THE HISTORY
Everything
has a history to it and the Grand national is no exception, the very first race
was in 1837 and it was held at Maghull and was won by a horse called The Duke,
but it was two years later in1839 that it was moved to its more familiar home
in Aintree which the land was owned by Lord Sefton and was leased to William
Lynn who owned the Waterloo Hotel, the very first Aintree Grand national was
won by a horse with an appropriate name called Lottery, also in the same race a
certain Captain Beecher fell at a fence with his horse Conrad when in front and
as he stumbled to his feet to make sense of things he noticed that the fence he
fell at had a ditch in it with water and realised he became the only faller to
go at that fence, after the race finished, he cursed the fence and named it his
fence after his surname Beecher and with the Brook on the landing side so
massive he decided to call it Beecher’s Brook. In the 1840’s the handicap
system was introduced to the race and in 1845 the stone wall fence was replaced
as it was decided by the jockey club to be too dangerous and replaced it with
the Water Jump, the first Irish bred horse Mathew wins the national in 1847.
Another
famous fence was named when a horse called Valentine as he hesitantly didn’t
want to jump the fence but for some miracle he just cleared it, the first horse
to win under 11seconds was called (Cure All) in 1845. The 1850’s heralded the
first horse to win back-to-back Grand nationals when (Abd - El - Kader) won in
1850 and 1851. 1853 jockey Tom Oliver became the first person to mount three
national winners on the15 year old Peter Simple, his two previous winners were
on Gay Lad in 1842 and Vanguard in1843, incidentally he became the first jockey
to win the first back to back nationals as well. 1857 no less than seven false
starts hampered the start of the race which saw Emigrant come home to victory,
these days three false starts would be enough to void the race which sadly
happened in 1993, the next year in 1858 flags were introduced to the fences
which would make sure that all the fences were jumped and none were missed out.
In 1862 jockey James Wynn became the first human to be killed at the Chair
fence, in 1866 Salamander pulled off the biggest gamble of the race with
£40,000 as well as the heavy weight he was carrying and obliged at 40/1. 1868
The Lamb became the first grey to win and between 1869 and 1871 The Lamb and
The Colonel managed to become dual winners and the third in that Century and
also the jockey George Stevens who rode the1871 winner The Colonel made history
himself by becoming the first jockey to ride four national winners. Before 1885
the course hadn’t been turfed and beyond the melling road the race was over
Farmland where they had to jump over hedges from field to field the prize money
was a mere £1,035 a lot in them days. In the 1890’s a horse called Cloister
wins the Grand national in record time of 9 minutes and 30 seconds he also
started off as 9/2 fav, but surely it was Manifesto who ended the century on a
high winning the 1897 and 1899 Grand nationals. At the turn of the century in
1900 Ambush ll broke the barrier for the royal family when owned by HRH the
Prince of Wales gave them there first winner, three years later King Edward Vll
decided to run him again but this time he fell, the race itself was won by the
favourite Drumcree and for whom won for his owners the prize money of £2,000.
In 1904 a horse called Moifaa from New Zealand was on ships course to Liverpool
for the Grand national when the ship sank, luckily Moifaa managed to swim to a
deserted island where he was rescued and no more for his ordeal was there for
the start of the Grand national and won it amazingly. In 1908 American bred
horse Rubio was pulling bus coaches at stations leading up to the race in which
he won, 1915 the first lady owner to win the Grand national was a Lady Nelson
winning with her horse Ally Sloper. Between 1916 and 1918 the Grand national
was run at Gatwick, in 1919 Ernie Piggott the Grandfather of the flat racing
legend Lester Piggott obliged on Poethlyn at 11/4 and winning over £3,500 prize
money, in 1921 a record field of 35 horses the biggest so far was won by Shaun
Spadah scooping the prize of £7,000, in 1925 fashionable hats were worn
everywhere especially Aintree where Double Chance came home the winner and the
introduction of the starting gate made its debut, 1927 saw for the first time
the BBC starting its radio coverage and commentated to those lucky few who
could afford a wireless and listen to 8/1 favourite Sprig come home to win. In
1928 the first long shot at a 100/1 Tipperary Tim came home alone after the
challenger Billy Barton fell at the final fence when neck and neck with him,
amazingly everything fell but the winner and only two finished. The biggest
field in recorded history in 1929 saw 66 go to post and unbelievably all 66
