Grand National Stats & Trivia Thread

[Lester]

The Most Famous Grand National Fences

The most famous fence in the world, Becher’s Brook is named after Captain Martin Becher, the rider who came off Conrad into the brook in the first Grand National of 1839. He is meant to have remarked later that water should not be ingested without brandy or whisky depending on whose account you read. The famous drop (the difference in height between the level of the ground on take-off and landing sides) was reduced after the 2011 John Smith’s Grand National to between 10in (inner) and 6in (outer). Nine horses fell, refused or were brought down on the first circuit in 2004, while 17-time champion jump jockey Tony McCoy, who won the John Smith’s Grand National for the
first time in 2010, was six lengths clear on the well-fancied Clan Royal in 2005, when carried out by two loose horses before Becher’s on the second circuit.


Fence 9 & 25 Valentine ’s

5ft fence; 5f 6in on landing side Regarded as the lesser of the two brook fences on the Grand National course and not as tricky as Becher’s, Valentine’s still requires a good jump from a horse, especially as it is situated after the Canal Turn. The fence is named after Valentine, who attempted
to pull himself up at the obstacle in 1840, only to pirouette over the fence and brook before going on to finish third behind Jerry and Arthur.

Fence 15 The Chair

Open Ditch - 5ft 2in fence; 11ft spread
One of only two fences to be jumped only once, alongside the Water Jump, the Chair is the biggest fence on the National course at 5ft 2in, with a ditch before. The obstacle was named after a chair which was situated next to the fence, from where a judge used to see if any horses had been beaten by a distance.

Fence 16 The Water Jump

2ft 6in fence; 12ft 6in spread
Situated in front of the stands, the Water Jump is the only fence on the Grand National course to be less than 4ft 6in high and has water after it. Very few horses have fallen here and the fence is perceived by jockeys as the easiest obstacle to negotiate, but four horses came down in 1968 including the previous year’s winner Foinavon. Waterlogging meant that the fence had to be omitted for the first and only time in 1955.

Fence 7 & 23 Foinavon

4ft 6in Fence
This is the joint-smallest standard Grand National fence. Foinavon became part of Aintree folklore in 1967 when the riderless Popham Down veered across the whole field approaching it on the second circuit, bringing down or halting virtually all the remaining runners from the 44 starters. Jockey John
Buckingham was able to steer backmarker Foinavon around the pile-up and jump the fence. The pair went on to record a 100/1 surprise, winning by 15 lengths.

Fence 8 & 24 Canal Turn

5ft Fence
Visually one of the most impressive sights in the Grand National, the 90-degree turn after the Canal Turn can cause jockeys a host of problems, especially if there are loose horses. Situated where the racecourse meets the Leeds-Liverpool canal, the obstacle has been the downfall of plenty, most notably in 2001 when the riderless Paddy’s Return forced 10 horses out of the race.

 

[Old Vic]

Besides the John Smith’s Grand National, there are two other races over the Grand National fences - the John Smith’s Fox Hunters’ Chase on the Thursday and the John Smith’s Topham Chase on the Friday.

 

[Old Vic]

