Richard Johnson produced a stunning front-running ride on board Native River last week to win his second Cheltenham Gold Cup crown, but the champion jockey is still yet to land victory in the most famous National Hunt race of them all, the Grand National, and he could be lining up for his 21st attempt at the world's greatest steeplechase on April 14.
The legendary AP McCoy was constantly reminded during his illustrious career in the saddle that he had not won the Grand National, but on board Don't Push It in 2010 the Northern Irishman finally broke his National duck, as the Jonjo O'Neill-trained raider handed McCoy is one and only National win at the 15th attempt.
Now, with 20 defeats to his name in the Merseyside marathon, Johnson will be hoping that he can finally land racing's biggest prize, and while the veteran rider always exclaims his will to be crowned champion jockey, it's always going to be a footnote in his sensational career, that he was unable to ride the winner of the Grand National.
There have been many luminaries of the saddle that have not been lucky enough to ride a Grand National winner, with Peter Scudamore and John Francome just a brace of weighing room stars to not have tasted victory in the race, but following on from his second Gold Cup win on board Native River at last week's Cheltenham Festival, it's still up in the air if Johnson will even get a ride in the race for the second year running, as Philip Hobbs has no entries in the 73-strong line-up, while there will only be a handful of mounts going spare come next month, and if Johnson were to miss out again, like last year, then there will be arguably the premier jockey in the weighing room forced to watch the race like millions on the television.
With over 3000 winners to his name, Johnson is a riding phenomenon, but the Grand National is a race he has a far from impressive record in, and only What's Up Boys second place finish in the 2002 renewal, and Balthazar King's runner-up spot in the 2014 Grand National are the only two occasions he has come close to landing the coveted spring showpiece, while in 13 of his 20 rides he has failed to finish the course.
Check out how Richard Johnson's previous 20 rides have fared in the Grand National.
- 1997 Celtic Abbey - UR 15th fence
- 1998 Banjo - Fell 1st
- 1999 Baronet Fell 4th
- 2000 Star Traveller - PU
- 2001 Edmond - Fell 15th
- 2002 What's Up Boys - 2nd
- 2003 - Jakari - PU
- 2004 - What's Up Boys - BD 6th
- 2005 - Jakari - PU
- 2006 - Therealbandit - PU
- 2007 - Monkerhostin - Ref 7th
- 2008 - Turko Fell 25th
- 2009 - Parsons Legacy Fell 22nd
- 2010 - Tricky Trickster 9th
- 2011 - Quinz PU
- 2012 - Planet Of Sound 12th
- 2013 - Balthazar King 15th
- 2014 - Balthazar King 2nd
- 2015 - Balthazar King Fell 8th
- 2016 - Kruzhlinin PU
- 2017 - No Ride
I am sure if you were to ask Johnson whether he'd like to be champion jockey for the next couple of seasons, and not to win the Grand National, then he would bite your hand off, but having shown that he is still the finest man in the saddle last week with his stunning front-running ride aboard Native River, then wouldn't it be great if in the final few years of his riding career he can somehow land the sport's most prestigious prize.
