Grand National

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the British horse race. For the NASCAR series originally called Grand National, see NEXTEL Cup. For the racing-themed roller coaster of the same name, see Grand National (roller coaster). For the car, see Buick Regal. For the 2007 album by The John Butler Trio, see Grand National (album).

The Grand National is the most valuable National Hunt handicap horse race in the United Kingdom. It is the biggest betting race in the United Kingdom, and is popular amongst many people who do not normally watch or bet on horse racing at other times of the year. It is also one of the most controversial, due to the number of injuries and fatalities suffered by the participating horses and has, consequently, been targeted by animal rights groups who have campaigned to have it banned.

Contents

[edit] Event

It is usually held on a Saturday in early April at the Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool. The steeplechase is run over two circuits of the Aintree 'National' course, covering four and half miles (7.2 km). This is not to be confused with Aintree's standard 'Mildmay' park fence and hurdle course. There are 16 fences on the 'National' track, 14 of which are jumped twice (The Chair and the water are omitted on the second circuit). Some of these have acquired near-legendary status for their severity, particularly Becher's Brook and The Chair, although in recent years this severity has been much reduced due to pressure from various animal rights groups. The National is the centerpiece of a three-day meeting, one of only four run at Aintree in the racing season. The 2007 Grand National meeting will run from Thursday 12th - Saturday 14th April.

[edit] History

There is much debate among historians regarding the first official race held and most who have trawled the newspaper libraries of the United Kingdom now prefer the idea that the first running was in 1836 and was won by The Duke. This same horse triumphed again in 1837, while Sir William was the winner in 1838. These races have long been disregarded because of the belief that the 1837 & 1838 runnings took place at Maghull and not Aintree. In the last twenty years, several race historians have unearthed indisputable evidence that these three races were all run over the same course at Aintree and were regarded as having been Grand Nationals up until the mid 1860s. To date though, their calls for the Nationals of 1836-38 to be restored to the record books have been ignored.

For three years during World War I, while Aintree racecourse was closed, an alternative race was run at Gatwick Racecourse, on the site of the present Gatwick Airport. The first of these races, in 1916, was called the Racecourse Association Steeplechase, and in the following two years the race was known as the War National Steeplechase. The races at Gatwick are not always recognised as "Grand Nationals", however, and their results are often omitted from winners' lists.

In 1923, Sergeant Murphy became the first American-bred horse to win the Grand National.

In 1926 Willie Watkinson records the first riding success for Australia. Sadly the Tasmanian born rider is killed at Bogside in Scotland less than three weeks later.

In 1938 the American bred Battleship, son of the famous Man O'War, became the first (and so far only) horse to have won both the Grand National and the American Grand National (won four years earlier). Battleship's jockey was Bruce Hobbs, at 17 years old he is the youngest ever winning jockey.

By far the most successful horse in Grand National history was Red Rum, the only horse to win three times, in 1973, 1974, and in 1977. He also came in second in the two intervening years, 1975 and 1976.

A fictional account of a young girl training the winner of the Grand National by Enid Bagnold was made into a film, National Velvet, starring the young Elizabeth Taylor as the heroine, Velvet Brown. The events surrounding the 1981 National, and the winning jockey, Bob Champion, were also dramatised in the film Champions.

The 1967 running was won by rank outsider Foinavon, ridden by Johnny Buckingham, after a melee at the 23rd fence when two loose horses pulled up in front of the field, caused the rest to fall, stop, or refuse. Foinavon was running so far behind that Buckingham managed to avoid the carnage and scrape round ahead of 17 remounted horses, coming home at odds of 100/1.

In 1993, the result of the race was declared void after a series of incidents at the start meant the starting tape failed to rise correctly, causing several horses and jockeys to be caught up in it. A false start was declared, but lack of communication between course officials meant that 30 out of the 39 jockeys did not realise this and started to race. Course officials tried to stop the horses by waving red flags next to The Chair at the end of the first circuit. However, many jockeys thought that these people were protesters and so continued to race. Peter Scudamore only stopped because he saw his usual trainer Martin Pipe waving frantically at him. Seven horses ran the course in its entirety, forcing a void result. The 'winner' of those horses which ran was Esha Ness, ridden by John White and trained by Jenny Pitman.