YEAR HORSE AGE/ WEIGHT JOCK EY TRAINER OWNER SP TIME GOING RUN
The John Smith ’s Grand National , 4m 3f 110y, £975,000, 4.15pm , Saturday , April 6, 2013
2012 Neptune Collonges 11-11-06 Daryl Jacob Paul Nicholls John & Lisa Hales 33/1 9m 5.10s Good 40
2011 Ballabriggs 10-11-00 Jason Maguire Donald McCain Trevor Hemmings 14/1 9m 1.20s Good 40
2010 Don’t Push It 10-11-05 Tony McCoy Jonjo O’Neill J P McManus 10/1JtF 9m 4.60s Good 40
2009 Mon Mome 09-11-00 Liam Treadwell Venetia Williams Vida Bingham 100/1 9m 32.90s Gd-Soft 40
2008 Comply Or Die 09-10-09 Timmy Murphy David Pipe David Johnson 7/1 JtF 9m 16.60s Good 40
2007 Silver Birch 10-10-06 Robbie Power Gordon Elliott IRE Brian Walsh 33/1 9m 13.60s Good 40
2006 Numbersixvalverde 10-10-08 Niall Madden Martin Brassil IRE Bernard Carroll 11/1 9m 41.00s Gd-Soft 40
2005 Hedgehunter 09-11-01 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins IRE Trevor Hemmings 7/1 F 9m 20.80s Gd-Soft 40
2004 Amberleigh House 12-10-10 Graham Lee Ginger McCain Halewood Int. Ltd 16/1 9m 20.30s Good 39
2003 Monty’s Pass 10-10-07 Barry Geraghty Jimmy Mangan IRE Dee Racing Syndicate 16/1 9m 21.70s Good 40
2002 Bindaree 08-10-04 Jim Culloty Nigel Twiston-Davies Raymond Mould 20/1 9m 9.00s Good 40
2001 Red Marauder 11-10-11 Richard Guest Norman Mason Norman Mason 33/1 11m 0.10s Heavy 40
2000 Papillon 09-10-12 Ruby Walsh Ted Walsh IRE Betty Moran 10/1 9m 9.70s Gd-Firm 40
1999 Bobbyjo 09-10-00 Paul Carberry Tommy Carberry IRE Bobby Burke 10/1 9m 14.0s Good 32
1998 Earth Summit 10-10-05 Carl Llewellyn Nigel Twiston-Davies The Summit Partnership 7/1 F 10m 51.4s Heavy 37
1997 Lord Gyllene 09-10-00 Tony Dobbin Steve Brookshaw Stan Clarke 14/1 9m 5.8s Good 36
1996 Rough Quest 10-10-07 Mick Fitzgerald Terry Casey Andrew Wates 7/1 F 9m 0.8s Good 27
1995 Royal Athlete 12-10-06 Jason Titley Jenny Pitman Gary & Libby Johnson 40/1 9m 4.0s Good 35
1994 Miinnehoma 11-10-08 Richard Dunwoody Martin Pipe Freddie Starr 16/1 10m 18.8s Heavy 36
1993 Void Race
1992 Party Politics 08-10-07 Carl Llewellyn Nick Gaselee Patricia Thompson 14/1 9m 6.3s Gd-Soft 40
1991 Seagram 11-10-06 Nigel Hawke David Barons Sir Eric Parker 12/1 9m 29.9s Gd-Soft 40
1990 Mr Frisk 11-10-06 Mr Marcus Armytage Kim Bailey Lois Duffey 16/1 8m 47.8s Firm 38
1989 Little Polveir 12-10-03 Jimmy Frost Toby Balding Edward Harvey 28/1 10m 6.8s Heavy 40
1988 Rhyme ‘N’ Reason 09-11-00 Brendan Powell David Elsworth Juliet Reed 10/1 9m 53.5s Gd-Soft 40
1987 Maori Venture 11-10-13 Steve Knight Andrew Turnell Jim Joel 28/1 9m 19.3s Good 40
1986 West Tip 09-10-11 Richard Dunwoody Michael Oliver Peter Luff 15/2 9m 33s Gd-Soft 40
1985 Last Suspect 11-10-05 Hywel Davies Tim Forster Duch. Of Westminster 50/1 9m 42.7s Gd-Soft 40
1984 Hallo Dandy 10-10-02 Neale Doughty Gordon Richards Richard Shaw 13/1 9m 21.4s Good 40
1983 Corbiere 08-11-04 Ben De Haan Jenny Pitman Bryan Burrough 13/1 9m 47.4s Soft 41
1982 Grittar 09-11-05 Mr Dick Saunders Frank Gilman Frank Gilman 7/1 F 9m 12.6s Good 39
1981 Aldaniti 11-10-13 Bob Champion Josh Gifford Nick Embiricos 10/1 9m 47.2s Good 39
1980 Ben Nevis 12-10-12 Mr Charlie Fenwick Tim Forster R C Stewart Jnr 40/1 10m 17.4s Heavy 30
1979 Rubstic 10-10-00 Maurice Barnes John Leadbetter John Douglas 25/1 9m 52.9s Good 34
1978 Lucius 09-10-09 Bob Davies Gordon Richards Fiona Whitaker 14/1 9m 33.9s Firm 37
