A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
| Grand National | |
 | |
| Location | Aintree Racecourse |
|---|---|
| Date | 5 April 2003 |
| Winning horse |  Monty's Pass |
| Starting price | 16/1 |
| Jockey | Barry Geraghty |
| Trainer | Jimmy Mangan |
| Owner | Dee Racing Syndicate |
| Conditions | Good |
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 Replay of the 2003 Grand National in full Racing TV, YouTube |
The 2003 Grand National (officially known as the Martell Grand National for sponsorship reasons) was the 156th official renewal of the world-famous Grand National steeplechase that took place at Aintree at 3:45pm BST, on 5 April 2003.
The ten-year-old 16/1 shot Monty's Pass, ridden by Barry Geraghty and trained by Jimmy Mangan in Cork, Ireland, won the race by 12 lengths from the 2001 Welsh National winner Supreme Glory (40/1) in a time of 9 minutes 21.7 seconds.[1]
The field was limited to a maximum of 40 competitors, and 14 completed the 4 mile 4 furlong course. Bramblehill Duke was a late replacement for the withdrawn Kingsmark a day before the race.[2]
Racecard
| No | Colours | Horse | Age | Handicap | SP | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Behrajan (IRE) | 8 | 11-12 | 22/1 | Richard Johnson | Henry Daly |
| 2 |  |
Bramblehill Duke (IRE) | 11 | 10-00 | 200/1 | Brian Crowley | Venetia Williams |
| 3 | .png) |
Gingembre (FR) | 9 | 11-09 | 14/1 | Andrew Thornton | Lavinia Taylor |
| 4 |  |
Shotgun Willy (IRE) | 9 | 11-09 | 7/1 F | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls |
| 5 |  |
Fadalko (FR) | 10 | 11-07 | 100/1 | Seamus Durack | Paul Nicholls |
| 6 | .png) |
Chives (IRE) | 8 | 11-05 | 10/1 | Richard Guest | Henrietta Knight |
| 7 |  |
Iris Bleu (FR) | 7 | 11-03 | 8/1 | Tony McCoy | Martin Pipe |
| 8 |  |
Ad Hoc (IRE) | 9 | 11-01 | 9/1 | Paul Carberry | Paul Nicholls |
| 9 |  |
Ballinclay King (IRE) | 9 | 10-12 | 50/1 | Davy Russell | Ferdy Murphy |
| 10 |  |
Carbury Cross (IRE) | 9 | 10-12 | 25/1 | Liam Cooper | Jonjo O'Neill |
| 11 |  |
Bindaree (IRE) | 9 | 10-11 | 25/1 | Carl Llewellyn | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
| 12 |  |
Youlneverwalkalone (IRE) | 9 | 10-11 | 8/1 | Conor O'Dwyer | Christy Roche |
| 13 |  |
The Bunny Boiler (IRE) | 9 | 10-10 | 50/1 | John Cullen | Noel Meade |
| 14 |  |
Blowing Wind (FR) | 10 | 10-09 | 20/1 | Tom Scudamore | Martin Pipe |
| 15 |  |
You're Agoodun | 11 | 10-09 | 50/1 | Robert Thornton | Martin Pipe |
| 16 |  |
Katarino (FR) | 8 | 10-08 | 50/1 | Mick Fitzgerald | Nicky Henderson |
| 17 |  |
Red Striker | 9 | 10-08 | 50/1 | Larry McGrath | Richard Guest |
| 18 |  |
Southern Star (IRE) | 8 | 10-08 | 66/1 | Dominic Elsworth | Henrietta Knight |
| 19 |  |
Monty's Pass (IRE) | 10 | 10-07 | 16/1 | Barry Geraghty | Jimmy Mangan |
| 20 |  |
Majed (FR) | 7 | 10-05 | 200/1 | Rodi Greene | Martin Pipe |
| 21 |  |
Amberleigh House | 11 | 10-04 | 33/1 | Graham Lee | Ginger McCain |
