[h=1]Mon Parrain (FR) 9-10-11[/h]Breeding: Trempolino (USA) - Kadaina (FR) (Kadalko (FR))
Breeder: Serge Dubois
Born: March 26, 2006 Owner: John & Barbara Cotton Trainer: Paul Nicholls Jockey: Sean Bowen
Form: P1P1316112/5312/734/P81-P015
*Was trained by Guillaume Macaire in France, where he won five times, before joining Paul Nicholls during the 2010/2011 season.
*Finished second in the 2011 Crabbies Topham Chase over the Grand National fences on his second start in Britain
*Mon Parrain came 11th in the Crabbie’s Becher Chase over the Grand National fences on December 6, 2014
*His two most recent wins have come at Cheltenham – April, 2014 and January, 2015
*He last raced when fifth in the BetBright Grimthorpe Handicap Chase at Doncaster on February 28.
Race record: Starts: 24; 1st: 8; 2nd: 2; 3rd: 3; Win & Place prize money: £142,169
John and Barbara Cotton
Harrogate-based John and Barbara Cotton have significantly increased their racehorse string in recent years. John Cotton was valued at £67 million in the 2008 Sunday Times Rich List with his wealth coming principally from the family’s bedding business. The John Cotton Group, based at Mirfield in West Yorkshire, was founded in 1916 and is now Europe’s largest manufacturer of pillows and duvets. The Cottons have horses with Guillaume Macaire in France and their British trainers have included Tim Easterby, James Ewart, Nicky Henderson, Alan King, Paul Nicholls and John Quinn. Their best performers include 2008 Munster National winner Dear Villez and this year’s Crabbie’s Grand National contender Mon Parrain, who won the Crabbie’s Topham Chase over the Grand National course in 2011.
Previous Crabbie’s Grand National runners: 2009 Golden Flight (Fell 1st)
Paul Nicholls (Manor Farm Stables, Ditcheat, Shepton Mallet, Somerset)
Born: April 17, 1962 at Lydney, Gloucestershire Background: The son of a policeman, he grew up in Olveston. Started out in point-to- points after leaving school at 16 and worked for a couple of yards before becoming a conditional jockey with Josh Gifford for two years and then joining Devon trainer David Barons. He partnered 119 winners between 1980 and 1989, with his biggest British successes coming in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury on Broadheath (1986) and Playschool (1987). He struggled to keep his weight down and gave up race riding. Between 1989 and 1991, he was assistant trainer to Barons, who trained Broadheath and Playschool and sent out Seagram to win the 1991 Grand National. Has been training at Manor Farm Stables in Ditcheat, Somerset, since taking out a licence on November 1, 1991. Started out with eight horses. The facilities have kept on being improved. His daughter Megan is an apprentice jockey with trainer Clive Cox. Achievements: Eight-time champion Jump trainer (2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2013/14) 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 37 winners at the Cheltenham Festival and is the fourth most successful trainer there ever. His successes there include four victories or more in three of the meeting's showpiece contests - the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (1999 Call Equiname, 2004 Azertyuiop, 2008 & 2009 Master Minded, 2015 Dodging Bullets), the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup (1999 See More Business, 2007 & 2009 Kauto Star, 2008 Denman) and the Ladbrokes World 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 captured the Crabbie’s Grand National with Neptune Collonges in 2012 and sent out Big Buck’s for four consecutive victories (2009 to 2012) in the race which is now the Grade One Silver Cross Stayers’ Hurdle. He saddled Silviniaco Conti to win the Grade One Betfred Bowl in 2014 and has been leading trainer at the Crabbie’s Grand National Festival twice – in 2008 and 2011. Crabbie’s 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)
Sean Bowen
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. 17-year-old Bowen will be aiming to match the feat of Bruce Hobbs who became the youngest rider to win the Crabbies’ Grand National at the same age in 1938 on board Battleship. Hobbs was born on December 20, 1920 and won the Grand National on March 25, 1938. Bowen, more than three months older than Hobbs coming into the race, booked his place in this year’s race when riding a treble at Haydock last weekend, securing his crucial 10th winner over fences on the Paul Nicholls-trained Virak. 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 in 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 this season and is enjoying a fine campaign. He is currently battling it out with Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning jockey Nico de Boinville for the conditional jockeys’ championship. He rode a treble on Welsh National day this season and followed it up with a double at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day – including on his Crabbie’s Grand National mount Mon Parrain. He also had trebles at Haydock on Easter Saturday and at Chepstow on Easter Monday. His father runs Al Co in this year’s Crabbie’s Grand National and did best in the race with Mckelvey in 2007. Previous Crabbie’s Grand National rides: No previous ride.
