The late Trevor James Hemmings, who died of undisclosed causes on October 11, 2021, aged 86, was a leading National Hunt owner. A self-made billionaire, Hemmings saw his distinctive white, yellow and green colours carried to numerous high-profile victories, including a dozen at the Cheltenham Festival. However, to the wider racing public he is probably best remembered for owning a record-equalling three Grand National winners, namely Hedgehunter (2005), Ballabriggs (2011) and Many Clouds (2015).
Hemmings did, indeed, win the Scottish Grand National, just once, with Vicente (2017), trained by Paul Nicholls. Having finished a well-beaten sixth in the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow the previous December, the by-then eight-year-old made it no further than the first fence in the Grand National proper at Aintree. Consequently, he was turned out again for the Scottish equivalent at Ayr, just two weeks later, as a relatively fresh horse. As such, he was sent off 9/1 joint-favourite, alongside Southfield Royale, trained by Neil Mulholland.
Reunited with Sam Twiston-Davies, who had ridden him to victory in the Scottish National in 2016, for previous owners John Hales and Ian Fogg, and back down to the same handicap mark as the previous year, Vicente duly followed up. Held up, he made headway to chase the leader, Cogry, three out and kept on well from the final fence to win by a neck, despite conceding 18lb to the runner-up. Nicholls said afterwards, “In many ways the fall at the first at Aintree was the best thing that could have happened.”
Sadly, Vincente never won again, but he did return to Ayr to attempt a hat-trick in tthe Scottish Grand National in 2018. Officially rated 4lb higher than the previous year, he finished a creditable fifth, beaten 12¾ lengths, despite losing both hind shoes in the process.