The 2007 Grand National (officially known as the John Smith's Grand National for sponsorship reasons) was the 160th official annual running of the world-famous Grand National steeplechase which took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 14 April 2007 and attracted the maximum permitted field of forty competitors for a total prize money of £700,000 including £399,140 to the winner.Silver Birch wins the 2007 John Smith's Grand National Aintree, 14 April 2007
33–1 shot Silver Birch, ridden by Robbie Power, edged out McKelvey to win the race by three-quarters of a length. Joint-favourite Point Barrow, at odds of 8–1, fell at the first fence. The meeting was attended by around 70,000 spectators at Aintree, and an estimated 16 million adults placed bets on the race.
Runners and betting 2005 Scottish Grand National winner Joe's Edge was the long-time ante-post favourite but public money on race day came for 2006 Irish Grand National winner Point Barrow after being tipped by several morning newspaper tipsters but the big plunge bets went on the heavyweight Monkerhostin who had recently run well in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Not surprisingly the two former winners in the race, Hedgehunter, under the 11 stone 12 lb top weight and Numbersixvalverde were both heavily supported, along with Longshanks who had twice been placed in the Topham Trophy over one circuit of the course, and the 2006 Summer National winner McKelvey.
Starting priceNumberNameAgeWeight (st, lb)JockeyTrainerOwnerColours8/1 JF39Joe's Edge1010–2Graham LeeFerdy MurphyChemipetro Ltd.Grey with red cross of lorraine, checked sleeves and red cap8/1 JF4Monkerhostin1011–6Richard JohnsonPhilip HobbsM. G. St. QuintonYellow and pink diamonds, yellow sleeves and cap8/1 JF13Point Barrow910–12Philip CarberryPhilip Hughes (Ireland)P. Clune HughesViolet with purple trim and quartered cap9/11Hedgehunter1111–12Ruby WalshWillie Mullins (Ireland)Trevor HemmingsGreen/yellow quarters with white sleeves and green cap12/135McKelvey810–4Tom O'Brien Peter BowenN. ElliottGreen with red V, checked cap14/125Longshanks1010–7Tony DobbinKim BaileyAlan HalsallBlue with dark green sleeves and cap14/17Numbersixvalverde1111–3Niall MaddenMartin Brassill (Ireland)Bernard CarrollGreen with black sleeves and white cap16/16Billyvoddan811–4Leighton AspellHenry DalyTrevor HemmingsGreen and yellow quarters, white sleeves and cap16/12Eurotrek1111–8Liam HeardPaul NichollsGrand National runners and riders BBC Sport, 12 April 2007Paul GreenBlue with dark blue diamond on body and cap16/1Grand National 2007 BBC Sport, 14 April 20073L'ami811–8Tony McCoyFrançois Doumen (France)J. P. McManusGreen and orange hoops, white cap20/126Bothar Na1010–7David CaseyWillie Mullins (Ireland)Mrs. Michael O'DwyerGreen with red sash, sleeves and cap20/120Dun Doire810–8Paul CarberryTony Martin (Ireland)Dunderry racing syndicateGreen and black hoops, black sleeves, black and white quartered cap20/18Idle Talk811–2Jason MaguireDonald McCain, Jr.Trevor HemmingsYellow and green quarters, white sleeves, red cap20/115Simon810–11Andrew ThorntonJohn SpearingMercy RimellClaret with sky blue spots on body, reversed cap22/124Bewley's Berry910–7Paddy BrennanHoward JohnsonAndrea & Graham WylieChocolate and brown halves, chocolate sleeves with brown hoops, chocolate cap33/116Ballycassidy1110–9Denis O'ReganPeter BowenRoddy Owen & Paul FullagarWhite, red V, red and green striped sleeves, red cap33/117Clan Royal1210–9John P. McNamaraJonjo O'NeillJ. P. McManusGreen and orange hoops, green cap with white star33/118Gallant Approach810–9Jimmy McCarthyCharlie EgertonByrne