1977 Red Rum 12-11-08 Tommy Stack Ginger McCain Noel Le Mare 9/1 9m 30.3s Good 42
1976 Rag Trade 10-10-12 John Burke Fred Rimell Pierre Raymond 14/1 9m 20.9s Firm 32
1975 L’Escargot 12-11-03 Tommy Carberry Dan Moore IRE Raymond Guest 13/2 9m 31.1s Good 31
1974 Red Rum 09-12-00 Brian Fletcher Ginger McCain Noel Le Mare 11/1 9m 20.3s Good 42
1973 Red Rum 08-10-05 Brian Fletcher Ginger McCain Noel Le Mare 9/1JtF 9m 1.9s Firm 38
1972 Well To Do 09-10-01 Graham Thorner Tim Forster Tim Forster 14/1 10m 8.40s Soft 42
1971 Specify 09-10-13 John Cook John Sutcliffe Fred Pontin 28/1 9m 34.20s Good 38
1970 Gay Trip 08-11-05 Pat Taaffe Fred Rimell Tony Chambers 15/1 9m 38s Good 28
1969 Highland Wedding 12-10-04 Eddie Harty Toby Balding Thomas McCoy Jnr 100/9 9m 30.80s Good 30
1968 Red Alligator 09-10-00 Brian Fletcher Denys Smith John Manners 100/7 9m 28.80s Good 45
1967 Foinavon 09-10-00 John Buckingham John Kempton Cyril Watkins 100/1 9m 49.60s Good 44
1966 Anglo 08-10-00 Tim Norman Fred Winter Stuart Levy 50/1 9m 52.80s Good 47
1965 Jay Trump 08-11-05 Mr Tommy Smith Fred Winter Mary Stephenson 100/6 9m 30.60s Good 47
YEAR HORSE AGE/ WEIGHT JOCK EY TRAINER OWNER SP TIME GOING RUN
The John Smith ’s Grand National , 4m 3f 110y, £975,000, 4.15pm , Saturday , April 6, 2013
1964 Team Spirit 12-10-03 Willie Robinson Fulke Walwyn John Goodman 18/1 9m 46.80s Soft 33
1963 Ayala 09-10-00 Pat Buckley Keith Piggott Pierre Raymond 66/1 9m 35.80s Soft 47
1962 Kilmore 12-10-04 Fred Winter Ryan Price Nat Cohen 28/1 9m 50s Heavy 32
1961 Nicolaus Silver 09-10-01 Bobby Beasley Fred Rimell Charles Vaughan 28/1 9m 22.60s Firm 35
1960 Merryman II 09-10-12 Gerry Scott Neville Crump Winifred Wallace 13/2 F 9m 26.20s Good 26
1959 Oxo 08-10-13 Michael Scudamore Willie Stephenson John Bigg 8/1 9m 37.80s Good 34
1958 Mr What 08-10-06 Arthur Freeman Tom Taaffe IRE D J Coughlan 18/1 9m 59.80s Heavy 31
1957 Sundew 11-11-07 Fred Winter Frank Hudson Mrs Geoffrey Kohn 20/1 9m 42.40s Gd-Soft 35
1956 E.S.B. 10-11-03 Dave Dick Fred Rimell Stella Carver 100/7 9m 21.40s Good 29
1955 Quare Times 09-11-00 Pat Taaffe Vincent O’Brien IRE Mrs W Welman 100/9 10m 19.20s Heavy 30
1954 Royal Tan 10-11-07 Bryan Marshall Vincent O’Brien IRE Joe Griffin 8/1 9m 32.80s Soft 29
1953 Early Mist 08-11-02 Bryan Marshall Vincent O’Brien IRE Joe Griffin 20/1 9m 22.80s Good 31
1952 Teal 10-10-12 Arthur Thompson Neville Crump Harry Lane 100/7 9m 21.50s Gd-Firm 47
1951 Nickel Coin 09-10-01 John Bullock Jack O’Donoghue Jeffrey Royle 40/1 9m 48.80s Soft 36
1950 Freebooter 09-11-11 Jimmy Power Bobby Renton Lurline Brotherton 10/1 9m 24.20s Gd-Firm 49
1949 Russian Hero 09-10-08 Leo McMorrow George Owen Fearnie Williamson 66/1 9m 24.20s Gd-Firm 43
1948 Sheila’s Cottage 09-10-07 Arthur Thompson Neville Crump John Procter 50/1 9m 25.40s Gd-Firm 43
1947 Caughoo 08-10-00 Eddie Dempsey Herbert McDowell IRE John McDowell 100/1 10m 3.80s Heavy 57
1946 Lovely Cottage 09-10-08 Captain Bobby Petre Tommy Rayson John Morant 25/1 9m 38.20s Good 34
1941-1945 No Race
1940 Bogskar 07-10-04 Mervyn Jones Lord Stalbridge Lord Stalbridge 25/1 9m 20.60s Gd-Firm 30
1939 Workman 09-10-06 Tim Hyde Jack Ruttle IRE Sir Alexander Maguire 100/8 9m 42.20s Good 37
1938 Battleship 11-11-06 Bruce Hobbs Reg Hobbs Marion Scott 40/1 9m 27s Gd-Firm 36