In 1997, the Saturday meeting was abandoned after two coded bomb threats were received, reportedly from the Provisional Irish Republican Army. 60,000 spectators, jockeys, race personnel and local residents were evacuated, and the course was secured by police. The race was eventually run on the Monday, with the meeting organisers offering free admission. Some 20,000 people were left stranded over the weekend, with cars and coaches locked in the course. With limited accommodation space in the city and surrounding areas, those local residents not affected by the incident opened their doors and took in many of those stranded.

In 2007 the Grand National sponsors John Smith's launched the John Smiths Peoples Race which gives 10 members of the public the chance to ride in a flat race at Aintree on Grand National day.

The Grand National is one of ten events reserved for live broadcast on UK terrestrial television under the ITC Code on Sports and Other Listed Events.

[edit] Trivia

This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources.
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. (help, get involved!)
Any material not supported by sources may be challenged and removed at any time. This article has been tagged since January 2007.
  • 1853 The oldest ever winning horse in the race - Peter Simple, aged 15.
  • 1900 The winning horse Ambush II was owned by the Prince of Wales - the future King Edward VII.
  • 1905 Kirkland, based in Pembrokeshire, is the only winner to be trained in Wales.
  • 1927 The first BBC radio commentary of the race, by Meyrick Good and George Allison.
  • 1929 The biggest ever field for the race - 66 runners.
  • 1934 The only horse to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National in the same season - Golden Miller.
  • 1938 The youngest ever winning jockey in the race - Bruce Hobbs, aged 17, on Battleship.
  • 1951 The most recent mare to win the race - Nickel Coin (twelve mares have won in total).
  • 1956 Devon Loch, owned by the Queen Mother and ridden by Dick Francis, was in the lead and certain to win when he inexplicably leapt and unseated the jockey on the run-in, 50 yards (45 metres) from the finish, giving victory to E.S.B.
  • 1961 The most recent grey horse to win the race - Nicolaus Silver. The only previous grey to win was The Lamb (1868 and 1871).
  • 1962 Wyndburgh finished runner-up for the third time, but was never to win the race.
  • 1968 The favourite for the race Different Class was owned by actor Gregory Peck.
  • 1975 The second Cheltenham Gold Cup winner to win the Grand National - L'Escargot.
  • 1977 The first female jockey to ride in the race - Charlotte Brew on Barony Fort, who refused at the fourth fence from home.
  • 1979 Rubstic, based in Roxburghshire, was the first winner to be trained in Scotland.
  • 1981 Bob Champion, who had been diagnosed with cancer and told he only had months to live in 1979, was the winning jockey on Aldaniti, who had almost been retired because of leg trouble.
  • 1982 The oldest ever winning jockey in the race - Dick Saunders, aged 48, on Grittar.
  • 1982 The first female jockey to complete the race - Geraldine Rees, finishing 8th on Cheers.
  • 1983 The first woman to train the winner - Jenny Pitman, with Corbiere.
  • 1984 The greatest number of horses to finish the race - 23.
  • 1990 Jockey Chris Grant came second in the race for the third time (previous years were 1986 and 1988).
  • 1991 The race was won by a horse called Seagram - coincidentally the race was sponsored at the time by the company Seagram. The company had previous chances to buy the horse.
  • 1992 Party Politics won the race just five days before the 1992 UK General Election. Carl Llewellyn only got his winning ride because the horse's regular jockey Andrew Adams was injured. In 1998 he got another winning ride, this time because of an injury to that horse's regular jockey Tom Jenks.
  • 1994 The winning horse Miinnehoma was owned by the comedian Freddie Starr.
  • 2001 Richard Guest's winning ride on Red Marauder subsequently won the Lester Award for "Jump Ride of the Year".
  • 2005 The race was moved back by 25 minutes due to the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles.