runners cleared the first fence, yet again another shock winner at 100/1 called
Gregalach came home to win. The 1930s had arrived and so had, probably, the
greatest horse of his generation Golden Miller who in 1934 completed the
unbelievable double, first winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup and then the Grand
national all in the same season, all this as well as winning in the fastest
time of 9 minutes and 20 seconds, sadly it was to be the only time The Miller
would get round, but with 5 Gold Cups behind him and the double that eludes
even today’s best horses his legend has surely set the standards for
generations to come. In 1936 one of the biggest drama’s happened when Davy
Jones when clear at the last decided to run out of the course and miss the last
to his jockey’s despair, leaving the field open for last years winner
Reynoldstown to come home who himself nearly came to grief at the 26th
fence and winning for his jockey amateur Fouke Walwyn who himself would become
a great trainer in years to come and also training Team Spirit to win 28 years
later, Reynoldstown became the first horse this Century to achieve back to back
Grand national’s. In 1938 another milestone in history was reached when 17 year
old Bruce Hobbs on Battleship became the youngest rider to win this great race
and still his age hasn’t been bettered since, Bruce Hobbs became a successful
trainer. The 1940s had arrived and with the out break of the Second World War
the Grand National had to be postponed for 6 years between 1940 and 1945, where
the Aintree racecourse was converted to an American base. The 1947 race wasn’t
without controversy when 100/1 outsider Caughoo came out of the fog to come
home and win the national, but many jockeys complained that the jockey Eddie
Dempsey on Caughoo missed the first circuit it was never proved and the result
stood, in1948 Sheila’s Cottage became the first mare to win the national and
the race was moved to a Saturday to improve productivity. In 1949 the course
changed hands from Lord Sefton to the Tophams and the race was won by Russian
Hero. In the 1950s the world saw great changes the crowning of a new Queen,
start of the space race, the death of Stalin and so on, in the Grand national
of 1951 no less than 12 horses exited at the first fence and by the end of the
first circuit there were only 6 horses left, coming home the victor was Nickle
Coin and to date the last mare to win this race. In 1952 the BBC and the owner
of the course Miriam Topham had a massive dispute which led to the BBC to back
down and Mrs Topham employing her own staff to commentate on the race, it
proved to be a disaster and the public were in confusion on who actually won
the race, it was the one and only time the BBC never covered the race,
normality returned the next year it started a sequence for trainer Vincent
O’Brien, winning three grand nationals in a row with his horses Early Mist in
1953, Royal Tan in 1954 and Quare Times in 1955 and it was a feet never to be
equalled even to this very day, Vincent O’Brien felt he had achieved in
national hunt racing and decided to change to flat racing. 1956 will always be
remembered for the Queen Mothers horse Devon Lock which will go down in history
as the horse who sensationally collapsed yards before the winning post when
well clear of the most luckiest winner ESB, even to this day the then jockey
Dick Francis firmly believes that the noise of the cheering crowd in the last
few stages unsettled his horse causing him to nose dive, others believe he
actually jumped an imaginary fence what ever the reasons it put the grand
national firmly on the map, today Dick Francis now puts his ability into
writing, where he has become one of the countries best selling novelist. In
1959 the Grand National was truly re-nound for its bravery when jockey Tim
Brookshaw riding the 1957 runner up Wyndburgh lost his stirrups in the early
stages of the race but he managed to stay on board over these big fences to
finnish second to OXO and jockey Michael Scudamore. The 1960s had arrived at a
time of great change, the youngest president John F Kennedy, the Cuban Missile
Crises, the Prefumo scandal, the Vietnam War, the Beetles and the landing on
the moon to name some of the events that shaped the 60s, also the Grand
national was also to see great changes as the decade went on, in 1960 another
milestone for the Grand national as the BBC cameras broadcast the first
televised Grand national to those who were lucky to have a TV set, the race
itself was commentated by Peter O’ Sullivan whose voice would become a
household fixture, in 1997 he would receive the OBE from her Majesty the Queen
and Aintree would commemorate the great man with a statue of himself, the 1960
race was won by Merryman II in a record time of 9minutes and 26 seconds and the
