The 2010 Grand National (officially known as the John Smith's Grand National for sponsorship reasons) was the 163rd renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 10 April 2010.
The main race was held at 16:15 BST and was won by Don't Push It, ridden by Tony McCoy, five lengths ahead of Black Apalachi in second, and twenty ahead of State of Play in third.
It was McCoy's first win in the Grand National at his fifteenth attempt. Don't Push It started the race as 10–1 joint-favourite, having been backed down from 20–1 in the hours prior to the race. In the process of winning, McCoy avoided equalling the record for most rides in the National without winning, held by Jeff King.
The main race was seen by the largest attendance at Aintree since 2005, with a crowd of 70,341 on the day, and a total of 150,426 attending over the course of the three-day meeting.
Race card BBC Grand National colour guide
1: Madison Du Berlais Weight: 11–10. Jockey: Tom Scudamore; trainer: David Pipe. Colours: purple, yellow triple diamond, yellow sleeves with red armlets and cap.
2: Mon Mome Weight: 11–7. Jockey: Aidan Coleman; trainer: Venetia Williams. Colours: green, purple armlets
3: Vic Venturi Weight: 11–6. Jockey: Roger Loughran; trainer: Dessie Hughes (Ireland). Colours: black, yellow diamond on body and cap, diamonds on sleeves.
4: Black Apalachi Weight: 11–6. Jockey: Denis O'Regan; trainer: Dessie Hughes (Ireland). Colours: green, blue chevrons on sleeves, blue star on cap.
5: Joe Lively Weight: 11–6. Jockey: Joe Tizzard; trainer: Colin Tizzard. Colours: yellow with red diamond, quartered cap.
6: Don't Push It Weight: 11–5. Jockey: Tony McCoy; trainer: Jonjo O'Neill. Colours: green and yellow hoops, white cap.
7: Comply or Die Weight: 11–5. Jockey: Timmy Murphy; trainer: David Pipe. Colours: royal blue, green sleeves, white cap with blue spots.
8: Niche Market Weight: 11–4. Jockey: Harry Skelton; trainer: Bob Buckler. Colours: orange and blue quarters, hooped sleeves, quartered cap.
9: Tricky Trickster Weight: 11–4. Jockey: Richard Johnson; trainer: Paul Nicholls. Colours: pink, large purple spots, hooped sleeves. Note: Johnson replaced Barry Geraghty as the jockey of Tricky Trickster following an injury to Ruby Walsh. Geraghty switched to ride joint-favourite Big Fella Thanks.
10: Made in Taipan Weight: 11–4. Jockey: Niall Madden; trainer: Tom Mullins (Ireland). Colours: orange with black star, diablo sleeves, white and black hooped cap.
11: Dream Alliance Weight: 11–3. Jockey: Tom O'Brien; trainer: Philip Hobbs. Colours: grey with maroon epaulettes and armbands, hooped cap.
12: Cloudy Lane Weight: 11–3. Jockey: Jason Maguire; trainer: Donald McCain, Jr. Colours: green and yellow quartered, white sleeves and cap.
13: Nozic Weight: 11–3. Jockey: Liam Treadwell; trainer: Paul Nicholls. Colours: blue, white disc, stars on sleeves and star on cap.
14: My Will Weight: 11–2. Jockey: Nick Scholfield; trainer: Paul Nicholls. Colours: black and white halves, red sleeves and cap.
15: Pablo Du Charmil Weight: 11–2. Jockey: Danny Cook; trainer: David Pipe. Colours: purple, yellow chevron, diablo sleeves.
16: Ballyholland Weight: 11–0. Jockey: Andrew McNamara; trainer: Colin McBratney (Ireland). Colours: white, yellow stripe, quartered cap.
17: Backstage Weight: 11–0. Jockey: Davy Condon; trainer: Gordon Elliott (Ireland). Colours: light blue, orange epaulettes, light blue and purple checked cap.
18: Beat the Boys Weight: 11–0. Jockey: Brian Hughes; trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies. Colours: pink, blue diamond, diablo sleeves, pink star on blue cap.
19: Priests Leap Weight: 11–0. Jockey: Philip Enright; trainer: Tom O'Leary (Ireland). Colours: blue, yellow star, stars on sleeves, star on cap.
20: Snowy Morning Weight: 10–13. Jockey: David Casey; trainer: Willie Mullins (Ireland). Colours: yellow, black braces, yellow and white quartered cap.