1937 Royal Mail 08-11-13 Evan Williams Ivor Anthony Hugh Lloyd Thomas 100/6 9m 59.80s Soft 33
1936 Reynoldstown 09-12-02 Mr Fulke Walwyn Noel Furlong Noel Furlong 10/1 9m 37.80s Good 35
1935 Reynoldstown 08-11-04 Mr Frank Furlong Noel Furlong Noel Furlong 22/1 9m 20.20s Gd-Firm 27
1934 Golden Miller 07-12-02 Gerry Wilson Basil Briscoe Dorothy Paget 8/1 9m 20.40s Gd-Firm 30
1933 Kellsboro’ Jack 07-11-09 Dudley Williams Ivor Anthony Florence Ambrose Clark 25/1 9m 28s Gd-Firm 34
1932 Forbra 07-10-07 Tim Hamey Tom Rimell William Parsonage 50/1 9m 44.60s Good 36
1931 Grakle 09-11-07 Bob Lyall Tom Coulthwaite Cecil Taylor 100/6 9m 32.80s Perfect 43
1930 Shaun Goilin 10-11-07 Tommy Cullinan Frank Hartigan Walter Midwood 100/8 9m 40.60s Perfect 41
1929 Gregalach 07-11-04 Bob Everett Tom Leader Mrs M A Gemmell 100/1 9m 47.40s Average 66
1928 Tipperary Tim 10-10-00 Mr Bill Dutton Joseph Dodd Harold Kenyon 100/1 10m 23.40s Heavy 42
1927 Sprig 10-12-04 Ted Leader Tom Leader Mary Partridge 8/1 F 10m 20.20s Heavy 37
1926 Jack Horner 09-10-05 Billy Watkinson Harvey Leader Charles Schwartz 25/1 9m 36s Good 30
1925 Double Chance 09-10-09 Major John Wilson Fred Archer David Goold 100/9 9m 42.60s Average 33
1924 Master Robert 11-10-05 Bob Trudgill Aubrey Hastings Lord Airlie 25/1 9m 40s Good 30
1923 Sergeant Murphy 13-11-03 Captain Tuppy Bennet George Blackwell Stephen Sanford 100/6 9m 36s Good 28
1922 Music Hall 09-11-08 Lewis Rees Owen Anthony Hugh Kershaw 100/9 9m 55.80s Good 32
1921 Shaun Spadah 10-11-07 Dick Rees George Poole Malcolm McAlpine 100/9 10m 26s Heavy 35
1920 Troytown 07-11-09 Mr Jack Anthony Algy Anthony IRE Thomas Collins-Gerrard 6/1 10m 20.40s Heavy 24
1919 Poethlyn 09-12-07 Ernie Piggott Harry Escott Gwladys Peel 11/4 F 10m 8.40s Average 22
1916-1918 No Race at Aintree with a substitute staged at Gatwick (see page 19)
1915 Ally Sloper 06-10-06 Mr Jack Anthony Aubrey Hastings Lady Nelson 100/8 9m 47.80s Good 20
1914 Sunloch 08-9-07 Bill Smith Tom Tyler Tom Tyler 100/6 9m 58.80s Good 20
1913 Covertcoat 07-11-06 Percy Woodland Robert Gore Sir Charles
Assheton-Smith
100/9 10m 19s Average 22
1912 Jerry M 09-12-07 Ernie Piggott Robert Gore Sir Charles
Assheton-Smith
4/1 Jt F 10m 13.40s Average 24
1911 Glenside 09-10-03 Mr Jack Anthony Robert Collis Frank Bibby 20/1 10m 35s Heavy 26
1910 Jenkinstown 09-10-05 Bob Chadwick Tom Coulthwaite Stanley Howard 100/8 10m 44.20s Snow 25
1909 Lutteur III 05-10-11 Georges Parfrement Harry Escott James Hennessy 100/9 9m 53.80s Good 32
1908 Rubio 10-10-05 Henry Bletsoe Fred Withington Frank Douglas-Pennant 66/1 10m 33.20s Heavy 24
1907 Eremon 07-10-01 Alf Newey Tom Coulthwaite Stanley Howard 8/1 9m 47.50s Good 23
1906 Ascetic’s Silver 09-10-09 Mr Aubrey Hastings Aubrey Hastings Prince Franz
von Hatzfeldt
20/1 9m 34.40s Good 23
1905 Kirkland 09-11-05 Frank Mason Freddy Lort-Phillips Frank Bibby 6/1 9m 48.80s Average 27
1904 Moifaa 08-10-07 Arthur Birch James Hickey Spencer Gollan 25/1 9m 58.60s Average 26
1903 Drumcree 09-11-03 Percy Woodland Sir Charles Nugent John Morrison 13/2 F 10m 9.40s Good 23
1902 Shannon Lass 07-10-01 David Read James Hackett Ambrose Gorham 20/1 10m 3.60s Heavy 21
1901 Grudon 11-10-00 Arthur Nightingall Bernard Bletsoe Bernard Bletsoe 9/1 9m 47.80s Snow 24
1900 Ambush II 06-11-03 Algy Anthony Algy Anthony IRE HRH Prince of Wales 4/1 10m 1.40s Good 16