Bros. (Formwork) Ltd.Blue with white hollow square and lower sleeves, blue cap33/128Homer Wells910–6David CondonWillie Mullins (Ireland)Margaret McMahonPurple, yellow V and cap33/137Jack High1210–3Richard McGrathTed Walsh (Ireland)Ms. B. Ross, M. McShane, D. Montgomery & W. MooPink with blue diamond hoop and diamonds on sleeves, white cap33/112Kelami910–12Mick FitzgeraldFrançois Doumen (France)Halewood International Ltd.Black, red and white striped sleeves and hooped cap33/19Royal Auclair1011–1Joe TizzardPaul NichollsClive SmithGreen with yellow spots and lower sleeves, purple cap33/130Silver Birch1010–6Robbie Power Gordon Elliott (Ireland)Brian WalshBlack with sky blue star and sleeves with black stars, sky blue cap33/122Slim Pickings810–8Barry Geraghty Tom TaaffeDoubtful Five syndicateWhite with blue checks, sleeves and cap40/129Liberthine (mare)810–6Mr. Sam Waley-CohenNicky HendersonRobert Waley-CohenBrown with orange sleeves, quartered cap50/114Celtic Son810–11Timmy MurphyDavid PipeDavid JohnsonBlue, green sleeves, white cap with green spots50/15Thisthatandtother1111–5Jamie Moore Paul NichollsGraham RoacheRed with white crossbelts, hoops on sleeves and star on cap66/140Le Duc810–2Dominic ElsworthPaul NichollsStewart FamilyBlack and white halves, red sleeves and cap66/123Zabenz1010–8Barry FentonPhilip HobbsMichael WattKhaki with green cap80/1Grand National 2007 Result Grand National World32Puntal1010–6Tom ScudamoreDavid PipeTerry NeillWhite with red spotted sash, armbands and quartered cap100/110Cloudy Bays1011–0Andrew McNamaraCharles Byrne (Ireland)Cloudy Bay syndicateBlack and white stripes with quartered cap100/127Graphic Approach1010–7Paul MoloneyCharlie EgertonMr. & Mrs. Peter OrtonGreen with pink and white striped sleeves, pink cap100/121Kandjar D'allier910–8Robert ThorntonAlan KingLet's Live RacingSky with black centre pin stripe and armbands100/111Knowhere910–13Tom DoyleNigel Twiston-DaviesRaymond MouldGreen with white stars100/119Livingstone Bramble1110–9Davy RussellWillie Mullins (Ireland)Favourites RacingBlue with white star, red sleeves with white stars red cap with white star100/131Philson Run1010–6Daryl JacobNick WilliamsGale Force OneYellow with orange races, grey lower sleeves and orange spots on cap125/136Naunton Brook810–4Noel FehilyNigel Twiston-DaviesDavid LangdonGreen and blue stripes, green sleeves, red cap with blue star125/134Tikram910–5Wayne HutchinsonAlan KingMike Charlton & Roger SargentGreen with range sleeves and cap125/133The Outlier1010–6Paul O'NeillVenetia WilliamsP. J. MurphyPink with brown crossbelts and spots on cap150/138Sonevafushi910–3Tom GreenallVenetia WilliamsMr. B. C. DiceGreen and black hoops, green upper, black lower sleeves, green cap
The race Cloudy Bays broke the tape when the runners were sent off for the first time, resulting in a false start. The long delay in getting the runners set again had many on their toes and they set off at a very fast pace second time. By then Cloudy Bays had little interest in taking part and was left by thirty lengths at the start.
Joint-favourite Point Barrow caused a huge groan from the stands and for millions watching on television by falling at the first fence, ending debutant rider Philip Carberry's National within a minute of it starting. Another debut rider, Wayne Hutchinson was left hanging on to his mount Tikram until finally being unseated as the horse went to jump the second fence.
The Outlier was the first to emerge as the leader and was tracked by Bewley's Berry, Naunton Brook and Ballycassidy as the field successfully negotiated the fences down to the sixth, Becher's Brook.
