Minella Times (foaled 4 March 2013) is a retired Irish-bred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...
racehorse
Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...
who competed in
National Hunt racing
National Hunt Racing, also known as Jump Racing, is a form of horse racing particular to many European countries, including, but not limited to: France, horse racing in Great Britain, Great Britain and horse racing in Ireland, Ireland. Jump Racin ...
. In
2021
Like the year 2020, 2021 was also heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the emergence of multiple Variants of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 variants. The major global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, which began at the end of 2020, continued ...
, he won the
Grand National
The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Aintree, Merseyside, England. First run in 1839, it ...
under
Rachael Blackmore
Rachael Blackmore (born 11 July 1989) is an Irish former National Hunt jockey. In 2021, she became the first female jockey to win the Grand National in the 182-year history of the race. She also became the first woman to be leading jockey at t ...
, becoming the first horse ridden by a female jockey to win the race.
Background
Minella Times is a bay horse with no white
markings
Marking may refer to:
Symbols
Marking may refer to human-made symbols and annotations in several contexts:
On vehicles
* Aircraft marking
* Emergency vehicle equipment markings
** Battenburg markings, emergency vehicle patterns
* Vehicle marki ...
bred in Ireland by Cathal Ennis at Quill Farm near
Kilbeggan
Kilbeggan () is a town in County Westmeath, Ireland. It is in the barony of Moycashel.
Geography
Kilbeggan is situated on the River Brosna, in the south of County Westmeath. It lies south of Lough Ennell, and Castletown Geoghegan, north of ...
in
County Westmeath
County Westmeath (; or simply ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It formed part of the historic Kingdom of ...
. As a foal in November 2013 he was consigned to the
Tattersalls
Tattersalls (formerly Tattersall's) is the main auctioneer of race horses in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Founding
It was founded in 1766 by Richard Tattersall (1724–1795), who had been stud groom to the second Duke of Kingston. ...
Ireland November National Hunt Sale and was bought for €31,000 by John Nallen of Minella Racing. Nallen bought the future
Cheltenham Gold Cup
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt horse race run on the New Course at Cheltenham Racecourse in England, over a distance of about 3 miles 2½ furlon ...
winner
Minella Indo
Minella Indo (foaled 18 April 2013) is an Irish racehorse who competes in National Hunt racing. He was one of the leading Novices' Hurdlers 2018/19 season when he recorded Grade 1 victories in the Spa Novices' Hurdle and Irish Daily Mirror ...
at the same sale. The horse was
gelded before the start of his racing career.
He was sired by Oscar, a horse who finished second to
Peintre Celebre
Peintre Celebre (17 March 1994 – 19 October 2018) was an American-bred, French-trained champion thoroughbred racehorse. He won the French Derby and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in 1997.
Background
Peintre Celebre was bred and owned by busi ...
in the
Prix du Jockey Club
The Prix du Jockey Club, sometimes referred to as the French Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Chantilly ov ...
before becoming a leading sire of National Hunt horses. His other major winners have included
Lord Windermere
Lord Windermere (foaled 11 March 2006) is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse
Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set d ...
,
Rock On Ruby,
Oscar Whisky
Oscar Whisky (10 February 2005 – 6 December 2014) was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in National Hunt racing. In his early career, he showed promise, winning two National Hunt Flat races and two novice ...
,
Paisley Park
Paisley Park is a 65,000 square foot estate in Chanhassen, Minnesota, United States, once owned by American musician Prince. It was opened to the public as a museum in October 2016.
History
Construction of the $10 million complex began in Jan ...
and
Big Zeb
Big Zeb (foaled 13 May 2001) is a retired Irish Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in National Hunt racing and was best known for his performances in steeplechases over the minimum distance of two miles. He was slow to mature and made little ...
. Minella Times's dam Triptoshan was an unraced mare from a family which had produced several good steeplechasers.
Racing career
Early career
Minella Times began his career on the amateur
Point-to-point circuit. He made his debut in a three-mile race on
yielding ground at Belclare in which he fell at the last obstacle when two
lengths clear of his rivals. Later that month the gelding was offered for sale at Tattersalls but failed to attract any bids.
He then entered the ownership of
J. P. McManus
John Patrick McManus (born 10 March 1951) is an Irish businessman and racehorse owner. He was a major shareholder of Manchester United until his stake was bought out by Malcolm Glazer in 2005.
Early life
McManus was born in Limerick, Ireland, ...
and was sent into training with
Henry De Bromhead at
Knockeen,
County Waterford
County Waterford () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. It is named after the city of Waterford. ...
