Capodanno Grand National Wins
Capodanno has never won the Grand National.
Their best finish to date was in 2024 where they came 16th. They were ridden by Keith Donoghue and trained by Willie Mullins.
Foaled in 2016, Capodanno is a French-bred runner who began his racing career in that country but had just one run there before moving to Ireland. When going across to race in Ireland, he joined a formidable team, being owned by JP McManus and trained by Willie Mullins.
He’s won over both hurdles and fences and also at the highest level, with a Grade One victory to his name. The horse has shown great flexibility with the distances he’s run over, winning at both two miles and three miles, but has always looked more comfortable over the longer trips he’s been running over.
That has led him to become a Grand National contender, and he makes his debut in the race in the 2023 edition at Aintree.
Full Results
| Year | Result | Prize Money | Handicap | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 16 | - | 11-8 | Keith Donoghue | Willie Mullins |
| 2023 | Fence 30 - Pulled Up | - | 11-5 | Danny Mullins | Willie Mullins |
Capodanno’s Early Years
Capodanno began his racing career in France for Daniela Mele, where he would run once. He finished second in a hurdle race, a good, competitive race and from then, he would immediately be bought and sent to France.
His Irish debut for Willie Mullins came in December 2020, where he would finish third in a maiden hurdle. Compensation would follow shortly after, as a month later, he won a similar race by seven lengths to catch the eye.
Further runs would come, and his season would end with a big handicap win at the Punchestown Festival, tearing apart a competitive field by 12 lengths, which would set him up to go novice chasing the following season.
He won his chase debut at Naas, though only just, winning by just over a length. Up in grade, he was second in a Grade Three contest behind Bob Olinger next time out before he made his way to the Cheltenham Festival, where he would finish fourth in the Grade One RSA Chase.
His final novice run would be a Grade One success at the Punchestown Festival in the Champion Novice Chase, one of the biggest races of this type for horses in Ireland.
Capodanno’s Big Race Wins
In April 2021, Capodanno really shot to fame with a win at the Punchestown Festival. It was a handicap hurdle win, so not one of the biggest races at the meeting, but it was a Grade B contest. However, it was the style of his victory that really caught the eye.
In a 25 runner competitive handicap at one of the biggest meetings in Ireland, he demolished the field by 12 lengths. He won the race off a mark of 132, showing he was capable of being far better than that mark.
His second big race win would come a year later, at the 2022 Punchestown Festival. This time, it was the top grade, he won the Grade One Champion Novice Chase, and again it was a big margin win, he won the race by six and a half lengths.
Winning a Grade One Novice Chase in such style was the ideal platform to show this horse can be a real star in the future.