# 2005 Grand National

The 2005 Grand National (officially known as the John Smith's Grand National for sponsorship reasons) was the 158th official annual running of the Grand National steeplechase which took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 9 April 2005 and attracted the maximum permitted field of 40 competitors for total prize money of £700,000 including £406,000 to the winner.
The nine-year-old 7/1 favourite Hedgehunter, ridden by Ruby Walsh and trained by Willie Mullins, won the race by 14 lengths, in a time of 9 minutes 21 seconds. 40/1 shot Royal Auclair finished second, from 66/1-rated Simply Gifted in third.
The start of the race was moved back 25 minutes to avoid clashing with the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles. Over half of the field completed the course and all the horses returned safely, although Frenchman's Creek was retired afterward. There was much media interest in Carrie Ford, the rider of Forest Gunner, who was considered the first genuine opportunity a woman had to win a Grand National. The pairing was sent off as second-favourite and finished fifth.
The showpiece race was seen by the largest attendance at Aintree since the Monday National of 1997, with a crowd of 70,850 people, and a total of 151,660 over the course of the three-day meeting.

## Racecard

| No | Horse | Age | Handicap (St-lb) | SP | Jockey | Trainer |
| 1 | Le Coudray (FR) | 11 | 11-12 | 33/1 | Conor O'Dwyer | Christy Roche |
| 2 | Royal Auclair (FR) | 8 | 11-10 | 40/1 | Christian Williams | Paul Nicholls |
| 3 | Monty's Pass (IRE) | 12 | 11-06 | 33/1 | Barry Geraghty | Jimmy Mangan |
| 4 | Fondmort (FR) | 9 | 11-06 | 50/1 | Mick Fitzgerald | Nicky Henderson |
| 5 | Take The Stand (IRE) | 9 | 11-05 | 16/1 | Leighton Aspell | Peter Bowen |
| 6 | Ballycassidy (IRE) | 9 | 11-05 | 66/1 | Seamus Durack | Peter Bowen |
| 7 | Ballybough Rasher (IRE) | 10 | 11-04 | 100/1 | Alan Dempsey | Howard Johnson |
| 8 | Risk Accessor (IRE) | 10 | 11-04 | 100/1 | Alan Crowe | Christy Roche |
| 9 | Bindaree (IRE) | 11 | 11-03 | 33/1 | Carl Llewellyn | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
| 10 | Amberleigh House (IRE) | 13 | 11-03 | 16/1 | Graham Lee | Ginger McCain |
| 11 | Hedgehunter (IRE) | 9 | 11-01 | 7/1 F | Ruby Walsh | Willie Mullins |
| 12 | Foly Pleasant (FR) | 11 | 11-00 | 50/1 | Andrew Thornton | Karen Waldron |
| 13 | Astonville (FR) | 11 | 10-13 | 100/1 | Brian Crowley | Michael Scudamore |
| 14 | Ad Hoc (IRE) | 11 | 10-12 | 33/1 | Joe Tizzard | Paul Nicholls |
| 15 | Heros Collonges (FR) | 10 | 10-11 | 66/1 | John McNamara | Paul Nicholls |
| 16 | Glenelly Gale (IRE) | 11 | 10-11 | 150/1 | Mr Tom Greenall | Arthur Moore |
| 17 | It Takes Time (IRE) | 11 | 10-11 | 18/1 | Timmy Murphy | Martin Pipe |
| 18 | Clan Royal (FR) | 10 | 10-11 | 9/1 | Tony McCoy | Jonjo O'Neill |
| 19 | Nil Desperandum (IRE) | 8 | 10-11 | 16/1 | Jim Culloty | Francis Crowley |
| 20 | Joly Bey (FR) | 8 | 10-10 | 16/1 | Mr David Dunsdon | Nick Gifford |
| 21 | Jakari (FR) | 8 | 10-10 | 33/1 | Richard Johnson | Henry Daly |
| 22 | Frenchman's Creek | 11 | 10-09 | 50/1 | Jimmy McCarthy | Hughie Morrison |
| 23 | Iznogoud (FR) | 9 | 10-09 | 125/1 | Tom Scudamore | Martin Pipe |
| 24 | Polar Red | 8 | 10-08 | 100/1 | Tom Malone | Martin Pipe |
| 25 | Double Honour (FR) | 7 | 10-08 | 25/1 | Paddy Brennan | Philip Hobbs |
| 26 | Forest Gunner | 11 | 10-07 | 8/1 | Carrie Ford | Richard Ford |
| 27 | Colonel Rayburn (IRE) | 9 | 10-07 | 20/1 | Paul Carberry | Paul Nolan |
| 28 | Just In Debt (IRE) | 9 | 10-07 | 33/1 | Tony Dobbin | Martin Todhunter |
| 29 | Spot Thedifference (IRE) | 12 | 10-07 | 25/1 | Robbie Power | Enda Bolger |
| 30 | Innox (FR) | 9 | 10-06 | 16/1 | Robert Thornton | Francois Doumen |
| 31 | Strong Resolve (IRE) | 9 | 10-06 | 9/1 | Peter Buchanan | Lucinda Russell |
| 32 | Shamawan (IRE) | 10 | 10-06 | 200/1 | Shay Barry | Jonjo O'Neill |
| 33 | Lord Atterbury (IRE) | 9 | 10-06 | 25/1 | Mark Bradburne | Martin Pipe |
| 34 | Europa | 9 | 10-06 | 150/1 | Jason Maguire | Ferdy Murphy |
| 35 | Merchants Friend (IRE) | 10 | 10-06 | 80/1 | Noel Fehily | Charlie Mann |
| 36 | Simply Gifted | 10 | 10-06 | 66/1 | Brian Harding | Jonjo O'Neill |
| 37 | Arctic Copper (IRE) | 11 | 10-06 | 200/1 | Davy Russell | Noel Meade |
| 38 | Native Emperor | 9 | 10-05 | 100/1 | Dominic Elsworth | Jonjo O'Neill |
| 39 | Marcus Du Berlais (FR) | 8 | 10-05 | 25/1 | Barry Cash | Arthur Moore |
| 40 | L'Aventure (FR) | 6 | 10-05 | 66/1 | Bobby McNally | Paul Nicholls |