21: Can't Buy Time Weight: 10–13. Jockey: Richie McLernon; trainer: Jonjo O'Neill. Colours: green and yellow hoops, white star on green cap.
22: Big Fella Thanks Weight: 10–12. Jockey: Barry Geraghty; trainer: Paul Nicholls. Colours: purple with grey hooped sleeves. Note: Twice-winning jockey Ruby Walsh was originally scheduled to ride Big Fella Thanks but was ruled out when he was injured in a heavy fall on Celestial Halo in the 2:50 pm race earlier in the day.
23: State of Play Weight: 10–11. Jockey: Paul Moloney; trainer: Evan Williams. Colours: blue with pink hoop.
24: Character Building Weight: 10–11. Jockey: Nina Carberry; trainer: John Quinn. Colours: pink with purple crossbelts, hooped sleeves and cap.
25: Ellerslie George Weight: 10–10. Jockey: Christian Williams; trainer: Nick Mitchell. Colours: blue with green hoop and cap, red sleeves.
26: Eric's Charm Weight: 10–9. Jockey: Wayne Hutchinson; trainer: Oliver Sherwood. Colours: yellow and pink diamonds, yellow sleeves and cap.
27: King Johns Castle Weight: 10–9. Jockey: Paul Carberry; trainer: Arthur Moore (Ireland). Colours: green and yellow hoops, red cap.
28: Conna Castle Weight: 10–9. Jockey: Sean Flanagan; trainer: Jimmy Mangan (Ireland). Colours: orange and light blue diamonds, orange sleeves and cap with blue stars.
29: Ballyfitz Weight: 10–9. Jockey: David England; trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies. Colours: light blue and maroon diablo and quartered cap, light blue sleeves.
30: Ollie Magern Weight: 10–9. Jockey: Tom Molloy; trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies. Colours: light blue, maroon stars and sleeves.
31: Arbor Supreme Weight: 10–8. Jockey: Paul Townend; trainer: Willie Mullins (Ireland). Colours: green and yellow hoops, blue cap.
32: Maljimar Weight: 10–8. Jockey: Daryl Jacob; trainer: Nick Williams. Colours: orange with black star on body and cap.
33: The Package Weight: 10–7. Jockey: Graham Lee; trainer: David Pipe. Colours: royal blue, emerald green sleeves, red cap.
34: Piraya Weight: 10–7. Jockey: Johnny Farrelly; trainer: David Pipe. Colours: white, large red spots, armlets and quartered cap.
35: Irish Raptor Weight: 10–7. Jockey: Paddy Brennan; trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies. Colours: green, yellow stars, striped sleeves, blue and yellow cap.
36: Cerium Weight: 10–5. Jockey: Davy Russell; trainer: Paul Murphy. Colours: green, white star, black striped sleeves, white cap with black star.
37: Palypso De Creek Weight: 10–6. Jockey: Tom Siddall; trainer: Charlie Longsdon. Colours: blue, dark green sleeves and cap.
38: Hello Bud Weight: 10–6. Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies; trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies. Colours: white, blue spotted body and sleeves, striped cap.
39: Flintoff Weight: 10–5. Jockey: Andrew Tinkler; trainer: Venetia Williams. Colours: blue, pink hooped sleeves and cap.
40: Royal Rosa Weight: 10–5. Jockey: Wilson Renwick; trainer: Howard Johnson. Colours: black and beige halved, beige sleeves with black chevrons, beige cap
Originally, Royal Rosa was a reserve, but ran because of the withdrawal of Abbeybraney. Silver Birch was originally due to be the first reserve, when it was clear there were to be no withdrawals, Gordon Elliott took out Silver Birch so Mr Wylie could run Royal Rosa instead of Abbeybraney, and Silver Birch ran in the Topham Chase instead.
