 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (July 2012) |
| Grand National | |
 | |
| Location | Aintree Racecourse |
|---|---|
| Date | 14 April 2012 |
| Winning horse |  Neptune Collonges |
| Starting price | 33/1 |
| Jockey |  Daryl Jacob |
| Trainer |  Paul Nicholls |
| Owner | John Hales |
| Conditions | Good (good to soft in places) |
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 Full replay of the 2012 Grand National Racing TV, YouTube |
The 2012 Grand National (officially known as the John Smith's Grand National for sponsorship reasons) was the 165th annual renewal of the Grand National horse race at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England. The showpiece steeplechase, which concluded a three-day meeting which is one of only four held at Aintree throughout the year, took place on 14 April 2012. The maximum permitted field of 40 runners ran the last 4 miles 856 yards (7.220 km) of Aintree's National Course featuring 30 fences, competing for record prize money of £975,000, making it the highest-valued National Hunt race in the United Kingdom.[1]
Aintree had made a number of safety changes in the months leading up to the race, following the deaths of two horses in the previous year's National. The changes included reducing the severity of some of the fences, raising the minimum age of participating horses from six to seven years old, and requiring all runners to have previously been placed in a recognised steeplechase of at least three miles.
Neptune Collonges, ridden by Daryl Jacob, won the race, beating Sunnyhillboy in a photo finish and the closest ever finish to a Grand National. Neptune Collonges became only the third grey horse to win the 173-year-old chase, and the first since 1961. Joint-favourite Seabass finished third, which resulted in Katie Walsh, in her first outing in the race, scoring the best result ever for a female jockey in the Grand National. Synchronised, the 2012 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner and an early favourite for the National, and According to Pete both were euthanised after suffering leg fractures during the race. One fence was omitted on the second circuit as medics treated jockey Noel Fehily, who broke a leg in a fall on the first circuit.
The race was televised live on the BBC for the last time, having broadcast every running since 1960. The rights to broadcast the next four renewals had been won by Channel 4. The BBC's relationship with the race did continue however through its live radio broadcast rights, which it had held since being first aired in 1927.
- ^ "John Smith's Grand National prize fund reaches £975,000". Aintree.co.uk. 20 March 2012. Archived from the original on 14 April 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2012.