Minella Times
| Minella Times | |
|---|---|
 Racing silks of J.P
McManus | |
| Sire | Oscar |
| Dam | Triptoshan |
| Damsire | Anshan |
| Sex | Henry De Bromhead |
| Record | 18: 4–6–1 |
| Earnings | £485,000 |
| Major wins | |
| Grand National (2021) | |
| Last updated on 14 April 2021 | |
Minella Times (foaled 4 March 2013) is a retired Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in National Hunt racing. In 2021, he won the Grand National under Rachael Blackmore, becoming the first horse ridden by a female jockey to win the race.
Background
Minella Times is a bay horse with no white
He was sired by Oscar, a horse who finished second to Peintre Celebre in the Prix du Jockey Club before becoming a leading sire of National Hunt horses. His other major winners have included Lord Windermere, Rock On Ruby, Oscar Whisky, Paisley Park and Big Zeb.[5] Minella Times's dam Triptoshan was an unraced mare from a family which had produced several good steeplechasers.[6][7]
Racing career
Early career
Minella Times began his career on the amateur
2018/19 National Hunt season
In the 2018/19 National Hunt season Minella Times was initially campaigned in
2019/20 National Hunt season
Minella Times began the 2019/20 National Hunt season by competing in novice chases. In the summer he finished ninth to Count Simon at Punchestown in June, second to Westland Row at Kilbeggan in July and fourth to Dandy Mag at Galway in August. At Clonmel Racecourse on 3 October he started 7/4 favourite for a three-mile novice chase but was beaten half a length into second place by Generator City. Rachael Blackmore took the ride when Minella Times started at odds of 6/1 in a two and a half mile handicap at Navan on 7 December when he was matched against more experienced chasers. After settling in sixth place in the twelve runner field he made steady progress, took second place approaching the last fence, and overtook Ben Dundee on the run-in to win by three quarters of a length.[10] In his two subsequent races that year, the gelding finished second to Sumos Novios in a handicap at Limerick Racecourse on 29 December and came home sixteenth of the eighteen finishers in the Leopardstown Chase on 2 February.
2020/21 National Hunt season
On 25 September 2020 Minella Times began his next campaign by carrying a top weight of 164 pounds in a handicap chase over 2+3⁄4 miles at Listowel Racecourse and starting at odds of 7/1 in a ten-runner field. Ridden by Blackmore, he was restrained towards the rear of the field before moving up to dispute the lead at the final fence and gained the advantage in the closing stages to win by half a length from Beyond The Law with Bay Hill three quarters of a length away in third.[11] At Leopardstown on 27 December he contested the three-mile Paddy Power Chase and finished second to Castlebawn West, beaten 4+1⁄2 lengths by the winner. At the same track on 7 February he finished second again, beaten half a length by Off You Go in the Leopardstown Handicap Chase.
For his next race, Minella Times was sent to England to contest the Grand National over four miles, 2+1⁄2 furlongs at Aintree Racecourse on 10 April, and, with Blackmore in the saddle, started the 11/1 fourth choice in a forty-runner field. He raced in mid-division as the outsider Jett set the pace before moving into contention at the 26th fence. He took the lead on the final turn and steadily increased his advantage over the last two fences to win by 6+1⁄2 lengths from his stablemate Balko Des Flos.[12] Blackmore, who became the first female jockey to win the race, said "I just got such an unbelievable passage through the race.[13] Minella Times just jumped fantastic and brought me from fence to fence... you need so much luck to get around with no one else interfering first of all. You need so much to go right and things went right for me today. I feel so incredibly lucky. It is unbelievable, I'm just so thrilled."[14]
Retirement
During preparation for the 2023 Grand National Minella Times sustained an injury to his shoulder which meant he wouldn't be able to run in the race and it was decided that he would retire.[15]
Grand National record
| Grand National | Position | Jockey | Age | Weight | SP | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1st | Rachael Blackmore | 8 | 10–3 | 11/1 | Won by 6+1⁄2 lengths |
| 2022 | Did not finish- fell at the 9th fence | Rachael Blackmore | 9 | 11-10 | 9/1 | N/A |
Pedigree
| Sire Oscar (IRE) 1994 |
Sadler's Wells (USA) 1981 |
Northern Dancer (CAN) | Nearctic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natalma (USA) | |||
| Fairy Bridge | Bold Reason | ||
| Special | |||
| Snow Day (FR) 1978 |
Reliance | Tantieme | |
| Relance | |||
| Vindaria (USA) | Roi Dagobert (FR) | ||
| Heavenly Body | |||
| Dam Triptoshan (IRE) 2004 |
Anshan (GB) 1987 |
Persian Bold (IRE) | Bold Lad |
| Relkarunner (GB) | |||
| Lady Zi (IRE) | Manado | ||
| Exbury Grace (FR) | |||
| Triptodicks (IRE) 1990 |
Sheer Grit (GB) | Busted | |
| Abettor | |||
| Sheipeil Bawn | Laurence O | ||
| Swiftly Belle (Family: 1-k)[7] |
References
- ^ a b "Minella Times profile". Sky Sports. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ English, Siobhan (16 March 2016). "The breeder hoping to steal some Cheltenham limelight". Irish Independent.
- ^ "November National Hunt Sale 2013, Lot 415". Tattersalls.
- ^ "November National Hunt Sale 2013, Lot 309". Tattersalls.
- ^ "Oscar Stud Record". Racing Post. 15 February 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
- ^ a b "Cheltenham April Sale 2017, Lot 28". Tattersalls.
- ^ a b "Rouge Rose - Family 1-k". Thoroughbred Bloodlines.
- ^ "Canavans Pub, Belclare 4yo Maiden result". Racing Post. 9 April 2017.
- ^ "Irish Farmers Journal Maiden Hurdle result". Racing Post. 11 May 2018.
- ^ "Foxrock Handicap Chase result". Racing Post. 7 December 2019.
- ^ "Southampton Goodwill Plate Handicap Chase result". Racing Post. 25 September 2020.
- ^ "Randox Grand National Handicap Chase result". Racing Post. 10 April 2020.
- ^ "Rachael Blackmore wins Grand National on Minella Times – as it happened". Guardian. 10 April 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
- ^ Wood, Greg (10 April 2020). "Rachael Blackmore is first female jockey to win Grand National, on Minella Times". The Guardian.
- ^ "Minella Times: Rachael Blackmore's history-making Grand National winner retired after setback". Sky Sports. 21 February 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2023.