Like most annual events, Grand Nationals come and go, but there’s something so incredibly special about this race that the winners live on in memory, long after the racecourse has shut up shop for another day.
What makes it more interesting is that we remember the horses more than the jockeys, and can probably recount the exact way that Red Rum beat Crisp in 1973, but would have to dig a little deeper to recall that it was Brian Fletcher who guided him past the finishing post.
That said, some jockeys stand out in this great sport, and the GOAT among them is undoubtedly AP McCoy, who partnered Jonjo O’Neill’s Don’t Push It for his fifteenth attempt to win the race on April 10th, 2010.
McCoy had already established himself as the most successful jump jockey of his generation, with countless records and championships to his name. Yet, one prestigious prize had eluded him: a Grand National trophy.
Every year, anticipation grew. Each spring, newspapers, pundits, and punters asked the same question: Would this finally be McCoy’s year? Public sentiment swelled, and even those who rarely followed the sport found themselves willing McCoy to Aintree glory.
As race day approached in 2010 and news spread that McCoy would partner with Don’t Push It, the stage was set for something unforgettable.
Don’t Push It in the National Spotlight
Don’t Push It was foaled on June 6, 2000, in County Derry, Ireland, bred by Dominick Vallely. By Old Vic out of She’s No Laugh Ben, his lineage was good but not headline-grabbing.
Early runs from his formative seasons suggested a horse with plenty of raw ability, though occasionally let down by temperament. After debuting in a National Hunt flat race at Warwick in December 2004, finishing third, Don’t Push It returned for more the following season.
A maiden hurdle success at Market Rasen in September 2005 showed potential, and by the end of that campaign, connections were hopeful but realistic.
Throughout the 2005-06 season, Don’t Push It matured, winning three novice chases, and by the time 2007 rolled around, he was as short as 4/1 to win the Arkle at Cheltenham. He didn’t win, he actually fell, and the follow-up at Aintree was less than inspiring.
So, he took a break for the Summer and hopes were that a renewed Don’t Push It would return for the 2007/08 season and hopefully get back to his winning ways.
A handicap hurdle win at Chepstow on his seasonal return boosted his confidence. Yet, he never followed success with a straightforward run, often leaving fans and connections alike guessing about which version of Don’t Push It would turn up next.
So much so that between October 2007 and the Grand National in 2010, he won only one other race, the John Smith’s Handicap Chase at Aintree in April 2009.
The 2010 Grand National
As the 2010 Grand National day dawned, Don’t Push It was not the obvious favourite. His form was sketchy, and his odds had drifted in the preceding weeks. However, as news broke that AP McCoy would ride, expectations soared. Those interested in horse racing betting at Bovada and other bookmakers closely watched as momentum shifted in the hours leading up to the race.
In the final hours before the race, Don’t Push It’s odds tumbled, the weight of public support reflected in a surge of last-minute bets. By the off, he was joint-favourite at 10/1 (alongside Big Fella Thanks), a testament that reflected more the immense faith racegoers placed in McCoy’s quest for history than the horse’s ability to actually win the race.
The race was packed with the usual ups and downs, including King John’s Castle refusing to even race when the starting tape went up, and for much of the first circuit, Don’t Push It was settled in midfield.
By Becher’s Brook on the second circuit, only 21 runners were still in the race, with Black Apalachi leading the field, as he had done for much of the race up to that point. Don’t Push It had edged closer to the lead group, sitting pretty in fifth place.
It was all going well, and with just two to jump, Don’t Push It was stalking the leading two horses alongside Barry Geraghty and Big Fella Thanks. Some stellar jumping meant he led after the last fence, and from there, all he had to do was hang on.
In the end, the duo powered up the famous run-in, delivering a five-length victory that decades of racing had promised but never secured. For McManus, O’Neill, and above all McCoy, it was redemption, relief, and jubilant celebration in one.
The bookies, meanwhile, faced record payouts, with Don’t Push It’s popularity among backers hitting new highs. One bookmaker described the outcome as “probably the worst ever National result” for their book, as the public’s dream result left layers licking their wounds.
The Team
J.P. McManus, The Owner
J.P. McManus, known throughout racing for his shrewd eye and iconic green-and-gold silks, was a towering figure even by the standards of racing owners.
Notching up big winners since his first at Cheltenham in 1982, he was also in search of his first win in the Grand National.
Little did he know in 2010 that two more wins would be coming his way with Minella Times in 2021 and I Am Maximus in 2024.
Jonjo O’Neill, The Trainer
Jonjo O’Neill, a former champion jockey, brought a wealth of racing experience and determination to his training post at Jackdaws Castle.
As both jockey and trainer, O’Neill had experienced the exhilaration of the sport’s biggest prizes as well as its heartbreaks. The Grand National, however, had long been a challenge.
With seven attempts as a jockey, completing none of them, glory finally came with his first, and to date, only win in the race, in 2010.
AP McCoy and his Relentless Pursuit
For AP McCoy, the Grand National was the only absence on a resume that otherwise needed no embellishment.
With over 4,000 winners, 14 previous Nationals, and three third-place finishes, McCoy had endured near-misses and heartbreak but never stopped returning for more.
He finally got his win in the National before he officially retired following his last race at Sandown Park on Saturday, 25 April 2015.
With his record 20th consecutive Champion Jockey title, he ended his career with a total of 4,348 winners.
Don’t Push It Retired
Doing what so many winners do, Don’t Push It returned for another shot in the National in 2011, ultimately finishing third. Despite a few more respectable performances, it became clear that the 2010 Grand National triumph marked the absolute pinnacle of his remarkable journey.
After a final run at Cheltenham in late 2011, connections announced Don’t Push It’s retirement in January 2012.
Jonjo O’Neill offered a fitting epitaph: “I think we’ll always remember the magical day he won the Grand National… as we had all been trying to win the race for so many years.”
He was retired to Martinstown Stud in Ireland, owned by his owner, J.P. McManus. Since then, he has lived out his days at this luxurious stud, which is famous for housing many of McManus's racing stars after their careers end.
He shares his retirement with other notable horses, including Minella Times and Jonbon, enjoying a peaceful life with top-notch care and the company of fellow champions.
