French Trainers have not been very successful at the Grand National. In fact, only two French-trained horses have succeeded, Huntsman in 1862 and Cortolvin in 1867, while three other winners have been bred in France – Alcibiade (1865), Reugny (1874) and Lutteur III (1909).
Clan Royal, the 2004 runner-up and 2006 third, was the latest French-bred to go close to victory.
The Fellow, trained by Francois Doumen in France, ran in the 1994 Grand National and was attempting to become only the second horse to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National in the same season. However, he fell at the Canal Turnon the second circuit. The Fellow’s misfortune continued the bad luck for his owner the Marquesa de Moratalla in the Grand National, since her brother, Alfonso de Portago, failed to complete on Garde Toi (fell) and Icy Calm (pulled up) in 1950 and 1952.
Ciel De Brion, also trained by Doumen and ridden by his son Thierry, fell five out in the 1998 Grand National, while in 2000 Djeddah finished ninth for the father and son partnership. The same combination lined up again in 2001, unseating at the 8th, parted company four fences out in 2002, and finished 11th in 2003. That year also saw the participation of another French challenger, the Jacques Ortet-trained Empereur River, who was pulled up by amateur Patrick Pailhes, a doctor, before Becher’s on the second circuit.
The Doumens returned in 2004 with Halewood International owned Kelami, but he was brought down at the first. Thierry Doumen subsequently retired from race riding and became a trainer. Innox, owned by J P McManus, represented Francois Doumen in 2005, finishing seventh under Robert Thornton. The same partnership got no further than the first fence last year. Doumen senior also ran First Gold, a dual winner of the Betfair Bowl at Aintree, who unseated his rider at the 23rd fence.