The 2002 Grand National (officially known as the Martell Grand National for sponsorship reasons) was the 155th official renewal of the Grand National steeplechase that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 6 April 2002.
The race was won by eight-year-old 20/1 shot Bindaree, ridden by Jim Culloty and trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies at Grange Hill Farm in Naunton, Gloucestershire, by a distance of 1¾ lengths from What's Up Boys (10/1) in a time of 10 minutes 3 seconds.Bindaree wins Grand National BBC Sport, 6 April 2002 The winner was bred by Noel King in County Down, Northern Ireland, and was owned by Raymond Mould.
The field was limited to a maximum of 40 runners, with 11 completing the course. Nine horses fell at the first fence. There were two equine fatalities during the second circuit of the race: Manx Magic at the 20th fence and The Last Fling at the second Canal Turn.
During the live television broadcast of the race on BBC One, watched by 8.6 million people, rival network station ITV1 suffered its lowest ever viewing figures with 300,000 people (a 3% market share) watching an ice hockey match at the same time. BBC Two broadcast a Six Nations rugby international, which retained 900,000 viewers at race time, while 800,000 viewers watched a film on Channel 4.ITV stumbles to ratings low The Guardian, 9 April 2002
Racecard +NoColoursHorseAgeHandicap (st-lb)SPJockeyTrainer1Marborough (IRE)1011-1220/1Mick FitzgeraldNicky Henderson2Alexander Banquet (IRE)911-1122/1Barry GeraghtyWillie Mullins3Kingsmark (IRE)911-0916/1Ruby WalshMartin Todhunter4What's Up Boys (IRE)811-0610/1Richard JohnsonPhilip Hobbs5Lyreen Wonder911-0440/1Barry CashArthur Moore6Ad Hoc (IRE)811-0110/1Paul CarberryPaul Nicholls7Beau (IRE)911-0111/1Carl LlewellynNigel Twiston-Davies8David's Lad (IRE)811-0110/1Timmy MurphyTony Martin9Paris Pike (IRE)1010-1310/1Richard GuestFerdy Murphy10Majed (FR)610-1166/1Barry FentonMartin Pipe11Inn At The Top1010-0840/1Adie SmithJames Turner12Streamstown (IRE)810-0840/1John McNamaraFerdy Murphy13You're Agoodun1010-0850/1Johnny KavanaghMartin Pipe14 Royal Predica (FR)810-0880/1Jimmy McCarthyMartin Pipe15Manx Magic (USA)910-07100/1Gerry SuppleMartin Pipe16Blowing Wind (FR)910-068/1 FTony McCoyMartin Pipe17The Last Fling (IRE)1210-0640/1Richie McGrathSue Smith18Wicked Crack (IRE)910-0533/1Conor O'DwyerEdward Hales19Frantic Tan (IRE)1010-0550/1Tom JenksNigel Twiston-Davies20Super Franky (IRE)910-0566/1Philip O'BrienCharles Byrnes21Bindaree (IRE)810-0420/1Jim CullotyNigel Twiston-Davies22Celibate (IRE)1110-0366/1Noel FehilyCharlie Mann23Struggles Glory (IRE)1110-0366/1Benjamin HitchcottDavid Robinson24Mely Moss (FR)1110-0225/1Norman WilliamsonCharles Egerton25Gun'n Roses II (FR)810-02100/1Marcus FoleyMartin Pipe26Smarty (IRE)910-0116/1Tom ScudamoreMark Pitman27Murt's Man (IRE)810-0166/1Andrew ThorntonPaul Nicholls28Niki Dee (IRE)1210-0166/1Russ GarrittyPeter Beaumont29Goguenard (FR)810-0066/1Warren MarstonNicky Henderson30Logician (NZ)1010-0080/1Mark BradburneAndrew Balding31Samuel Wilderspin1010-0014/1Tom DoyleRichard Lee32Ackzo910-0025/1Dean GallagherFerdy Murphy33Red Ark910-0050/1Kenny JohnsonNorman Mason34Birkdale (IRE)1110-0050/1Jason Maguire Ferdy Murphy35Spot Thedifference (IRE) 910-0033/1David CaseyEnda Bolger36Djeddah (FR)1110-0066/1Thierry DoumenFrancois Doumen37Inis Cara (IRE)1010-0066/1Brian CrowleyVenetia Williams38Iris Bleu (FR)610-00100/1Paul MoloneyMartin Pipe39Carryonharry (IRE)810-0066/1Rupert WakleyMartin Pipe40Supreme Charm (IRE)1010-0028/1Robert ThorntonKim Bailey
Great Britain unless stated.