winning jockey Gerry Scott who would become a starter for the Aintree
Foxhunters Chase raced on a Friday. 1961 at the height of the Cold War the Russians
sent two horses Grifel and Reljef to claim the race but to no prevail, both
horses had fallen neither of them getting beyond the 8th fence, the
race was eventually won by Nicholas Silver only the second Grey to win that
Century and the last Grey to win the National. In 1962 Wyndburgh finished
runner up for the third time behind Kilmore, Wyndburgh’s jockey, Bobby Barnes
son Maurice would triumph on Rubstic years later. 1963 Ayala triumphed for his
owner, Hairdresser Paul Raymond, at 66/1, with Pat Buckley on board, Teasey
Weasey Paul Raymond would triumph again in 1976 with Rag Trade. In 1965 the
future of the race looked in doubt when Miriam Topham and the BBC came to a
head again over coverage of the race but this time it was Miriam Topham who
gave in, the closing stages of the race was between the favourite, Freddie, who
was bidding to become the first Scottish horse to win this race and the
American horse Jay Trump, going to the last these two were clear of the rest of
the field and it was all about who had the stamina up the run in, Jay Trump
steals a 2 length advantage from Freddie, by the elbow Freddie closes within a
head but Jay Trump manages to hold Freddie and win, in one of the closes
finishes in years. 1967 will stick out in the mind, when a loose horse called
Popham Down made a routine simple jump into national headlines, yes I am
referring to the infamous 23rd fence, where everything fell, pulled
up, baulked or unseated, you name it, it happened, and to make things more
extraordinary a slow coach called Foinavon at 100/1 strolled in a 20 lengths
winner, even the owner and trainer didn’t bother to come to see their horse win
they just decided they would go fishing instead which makes it even more
remarkable, the commentator that day, Michael O’ Hare was in complete shock but
managed as a good professional to bring normality to a situation which could
have had other commentators freezing on the spot, sadly Michael passed away,
but his dynasty continues, his son Tony joined the BBC Grand national team in
1998 where he commentates from fence 4 to fence10 on the first circuit and
fences 20 –25 on the second circuit, Foinavon’s winning jockey John Buckingham
retired from racing a few years later to become a jockey’s Valet but now has
retired, the day before the race on a Friday two horses dead heated in a
selling the name of one of the horses was a 2 year old called Red Rum. In 1968
the oldest jockey to complete the course was the American amateur Tim Durrant
at the ripe old age of 68 together with his mount Highlandie eventually
completed the course even though he fell and had to be remounted, he also
collected a £4,000 bet, also a famous Hollywood actor got in on the act as they
say, Gregory Peck the proud owner of Grand national runner in that years race
called Different Class ridden by David Mould managed to finish third behind
eventual winner Red Alligator. In 1969 another milestone had been reached when
colour was introduced for the first time on television sets everywhere and a
new experience was felt and watched in households everywhere when Highland
Wedding came home the winner from the 13 year old Steel Bridge. The 1970s had
arrived, Ted heath and the Conservatives had won the General Election, the
three day week was introduced, the return of boxing legend Mohammed Ali, the
fall of the Shah in Iran and the winter of discontent, to name but a few of the
events that shaped the 70s, the Grand national to, went through great changes
in the 70s, with the advent of technology, Sponsorship and of course Red Rum,
but with all this came the downside as well, declining attendances, the stands
falling to pieces and the not knowing if this was the last Grand national, all
painted a sorry picture and would become more evident towards the end of the
70s, in 1970 Pat Taffe at the ripe age of 40 became the oldest jockey to win
the National until the record was broken 12 years later, he replaced the
injured Terry Biddlecombe to ride Gay Trip, amazingly Pat had won it before on
Quare Times back in 1955, this would be his retirement season on a great
illustrious career which included being the jockey of the legendary Arkle who
rode him to victory in the Gold Cups. 1971 another famous owner graces the
winning enclosure, Fred Pontin the Pontins holiday camp boss owned Specify who
won by a short head from Black Secret, in 1972 the BBC decided that a new
aspect of the race build up should be included when the cameras would be
focused on the jockeys walking from the changing rooms also the top show
jumping rider in his day Harvey Smith decided he would like a go at the Grand
national fences, sadly a bad fall at Beechers shook him up, he eventually got
