Jockey Mark Walsh hailed Any Second Now's brave effort in defeat in the 2022 Grand National.
The 15-2 favourite was right alongside the winner Noble Yeats up the run-in, before he had to settle for second place. It was the second year in a row the ten-year-old had finished in the money at Aintree.
After a good run through, Walsh timed the challenge to perfection, but they could not battle past their lightly weighted rival on the run to the line.It was a fourth consecutive success for a horse trained in Ireland and the biggest shock of all of them, as Noble Yeats returned at odds of 50-1.
Walsh, who rode a double earlier in the afternoon, said: "I’ve no excuses and he has run another blinder in the race. Fair play to the winner and my lad has run great again."
Trainer Ted Walsh said of the two and a quarter length runner-up: “To get that close it’s a sickener, but equally it’s a great out for the Waley-Cohen family, and seeing the father going down the track to meet his son in tears. Mark (Walsh, jockey) said he missed the break, but that he jumped and travelled well. I thought jumping the last he might get there, but the other horse has outstayed us from the elbow."
Gordon Elliott, trainer of the third Delta Work, was "very happy" with where his horse finished, while Santini's handler Polly Gundry said it was an "amazing thrill" to see him take fourth.
Reaction from the Grand National 2022 jockeys
Delta Work (3rd) - Jack Kennedy
"I was very happy with the run. He didn’t jump well enough early on so I ended up too far out of it but I thought he ran well.
Santini (4th) - Nick Scholfield
"He has done his owners and trainer very proud. To do that at his age and run the race of his career. He jumped like a buck and he is a fantastic ride. All credit to the horse. The dream was still alive turning in but well done to Sam Waley-Cohen he is a real gentleman and a pleasure to ride with and congratulations to him."
Fiddlerontheroof (5th) - Brendan Powell
"He ran really well, and I got a great ride off him. I thought I had a right chance at the second last, but he ended up just plugging away. He took to the fences really well, and just gave me a great spin."
Romain de Senam (10 th ) - Philip Armson
"He was a bit keen early on, the Topham probably would've suited him a bit better. He's jumped fantastic and he's run his heart out."
Longhouse Poet (6 th ) - Darragh O'Keeffe
"Brilliant, he had a great run around and had a good break. In fairness, his jumping was very good, and he ran a cracker. We're delighted with him."
Top Ville Ben (PU)- Thomas Dowson
"I got a great spin, he jumped very well. The ground probably wasn't ideal for him today, but after falling on the last day he's come and proved he can jump. He was very good, he just got a bit tired. Hopefully back on a bit softer ground, probably over a bit shorter around here, hopefully he'll have a bit of a squeak."
Minella Times (Fell) - Rachael Blackmore
"He just jumped into the horse in front of him at Valentines."
Deise Aba (PU) - Tom O'Brien
"He didn’t enjoy himself and was too cautious over the jumps, then he didn’t have the speed to get involved."
Brahma Bull (PU) - Brian Hayes
"He jumped well but could never get himself into the race. He was always flat out, and we pulled up two out."
Lostintranslation (15th) - Harry Cobden
"I had the most fantastic spin. He jumped brilliantly and was a great ride. We completed, but he got very tired and he walked over the line. I loved every minute of it."
Blaklion (14 th ) - Harry Skelton
"He was a great ride and we got round, but he’s a bit older now. He’s been a saint."
Commodore (12th) - Charlie Deutsch
"We didn’t get a great start, but it might have been a blessing in disguise as we finished very tired. We avoided a lot of trouble, jumped well, and managed to get home."
Discorama (PU )- B. J. Cooper
"He was going OK early on but he ended up pulling up lame."
Burrows Saint (PU) - Paul Townend
"I pulled up on him so I went to early to know what would have happened."
Enjoy d'Allen (UR) - Conor Orr
"He hit the first and I was unseated."
Death Duty (UR) - Jordan Gainford
"He stumbled and that was it."
Samcro (11 th ) - Sean Bowen
"I had a brilliant spin. We had a lovely run round on the inner, but by the Canal Turn he was getting tired."
Snow Leopardess (PU) - Aidan Coleman
"The ground was too quick and she couldn’t lay up. She just wasn’t quick enough but she's fine and could go for the Irish National or something like that."
Escaria Ten (9th) - Adrian Heskin,
"I had a great spin around and he ran his heart out. He jumped for fun and he was running a massive race to three out, but he just didn’t get home."
