Grand National 2022: Noble Yeats Profile

Seven-year-old Noble Yeats will be the youngest contender in the 2022 Randox Grand National, but the Emmet Mullins-trained Irish raider is an improving staying chaser that could be a surprise package at Aintree on April 9...

Noble Yeats

Age: 7

Trainer: Emmet Mullins

Chase Runs: 7

Chase Wins: 1

Once raced as a hurdler, Noble Yeats was victorious in his sole start over timber, but the Emmet Mullins-trained raider was quickly sent over fences in October 2021, and he kicked off his chasing career with a fine victory over the classy Gabynako at Galway.

Despite tasting victory in his first try over fences, Noble Yeats has failed to taste success again over the larger obstacles, and now with seven chase runs on his CV he will look to make it win number two in the Grand National in early April.

Sent to Leopardstown in December, he competed in the hugely competitive Paddy Power Chase, where he finished a creditable ninth behind School Boy Hours. Pulled up next time out in a Naas Grade 3 won by subsequent National Hunt Chase winner Stattler, who was a fine winner at the Cheltenham Festival, Noble Yeats then ran a decent race behind Ahoy Senor in the Grade 2 Towton Novices' Chase at Warwick.

The Lucinda Russell-trained winner that day has since gone on to finish second in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase, while Noble Yeats took in the Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham, but was only able to finish ninth behind Corach Rambler. 

A classy novice chaser that will have a tough assignment to deal with the hustle and bustle of a Grand National, Noble Yeats does have some solid formlines on his CV, so if he does take to the task then he will be a lively each-way play, but it's sure to be tough in what is a wide open renewal of the world's greatest steeplechase.