Breeding: Nickname – Faroe (Bulington)

Breeder: S A R L Carion Emm

Born: March 20, 2010

Owner: Patricia Thompson

Trainer: Paul Nicholls

Jockey: Sean Bowen

Form: 1F1/737/113P381-32523

Le Mercurey
© Racehorse Photos

*Was recently purchased privately by Patricia Thompson of Cheveley Park Stud fame from owners Chris Giles and Colm Donlon. Thompson acquired Party Politics on the eve of his Aintree success in 1992 and also tried to win the race again with other last-minute purchases, Character Building (7th in 2010) and Mumbles Head (refused 30th in 2013).

*No seven-year-old has won the Grand National since Bogskar in 1940.

*High-class novice chaser last season and ended that campaign with seven-length victory over Bristol De Mai in the G2 Future Champions Novices’ Chase at Ayr in April, 2016.

*Best efforts this season came when second to Many Clouds in a Listed chase over the Mildmay Course at Aintree in December, 2016 and runner-up to Native River in G2 Denman Chase at Newbury in February, 2017.

David and Patricia Thompson are best known as owners of Cheveley Park Stud just outside Newmarket. Although famed for their Flat racing exploits, the Thompsons have won Jump racing’s most famous prize before, having bought the 1992 Grand National hero Party Politics on the eve of his victory. Party Politics, who spent his 13-year retirement at Cheveley Park Stud, lived to the ripe old age of 25. Mrs Thompson said in July, 2009, when he died: “We will always remember the excitement of Grand National day in 1992 – and indeed his very creditable second in 1995 – as one of the major experiences of our racing ownership.” David Thompson, 81 (born April 4, 1936), is a former Smithfield meat trader who first made his business mark with the Hillsdown Holdings food group, which he later sold in two separate deals for about £300 million. In the 2016 Sunday Times Rich List, David and Patricia were valued at £710m. The Thompsons, initially in partnership, bought the rundown Cheveley Park Stud, where horses have been bred for more than 1,000 years, in 1975. Music Boy, whom they raced, became their first stallion. It has become the most successful British-owned breeding operation in the country. Now stretching to around 970 acres and managed by Chris Richardson, its umbrella also covers the Sandwich, Warren Hill and Ashley Heath studs. It both sells and races the horses it produces and Russian Rhythm, a sales purchase, brought Classic glory when winning the 2003 1000 Guineas, going on to land both the Coronation Stakes and Nassau Stakes. The stud operation currently can house around 120 broodmares and stands eight stallions including leading sire Pivotal. St James’s Palace Stakes winner Excellent Art and 1997 2,000 Guineas hero Entrepreneur were bred and sold by Cheveley Park, while some of the Group One stars to race on the Flat in its patriotic red, white and blue silks include Red Bloom, Confidential Lady, Regal Rose, Echelon, Nannina, Exclusive, Peeress, Pivotal, Virtual, Chorist, Integral and last year’s Breeders’ Cup heroine Queen’s Trust. Its Flat trainers for 2017 and the 90-plus horses in training are headed by Sir Michael Stoute, a director of the stud, and include Robert Cowell, Clive Cox, Richard Fahey, James Fanshawe, John Gosden, William Haggas, Richard Hannon, Sir Mark Prescott and Roger Varian.

Born:  April 17, 1962 at Lydney, Gloucestershire Background: The son of a policeman, he grew up in Olveston. He started riding in point-to-points after leaving school at 16 and worked for a couple of yards before becoming a conditional jockey with Sussex-based Josh Gifford for two years and then joining Devon trainer David Barons. He partnered 133 winners between 1980 and 1989, with his biggest British successes coming in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury on Broadheath (1986) and Playschool (1987), who also won the Irish Gold Cup with Paul up in 1988. Having struggled to keep his weight down, he retired from riding in 1989 and assisted Barons, trainer of not only Broadheath and Playschool but also Seagram, who won the 1991 Grand National at Aintree during Nicholls’ time at the stable. Nicholls took out his own licence to train at Manor Farm Stables in Ditcheat on November 1, 1991, with just eight horses and has come a long way since. Manor Farm Stables, which has been expanded, is the main yard, with Highbridge the second yard just outside the village. Daughter Megan is an apprentice jockey on the Flat with 21 winners (up to March 23). Achievements: 10-time champion Jump trainer (2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2015/16) and became the first handler to accrue more than £4 million in a season in 2007/08. He gained his 2,000th winner at Down Royal on November 5, 2011, less than 20 years after taking his licence, making him the fastest Jump trainer to reach the landmark figure. Has sent out 41 winners at the Cheltenham Festival and is the third most successful trainer ever there. His successes include victories in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (1999 Call Equiname, 2004 Azertyuiop, 2008 & 2009 Master Minded, 2015 Dodging Bullets), Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup (1999 See More Business, 2007 & 2009 Kauto Star, 2008 Denman) and the Sun Bets Stayers’ Hurdle (Big Buck’s 2009, 2010, 2011 & 2012). He also won the Stan James Champion Hurdle with Rock On Ruby in 2012. At Aintree, he has captured the Grand National with Neptune Collonges in 2012 and sent out Big Buck’s for four consecutive victories (2009 to 2012) in the Grade One Ryanair Stayers’ Hurdle. He has been leading trainer at the Randox Health Grand National Festival three times – in 2008, 2011 & 2015. He is fighting for his 11th Jump trainers’ championship this season. He has sent out in total over 2,700 winners, including 112 at Grade One level (up to March 30).