Coko Beach (PU) - Jonjo O'Neill Jr.
"That was the best spin I’ve had around here. He’s probably not good enough and he probably wants softer ground but he jumped brilliantly and just got tired at the end."
Dingo Dollar (UR) - Ryan Mania
"I fell off at the Canal Turn but he was getting tired. He’d travelled well up until then, but he’s been missing a bit of racing this year."
Two For Gold (PU) - David Bass
"He ran very well for a long way and enjoyed himself, but he just didn’t stay."
De Rasher Counter (UR) - Adam Wedge
"He jumped very well, but at the Canal Turn Davy [Russell, Run Wild Fred] came down in front of us. I don't know if we were brought down or unseated, but we were nearly on the floor."
Cloth Cap (PU) - Tom Scudamore
"He came here in great order and went really well. He gave me a fabulous spin but unfortunately he bled again, which was such a shame."
Class Conti (13 th ) - Sam Twiston-Davies
"I really enjoyed that, and he jumped great round there. He was 15th last year and he's 13th this year, so he's done a little bit better. He loved going round there, and he's a good, solid jumper over those fences. I tried to travel everywhere where he was comfortable, and to get him to finish as close as I could."
Grand National 2022 full result
1 Noble Yeats (IRE) p 7 10 10 Mr Robert Waley-Cohen Emmet Mullins Ireland Mr Sam Waley-Cohen 50-1
2 Any Second Now (IRE) bl 10 11 8 Mr John P. McManus T. M. Walsh Ireland Mark Walsh 15-2 Fav
3 Delta Work (FR) ts 9 11 9 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland Jack Kennedy 10-1gh
4 Santini 10 11 2 Mr & Mrs R. Kelvin-Hughes Polly Gundry Nick Scholfield 33-1
5 Fiddlerontheroof (IRE) ts 8 11 4 Taylor, Burley & O'Dwyer Colin Tizzard Brendan Powell 12-1
6 Longhouse Poet (IRE) ts 8 11 4 Sean & Bernardine Mulryan Martin Brassil Ireland Darragh O'Keeffe
7 Freewheelin Dylan (IRE) ts, p 10 10 10 Miss Sheila Mangan Dermot Anthony McLoughlin Ireland Ricky Doyle
8 Coko Beach (FR) bl 7 10 13 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland Jonjo O'Neill Jr.
9 Escaria Ten (FR) bl 8 11 1 McNeill Family Gordon Elliott Ireland A. P. Heskin
10 Romain de Senam (FR) ts 10 10 5 Judith Wilson David Pipe Philip Armson
11 Samcro (IRE) ts 10 11 1 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland Sean Bowen
12 Commodore (FR) 10 10 5 Mrs C Watson & Mrs S Graham Venetia Williams Charlie Deutsch
13 Class Conti (FR) ts, p 10 10 10 Mr Simon Munir/Mr Isaac Souede W. P. Mullins Ireland Sam Twiston-Davies
14 Blaklion ts 13 10 8 Darren & Annaley Yates Dan Skelton Harry Skelton
15 Lostintranslation (IRE) ts, p 10 11 6 Taylor & O'Dwyer Colin Tizzard Harry Cobden
Horses that did not finish
Fence 1
Mount Ida – Unseated Rider
Enjoy D’Allen – Unseated Rider
Fence 3
Éclair Surf – Fell
Fence 8
Run Wild Fred – Fell
De Rasher Counter - Unseated Rider
Deise Aba – Pulled Up
Death Duty – Unseated Rider
Fence 9
Minella Times - Fell
Fence 10
School Boy Hours – Pulled Up
Agusta Gold - Fell
Fence 13
Discorama – Pulled Up
Fence 15
Burrows Saint – Unseated Rider
Kildisart – Unseated Rider
Domaine De L’Isle – Unseated Rider
Fence 17
Snow Leopardess - Pulled Up
Fence 22
Cloth Cup – Pulled Up
Fence 24
Dingo Dollar – Unseated Rider
Fence 25
Mighty Thunder - Pulled Up
Fence 27
Good Boy Bobby – Pulled Up
Poker Party - Pulled Up
Fortescue – Unseated Rider
Fence 29
Brahma Bull - Pulled Up
Two For Gold - Pulled Up
Top Ville Ben – Pulled Up