 

[Old Vic]

1899 Manifesto 11-12-07 George Williamson Willie Moore John Bulteel 5/1 9m 49.80s Good 19
1898 Drogheda 06-10-12 John Gourley Richard Dawson C G M Adams 25/1 9m 43.60s Snow 25
1897 Manifesto 09-11-03 Terry Kavanagh Willie McAuliffe Harry Dyas 6/1 F 9m 49s Good 28
1896 The Soarer 07-09-13 Mr David Campbell Willie Moore William Hall-Walker 40/1 10m 11.20s Average 28
1895 Wild Man
From Borneo
07-10-11 Mr Joe Widger James Gatland John Widger 10/1 10m 32s Heavy 19
1894 Why Not 13-11-13 Arthur Nightingall Willie Moore C H Fenwick 5/1 Jt F 9m 45.40s Good 14
1893 Cloister 09-12-07 Bill Dollery Arthur Yates Charles Duff 9/2 F 9m 32.40s Hard 15
1892 Father O’Flynn 07-10-05 Capt Roddy Owen Gordon Wilson Gordon Wilson 20/1 9m 48.20s Good 25
1891 Come Away 07-11-12 Mr Harry Beasley Harry Beasley IRE Willie Jameson 4/1 F 9m 58s Good 21
1890 Ilex 06-10-05 Arthur Nightingall John Nightingall George Masterman 4/1 F 10m 41.80s Average 16
1889 Frigate 11-11-04 Mr Tommy Beasley M A Maher IRE Mat Maher 8/1 10m 1.20s Good 20
1888 Playfair 07-10-07 George Mawson Tom Cannon Ned Baird 40/1 10m 12s Good 20
1887 Gamecock 08-11-00 Bill Daniels James Gordon E Jay 20/1 10m 10.20s Good 16
1886 Old Joe 07-10-09 Tom Skelton George Mulcaster A J Douglas 25/1 10m 14.60s Average 23
1885 Roquefort 06-11-00 Mr Ted Wilson Arthur Yates Arthur Cooper 100/30F 10m 10s Good 19
1884 Voluptuary 06-10-05 Mr Ted Wilson William Wilson H F Boyd 10/1 10m 5s Heavy 15
1883 Zoedone 06-11-00 Count Graf Karl Kinsky W Jenkins Count Graf Karl Kinsky 100/7 11m 39s V Heavy 10
1882 Seaman 06-11-06 Lord Manners J Machell/J Jewitt Lord Manners 10/1 10m 42.40s V Heavy 12
1881 Woodbrook 07-11-03 Mr Tommy Beasley Henry Linde IRE T Kirkwood 11/2 JtF 11m 50s V Heavy 13
1880 Empress 05-10-07 Mr Tommy Beasley Henry Linde IRE P Ducrot 8/1 10m 20s Good 14
1879 The Liberator 10-11-04 Mr Garrett Moore John Moore IRE Garrett Moore 5/1 10m 12s Average 18
1878 Shifnal 09-10-12 Joe Jones John Nightingall John Nightingall 7/1 10m 23s Average 12
1877 Austerlitz 05-10-08 Mr Fred Hobson Robert l’Anson Fred Hobson 15/1 10m 10s Good 16
1876 Regal 05-11-03 Joe Cannon Joe Cannon James Machell 25/1 11m 14s Good 19
1875 Pathfinder 08-10-11 Mr Tommy Pickernell William Reeves Hubert Bird 100/6 10m 22s Heavy 19
1874 Reugny 06-10-12 Mr Maunsell Richardson James Machell James Machell 5/1 F 10m 4s Average 22
1873 Disturbance 06-11-11 Mr Maunsell Richardson James Machell James Machell 20/1 not recorded Good 28
1872 Casse Tete 07-10-00 John Page A Cowley E Brayley 20/1 10m 14.5s Hard 25
1871 The Lamb 09-11-05 Mr Tommy Pickernell Chris Green Lord Poulett 11/2 9m 35.75s Perfect 25
1870 The Colonel 07-11-12 George Stevens Richard Roberts Matthew Evans 7/2 F 10m 10s Good 23