Many well known jockeys have failed to win the Grand National. These include champion jockeys such as Terry Biddlecombe, John Francome, Josh Gifford, Stan Mellor, Jonjo O'Neill and (who never finished the race), Fred Rimell and Peter Scudamore. More recently multiple champion and record holder Tony McCoy has failed to win the race along with contemporaries Richard Johnson, Adrian Maguire and Norman Williamson. Two jockeys who led over the last fence in the National and just lost the race on the run-in ended up as TV racing pundits. These were Lord Oaksey on Carrickbeg in 1963 and Richard Pitman on Crisp in 1973. The same fate would occur to Pitman's son Mark on Garrison Savannah in 1991.

From a betting perspective, the Grand National forms the second leg of the Spring Double - the first leg is the Lincoln Handicap.

[edit] Winners

  • Mares indicated by "m"; Weights given in stones - pounds; Amateur jockeys identified by title ("Mr", "Captain" etc).
  • source www.hometown.aol.co.uk/captainbeecher/NATIONALWINNERS.html

[edit] 1836-1849

Year Winner Age Weight Jockey Trainer Odds
1836 The Duke 7 Captain Martin Becher 3/1
1837 The Duke 8 Henry Potts
1838 Sir William 7 12-07 Alan McDonough 2/1
1839 Lottery 9 12-00 Jem Mason George Dockeray 5/1 F
1840 Jerry 10 12-00 Mr Bartholomew Bretherton George Dockeray 12/1
1841 Charity 11 12-00 Mr A Powell William Vevers 14/1
1842 Gaylad 8 12-00 Tom Olliver George Dockeray 7/1
1843 Vanguard 8 11-10 Tom Olliver 12/1
1844 Discount 6 10-12 John Crickmere 5/1 JF
1845 Cure-All 11-05 Mr William Loft Kitty Crisp 15/1
1846 Pioneer 6 11-12 William Taylor 30/1
1847 Matthew 9 10-06 Denny Wynne John Murphy 10/1
1848 Chandler 12 11-12 Captain Josie Little Tom Eskrett 12/1
1849 Peter Simple 11 11-00 Tom Cunningham Tom Cunningham 20/1

