Simon Torrens Grand National Wins
Simon Torrens has never won the Grand National.
Their best finish to date was in 2023 with Enjoy D'allen who came 12th.
Full Results
| Year | Horse | Result | Prize Money | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Enjoy D'allen | 12 | - | Ciaran Murphy |
Initially a flat jockey, under the tutorage of former Champion jockey Johnny Murtagh, Simon Torrens eventually moved over to jump racing after gaining valuable early experience on the flat, including a short stint in Germany.
Flat racing would never provide him with a trade but did give him a platform that allowed him to propel himself into national hunt racing. It wasn’t easy, though, and early in his career, Torrens spoke about quitting after watching people he knew getting rides while he was sitting at home watching the action on TV.
But if you want to know why you shouldn’t give up, then Torrens is a great example of why. Trainer Aidan Howard gave Torrens the opportunity he needed to build out some contacts, giving him rides on the course and also allowing him to school a lot of runners and build up interest that way.
JP McManus, one of the biggest owners in racing, was someone who saw Torrens ride at Aidan Howard’s, and that started a partnership between the two, which certainly helped Torrens be noticed a little more.
Torrens would go from strength to strength in Ireland, eventually leading to him picking up rides in better-quality races, including the Grand National. He would take his first ride in the race at Aintree in 2023, and it was his connection with JP McManus that got him the ride.
Torrens rode Enjoy D’Allen for McManus, trained by Ciaran Murphy, and the pair managed to navigate Aintree safely in what was the first attempt for them both. Never looking like winning, they finished in 12th position, a good first spin around the big fences for Simon.
He will be hoping that further exposure can bring more rides, especially in bigger races, over the coming years.