1869 The Colonel 06-10-07 George Stevens Richard Roberts John Weyman 100/7 11m Average 22
1868 The Lamb 06-10-07 Mr George Ede Ben Land Lord Poulett 9/1 not recorded Heavy 21
1867 Cortolvin 08-11-13 John Page Harry Lamplugh FR Duke of Hamilton 16/1 10m 42s Good 23
1866 Salamander 07-10-07 Mr Alec Goodman J Walters Edward Studd 40/1 11m 5s Heavy 30
1865 Alcibiade 05-11-04 Capt Henry Coventry Cornell Cherry Angell 100/7 11m 16s Snow 23
1864 Emblematic 06-10-06 George Stevens Edwin Weever Lord Coventry 10/1 11m 50s Good 25
1863 Emblem 07-10-10 George Stevens Edwin Weever Lord Coventry 4/1 11m 20s Good 16
1862 Huntsman 09-11-00 Harry Lamplugh Harry Lamplugh FR Viscount de Namur 3/1 F 9m 30s Average 13
1861 Jealousy 07-09-12 Joe Kendall C Balchin J Bennett 5/1 10m 14s Average 24
1860 Anatis 10-09-10 Mr Tommy Pickernell William Holman Christopher Capel 7/2 F not recorded Average 19
1859 Half Caste 06-09-07 Chris Green Chris Green Mr Willoughby 7/1 10m 2s Good 20
1858 Little Charley 10-10-07 William Archer William Holman Christopher Capel 100/6 11m 5s Heavy 16
1857 Emigrant 11-09-10 Charlie Boyce Charlie Boyce George Hodgman 10/1 10m 6s Heavy 28
1856 Freetrader 07-09-06 George Stevens William Holman W Barnett 25/1 10m 9.5s Average 21
1855 Wanderer aged-09-08 John Hanlon - IRE Mr Dunn 25/1 10m 25s Heavy 20
1854 Bourton aged-11-12 John Tasker Henry Wadlow William Moseley 4/1 F 9m 59s Good 20
1853 Peter Simple 15-10-10 Tom Olliver Tom Olliver Josey Little 9/1 10m 37.5s Heavy 21
1852 Miss Mowbray aged-10-04 Mr Alec Goodman George Dockeray T F Mason not
quoted
9m 58.5s Good 24
1851 Abd-EI-Kader 09-10-04 Thomas Abbott Joseph Osborne IRE Joseph Osborne 7/1 9m 59s Average 21
1850 Abd-El-Kader 08-09-12 Chris Green Joseph Osborne IRE Joseph Osborne not
quoted
9m 57.5s Good 32
1849 Peter Simple 11-11-00 Tom Cunningham T Cunningham Finch Mason Jnr 20/1 10m 56s Heavy 24
1848 Chandler 12-11-12 Capt Josey Little T Eskrett Josey Little 12/1 11m 21s V Heavy 29
1847 Matthew 09-10-06 Denis Wynne John Courtenay IRE John Courtenay 10/1 10m 39s Good 26
1846 Pioneer 06-11-12 William Taylor - Mr Adams not
quoted
10m 46s Good 22
1845 Cure-AII aged-11-05 Mr William Loft W Sterling Crawford William Loft not
quoted
10m 47s Heavy 15
1844 Discount 06-10-12 Mr John Crickmere - Mr Quartermaine 5/1 Jt F under 14m V Heavy 15
1843 Vanguard 08-11-10 Tom Olliver - Lord Chesterfield 12/1 not recorded Hard 16
1842 Gay Lad 08-12-00 Tom Olliver - John Elmore 7/1 13m 30s Moderate 15
1841 Charity 11-12-00 Mr H Powell William Vevers Lord Craven 14/1 13m 25s Good 11
1840 Jerry 10-12-00 Mr Bartholomew
Bretherton
- Mr Villebois 12/1 12m 30s Good 12
1839 Lottery 09-12-00 Jem Mason George Dockeray John Elmore 5/1 F 14m53s Heavy 17