[edit] 1850-1899

Year Winner Age Weight Jockey Trainer Odds
1850 Abd-El-Kader 8 09-12 Mr Chris Green Joe Osborne 100/3
1851 Abd-El-Kader 9 10-04 Tom Abbot Joe Osborne 7/1
1852 Miss Mowbray - m 8 10-04 Mr Alec Goodman George Dockeray 10/1
1853 Peter Simple 15 10-10 Tom Olliver Tom Olliver 9/1
1854 Bourton 11 11-12 John Tasker Henry Wadlow 4/1 F
1855 Wanderer 10 09-08 John Hanlon 25/1
1856 Freetrader 7 09-06 George Stevens William Holman 25/1
1857 Emigrant 11 09-10 Charlie Boyce Charlie Boyce 10/1
1858 Little Charley 10 10-07 William Archer William Holman 100/6
1859 Half Caste 6 09-07 Chris Green Chris Green 7/1
1860 Anatis - m 10 09-10 Mr Tommy Pickernell H E May 7/2 F
1861 Jealousy - m 7 09-12 Joseph Kendall Charles Balchin 5/1
1862 The Huntsman 9 11-00 Harry Lamplugh Harry Lamplugh 3/1 F
1863 Emblem - m 7 10-10 George Stevens Edwin Weever 4/1
1864 Emblematic - m 6 10-06 George Stevens Edwin Weever 10/1
1865 Alcibiade 5 11-04 Captain Henry Coventry Cornell 100/7
1866 Salamander 7 10-07 Mr Alec Goodman J Walters 40/1
1867 Cortolvin 8 11-13 John Page Harry Lamplugh 16/1
1868 The Lamb 6 10-07 Mr George Ede Ben Land 9/1
1869 The Colonel 6 10-07 George Stevens R Roberts 100/7
1870 The Colonel 7 11-12 George Stevens R Roberts 7/2 F
1871 The Lamb 9 11-05 Mr Tommy Pickernell Chris Green 11/2
1872 Casse Tête - m 7 10-00 John Page A Cowley 20/1
1873 Disturbance 6 11-11 Mr John Richardson John Richardson 20/1
1874 Reugny 6 10-12 Mr John Richardson John Richardson 5/1 F
1875 Pathfinder 8 10-11 Mr Tommy Pickernell W. Reeves 100/6
1876 Regal 5 11-03 Joe Cannon James Jewitt 25/1
1877 Austerlitz 5 10-08 Mr Fred Hobson Robert I'Anson 15/1
1878 Shifnal 9 10-12 J. Jones J. Nightingall 7/1
1879 The Liberator 10 11-04 Mr Garry Moore J. Moore 5/1
1880 Empress - m 5 10-07 Mr Tommy Beasley Henry Linde 8/1
1881 Woodbrook 7 11-03 Mr Tommy Beasley Henry Linde 11/2 JF
1882 Seaman 6 11-06 Lord Manners James Machell 10/1
1883 Zoedone - m 6 11-00 Count Karel Kinsky W Jenkins 100/7
1884 Voluptuary 6 10-05 Mr Ted Wilson William Wilson 10/1
1885 Roquefort 6 11-00 Mr Ted Wilson Arthur Yates 100/30 F
1886 Old Joe 7 10-09 Tommy Skelton George Mulcaster 25/1
1887 Gamecock 8 11-00 W Daniells James Gordon 20/1
1888 Playfair 7 10-07 George Mawson Tom Cannon 40/1
1889 Frigate - m 11 11-04 Mr Tommy Beasley M A Maher 8/1
1890 Ilex 6 10-05 Arthur Nightingall John Nightingall 4/1 F
1891 Come Away 7 11-12 Mr Harry Beasley Harry Beasley 4/1 F
1892 Father O'Flynn 7 10-05 Captain Roddy Owen Gordon Wilson 20/1
1893 Cloister 9 12-07 Bill Dollery Arthur Yates 9/2 F
1894 Why Not 13 11-13 Arthur Nightingall Willie Moore 5/1 JF
1895 Wild Man From Borneo 7 10-11 Mr Joe Widger James Gatland 10/1
1896 The Soarer 7 09-13 Mr David Campbell Willie Moore 40/1
1897 Manifesto [1] 9 11-13 Terry Kavanagh Willie McAuliffe 6/1 F
1898 Drogheda 6 10-12 John Gourley Dick Dawson 25/1
1899 Manifesto 11 12-07 George Williamson Willie Moore 5/1

