Another Trophy for Ruby Walsh

Top Grand National Jockeys

Before singling out a few profiles on some of the top jockeys who will be riding in the big race this year, it is always worth noting which jockey’s perform well at the course itself. These are not stats that are confined to the Grand National course itself but Aintree in general. They include jockey’s who have good win to rides ratio’s and who generally give the punter good value, when betting on the Grand National odds.

Aintree Jockey Statistics

Over the last five seasons, the following jockeys have performed the best at Aintree Racecourse.

Jockey Wins-Rides % Return
Ruby Walsh 21-100 21% - 14.26 
Tony McCoy 19-127 15% - 28.19 
Paddy Brennan 17-113 15% +16.57 
Robert Thornton 13-103 13% - 25.82 
Richard Johnson   9-87 10% - 22.30 

The following jockey's are always favourites with punters and the four will usually manage to get themselves one of the more fancied Grand National runners to ride.

Ruby Walsh

Believed by many to be the best jumps jockey in the world and who could argue when his record overall is studied. Ruby has won the Grand National twice and has also been placed 4 times in the last ten years.

Ruby's wins came in the 2000 Grand National when he rode his father's Papillon to victory. He then followedd that up in the 2005 Grand National, when he came home on the brilliant Hedgehunter.

He rode both of these horses again in the following years, managing fourth on Papillon and second on Hedgehunter. He was also third home in the 2009 Grand National when he rode the Paul Nicholls trained My Will into third place.

His win to rides ratio is excellent however being the jockey that he is he often rides short priced horses, hence his financial return on a level pound stake is not so hot.

Tony McCoy

Tony McCoy is regarded as the best jockey never to win a Grand National despite riding in the race 14 times. McCoy has been the British Champion jockey 13 times and is the only jockey to surpass 3000 winners in a career that has taken him to victory in virtually major races with the exception of the ‘National’.

He has managed to get around the course a few times but his best finishes so far have been third in both the 2001 Grand National and 2002 Grand National, where he rode the Martin Pipe trained Blowing Wind. He was also third in the 2006 Grand National when he rode joint favourite, Clan Royal for trainer, Jonjo O’Neill.

Barry Geraghty

Irishman, Barry Geraghty won the 2003 Grand National on Monty's Pass and has been placed a few times too. Undoubtedly one of the very best jockey's around, who is the stable jockey for the highly successful Nicky Henderson yard. Geraghty, like Walsh and McCoy is often given plum rides for big races and it would be very rare to see him ride a complete no-hoper in the Grand National.

Barry was fourth on Slim Pickings in the 2008 Grand National and was third on the same horse in 2007. His other place came in the 2004 Grand National when he was fourth on Monty's Pass, the horse he had won on the year before.

Timmy Murphy

One of the several outstanding National Hunt jockeys around, who won the 2008 Grand National for the David Pipe stable on Comply Or Die and was second on the same horse the following year in the 2009 Grand National behind Mon Mome.

Timmy is one of the principle jockeys who rides for the famous owner, David Johnson, with the famous blue tunic with green sleeves which is one of the reasons why he has ridden so many big winners over the years.

Murphy has been around the Aintree racecourse a few times and was placed in the 2001 Grand National on Smarty, he was also fourth on It Takes Time in 2005 again for the Johnson/Pipe team. He is likely to ride Comply Or Die once again in 2010.