Leading contenders The long-time ante-post favourite was Moor Lane but his price began to drift as possibility grew that the horse was so far down the handicap that it would not make the cut of forty runners. The other long-time ante-post favourite was Welsh Grand National winner Supreme Glory but the horse was withdrawn a few weeks before the race.
Blowing Wind was sent off as the 8/1 favourite with champion jockey Tony McCoy in the saddle. The pair had been considered unfortunate in finishing a remounted third after being brought down in the previous year's National. The favourite gave his backers a good run for their money and shared the lead with Bindaree until three fences from the finish when he was outpaced to come home in third place.
Ad Hoc was noticed as a good Spring horse when winning the Whitbread Gold Cup the previous April and was ridden by 1999 winning jockey Paul Carberry.Culloty lands dream double The Observer, 7 April 2002 Despite several jumping errors, the 10/1 joint-second favourite was lying a close fifth when brought down three fences from home by the falling David's Lad leaving many to regard him as the hard luck story of the race.
David's Lad was a former winner of the Irish Grand National and was well supported to joint-second favourite on the back of the recent successes of Irish National winners and was ridden by Timmy Murphy.Grand National: David's Lad hopes for Irish luck Manchester Evening News, 5 April 2002 The pair moved into the leading contingent early on the second circuit and was still going well in fourth place when falling at the third-last fence.
Paris Pike was the winner of the 2001 Scottish Grand National just a week after that year's Grand National, and was partnered with the winning rider in the prior year's National, Richard Guest. His backers had little to cheer when the 10/1 partnership was severed at the first fence.Racing: Paris Pike on course to compensate for Aintree The Independent, 11 April 2002
What's Up Boys came to prominence when winning the testing Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup but was also quickly picked up as the "housewives' choice" when the once-a-year betting public discovered he was a grey and was bidding to be the first grey to win for over forty years. With Richard Johnson in the saddle the pair went off as joint-second favourites at 10/1 and looked to have the race won when taking the lead from Bindaree over the last fence and going three lengths clear at the elbow before (most unusually in a Grand National) being re-overtaken by Bindaree in the final hundred yards to finish second.
The Race
Wicked Crack led the field over Melling Road towards the first fence where nine horses fell. The leader was the first to fall along with Carryonharry who brought down Logician. Marlborough, Inn At The Top and Goguenard also fell. Red Ark unseated its rider and Struggles Glory was brought down by the fall of 10/1 shot Paris Pike. The Last Fling and Supreme Charm led the field over the fences before Beecher's Brook. There was no fallers at the next two fences. At the 4th fence, both Niki Dee and Samuel Wilderspin fell at the rear of the field. At the next fence, Frantic Tan unseated its rider towards the rear along with Iris Bleu who fell. At Beecher's Brook Alexander Banquet made a mistake and unseated its rider Barry Geraghty. The next fence which was the 7th (Foinavon) Gun'n Roses II hit the fence and fell. All horses jumped the Canal Turn safely, at the next fence which was Valentine's Brook the year before runner-up Smarty was pulled up when tailed off after being badly hampered at the first fence. The Last Fling and Supreme Charm continued to lead the field up until the fence before The Chair (14th) where Beau and Celibate joined them. However, Beau blundered and unseated its rider at the fence, there were no fallers at The Chair or Water Jump. Twenty-three horses continued onto the second circuit of the race. Before the 17th fence, Murt's Man was tailed off and pulled up. At the next fence Super Franky fell when behind. The 19th which was an open ditch was jumped safely by all of the horses still running. The next fence saw Lyreen Wonder unseat its rider when chasing the leaders and Manx Magic fell towards the rear. Ackzo was pulled up at the same fence after tailing off. At Beecher's Brook second time round Majed fell in mid division. Bindaree was the new leader in the tight compact field as they ran towards the Canal Turn. At the Canal Turn, The Last Fling fell when weakening and Inis Cara was pulled up when well behind the rest of the runners. All of the horses managed to jump Valentine's Brook and the 26th fence. Although at the next fence which was another Open Ditch, David's Lad was prominent when falling and brought down Ad Hoc, Djeddah unseated its rider after being hampered by the fall of a loose horse. Spot Thedifference also unseated its rider after being badly hampered. As they crossed over the Melling Road towards the final two fences Bindaree led What's Up Boys who was followed by Blowing Wind and Kingsmark, the group of four had pulled a couple of lengths clear of Royal Predica and Supreme Charm. Bindaree and What's Up Boys jumped the last two fences together well clear of Blowing Wind in third. What's Up Boys gained the advantage on the run in by 3 lengths and past the elbow, 75 yards from the finish Bindaree took the lead and stayed on well to win the race ahead of What's Up Boys in second. Blowing Wind was third 27 lengths behind What's Up Boys. Kingsmark finished fourth, Supreme Charm and Celibate ran good races to finish 5th and 6th respectively. Behind these was You're Agoodun, Royal Predica, Streamstown, Birkdale and Mely Moss who was last to complete after falling at the second last fence (29th) and remounting. Eleven horses completed the race.