At the famous brook, Dominic Elsworth found himself falling off his mount Le Duc when he shouted to nearby rival Mick Fitzgerald on board Kelami for help. Fitzgerald pushed Elsworth only for the rider to remain unbalanced and fall off the other side instead.BBC Grandstand television programme post race interview with Peter Scudamore in the weighing room At the same fence Jack High crumpled on landing and fell, while Davy Russell was also thrown from Livingstone Bramble, requiring a trip to hospital for precautionary X-rays on his back.
As the field continued towards the seventh fence (Foinavon) Zabenz was pulled up, a stirrup leather having broken. Monkerhostin's rider Richard Johnson was also having to contend with a broken stirrup leather but his horse was not enjoying the experience and dug his heels in at Foinavon and refused.
Naunton Brook was now in the lead as the field took the 90-degree Canal Turn with Bewley's Berry, Ballycassidy and The Outlier next. Only Tom Doyle was caught out by the sharp turn and was ejected from Knowhere out the side, while right behind them Kandjar D'allier was baulked by two loose horses and crashed into the fence, almost bringing down Homer Wells in the process.
Of the thirty-one remaining only Royal Auclair failed to negotiate the four fences along the canal side that took the field back onto the race course for the first time, falling at the first of those, Valentine's brook, badly hampering Eurotrek.
Naunton Brook and Ballycassidy continued to set the pace as the runners came in front of the stands and made their way towards The Chair. Gallant Approach survived a bad mistake here which put him out of contention, while Cloudy Bays refused when tailed off. Dun Doire was also tailed off at this stage as the field of twenty-nine runners took the water jump and began the second circuit.
The front running Naunton Brook began to show signs of fatigue as Ballcycassidy and Bewley's Berry now took the field over the fences down to Becher's. The Outlier unshipped his rider at the 19th fence (open ditch) as well as Idle Talk, who was already beaten when he dropped a foreleg into the ditch and failed to take off. Billyvoddan was the first of the tailenders to pull up before taking the fence, and the last of the disappointing joint-favourites, Joe's Edge, did the same before the 20th when he was found to have gone lame. Both Homer Wells and Eurotrek had been struggling since they were hampered earlier in the race by fallers. Now with their chances gone they were both pulled up before Becher's Brook along with another tail ender, Celtic Son to leave twenty-two runners still racing.
Bewley's Berry was out in front and cantering when he was caught out by the steep drop at Becher's and fell, leaving Simon and Libertine in front while Graphic Approach was losing touch when he fell, while Naunton Brook was pulled up after jumping the brook.
By the second jump of the Canal Turn, Bothar Na, Sonevafushi and Kelami were losing touch. Puntal, Clan Royal, Gallant Approach and Dun Doire were beaten and tailed off.
Ballycassidy was beginning to slow when he turned too sharply and threw his rider, while at the next fence (Valentine's) Simon came down when in second place. Slim Pickings moved into the lead at the next and by the third-last was at the head of a group of ten runners that still carried chances of winning.
The long run to the second-last flight spread the pack out with Slim Pickings taking the fence just ahead of Silver Birch. At the last, Silver Birch landed just in front and began to get away from Slim Pickings on the long run-in. At the elbow, Silver Birch began to labour and Slim Pickings fought back, with McKelvey finishing best. The finishing post came just in time for Silver Birch to win by three-quarters of a length, with McKelvey second by lengths. Slim Pickings finished third, fifteen lengths in front of fourth placed Philson Run.
Libertine was fifth, Numbersixvalverde sixth, Longshanks seventh, Puntal eighth and Hedgehunter ninth, a distance ahead of L'ami in tenth, Clan Royal in eleventh, and Gallant Approach the last of twelve to complete. Dun Doire pulled up three fences from home, Sonevafushi and Bothar Na bypassed the second-last, and Kelami and Thisthatandtother missed out the final flight.
Finishing order