Known as one of the most popular Grand National trials, the Grimthorpe Chase over the years has kick-started a successful career for many...
GREY ABBY
Born: 1994
Trainer: Howard Johnson
Owner: The Roper Family and Norman Furness
Striking grey Grey Abbey made his mark on the circuit after winning a Grade 2 Novice Chase at Ayr back in 2001. Since then he went on to win the 2004 Grimthorpe Chase, an impressive 10 lengths in front of 2005 Grand National second Royal Auclair. The following month after his Town Moor triumph, he went on to win the Scottish Grand National and took the honours in the Grade 2 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby. As a 11 year old, he achieved success by winning the Grade 2 Cotswold Chase, finished fifth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and won, what was then, the Grade 2 Betfair Bowl Chase.
RUN FOR PADDY
Born:1996
Trainer: Royston Smart
Owner: B Perkins
After finishing 3rd in the 2005 Listed Sky Bet Chase, luck was on the side of Run For Paddy after winning the 2005 Grimthorpe Chase by just a shadow to the favourite Lou Du Moulin Mas. The following season the Carl Llewellyn ridden gelding won the famous Scottish Grand National at 33-1. Following his Ayr success, he finished 3rd in what is now called the Grade 3 BetVictor Handicap Chase at Cheltenham, which was won by My Will that year.
CLOUDY LANE
Born: 2000
Trainer: Donald McCain
Owner: Mr Trevor Hemmings
The famous colours of Mr Trevor Hemmings are no stranger to the winner’s enclosure. Prior to his Grimthorpe Chase win in 2008, Cloud Lane won the Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase for amateur riders at the Cheltenham Festival in 2007. His Grimthorpe Chase win, under Jason Maguire, proved to be the start of a successful career for the Donald McCain trained gelding. He went on to finish 6th in the 2008 Grand National and 8th in the 2010 race. He also took the honours in the Fox Hunters’ Chase at Aintree in 2012.
NIGHT IN MILAN
Born: 2006
Trainer: Keith Reveley
Owner: Richard Collins
Based in Yorkshire, Keith Reveley’s team had plenty of runners on Town Moor, one of the most well-known being the Richard Collins owned Night in Milan who ran at the course 12 times. As a three-time Doncaster winner, the 2014 Grimthorpe Chase was just one of the wins to add to his collection, beating joint favourite Monbeg Dude who finished down the line in fifth. The Milan gelding also finished a respectable third in the 2015 Sky Bet Chase which led him to the 2015 Grand National where he finished 18th.
THE LAST SAMURI
Born: 2008
Trainer: Kim Bailey
Owner: Paul & Clare Rooney
The Last Samuri is often seen at the big National Hunt fixtures and steals hearts of many. Success in the 2016 Grimthorpe Chase led the Kim Bailey trained gelding to many more narrow defeats. The month following his Grimthorpe Chase triumph, he went on to finish an incredible second in the World’s most famous race, the Grand National. At the peak of his career, he was placed in the Grade 3 Becher Chase in both 2016 and 2017, then went on to finish fourth in the 2018 Grade 2 Cotswold Chase and third in the 2018 Cheltenham Cross County Race.
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