[edit] 1900-1949

Year Winner Age Weight Jockey Trainer Odds
1900 Ambush II 6 11-03 Algy Anthony Algy Anthony 4/1
1901 Grudon 11 10-00 Arthur Nightingall Bernard Bletsoe 9/1
1902 Shannon Lass - m 7 10-01 David Read James Hackett 20/1
1903 Drumcree 9 11-03 Percy Woodland Sir Charles Nugent 13/2 F
1904 Moifaa 8 10-07 Arthur Birch W Hickey 25/1
1905 Kirkland 9 11-05 Frank Mason E Thomas 6/1
1906 Ascetic's Silver 9 10-09 Mr Aubrey Hastings Aubrey Hastings 20/1
1907 Eremon 7 10-01 Alf Newey Tom Coulthwaite 8/1
1908 Rubio 10 10-05 Henry Bletsoe Fred Withington 66/1
1909 Lutteur III 5 10-11 Georges Parfrement Harry Escott 100/9
1910 Jenkinstown 9 10-05 Robert Chadwick Tom Coulthwaite 100/8
1911 Glenside 9 10-03 Mr Jack Anthony R H Collis 20/1
1912 Jerry M 9 12-07 Ernie Piggott Robert Gore 4/1 JF
1913 Covertcoat 7 11-06 Percy Woodland Robert Gore 100/9
1914 Sunloch 8 09-07 Bill Smith Tom Tyler 100/6
1915 Ally Sloper 6 10-06 Mr Jack Anthony Aubrey Hastings 100/8
1916 to 1918 no race at Aintree due to World War I, but an alternative race was held each year at Gatwick:
1916 Vermouth 6 11-10 Jack Reardon J Bell 100/8
1917 Ballymacad 10 09-12 Edmund Driscoll Aubrey Hastings 100/9
1918 Poethlyn 8 11-06 Ernie Piggott Harry Escott 5/1
1919 Poethlyn 9 12-07 Ernie Piggott Harry Escott 11/4 F
1920 Troytown 7 11-09 Mr Jack Anthony Algy Anthony 6/1
1921 Shaun Spadah 10 11-07 Fred Rees George Poole 100/9
1922 Music Hall 9 11-08 Lewis Rees Owen Anthony 100/9
1923 Sergeant Murphy 13 11-03 Captain Tuppy Bennett George Blackwell 100/6
1924 Master Robert 11 10-05 Bob Trudgill Aubrey Hastings 25/1
1925 Double Chance 9 10-09 Major John Wilson Fred Archer 100/9
1926 Jack Horner 9 10-05 William Watkinson Harvey Leader 25/1
1927 Sprig 10 12-04 Ted Leader Tom Leader 8/1 F
1928 Tipperary Tim 10 10-00 Mr Bill Dutton Joseph Dodd 100/1
1929 Gregalach 7 11-04 Robert Everett Tom Leader 100/1
1930 Shaun Goilin 10 11-07 Tommy Cullinan Frank Hartigan 100/8
1931 Grakle 9 11-07 Bob Lyall Tom Coulthwaite 100/6
1932 Forbra 7 10-07 Tim Hamey Tom Rimell 50/1
1933 Kellsboro Jack 7 11-09 Dudley Williams Ivor Anthony 25/1
1934 Golden Miller 7 12-02 Gerry Wilson Basil Briscoe 8/1
1935 Reynoldstown 8 11-04 Mr Frank Furlong Noel Furlong 22/1
1936 Reynoldstown 9 12-02 Mr Fulke Walwyn Noel Furlong 10/1
1937 Royal Mail 8 11-13 Evan Williams Ivor Anthony 100/6
1938 Battleship 11 11-06 Bruce Hobbs Reg Hobbs 40/1
1939 Workman 9 10-06 Tim Hyde Jack Ruttle 100/8
1940 Bogskar 7 10-04 Mervyn Jones Lord Stalbridge 25/1
1941 to 1945 not run due to World War II
1946 Lovely Cottage 9 10-08 Captain Bobby Petre Tommy Rayson 25/1
1947 Caughoo 8 10-00 Eddie Dempsey Herbert McDowell 100/1
1948 Sheila's Cottage - m 9 10-07 Arthur Thompson Neville Crump 50/1
1949 Russian Hero 9 10-08 Leo McMorrow George Owen 66/1

