Uploaded March 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
Imagine battling it out for over 4 miles in the world's most famous National Hunt horse race and jumping clear of 16 iconic fences across two laps of Aintree, only for it all to come down to the most dramatic of photo finishes?!
Well that's exactly what happened in the 2012 edition of the Grand National when racing fans around the globe witnessed the closest climax in the race's illustrious history, which began way back in 1839.
Neptune Collonges was a 33/1 shot heading into the race but bravely held off the challenge of Sunnyhillboy (16/1) to became the first grey to win the National since Nicolaus Silver in 1961 and only the third different grey ever to do so.
Daryl Jacob was the jockey on board that day and in this brilliant interview, the Irishman watches the race back with Sporting Life's Dave Ord and relives the rollercoaster of emotions he experienced throughout the race, the exhilarating finish, the anxious wait for a photo finis, the elation of becoming champion and the moments he shared with Sunnyhillboy's heartbroken jockey Richie McLernon in the weighing room.
It really is a fascinating watch for all jump racing fans around the world, whether you remember the 2012 Grand National or not!
0:00 Daryl Jacob's relationship with 'poor old Neptune'!
1:50 Neptune's slow start
2:45 Working through the field
3:10 Canal Turn-ing point
4:05 The iconic final jump
5:15 Reeling in Sunnyhillboy
5:45 Neptune 'knew' but Daryl didn't!
6:15 The wait 'felt like a lifetime'
7:00 Celebration time
8:15 Conquering the National
8:50 Visiting Noel Fehily in hospital
9:20 Consoling Richie McLernon
Imagine battling it out for over 4 miles in the world's most famous National Hunt horse race and jumping clear of 16 iconic fences across two laps of Aintree, only for it all to come down to the most dramatic of photo finishes?!
Well that's exactly what happened in the 2012 edition of the Grand National when racing fans around the globe witnessed the closest climax in the race's illustrious history, which began way back in 1839.
Neptune Collonges was a 33/1 shot heading into the race but bravely held off the challenge of Sunnyhillboy (16/1) to became the first grey to win the National since Nicolaus Silver in 1961 and only the third different grey ever to do so.
Daryl Jacob was the jockey on board that day and in this brilliant interview, the Irishman watches the race back with Sporting Life's Dave Ord and relives the rollercoaster of emotions he experienced throughout the race, the exhilarating finish, the anxious wait for a photo finis, the elation of becoming champion and the moments he shared with Sunnyhillboy's heartbroken jockey Richie McLernon in the weighing room.
It really is a fascinating watch for all jump racing fans around the world, whether you remember the 2012 Grand National or not!
0:00 Daryl Jacob's relationship with 'poor old Neptune'!
1:50 Neptune's slow start
2:45 Working through the field
3:10 Canal Turn-ing point
4:05 The iconic final jump
5:15 Reeling in Sunnyhillboy
5:45 Neptune 'knew' but Daryl didn't!
6:15 The wait 'felt like a lifetime'
7:00 Celebration time
8:15 Conquering the National
8:50 Visiting Noel Fehily in hospital
9:20 Consoling Richie McLernon
