Acapella Bourgeois Grand National Wins
Acapella Bourgeois has never won the Grand National.
Their best finish to date was in 2021 where they came 13th. They were ridden by Danny Mullins and trained by Willie Mullins.
The Willie Mullins trained Acapella Bourgeois won multiple graded events with the master trainer but also did the same while in the hands of Sandra Hughes before the move to Team Mullins. He began life in France, moved to Ireland, where he would be trained by Hughes and then moved on to the Mullins team after really impressing at the start of his career.
Foaled in 2010, the horse eventually worked his way into being a very good staying chaser, and that ultimately put him on the path of running in the Grand National. This happened once during his career, he ran in the 2021 Grand National, finishing 13th behind Minella Times after tailing off and weakening out of the race, failing to stay the trip.
Full Results
| Year | Result | Prize Money | Handicap | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 13 | - | 10-12 | Danny Mullins | Willie Mullins |
Acapella Bourgeois Early Years
Racing for Acapella Bourgeois began in France, with three runs in national hunt flat races. He won the final of those three runs and was then sent for a racing career in Ireland, firstly with Sandra Hughes.
A good third on hurdling debut in Ireland was followed up with a win, then a second-placed effort before the horse won two Grade Two events in a row, then finished fourth in a Grade One contest.
Chasing was next, something that didn’t go to plan at the very start, with a fall in his first chase race, followed by two disappointing runs. But then things clicked, he won a race, then followed it up with a wide-margin success at Grade Two level. He was sent to run in Grade One event at both the Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals, and it was at this point the horse would be switched and move to the Willie Mullins team for the rest of his racing career.
Acapella Bourgeois Big Race Wins
Acapella Bourgeois won a total of five races at graded level during his career. Three of those came at Grade Two level, while a further two Grade Three races were also added. Despite being at the lower grade, it is the two Grade Three wins that will go down as being the biggest of his career, and they came in the same race, in back-to-back years.
That race was the Bobbyjo Chase, a race named after a former Grand National winner, and Acapella Bourgeois won the contest in both 2020 by 15 lengths and 2021 by just under five lengths.