much of the early running. He said: "I had a great spin on him, it was deadly, but he just didn't see out the trip. He won the Irish National making the running so that was the plan."

Nico De Boinville, fell at the first on Cocktails At Dawn. He said: "He jumped the fence well, but just didn't get his landing gear out."

Mark Enright, hampered and unseated at the ninth on Thunder And Roses, said: "I went at Valentine's first round - he gave me a good spin to that point. A loose horse fell in front of me, and as he came up I was knocked out the saddle. It was unfortunate."

Jake Greenall, 13th on Goodtoknow, said: "He gave me a great spin, but he jumped right at the Canal Turn and I nearly came out the side door, which knocked his rhythm a bit. He had a breather and jumped fantastically all the way. It was a great experience."

Conor O'Farrell, who pulled up Doctor Harper before the 29th, said: "He just wasn't really in love with it, and I can't be sure he really took to the place. It was a combination of things, and he got tired, but he's pulled up fine."