| 22 |  |
Maximize (IRE) | 9 | 10-04 | 16/1 | Jim Culloty | Henrietta Knight |
| 23 |  |
Montifault (FR) | 8 | 10-04 | 33/1 | Joe Tizzard | Paul Nicholls |
| 24 |  |
Polar Champ | 10 | 10-04 | 200/1 | Daniel Howard | Martin Pipe |
| 25 |  |
Cregg House (IRE) | 8 | 10-03 | 50/1 | David Casey | Paddy Mullins |
| 26 |  |
Good Shuil (IRE) | 8 | 10-03 | 200/1 | Noel Fehily | Charlie Mann |
| 27 |  |
Mantles Prince | 9 | 10-03 | 200/1 | Ollie McPhail | Alan Juckes |
| 28 |  |
Torduff Express (IRE) | 12 | 10-03 | 33/1 | Timmy Murphy | Paul Nicholls |
| 29 |  |
Goguenard (FR) | 9 | 10-02 | 28/1 | Warren Marston | Sue Smith |
| 30 |  |
Gunner Welburn | 11 | 10-02 | 16/1 | Barry Fenton | Andrew Balding |
| 31 |  |
Royal Predica (FR) | 9 | 10-02 | 33/1 | Jamie Moore | Martin Pipe |
| 32 |  |
Supreme Glory (IRE) | 10 | 10-02 | 40/1 | Leighton Aspell | Pat Murphy |
| 33 |  |
Tremallt (IRE) | 12 | 10-02 | 200/1 | Jason Maguire | Tom George |
| 34 |  |
Wonder Weasel (IRE) | 10 | 10-02 | 50/1 | JP McNamara | Kim Bailey |
| 35 |  |
Djeddah (IRE) | 12 | 10-01 | 66/1 | Thierry Doumen | Francois Doumen |
| 36 |  |
Burlu (FR) | 9 | 10-00 | 200/1 | Gerry Supple | Martin Pipe |
| 37 |  |
Red Ark | 10 | 10-00 | 100/1 | Kenny Johnson | Richard Guest |
| 38 | .png) |
Robbo | 9 | 10-00 | 100/1 | Alan Dempsey | Mary Reveley |
| 39 |  |
Killusty (IRE) | 9 | 10-00 | 12/1 | Tony Dobbin | Charles Egerton |
| 40 |  |
Empereur River (FR) | 11 | 10-00 | 250/1 | Patrick Pailhes | Jacques Ortet |
- Great Britain unless stated.
Leading contenders
Shotgun Willy became the favourite for the race after winning the Red Square Vodka Gold Cup at Haydock on 1 March and remained the most popular entrant with the public, going off as the 7/1 clear favourite, ridden by Ruby Walsh who had previously won the race in 2000. Shotgun Willy was always towards the rear of the field and began to lose touch with the leaders early on the second circuit, pulling up after making a mistake at the 21st fence.
Youllneverwalkalone won the Leopardstown Chase in January and then the William Hill Handicap Chase at Cheltenham in March and was sent off as the 8/1 joint-second favourite in partnership with rider Conor O'Dwyer. The horse was naturally popular with punters on the Liverpool course due to links with Liverpool Football Club whose anthem is the song of the same name, however the horse was at the back of the field when he suffered a leg injury at the 11th fence and was instantly pulled up. He was found to have broken a leg and, although he recovered, was never raced again.[3]
Iris Bleu had fallen in the 2002 National but had won the Thomas Pink Handicap Chase at Cheltenham in December and the Agfa Diamond Chase at Sandown in January to be backed to 8/1 on race day. Ridden by champion jockey Tony McCoy, Iris Bleu made a series of mistakes and was pulled up lame before taking the water jump at the end of the first circuit.