round but decided to stick with what he knew show jumping, when retired from
his sport he turned to training with his wife Sue and together they trained
over National Hunt where one of his horses Kildimo won the first ever Beechers
chase staged at Aintree in November 1992 and in April 1993 he was a participant
in the ill fated race that never was Grand national. In 1973 it could well have
been the last Grand national when property developer Bill Davies purchased the
course off Miriam Topham, asking the critics to put the question, how long
before the race is bulldozed in favour of buildings for business, but for now
the question would have to wait, meanwhile the race itself was just as intense
as top weight Crisp a big horse from Australia carrying a burden of 12 stone
and compared to Red Rum from England carrying only 10-5 were joint co
favourites, Crisp was to have 20 length lead from Red Rum over the last fence,
but the weight and the long run in was to be his undoing as Red Rum snatched it
at the line from crisp, Crisp and jockey Richard Pitman now turned TV racing
presenter for BBC Grandstand, were exhausted and heartbroken, meanwhile as for
the victor Red Rum, he broke the course record in a time of 9 minutes and 2
seconds was to stand until Mr Frisk in 1990, and it also heralded the start of
the Red Rum era. 1974 Red Rum himself this time carrying top weight of 12 stone
became the first horse since Reynoldstown in 1936 to win and the second horse
this century to win back to back Nationals. In 1975 Red Rum endured his first
defeat when going for the hat trick over the national when the weather and
ground conspired against him as former two times winner of the Gold Cup and
runner up to Red Rum in the 74 national L’escargot and Tommy Carberry came home
the winner, also the first main sponsor of that years race was the News of the
World. 1976 Red Rum finished second again where Rag Trade took the spoils, but
it was in 1977 and the Jubilee year where history was made, when Red Rum ridden
by Tommy Stack became the first horse in history to win three grand nationals a
feit that would surely not be equalled or bettered, a record of five straight
grand nationals, 150 fences jumped, 2 seconds and 3 wins and retirement
followed, sadly Rummy passed away a few years later but not to be forgotten
where he would be buried by the winning post and a statue of Rummy would
overlook the course, it was also in that race where another piece of history
was made when a Miss Charlotte Brew riding the 200/1 outsider Barony Fort
became the first woman to ride in the race unfortunately it showed when pulling
up at the 27th fence. 1979 the first Scottish bred horse to triumph
was the 25/1 shot Rubstic, ridden by Maurice Barnes whose father finished 2nd
on Wyndburough in 62, a 9 horse pile up at the Chair fence made the stewards
remove the railings around the fence so the loose horses could go round it
instead of being forced to jump it, the changes were executed in time for the
1980 race. The 1980s had arrived, actor Ronald Reagan becomes president of the
United States, the marriage of Charles and Diana, the Shuttle takes off into
space and the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of Communism, they were some
of the changes that shaped the 80s and it also saw how the decade shaped the
future of the Grand national, in 1980, the winner came further a field, when
American bred horse Ben Nevis ridden also by an American, amateur jockey
Charlie Fenwick triumphed through the mud at 40/1 and trained by Capt Tim
Forster who trained Well TO DO in 72 and sadly former owner of the course
Miriam Topham died. In 1981 the biggest Fairytale of all time was about to be
written when Bob Champion who was diagnosed with cancer and given a 50/50
chance of living, riding the 11 year old Alderniti who had a history of
breaking down and was nearly put down himself came home to win the national and
gave cancer sufferers hope all over the world. In 1982, 7/1 favourite Grttar
made history when his rider Dick Saunders became the oldest jockey to win the
national at the ripe old age of 42, also it saw the first woman to complete the
course, Geraldine Reese riding Cheers she managed to finish last in 8th
place. A year later in 1983 the first woman trainer to win the national was
Jenny Pitman she triumphed with Colbiere, later on that year owner of the
course Bill Davies gave in to public pressure and decided to sell to the jockey
club and not forgetting the funds raised by the public to meet Mr Davies asking
price and which meant the future of the race would be secure. 1984 saw the
field restriction introduced, where only a maximum of 40 runners could take
part in the race, a record was created when more than half the field (23)
horses completed the course and was won by Hallo Dandy, it also saw a more
permanent sponsor in the shape of Seagram which would last from 1984 to 1991.
