Hot favourite Paisley Park was delivered brilliantly by Aidan Coleman to win the 2019 race in a famous victory and ended Willie Mullin’s mini dominance of the race having won it the two years prior.
However, prior to this, one horse dominated the race in the form of Big Bucks. The Paul Nicholls trained horse won four back to back renewals of the race between 2009 and 2012 and made the race his own. In doing so, he gave Paul Nicholls four victories that make him the most successful trainer in the race, with Ruby Walsh riding all four, meaning he is the most successful jockey to ride in the race.
Ruby Walsh:
Big Buck's (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)
Nichols Canyon (2017)
Paul Nicholls:
Big Buck's (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)
The 2020 race will likely see 2019 winner Paisley Park return to defend his crown and attempt to join in greats by doing so and should he turn up, he will warrant his position at the top of the market.
As well as Paisley Park, Paul Nicholls’ record in the race shows he can prepare horses for this race whilst Willie Mullins has won two of the last three and deserves a close look too.