## Finishing order

| Position | Name | Rider | Age | Weight (st-lb) | SP | Distance or fate |
| 1st | Hedgehunter | Ruby Walsh | 9 | 11–1 | 7/1 F | 14 lengths |
| 2nd | Royal Auclair | Christian Williams | 8 | 11–10 | 40/1 | A head |
| 3rd | Simply Gifted | Brian Harding | 10 | 10–6 | 66/1 | 4 lengths |
| 4th | It Takes Time | Timmy Murphy | 11 | 10–11 | 18/1 | 9 lengths |
| 5th | Forest Gunner | Carrie Ford | 11 | 10–7 | 8/1 | ½ length |
| 6th | Nil Desperandum | Jim Culloty | 8 | 10–11 | 16/1 | 11 lengths |
| 7th | Innox | Robert Thornton | 9 | 10–6 | 11/1 | 3½ lengths |
| 8th | Heros Collonges | John P. McNamara | 10 | 10–11 | 66/1 | 2½ lengths |
| 9th | Just in Debt | Tony Dobbin | 9 | 10–7 | 33/1 | 5 lengths |
| 10th | Amberleigh House | Graham Lee | 13 | 11–3 | 16/1 | 1½ lengths |
| 11th | Bindaree | Carl Llewellyn | 11 | 11–3 | 33/1 | 1 length |
| 12th | Iznogoud | Tom Scudamore | 9 | 10–9 | 125/1 | 1¼ lengths |
| 13th | Polar Red | Tom Malone | 8 | 10–8 | 100/1 | 9 lengths |
| 14th | Joly Bay | Mr. David Dunsdon | 8 | 10–10 | 16/1 | 15 lengths |
| 15th | L'aventure | Robbie McNally | 6 | 10–5 | 66/1 | 5 lengths |
| 16th | Monty's Pass | Barry Geraghty | 12 | 11–6 | 33/1 | 6 lengths |
| 17th | Strong Resolve | Peter Buchanan | 9 | 10/6 | 9/1 | 16 lengths |
| 18th | Spot Thedifference | Robbie Power | 12 | 10–7 | 25/1 | 17 lengths |
| 19th | Arctic Copper | Davy Russell | 11 | 10–6 | 200/1 | 21 lengths |
| 20th | Europa | Jason Maguire | 9 | 10–6 | 150/1 | 14 lengths |
| 21st | Shamawan | James Barry | 10 | 10–6 | 200/1 | Last to finish |
| Non finishers | | | | | | |
| Fence 28 | Fondmort | Mick Fitzgerald | 9 | 11–6 | 50/1 | Tailed off, pulled up |
| Fence 28 | Glenelly Gale | Mr. Tom Greenall | 11 | 10–11 | 150/1 | Tailed off, pulled up |
| Fence 27 (open ditch) | Colonel Rayburn | Paul Carberry | 9 | 10–7 | 20/1 | Tailed off, pulled up |
| Fence 22 (Becher's Brook) | Clan Royal | Tony McCoy | 10 | 10–11 | 9/1 | Carried out by loose horses |
| | Ad Hoc | Joe Tizzard | 11 | 10–12 | 33/1 | Fell |
| | Marcus Du Berlais | Barry Cash | 8 | 10–5 | 25/1 | Unseated rider |
| | Ballybough Rasher | Alan Dempsey | 10 | 11-04 | 100/1 | Refused |
| Fence 21 | Double Honour | Paddy Brennan | 7 | 10–8 | 25/1 | Fell |
| | Le Coudray | Conor O'Dwyer | 11 | 11–12 | 33/1 | Tailed off, pulled up |
| Fence 20 | Foly Pleasant | Andrew Thornton | 11 | 11–0 | 50/1 | Fell |
| Fence 19 (open ditch) | Jakari | Richard Johnson | 8 | 10–10 | 33/1 | Tailed off, pulled up |