Randox Health Grand National Record: 1992 Just So (6th); 1996 Vicompt De Valmont (10th), Deep Bramble (PU 29th), Brackenfield (UR 19th); 1997 Straight Talk (FELL 14th); 1998 What A Hand (FELL 1st), Court Melody (FELL 6th), General Crack (PU 11th); 1999 Strong Chairman (15th), Double Thriller (FELL 1st), 2000 Earthmover (FELL 4th), Torduff Express (FELL 13th), Flaked Oats (FELL 20th), Escartefigue (UR 30th); 2001 Earthmover (FELL 4th); 2002 Murt’s Man (PU 17th), Ad Hoc (BD 27th); 2003 Montifault (5th), Fadalko (UR 6th), Ad Hoc (UR 19th), Shotgun Willy (PU 22nd), Torduff Express (UR 27th); 2004 Exit To Wave (PU 9th); 2005 Royal Auclair (2nd), Heros Collonges (8th), L’Aventure (15th), Ad Hoc (FELL 22nd); 2006 Royal Auclair (FELL 1st), Le Duc (UR 8th), Silver Birch (FELL 15th), Heros Collonges (UR 15th), Le Roi Miguel (PU 19th), Cornish Rebel (PU 19th); 2007 Le Duc (UR 6th), Royal Auclair (FELL 9th), Eurotrek (PU bef 22nd), Thisthatandtother (PU 30th); 2008 Cornish Sett (12th), Turko (FELL 25th), Mr Pointment (PU 30th); 2009 My Will (3rd), Big Fella Thanks (6th), Cornish Sett (17th), Eurotrek (PU 17th); 2010 Big Fella Thanks (4th), Tricky Trickster (9th), My Will (FELL 4th), Nozic (UR 20th); 2011 Niche Market (5th), Ornais (FELL 4th), The Tother One (FELL 6th), What A Friend (PU 27th); 2012 NEPTUNE COLLONGES (WON); 2013 Join Together (12th), What A Friend (PU 19th), Harry The Viking (PU 26th); 2014 Rocky Creek (5th), Hawkes Point (18th), Tidal Bay (UR 8th); 2015 Mon Parrain (11th), Rocky Creek (17th), Rebel Rebellion (PU 26th), Unioniste (Fell 5th); 2016 Unioniste (10th), Just A Par (15th), Rocky Creek (PU 12th), Silviniaco Conti (PU 14th), Wonderful Charm (PU 21st), Black Thunder (PU 21st)

Born: September 5, 1997 Background: son of leading trainer Peter Bowen (himself once an amateur rider) and Karen Bowen, who was also an amateur jockey and finished third in the ladies’ championship. A career in the saddle looked unlikely in his formative years as Bowen was allergic to horses and ‘hated horses’ until he was five. After a successful stint on the pony racing circuit and in point-to-points (champion UK novice rider), Bowen rode a winner on his first start under Rules as an amateur on Kozmina Bay at Uttoxeter in December 2013. Bowen turned professional at the beginning of the 2014/15 and enjoyed a successful first campaign with 51 winners, taking the Bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown on Just A Par for Paul Nicholls, for which he was awarded Jump Ride of the Year at the Lesters, and winning the conditional jockeys’ title. He is one of the team of jockeys riding for champion Jump trainer Paul Nicholls and his seasonal totals keep rising. He had 55 winners in 2015/16 and is on the 75 mark (up to March 30) this season. His biggest success came on Just A Par in the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown Park in 2015. His brother Mickey trains point-to-pointers and hunter chasers (had the 50/1 second Dineur in the 2016 Fox Hunters’ at Aintree).