Finishing order BBC Grand National rerunFull Result SportingLife.com PositionNameRiderAgeWeightStarting priceDistancePrize money1stDon't Push ItTony McCoy1011-0510/1 JFWinner by 5 lengths£521,0522ndBlack ApalachiDenis O'Regan1111-0614/15 lengths£196,2853rdState of PlayPaul Moloney1010–1116/120 lengths£98,2354thBig Fella ThanksBarry Geraghty810–1210/1 JF3 lengths£49,1175thHello BudSam Twiston-Davies1210-0620/17 lengths£24,6056thSnowy MorningDavid Casey1010–1314/1 lengths£12,3027thCharacter BuildingNina Carberry1010–1116/1Neck£6,1058thCloudy LaneJason Maguire1011-0325/112 lengths£3,1459thTricky TricksterRichard Johnson711-0416/1 lengthNil10thJoe LivelyJoe Tizzard1111-0633/1Short headNil11thCeriumDavy Russell910-0650/1A distanceNil12thComply or DieTimmy Murphy1110-0512/18 lengthsNil13thPirayaJohnny Farrelly710-07100/1A distanceNil14thPriests LeapPhilip Enright1011-00100/1Last to completeNil
Non-finishers
FenceNameRiderAgeWeightStarting priceFateStart lineKing John's CastlePaul Carberry1110-0928/1Refused to start1stEric's CharmWayne Hutchinson1210-0933/1Fell2ndPablo Du CharmilDanny Cook911-02100/1Fell4thMy WillNick Scholfield1011-0220/1Fell5thMade in TaipanNiall Madden811-04100/1Fell8th (Canal Turn)Can't Buy Time Richie McLernon810–1333/1Unseated rider14thIrish RaptorPaddy Brennan1110-0733/1Fell14thRoyal RosaWilson Renwick1110-0566/1Unseated rider15th (The Chair)Arbor SupremePaul Townend810-0816/1Unseated rider19thMadison Du BerlaisTom Scudamore911–1050/1Unseated rider19thBeat The BoysBrian Hughes911-0066/1Pulled up19thThe PackageGraham Lee710-0714/1Unseated rider20thVic VenturiRoger Loughran1011-0625/1Fell when hampered20thNozicLiam Treadwell911-0340/1Unseated rider when hampered20thBackstageDavy Condon811-0025/1Unseated rider when hampered21stFlintoffAndrew Tinkler910-0550/1Pulled up22nd (Becher's Brook)BallyfitzDavid England1010-0950/1Fell22nd (Becher's Brook)MaljimarDaryl Jacob1010-0828/1Fell23rd (Foinavon's)Ellerslie GeorgeChristian Williams1010–1066/1Unseated rider24th (Canal Turn)Dream AllianceTom O'Brien911-0316/1Pulled up26thMon MomeAidan Coleman1011-0714/1Fell27thPalypso De CreekTom Siddall710-0666/1Fell 28thBallyhollandAndrew McNamara911-0028/1Pulled up29thNiche MarketHarry Skelton911-0416/1Pulled up 29thConna CastleSean Flanagan1110-09100/1Pulled up29thOllie MagernTom Molloy1210-09100/1Pulled up
Trivia For the first time since 2005, there were no equine fatalities in the main race. In each of the previous four years there was one casualty.
Plaisir d'Estruval and Prudent Honour both died instantly after jumping Valentine's, the 13th fence in the Topham Chase on 9 April, a handicap over two miles and furlongs. Both horses broke their necks. Earlier the same day, in the grade one Melling Chase over standard chase fences on the Mildmay track, Schindlers Hunt was put down after fracturing a leg in a fall at the third fence. Schindlers Hunt's jockey Paddy Flood broke his collarbone in the fall; the other jockeys were unhurt.Three horses die at Aintree guardian.co.uk
Coral bookmakers decided to refund bets placed on race-day for King John's Castle. The horse was bidding to become the first grey to win the National since 1961, but refused to run when the race started. Although under betting rules customers bets should have been classified as losers, Coral decided to make a goodwill refund gesture to their customers.Coral Refund stakes on King Johns Castle
Jockeys and quotes Selected quotes from the jockeys including winner at the fifteenth attempt, Tony McCoy, 17-year-old Sam Twiston-Davies who was aiming to become the second-youngest winning jockey ever, and Nina Carberry attempting to be first female rider to win the race:Quote...unquote Sportinglife.com
Tony McCoy (Don't Push It, first): "If you get enough goes at something and you keep going, once you're in there you've always got a chance. I'm delighted for JP [McManus, owner] as he's the best supporter this game has ever had and ever will have, and I'm very privileged to ride a Grand National winner in his colours." Denis O'Regan (Black Apalachi, second): "My fella's a tremendous horse and he gave me a tremendous feel. He just loves bowling along and loves this place. He was a bit keen early on but once he settled into a lovely rhythm he was fantastic. It's a pleasure to ride a horse like him round here." Paul Moloney (State of Play, third): "It was a serious run from a serious horse who's been very good to me – and he might win it next year, please God."