The Topham and Foxhunters 1990-
Ultragold (right) - dual winner of the Topham in 2017 & 2018
Time does not allow me for an in-depth analysis of the Topham and Foxhunters the highlights of the first two days of the National meeting. For now a brief nod to how the winners of each race fared in the National.
Topham Chase role of honour 1990-
1990 WON’T BE GONE LONG (Nicky Henderson) - Richard Dunwoody) (30)
1991 J-J HENRY (P.Beaumont) - Mrs Anthea Farrell (11)
1992 THE ANTARTEX (Gordon Richards) - Richard Dunwoody (26)
1993 SIRRAH JAY (G B Balding) - Adrian Maguire (23)
1994 INDIAN TONIC (Nigel Twiston-Davies) - Chris Maude (16)
1995 DUBLIN FLYER (T A Forster) - Brendan Powell (26)
1996 JOE WHITE (J H Johnson) - Paul Carberry (21)
1997 BELLS LIFE (Philip Hobbs) - Glen Tormey (20)
1998 CYFOR MALTA (Martin Pipe) - A P McCoy (22)
1999 LISTEN TIMMY (S A Brookshaw) - Tony Dobbin (21)
2000 NORTHERN STARLIGHT (Martin Pipe) - A P McCoy (23)
2001 GOWER-SLAVE (Philip Hobbs) - Richard Johnson (24)
2002 ITS TIME FOR A WIN (Willie Mullins - Ireland) - Ruby Walsh (28)
2003 CLAN ROYAL (J J O’Neill) - Liam Cooper (29)
2004 CASSIA HEIGHTS (S A Brookshaw) - Jim Culloty (29)
2005 CREGG HOUSE (S.Donohoe - Ireland) - Davy Russell (30)
2006 LIBERTHINE (Nicky Henderson) - Mr Sam Waley-Cohen (29)
2007 DUNBRODY MILLAR (Peter Bowen) - Jamie Moore (29)
2008 GWANAKO (Paul Nicholls) - Ruby Walsh (29)
2009 IRISH RAPTOR (Nigel Twiston-Davies) - Paddy Brennan (29)
2010 ALWAYS WAINING (Peter Bowen) - Brian Hughes (27)
2011 ALWAYS WAINING (Peter Bowen) - Tom O’Brien (30)
2012 ALWAYS WAINING (Peter Bowen) - Tom O’Brien (26)
2013 TRIOLO D’ALENE (Nicky Henderson) - Barry Geraghty (29)
2014 MA FILLEULE (Nicky Henderson) - Barry Geraghty (30)
2015 RAJDHANI EXPRESS (Nicky Henderson) - Mr Sam Waley-Cohen (30)
2016 EASTLAKE (J J O’Neill) - Barry Geraghty (29)
2017 ULTRAGOLD (Colin Tizzard) - Harry Cobden (29)
2018 ULTRAGOLD (Colin Tizzard) - Harry Cobden (27)
2019 CADMIUM (Willie Mullins - Ireland) - Paul Townend (27)
2020 No race due to the Covid-19 Pandemic
2021 LIVELOVELAUGH (Willie Mullins - Ireland) - Mr Patrick Mullins (26)
2022 MAC TOTTIE (Peter Bowen) - Sean Bowen (28)
2023 BILL BAXTER (Warren Greatrex) - Sam Twiston-Davies (29)
2024 ARIZONA CARDINAL (Stuart Edmunds) - Ciaran Gethings (24)
Topham winners in the National
As the list shows below, with the exception of Clan Royal who despite being placed in two Nationals could be described as "unlucky" in the race and Libertine who equipped herself well Topham winners didn't trouble the leaders in the National itself.
