Takingrisks Grand National Wins
Takingrisks has never won the Grand National.
They have never finished the race.
The Nicky Richards trained Takingrisks ran in the Grand National once, the 2021 edition of the race, which was won by Minella Times. He was pulled up at the 17th fence after struggling on the first circuit, a disappointing run because he was fancied to go well and a genuine chance of giving the North a winner in the race.
Trained by Nicky Richards and foaled in 2009, the horse had plenty of success in good handicaps over the years, leading him to running in the Grand National. They include wins in some of the biggest and most recognised handicap races in the north, where he became one of the leading names during his prime years.
He was also a regular winner, landing nine victories from 36 career starts. On top of that, he was second or third on another eight occasions, meaning 17 races from 36 starts saw him finish in the first three, a horse with great consistency.
Full Results
| Year | Result | Prize Money | Handicap | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Fence 17 - Pulled Up | - | 10-7 | Sean Quinlan | Nicky Richards |
Takingrisks’ Early Years
Before heading over to the UK to run for Nicky Richards, Takingrisks began his racing career in point-to-point races but suffered some bad luck on his first start. When going well, he was brought down by another horse to end his chance of winning the race but claimed compensation the next time out with a win.
After that, it was over to the UK and to the Nicky Richards team, where he was sent hurdling straight away, finishing fourth on debut. He won his third start, a maiden hurdle at Kelso and followed it up with a handicap win on his fifth start.
Chasing was next, and like hurdling, he took time to get going, finishing third in a novice chase on debut. He wouldn’t win a novice chase race, but as soon as he went handicapping, he scored by winning a novice handicap chase at Kelso.
Takingrisks’ Big Race Wins
Takingrisks managed to win three big races in the North, and they all came towards the end of his career. The first of those was also the biggest, and it came in April 2019. As a 25/1 shot, he won the Scottish Grand National, a tough race over four miles, showing his quality as a horse but also his staying power.
The following season was supposed to lead to the 2020 Aintree Grand National, but sadly that was postponed. On his way to that, he won another big Northern handicap chase, the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle.
The final of his three big race victories came while he was on his way to the 2021 Grand National, and this was another big Northern handicap chase. This time, it was the SkyBet Chase at Doncaster, a big race in its own right, often used as a handicap to the Grand National, and that’s exactly what Takingrisks did.
He would go to Aintree with a chance after winning some big prizes, but after struggling in the race, he was pulled up by jockey Sean Quinlan and taken out of the context.