Finishing order PositionNumberHorseJockeyAgeHandicapSPDistance1st21BindareeJim Culloty810-420/1Won by 1¾ lengths2nd4What's Up BoysRichard Johnson811-610/127 lengths3rd16Blowing WindTony McCoy910-68/1 F9 lengths4th3KingsmarkRuby Walsh911-916/117 lengths5th40Supreme CharmRobert Thornton1010-028/13½ lengths6th22CelibateNoel Fehily1110-366/13½ lengths7th13You're AgoodunJohnny Kavanagh1010-850/118 lengths8th14Royal PredicaJimmy McCarthy810-880/128 lengths9th12StreamstownJohn McNamara810-840/113 lengths10th34BirkdaleJason Maguire1110-250/1A distance11th24Mely MossNorman Williamson1110-225/1Last to complete 2002 Grand National Result Grand National 2002
Non-finishers FenceNumberHorseJockeyAgeHandicapSPFate27th6Ad HocPaul Carberry811-110/1Brought down27th8David's LadTimmy Murphy911-110/1Fell27th35Spot ThedifferenceDavid Casey910-033/1Unseated rider27th36DjeddahThierry Doumen1110-066/1Unseated Rider24th (Canal Turn)37Inis CaraBrian Crowley1010-066/1Pulled up24th (Canal Turn)17The Last FlingRichard McGrath1210-640/1Fell22nd (Becher's Brook)10MajedBarry Fenton610-1166/1Fell20th32AckzoDean Gallagher910-025/1Pulled up20th5Lyreen WonderBarry Cash911-440/1Unseated Rider20th15Manx MagicGerry Supple910-7100/1Fell18th20Super FrankyPhilip O'Brien1010-566/1Fell17th27Murt's ManAndrew Thornton810-166/1Pulled up14th7BeauCarl Llewellyn911-111/1Unseated rider9th (Valentine's)26SmartyTom Scudamore910-116/1Pulled up7th (Foinavon)25Gun'n Roses IIMarcus Foley810-2100/1Fell6th (Becher's Brook)2Alexander BanquetBarry Geraghty911-1122/1Unseated rider5th19Frantic TanTom Jenks1010-550/1Unseated Rider5th38Iris BleuPaul Moloney610-0100/1Fell4th28Niki DeeRuss Garrity1210-066/1Fell4th31Samuel WilderspinTom Doyle1010-014/1Fell1st1MarlboroughMick Fitzgerald1011-1220/1Fell1st9Paris PikeRichard Guest1010-1310/1Fell1st11Inn At The TopAdie Smith1010-840/1Fell1st18Wicked CrackConor O'Dwyer910-533/1Fell1st23Struggle's GloryBen Hitchott1110-366/1Brought down1st29GoguenardWarren Marston810-066/1Fell1st30LogicianMark Bradburne1110-080/1Brought down1st33Red ArkKenny Johnson910-050/1Unseated Rider1st39CarryonharryRupert Wakeley810-066/1Fell What happened to your horse BBC Sport, 6 April 2002Runners and riders for National Liverpool Echo, 4 April 20022002 Grand National YouTubeRunners and Riders BBC Sport, 12 January 2003Starting Prices - The Aintree Martell Grand National - 6 April 2002 Racing Better
Aftermath