LATER today the 2021 edition of the Grand National will take place at Aintree, with dozens of runners and riders aiming to write their names into the history books.
Arguably the most famous event in racing, the Grand National presents the toughest test of both horse and jockey as they attempt to navigate 30 jumps stretched across more than four miles.
It is two years since the race was last held, with last year’s National falling victim to the Covid-19 pandemic, but it returns in 2021 albeit with no crowds, meaning runners will not be greeted with the famous Aintree roar as they enter the closing straight.
Ahead of this year’s race we are remembering Bingley-trained winner Aurora’s Encore who heard the Aintree roar loud and clear as he romped to victory in 2013.
The race has made heroes of horses and jockeys over the years, from three-time winner Red Rum and back to back winner Tiger Roll, to unlikely champion Foinavon and 2010 winner Don’t Push It who gave AP McCoy his solitary Grand National win.
But for the Bradford district, and High Eldwick-based trainer Sue Smith, it’s Aurora’s Encore who hold a special place in history for that famous win in 2013.
Priced at 66/1, his success was not predicted by the bookmakers. Indeed, only eight other horses in the history of the race have won at equal or higher odds than Aurora’s Encore.
With Scotsman Ryan Mania on board, the race got underway at the first attempt with Mania steering his steed around safely as 23 horses failed to finish.
After 25 fences, Aurora’s Encore moved into third position before taking the lead as the race neared its finale, and with 500 yards left to run Mania urged his horse – both of whom were running in the National for the first time – into the lead, and he left competitors for dust, winning the race by nine lengths.
They bagged £547,268 in prize money for the win and a place in racing folklore for jockey Mania and trainer Sue Smith, who has trained horses out of her Craiglands Farm stables for more than 30 years.
Following the race, Aurora’s Encore and Mrs Smith received a hero’s welcome on their return to Bingley.
At the time, Mrs Smith, who was just the third female trainer to win the National, said: "We're past the stage of partying all night, so we made sure we got to bed!
"The horse has come out unbelievably well this morning. His legs are sound and he's quite chirpy considering he raced for nearly four and a half miles."
Fellow trainer Jenny Pitman said of the result: “If ever justice was done, that day it was, as they so deserved this winner.
"There would not be one person in the horse industry as a whole that wouldn't have been chuffed about the result.”
Aurora’s Encore was retired from racing the following year and has enjoyed his life away from racing since, meanwhile Mrs Smith continues to train racers, with more than 40 horses currently under her stewardship at Craiglands.
At the Cheltenham Festival earlier this year, Vintage Clouds was a 28/1 winner for the Smith-Mania partnership. He piloted two of her runners earlier this week at Aintree but without success.
Mrs Smith does not have any runners in today’s Grand National, which takes place at 5.15pm.
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