1990 : WON'T BE GONE LONG - (left at the start of the void race of 1993)
1993 : SIRRAH JAY - 1992 (last of 22 finishers)
1996 : JOE WHITE - 1998 (pulled up 15th)
1997 : BELLS LIFE - 1999 (pulled up 27th)
1999 : LISTEN TIMMY - 2000 (pulled up 17th), 2001 (pulled up 16th)
2000 : NORTHERN STARLIGHT - (unseated rider 6th)
2003 : CLAN ROYAL - 2004 (2nd), 2005 (carried out 22nd), 2006 (3rd), 2007 (11th)
2005 : CREGG HOUSE - 2003 (refused 27th)
2006 : LIBERTINE - 2007 (5th)
2009 : IRISH RAPTOR - 2010 (fell 14th)
2010* : ALWAYS WAINING - 2013 (10th)
2013 : TRIOLO D'ALENE - 2014 (pulled up 22nd), 2016 (14th)
2017**: ULTRAGOLD - 2019 (14th)
2021 : LIVELOVELAUGH - 2019 (11th)
2022 : MAC TOTTIE - 2024 (pulled up 21st)
* - Always Waining also won the Topham in 2011 & 2012
** - Ultragold also won the Topham in 2018
However, two placed horses went on to taste National success a year later : -
BINDAREE - 4th in 2001 Topham, won National in 2002
MONTYS PASS - 2nd in 2002 Topham, won National in 2003
While some other National winners did not fare as well : -
ROUGH QUEST - fell in 1994 Topham, won National in 1996
AMBERLEIGH HOUSE - 9th in 2002 Topham, won National in 2004
SILVER BIRCH - 12th in 2010 Topham, won National in 2007
Foxhunters Chase Role of Honour 1990
1990 LEAN AR AGHAIDH (Stan Mellor) - Mr Dennis Gray (25)
1991 DOUBLE TURN (J.Jenkins) - Mr P Harding-Jones (27)
1992 GEE - A (G A Hubbard) - Mr Paul Murphy (29)
1993 DOUBLE SILK (R C Wilkins) - Mr Ron Treloggen (27)
1994 KILLESHIN (H J Manners) - Mr Gary Brown (28)
1995 SHEER JEST (W J Warner) - Mr Alan Hill (26)
1996 ROLLING BALL (S A Brookshaw) - Mr R Ford ()
1997 BLUE CHEEK (J.Mahon) - Mr Robert Thornton (14)
1998 CAVALERO (H J Manners) - Mr Alex Charles-Jones (30)
1999 ELEGANT LORD (Enda Bolger - Ireland) - Mr Philip Fenton (23)
2000 BELLS LIFE (Philip Hobbs) - Mr D O’Meara (26)
2001 GUNNER WELBURN (Caroline Bailey) - Mr J M Pritchard (27)
2002 TORDUFF EXPRESS (Paul Nicholls) - Miss Polly Gundry (30)
2003 DIVET HILL (Ann Hamilton) - Mr Dale Jewitt (21)
2004 FOREST GUNNER (R.Ford) - Mrs Carrie Ford (25)
2005 KATARINO (Robert Waley-Cohen) - Mr Sam Waley-Cohen (30)
2006 KATARINO (Robert Waley-Cohen) - Mr Sam Waley-Cohen (30)
2007 SCOTS GREY (Nicky Henderson) - Mr R.Burton (27)
2008 CHRISTY BEAMISH (P.Jones) - Mr J Guerriero (19)
2009 TRUST FUND (Richard Barber) - Mr Tom Greenall (29)
2010 SILVER ADONIS (Dr Richard Newland) - Mr T Weston (21)
2011 BABY RUN (Nigel Twiston-Davies) - Mr Willie Twiston-Davies (22)
2012 CLOUDY LANE (Donald McCain Jnr) - Mr R.Harding (26)
2013 TARTAN SNOW (S.Colterd) - Mr J.Hamilton (24)
2014 WARNE (B R Hamilton) - Mr Sam Waley-Cohen (21)
2015 ON THE FRINGE (Enda Bolger - Ireland) - Ms Nina Carberry (29)
2016 ON THE FRINGE (Enda Bolger - Ireland) - Mr J J Codd (22)
2017 DINEUR (M.Bowen) - Mr J.King (28)
2018 *BEARS AFFAIR (P.Rowley) - Mr A.Edwards (21)
2019 TOP WOOD (Kelly Morgan) - Miss Tabitha Worsley (27)
2020 No race due to the Covid-19 Pandemic
2021 COUSIN PASCAL (John O'Shea) - Mr James King (21)
2022 LATENIGHTPASS (T.Ellis) - Miss Gina Andrews (23)
2023 FAMOUS CLERMONT (C R Barber) - Mr W.Biddick (27)
2024 ITS ON THE LINE (E.Mullins - Ireland) - Mr D O'Connor (22)
*Balnaslow finished first but was disqualified for failing a dope test
Foxhunters winners in the National
What is clear from the list below is that the National does not feature on the plans of the Foxhunters winners nowadays, 2023 winner Latenightpass was the first Foxhunters winner in over a decade to run in the race. It is also notable that of the horses that now have the National and the Foxhunters on their CV, most were all running in the Foxhunters in the twilight of their careers after they had tried their luck in a National.
1990 LEAN ARGHAIDH - 1987 (3rd) & 1988 (9th)
1992 GEE-A - 1988 (pulled up 26th), 1990 (18th)
1993 DOUBLE SILK - 1994 (fell 13th)
1994 KILLESHIN - 1997 (7th), 1998 (hampered & unseated rider 27th remounted 6th)
1998 CAVALERO - 1999 (ran out 15th)
2000 BELLS LIFE - 1999 (pulled up 27th)
2001 GUNNER WELBURN - 2003 (5th), 2004 (pulled up 20th)
2002 TORDUFF EXPRESS - 2000 (fell 13th), 2003 (unseated rider 27th)
2004 FOREST GUNNER - 2005 (5th), 2006 (9th)
2005 KATARINO - 2003 (unseated rider 15th)
2012 CLOUDY LANE - 2008 (6th), 2009 (unseated rider 15th), 2010 (8th)
2022 LATENIGHTPASS - 2024 (12th)
Only one National winner since 1990 has run in the Foxhunters, ROUGH QUEST the 1996 hero took a crashing fall at the big ditch (7th fence) in 1999 in what was his final race.