Ad Hoc had been travelling well when brought down in the 2002 race, and was partnered by 1999 winning jockey Paul Carberry; the pair went off at a price of 9/1 and almost fell at the first fence. Having recovered, they were making progress when Carberry was unseated at the 19th.
Chives had run prominently in several major races, including finishing second in the 2002 Welsh National and seventh in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and was sent off at 10/1 in company with 1998 winning rider Richard Guest but also disappointed with mistakes before suffering injury at the 11th fence where he was pulled up.
At 16/1, Monty's Pass was considered among the good each-way chances for the race and had been backed heavily on race day from 40/1 the day before after being tipped by several leading tipsters. Among those who predicted his victory were John Francome in The Sun, Eddie Fremantle in The Observer, Marten Julian in The Sunday Telegraph and Thunderer in The Times while Pricewise in the Racing Post tipped the horse to win two months before the race.[4]
The Race
Big outsider Tremallt led the field over Melling Road and towards the first fence, where The Bunny Boiler unseated its rider and was the only casualty. The next fence saw Bramblehill Duke fall when chasing the leaders. At the third fence which was the first open ditch, Wonder Weasel was the only faller in mid division . Tremallt continued to lead the race over the fences before Becher's Brook. At Becher's Brook, Fadalko overjumped the fence and unseated its rider. Meanwhile, last year's winner Bindaree blundered and was on his nose after jumping the fence. The field all managed to jump the Foinavon fence well and ran on towards the Canal Turn. At this fence, Polar Champ blundered and unseated its rider when behind. Montifault joined Tremallt at the front of the race while jumping Valentine's Brook. 10/1 shot Chives blundered at the eleventh fence which was another open ditch and was pulled up before the next after breaking a blood vessel. At the next fence, another fancied horse Youllneverwalkalone jumped it slow and was immediately pulled up lame. Leading up to The Chair, Gunner Welburn had become the race leader. However the horse hesitated before jumping the fence and nearly unseated its rider. Katarino unseated its rider Mick Fitzgerald after making a mistake at The Chair and Ballinclay King was pulled up at the rear of the field. The next fence which was the Water Jump saw Iris Bleu pulled up. Thirty horses were still left standing when they continued the race onto the second circuit. All horses jumped the next two fences safely, at the 19th fence (open ditch) Monty's Pass and Torduff Express joined Gunner Welburn in the lead. Maximize fell, Ad Hoc and Goguenard both blundered and unseated their riders. You're Agoodun and Robbo were both hampered and unseated their riders also. Good Shuil was pulled up after tailing off at the same fence. At Beecher's Brook second time round Killusty fell in mid division and Burlu when behind for most of the race, while at the rear of the field the favourite Shotgun Willy pulled up as was Empereur River. Gingembre was pulled up well behind at the Canal Turn. At the next fence which was Valentine's Brook, Mantle's Prince made a mistake and unseated its rider and Red Ark was pulled up at the fence towards the rear of the field. At the 27th fence final open ditch of the race Torduff Express had weakened, blundered and unseated its rider as did Red Striker. Cregg House refused the fence after tailing off . A group of Gunner Welburn, Monty's Pass, Amberleigh House and Montifault pulled away from Supreme Glory and the rest of the field as they crossed Melling Road to jump the final two fences. Monty's Pass jumped the last two fences ahead of Amberleigh House and a weakening Gunner Welburn. On the run-in Supreme Glory seemed to be staying on well after overtaking Amberleigh House just before the elbow. Although Monty's Pass stayed on well to go clear and win the race by 12 lengths ahead of Supreme Glory in 2nd and Amberleigh House in 3rd. Gunner Welburn and Montifault finished 4th and 5th after making a lot of the running in the race. Bindaree stayed on well to finish 6th after spending most of the race towards the rear. Next to finish was Carberry Cross, Blowing Wind, Tremallt, Behrajan, Djeddah, Majed, Royal Predica and last to complete was Southern Star. 14 horses completed the race.