Grand National winner Noble Yeats has died four years after his win at Aintree.
The 11-year-old, who won the Grand National in 2022 at odds of 50-1, passed away this week after suffering from colic.
Noble Yeats, who was trained by Emmet Mullins and owned by Robert Waley-Cohen, was spending his retirement at a stud farm in Oxfordshire when the health issue was raised on Wednesday.
After being treated during the night, it was decided the horse could not be saved and was put down on Thursday.
Waley-Cohen said: ‘He looked very uncomfortable on Wednesday so the vet came out and everybody was up all night treating him and hoping he would pull through but unfortunately he went the other way. It was a grim moment.
‘He was living the life of a retired horse in the field with Long Run [Gold Cup winner] and Oscar Time [Grand National runner-up in 2011].
‘He was enormous fun at the National and afterwards. The memories of the National are unbelievable, you could not have a better day.
‘It’s the dream of a lifetime to win the National, and to win it with your son made it even more special. It was Sam’s last ride too after he announced on the Thursday that he was going to retire after the National.’
Sam Waley-Cohen, who became the first amateur jockey to win the Grand National in 32 years with Noble Yeats, also paid tribute.
‘He gave us one of the great days of our lives and fulfilled our dreams,’ said Sam Waley-Cohen.
‘He was brilliant for us and was one of those special horses.’
‘His ability outstripped his looks. He looked like a shaggy pony when he came into the paddock, but suddenly in the race he grew into a great champion. He looked like a pauper amongst princes but turned out to be a prince himself.’
After his Grand National triumph in 2022, Noble Yeats finished fourth behind Corach Rambler at Aintree and then 19th when I Am Maximus won for the first time in 2024.
Noble Yeats’ final appearance came in the 2024 Savills Hurdle at Leopardstown. He was retired due to arthritis shortly after.
The Waley-Cohen family plan to pay a lasting tribute to Noble Yeats by planting a tree on top of his ashes at the family farm near Banbury.
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