| Fence 15 (The Chair) | Take The Stand | Leighton Aspell | 9 | 11–5 | 16/1 | Unseated rider |
| Fence 13 | Astonville | Brian Crowley | 11 | 10–13 | 100/1 | Pulled up |
| Fence 10 | Merchant's Friend | Noel Fehily | 10 | 10–6 | 80/1 | Fell |
| Fence 9 (Valentine's) | Native Emperor | Dominic Elsworth | 9 | 10–5 | 100/1 | Unseated rider |
| Fence 2 | Ballycassidy | Seamus Durack | 9 | 11–5 | 66/1 | Unseated rider |
| | Risk Accessor | Alan Crowe | 10 | 11–4 | 100/1 | Unseated rider |
| Fence 1 | Lord Atterbury | Mark Bradburne | 9 | 10–6 | 25/1 | Fell |
| | Frenchman's Creek | James McCarthy | 11 | 10–9 | 50/1 | Unseated rider |

## Media coverage & course modifications

   Ruby Walsh has sailed over the last in front on Hedgehunter... They're at the elbow in the National. Ruby Walsh is going strongly. He's six lengths clear of Royal Auclair and Simply Gifted... and Ruby Walsh is going to win the Grand National! Fell at the last last year but too good for them this time! Hedgehunter wins it, a second Grand National for Ruby.
Commentator Jim McGrath describes the climax of the race
The race was covered live by the BBC on television and radio in the United Kingdom in accordance with the Ofcom Code on Sports and Other Listed and Designated Events which recognises the Grand National as a sporting event of significant public interest.
The television coverage was presented by Sue Barker and Clare Balding and was part of a Grandstand special for the 46th consecutive year. Race commentary was provided by a four-man team consisting of Ian Bartlett, Tony O'Hehir, Darren Owen, and lead commentator Jim McGrath who called the runners home for the eighth year.
Becher's Brook was modified slightly after a mini pile-up in the 2004 renewal. Running water was back at the fence for the first time since 1989 which was covered over by rubber matting.

## Jockeys

Carl Llewellyn had been the senior rider in the weighing room since the retirement of Richard Dunwoody after the 1999 race and became only the ninth rider ever to weigh out for a 15th National, having previously won the race in 1992 and 1998.
Nine riders made their Grand National debut, with Christian Williams finishing second and Carrie Ford fifth, while Tom Malone, David Dunsdon, Peter Buchanon and Robbie Power also completed the course. However, Alan Crowe's first ride ended at the second fence while Paddy Brennan and Tom Greenall also failed to reach the finishing post.