in 1985 Des Lynam took over from David Coleman as the main presenter for
Grandstand, also former winning jockeys of the Grand national were also invited
as special guests to parade as former winners, where they all met Princess Anne
who honoured them for their achievements, incidentally the race was won by Last
Suspect at 50/1 and owned by the Duchess of Westminster who owned the legendary
Arkle in the 1960s. 1986, Des Lynam the then presenter of BBC Grandstand had a
horse in the race in the shape of Another Duke unfortunately it refused the
third fence, West Tip and his 23 year old jockey Richard Dunwoody beat Young
Driver by three lengths it was all the more remarkable because only two years
previously West Tip had been knocked down by a lorry and survived the rest is
history. 1987 Alderniti did a charity sponsor walk for cancer, starting from
his home town in Lambourne to Aintree on Grand national day, Bob Champion
saddled him on the Aintree course where he got a rapturous reception, meanwhile
a 92 year old gentleman Jim Joel who on the day was in South Africa was told by
phone that his mount Maori Venture had won the Grand national he was so
overjoyed he got the next flight out, he had also won the Derby as an owner
with Royal Palace. In 1988 the famous Grand national trophy was replaced by a
new one, it was sculptured by former jump jockey Philip Blacker who himself
finished third on Royal Mail in 1981, the race itself was won by Rhyme’n’Reason
who nearly was out of the race virtually, but a brilliant recovery by jockey
Brendan Powell at Beechers first time round just kept him in the race but was
right at the back eventually he managed to power his way back in to the race
and catch Durham Edition in the final stride. 1989 Aintree celebrated its 150th
year of the great race, the race was one by Little Polvier and Jimmy Frost but
the sad deaths of Seeamdem and Brown Trix at Beechers Brook called for the
banning of the race the jockey club’s response was to bring in big
modifications which meant that both the Brook at Beechers and Valentines would
be filled in, and security would be tightened up after few people came to close
to the runners on the turn for home it was the biggest modification change
since 1962, so from now on the RSPCA and other groups would have their views
considered for making the race more safe than ever. So the final decade leading
up to the Millennium, the 90s had arrived and what a decade it turned out to be
the release of Nelson Mandela, the end of Communism, the fall of Thatcherism,
the birth of the Web and many more, the new decade brought changes to Aintree
as well, after last years fatalities at Beechers modifications were in force,
Beechers Brook for its awesome ditch and the stream that ran along it were to
be filled in, Valentines Brook another fence with a reputation was also
lowered, the days of tradition were well and truly over, in its place
consultation, Qualification and moving with the times, some would argue the
changes were unnecessary and would take the uniqueness out of the race, while
most of the majority would welcome the changes, personally I feel the welfare
and safety of both horse and jockey must come first. The 1990 race saw a field
of 38 runners take their chance eventually Mr Frisk overcame Durham Edition who
himself finished second again broke the course record in a time of 8 minutes
and 47 seconds and ridden by then amateur jockey Marcus Armytage who now writes
for the Racing Post, three weeks later Marcus and Mr Frisk made more history
when they both triumphed at the Whitbread Gold Cup and so became the first
horse to lift both the National and Whitbread in the same season. In 1991
sponsors Seagram were in the last year of their contract and what a fitting
finale when a horse called Seagram not connected in any way beat Gold Cup
winner Garrison Savannah in the last strides to win. 1992 saw a new sponsor in
the shape of Martell, who took over from the reigns of Seagram and are still
the current sponsors of the race, if coincidence bets are part of tradition
then you could get no bigger winner than Party Politics in the General Election
year, in 1993 the National this time made news for all the wrong reasons, when
for the first time in the history of the race, it was to become void, before
the off animal activists had got onto the course delaying the start, but if
that wasn’t bad enough the weather was atrocious and the horses themselves were
very nervous due to the hyperactive enthusiasm crowd, the result a false start,
when the starter Captain Brown did eventually get them under start of orders
and pulled the lever to start the race, disaster! The tape itself went round
jockey Richard Dunwoody’s neck, nine runners refuse to start and the rest of
the runners mainly at the front of the field and to every ones amazement in the
stands and the millions watching on television continued on; taking no notice
of the flag waving stewards eventually most of the field started to pull up
when they had got to the end of the first circuit, it was evident by now that
the few runners continuing on were not going to stop until the finish and when
jockey John White riding Esha Ness came home past the post first, it started to
dawn on him that something was wrong and when he was eventually told you
couldn’t help feeling sorry for him, the result of this spelt disaster for
small Bookies who some of them went out of business even the bigger franchise
Bookies like William Hills, Ladbrokes and Corals to name a few had lost out,
but most of all the effects were felt by the Government and no more so than the
Chancellor Norman Lamont who lost out on the tax, the only people not to loose
out were the public themselves who got their money back, by next years race the
jockey club would bring in new changes, the line up start would be moved