 

[Old Vic]

The live BBC television audience for the 2012 John Smith’s Grand National averaged 10 million viewers at the peak time - a 59 per cent audience share.

The 2012 John Smith’s Grand National produced the closest finish ever with Neptune Collonges prevailing by just a nose on April 14, the shortest winning margin in the race’s 165 runnings.

In 2012 Katie Walsh became the highest-placed female rider in John Smith’s Grand National history after Seabass stayed on for third.

Going into the 2010 John Smith’s Grand National, Tony “A P” McCoy, Jonjo O’Neill and J P McManus had between them ridden, trained and owned 70 previous runners in the race without success. But that renewal, run on Saturday April 10, will be remembered as the one in which these three giants of jump racing triumphed on the biggest stage.


Mon Mome became the longest-priced winner of the John Smith’s Grand National for 42 years when he defied odds of 100/1 and powered to a 12-length victory in the 2009 renewal worth £900,000 at Aintree on Saturday, April 4.

 

[Old Vic]

In the years 1916-18, a wartime substitute for the Grand National was held at the nowdefunct Gatwick racecourse in Sussex on the site of the present international airport. Organised by the National Hunt Committee, Edward Topham of Aintree Racecourse played an advisory role in staging these races and received a special award from Pratt & Co, managers of Gatwick, for his help. Considerable changes were made to the course to try and resemble Aintree as much as possible and the races were run over the same distance, although 29 rather than 30 fences were jumped. The programme of fence building at Gatwick was supervised by five leading trainers of the day. Subsequent Aintree Grand National winners Poethlyn, Shaun Spadah and Sergeant Murphy took part in the 1918 contest at Gatwick. The 1916 race was run as the Racecourse Association Steeplechase and for the next two years as the War National.

YEAR HORSE AGE/WEIGHT JOCK EY TRAINER OWNER SP
John Smith’s Grand National Wartime Winners
1918 Poethlyn 08-11-06 Ernie Piggott Harry Escott Mrs Hugh Peel 5/1
1917 Ballymacad 10-09-12 Edmund Driscoll Aubrey Hastings Sir George Bullough 100/9
1916 Vermouth 06-11-10 Jack Reardon J Bell P F Heybourne 100/8

 

[Old Vic]

✚✚Neptune Collonges (11st 6lb) became the fourth successive winner of the John Smith’s Grand National to carry 11 stone or more in
2012, which is a marked change from an era dominated by horses much lower down in the handicap.

✚✚In the 20 runnings between 1984 and 2004, only one winner did not carry less than 11 stone to victory (the exception was Rhyme ‘n’ Reason with exactly 11st in 1988).

✚✚But Hedgehunter (11st 1lb in 2005) began a change that was repeated by 100/1 scorer Mon More (11st in 2009), Don’t Push It (11st 5lb in 2010) and Ballabriggs (11st in 2011).

✚✚The 11st 6lb shouldered by Neptune Collonges was the biggest weight carried to victory since Red Rum’s second success in
1974 under 12st.

✚✚The British Horseracing Authority’s Head of Handicapping Phil Smith, responsible for framing the weights for the John Smith’s
Grand National since 1999, has been instrumental in ensuring that horses who have excelled around Aintree are given more of a chance to run in the John Smith’s Grand National.

✚✚The 2011 John Smith’s Grand National saw the full field of 40 horses race off their correct weight for the seventh consecutive year, demonstrating the rise in quality there has been in the last decade.

✚✚The race is unique in British horseracing in having its own handicap, with every entry receiving a rating based on different parameters to normal.

✚✚One is the “Aintree factor” which means horses who have shown good form over the Grand National fences are given a higher
rating so as try and ensure they get among the 40 runners.

✚✚A prime example came in 2004, when Amberleigh House provided Red Rum’s trainer Donald Mc- Cain with a fourth victory in the
John Smith’s Grand National. The 12-year-old had been denied the chance to take part in 2002, when he was eliminated despite having won the Becher Chase over the same fences earlier the same season, but Smith’s assertion that Amberleigh House was a different horse around Aintree was vindicated as the veteran chaser beat Clan Royal by three lengths.