[edit] 1950-1999

Year Winner Age Weight Jockey Trainer Odds
1950 Freebooter 9 11-11 Jimmy Power Bobby Renton 10/1
1951 Nickel Coin - m 9 10-01 John Bullock Jack O'Donoghue 40/1
1952 Teal 10 10-12 Arthur Thompson Neville Crump 100/7
1953 Early Mist 8 11-02 Bryan Marshall Vincent O'Brien 20/1
1954 Royal Tan 10 11-07 Bryan Marshall Vincent O'Brien 8/1
1955 Quare Times 9 11-10 Pat Taaffe Vincent O'Brien 100/9
1956 E.S.B. 10 11-03 Dave Dick Fred Rimell 100/7
1957 Sundew 11 11-07 Fred Winter Frank Hudson 20/1
1958 Mr What 8 10-06 Arthur Freeman Tom Taaffe 18/1
1959 Oxo 8 10-13 Michael Scudamore Willie Stephenson 8/1
1960 Merryman II 9 10-12 Gerry Scott Neville Crump 13/2 F
1961 Nicolaus Silver 9 10-01 Bobby Beasley Fred Rimell 28/1
1962 Kilmore 12 10-04 Fred Winter Ryan Price 28/1
1963 Ayala 9 10-00 Pat Buckley Keith Piggott 66/1
1964 Team Spirit 12 10-03 Willie Robinson Fulke Walwyn 18/1
1965 Jay Trump 8 11-05 Mr Tommy Smith Fred Winter 100/8
1966 Anglo 8 10-00 Tim Norman Fred Winter 50/1
1967 Foinavon 9 10-00 John Buckingham John Kempton 100/1
1968 Red Alligator 9 10-00 Brian Fletcher Denys Smith 100/7
1969 Highland Wedding 12 10-04 Eddie Harty Toby Balding 100/9
1970 Gay Trip 8 11-05 Pat Taaffe Fred Rimell 15/1
1971 Specify 9 10-13 John Cook John Sutcliffe 28/1
1972 Well To Do 9 10-01 Graham Thorner Tim Forster 14/1
1973 Red Rum 8 10-05 Brian Fletcher Ginger McCain 9/1 JF
1974 Red Rum 9 12-00 Brian Fletcher Ginger McCain 11/1
1975 L'Escargot 12 11-03 Tommy Carberry Dan Moore 13/2
1976 Rag Trade 10 10-12 John Burke Fred Rimell 14/1
1977 Red Rum 12 11-08 Tommy Stack Ginger McCain 9/1
1978 Lucius 9 10-09 Bob Davies Gordon W. Richards 14/1
1979 Rubstic 10 10-00 Maurice Barnes John Leadbetter 25/1
1980 Ben Nevis 12 10-12 Mr Charlie Fenwick Tim Forster 40/1
1981 Aldaniti 11 10-13 Bob Champion Josh Gifford 10/1
1982 Grittar 9 11-05 Mr Dick Saunders Frank Gilman 7/1 F
1983 Corbiere 8 11-04 Ben de Haan Jenny Pitman 13/1
1984 Hallo Dandy 10 10-02 Neale Doughty Gordon W. Richards 13/1
1985 Last Suspect 11 10-05 Hywel Davies Tim Forster 50/1
1986 West Tip 9 10-11 Richard Dunwoody Michael Oliver 15/2
1987 Maori Venture 11 10-13 Steve Knight Andrew Turnell 28/1
1988 Rhyme 'n' Reason 9 11-00 Brendan Powell David Elsworth 10/1
1989 Little Polveir 12 10-03 Jimmy Frost Toby Balding 28/1
1990 Mr Frisk 11 10-06 Mr Marcus Armytage Kim Bailey 16/1
1991 Seagram 11 10-06 Nigel Hawke David Barons 12/1
1992 Party Politics 8 10-07 Carl Llewellyn Nick Gaselee 14/1
1993 race declared void because some of the runners failed to be called back after a false start
1994 Miinnehoma 11 10-08 Richard Dunwoody Martin Pipe 16/1
1995 Royal Athlete 12 10-06 Jason Titley Jenny Pitman 40/1
1996 Rough Quest 10 10-07 Mick Fitzgerald Terry Casey 7/1 F
1997 Lord Gyllene 9 10-00 Tony Dobbin Steve Brookshaw 14/1
1998 Earth Summit 10 10-05 Carl Llewellyn Nigel Twiston-Davies 7/1 F
1999 Bobbyjo 9 10-00 Paul Carberry Tommy Carberry 10/1

[edit] 2000-

Year Winner Age Weight Jockey Trainer Odds
2000 Papillon 9 10-12 Ruby Walsh Ted Walsh 10/1
2001 Red Marauder 11 10-11 Richard Guest Norman Mason 33/1
2002 Bindaree 8 10-04 Jim Culloty Nigel Twiston-Davies 20/1
2003 Monty's Pass 10 10-07 Barry Geraghty Jimmy Managan 16/1
2004 Amberleigh House 12 10-10 Graham Lee Ginger McCain 16/1
2005 Hedgehunter 9 11-01 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins 7/1 F
2006 Numbersixvalverde 10 10-08 Niall Madden Martin Brassil 11/1

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../g/r/a/Grand_National_28a5.html"
In other languages