forward to avoid the loudness of the screaming crowds therefore making the
horses nervous, changing the start method by replacing the lever that releases
the tape with an electronic system where only the button needs to be pushed and
finally replacing the traditional starter who is usually a Major, Captain or a
Colonel would be replaced by someone who is either on the jockey club or an ex
jockey himself. 1994, the traditional start had been moved forward away from
the stands after last years chaos, also the crowds that gathered round Beechers
Brook would no longer be allowed and became out of bounds as it was found to be
off putting to both horse and jockey but probably due to recommendations made
and the sign of the times, the race itself was won by Minniehoma, ridden by
Richard Dunwoody who himself won it on West Tip back in 86 and owned by famous
entertainer Freddie Star who like the owner of the 67 winner Foinavon and 87
winner Moari Venture wasn’t at the race but did make a call to TV presenter Des
Lynam live on air when in the winning enclosure, also Rosemary Henderson who
rode Fiddlers Pike became only the second woman to complete the course
Geraldine Reese being the first back in 82, Rosemary managed to finish last of
the 6 finishers. In 1995 on Grand national day, former winner and cancer
sufferer Bob Champion organised a charity race which included some of the great
names and former winners of the past including Michael Scudamore, Maurice
Barnes, Bob Davies and Champion himself to name a few others raising money for
cancer research and for the first time the BBC transmitted live racing from
Happy Valley in Hong Kong to race goers at Aintree as an experiment and was a
success, the BBC decided it would put it into next years schedule, meanwhile
the Grand national was won by Royal Athlete and trained by Jenny Pitman and who
won it with Colbiere in 83, had her share of bad luck as well, her former
husband Richard now TV presenter came second on brave horse Crisp, 18 years
later in 1991 her son Mark riding Garrison Savannah was heartbroken when he was
caught up the run in by Seagram and if that was not enough her horse Esha Ness
came past the post first only to discover the race had been void so if any won
deserved to win it Jenny did. In 1997 Peter o’Sullivan now OBE announced that
this would be his last commentary on the Grand national and would retire in
November, but sadly the occasion was marred by a bomb scare which postponed the
race and baring in mind what happened in 93 the jockey club held an emergency
meeting with the Police, owners, jockeys, trainers and so on it was decided that
the race should go ahead after all on the Monday, the fear was that race would
have lost its way but far from it, the race was a success and Lord Gyllene came
home the winner and ridden by the appropriately named Tony Dobbin. In 1999 the
great trainer Jenny Pitman announced her retirement but she would have one last
crack at the race with Nathen Lad, it was also to be jockey Richard Dunwoody’s
final ride in the race but it was Bobby Jo ridden by Paul Carberry and Trained
by his dad Tommy who triumphed and broke a 24 year hoodoo for the Irish of not
winning the race since L’secargot in 75, incidentally it was trainer Tommy who
rode him that day. The year 2000 the Millennium had arrived, the end of the ill
fated Dome, George Bush Jnr is elected president of USA, the end of Wembley
Stadium to name but a few things that happened that year, the BBC also saw a
change as front man Des Lynam switched from the BBC to ITV leaving the BBC with
a headache, the surprise choice was former British Tennis player Sue Barker,
any fears that the BBC had were laid to rest as Sue and ex lady jockey Claire
Balding carried it off, the fear was with the defection of Des to ITV leaving a
massive gap to fill but it turned out the opposite, Sue and Claire are
obviously here to stay, incidentally Sue Barker’s first interview on Grand
national day was with Ruby Walsh who 4 hours later triumphed on his father’s
trained horse Papillion, the biggest gamble of the week at 100/1 and then
backed down from 33/1 to 11/1 on the day and made it another Irish father and
son winning combination. Like in 93 and 97 the Grand national made the
headlines for all the wrong reasons but this time it was during the race
itself, when a loose horse called Paddy’s Return ran across the fence the canal
turn which spelt disaster, in the blink of an eye and not since 1967 and the
famous Foinavon race, which saw nearly 3 quarters of the field taken out of the
race, and by the end of the first circuit only 7 runners left standing, then
only two left by Beecher’s Brook who were Red Marauder and Smarty and
eventually Red Marauder wore down Smarty to come home alone a long way clear
for jockey Richard Guest who himself nearly quit a few years before, sadly the
Pitman jinx struck again this time Jenny’s son Mark who as a jockey was caught
up the run in on Garrison Savannah in 91 and now finishing 2nd as
the trainer of Smarty, but I’m sure it won’t be long before Mark trains a
winner of this great race and preserves the family name to this great race,
indecently only four horses finished the other two being Blowing Wind and last
years winner Papillion. 2002 race saw one of the great finishes for a long time
when form horse What’s up boys and outsider Bindaree were virtually neck and
neck up the run in, but it was Bindaree who found the extra bit of energy to
win for trainer Nigel - Twiston – Davies who himself was thinking of Quitting
after a disappointing season but changed his mind after this brilliant victory.
So surely after reading all these facts it is hard to imagine the absence of
this race and deserves its place in the sporting calendar.
Turning victory into defeat