. On his first run under professional rules he ran fourth in a
National Hunt Flat National Hunt flat races, informally known as bumper races, are a type of flat racing but run under National Hunt racing rules in Britain and Ireland
Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlant ...
race at
Cork Racecourse
Cork Racecourse, also known as Cork Racecourse Mallow, is a horse racing venue at Mallow, County Cork, Ireland which stages both National Hunt racing and Flat racing. It is located 35 km north of Cork and 64 km from Limerick
The cou ...
on 19 November.
2018/19 National Hunt season
In the 2018/19 National Hunt season Minella Times was initially campaigned in
Novice
A novice is a person who has entered a religious order and is under probation, before taking vows. A ''novice'' can also refer to a person (or animal e.g. racehorse) who is entering a profession with no prior experience.
Religion Buddhism
...
hurdle
A hurdle (UK English, limited US English) is a moveable section of light fence. In the United States, terms such as "panel", "pipe panel" or simply "fence section" are used to describe moveable sections of fencing intended for agricultural u ...
races. At
Kilbeggan Racecourse on 11 May he started at odds of
9/2 for a
maiden
Virginity is a social construct that denotes the state of a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. As it is not an objective term with an operational definition, social definitions of what constitutes virginity, or the lack thereof ...
hurdle in which he was ridden by
Mark Walsh and won by lengths from Glorious Legend after taking the lead after the second last hurdle. He went on to finish fourth at
Galway Racecourse
Ballybrit Race Track, also known as Galway Racecourse, is a horse race course in County Galway, Ireland. It is located in the townland of Ballybrit, in the environs of Castlegar, just north of the N6 Bóthar na dTreabh, c.6 km northeast ...
in August and seventh when matched against more experienced opponents in a
Handicap at
Tipperary Racecourse
Tipperary Racecourse is a horse racing venue in County Tipperary, Republic of Ireland, Ireland which stages both National Hunt and Flat racing. The course is located adjacent to Limerick Junction railway station and approximately two miles from ...
on 7 October. In December, he finished runner-up in a novice hurdle at
Punchestown Racecourse
Punchestown Racecourse is located in the parish of Eadestown, between the R410 and R411 Regional road (Ireland), regional roads near Naas, County Kildare, in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is known as the home of Irish Jumps Racing and plays ...
and then came home eighth in a novice handicap at
Leopardstown Racecourse
Leopardstown Racecourse is a horse-racing course in Leopardstown, approximately south of Dublin city centre, in Ireland. Like the majority of Irish courses, it hosts both National Hunt and Flat racing.
Built by Captain George Quin and modell ...
. On his final run of the season he finished third behind Galvin and Whoshotthesheriff in a novice hurdle at
Navan Racecourse
Navan Racecourse is a horse racing venue at Proudstown near Navan, County Meath, Ireland, approximately 48 kilometres from Dublin. The course stages Flat racing but is best known for National Hunt racing. Navan Racecourse is owned by Horse Racin ...
on 15 January.
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
Clonmel Racecourse (Powerstown Park) is a horse racing venue in the town of Clonmel, County Tipperary, Ireland which stages both National Hunt and Flat racing.
The course is located in the Powerstown area of the town 2 km from the town cent ...
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
Rachael Blackmore (born 11 July 1989) is an Irish former National Hunt jockey. In 2021, she became the first female jockey to win the Grand National in the 182-year history of the race. She also became the first woman to be leading jockey at t ...
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. In his two subsequent races that year, the gelding finished second to Sumos Novios in a handicap at
Limerick Racecourse
Limerick Racecourse (Greenmount Park) is a horse racing venue in County Limerick, Ireland, which stages both National Hunt and flat racing
Horse racing is an equestrianism, equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or m ...
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 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. At Leopardstown on 27 December he contested the three-mile Paddy Power Chase and finished second to Castlebawn West, beaten 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
The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Aintree, Merseyside, England. First run in 1839, it ...
over four miles, furlongs at
Aintree Racecourse
Aintree Racecourse is a horse racing, racecourse in Aintree, Merseyside, England, near to Liverpool. The racecourse is the venue for the Grand National steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase, which takes place annually in April over three da ...
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 lengths from his stablemate Balko Des Flos. Blackmore, who became the first female jockey to win the race, said "I just got such an unbelievable passage through the race.
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."
Retirement
During preparation for the
2023 Grand National
The 2023 Grand National (officially known as the Randox Health, Randox 2023 Grand National for sponsorship reasons) was the 175th annual running of the Grand National horse race. It took place on Saturday 15 April 2023, at Aintree Racecourse ne ...
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.
Grand National record
Pedigree
References
{{reflist
2013 racehorse births
Racehorses bred in Ireland
Racehorses trained in Ireland
Grand National winners
Thoroughbred family 1-k