✚✚Smith has also encouraged top staying chasers to take part by allocating the best horses entered a more lenient mark than their official rating - thereby compressing the weights which he has been doing since 2001. This sensible approach, as weight tells more
the further a horse has to race over, has worked in recent years with horses towards the top of the handicap being successful.

✚✚Modifications to the race conditions have also helped improve the competitive nature of the John Smith’s Grand National. The highest weight carried to victory of 12st 7lb by Poethlyn (1919), Jerry M (1912), Manifesto (1899) and Cloister (1893) is a record which will never be broken. The topweight was lowered from 12st to 11st 12lb in 2002 and then dropped a further 2lb to 11st 10lb
in 2009.

✚✚In the last 13 runnings (since 2000), a maximum field of 40 has started every year except in 2004, when 39 went to post. Reserves were introduced in 2000 and four are available if a declared runner drops out early the day before.

✚✚In the 1990s and earlier, it was not unusual for horses who were racing from out of the handicap (ie whose handicap mark was
less than the minimum weight to be carried of 10st) to run far better races than their rating would suggest.

✚✚For example, Just So was second to Miinnehoma in 1994 despite being rated 22lb below the 10st cut-off with jockey Simon
Burrough putting up a further 3lb overweight, while Bobbyjo prevailed in 1999 despite being a stone out of the handicap.

✚✚Of the last 40 winners, 11 have carried 11 stone or more, headed by Red Rum (12st in 1974 and 11st 8lb in 1977). They were 11st
6lb (Neptune Collonges 2012), 11st 5lb (Don’t Push It 2010, Grittar 1982), 11st 4lb (Corbiere 1983), 11st 3lb (L’Escargot 1975), 11st 1lb (Hedgehunter 2005) and 11st (Rhyme ‘N’ Reason 1988, Mon Mome 2009 and Ballabriggs 2011).

✚✚In the same time period, three horses Bobbyjo (1999), Lord Gyllene (1997) and Rubstic (1979) have carried the minimum weight
of 10st. Hallo Dandy (1984) and Little Polveir (1989) would have joined them if their jockeys had not carried 2lb and 3lb overweight
respectively. Since World War Two, Caughoo (1947), Ayala (1963), Anglo (1966), Foinavon (1967) and Red Alligator (1968) also carried 10st.

✚✚The others of the last 40 winners carrying under 11st were divided as follows: 10st 1lb (Well To Do 1972), 10st 2lb (Hallo Dandy 1984), 10st 3lb (Little Polveir 1989), 10st 4lb (Bindaree 2002), 10st 5lb (Red Rum 1973, Last Suspect 1985, Earth Summit 1998), 10st 6lb (Royal Athlete 1995, Seagram 1991, Mr Frisk 1990, Silver Birch 2007), 10st 7lb (Monty’s Pass 2003, Rough Quest 1996, Party Politics 1992), 10st 8lb (Numbersixvalverde 2006, Miinnehoma 1994), 10st 9lb (Lucius 1978, Comply Or Die 2008), 10st 10lb (Amberleigh House 2004), 10st 11lb (Red Marauder 2001, West Tip 1986), 10st 12lb (Papillon 2000, Ben Nevis 1980, Rag Trade 1976) and 10st 13lb (Maori Venture 1987, Aldaniti 1981).

 

[Old Vic]

✚✚Perhaps the biggest change to the John Smith’s Grand National in recent times has been the massive injection of prize money
by Aintree Racecourse and the sponsors.

✚✚The chase carried total prize money of £250,000 when Lord Gyllene triumphed on a Monday in 1997, whereas the 2012 winner
Neptune Collonges collected more than double that amount as the race had a total prize fund of £975,000.

✚✚John Smith’s, sponsoring the Grand National for the final time in 2013, has overseen a rise in prize money from £600,000 for
the big race since their backing was announced in 2004 to the £975,000 offered again in 2013.

✚✚The John Smith’s Grand National is not just the world’s most famous jump race but also the most valuable.

✚✚Just as significant has been John Smith’s support for other races over the three days of the John Smith’s Grand National meeting
which offers record total prize money of £2,725,000 this year.

✚✚The Grand National’s folklore and romance is interspersed with stories of great gambles from the first running in 1839 when the
winner Lottery was made the 5/1 favourite through weight of money following his earlier success in the Cheltenham Steeplechase.

✚✚Another successful 19th century punt came in 1866 when owner/trained Edward Studd had £1,000 at 40/1 on Salamander.
His £40,000 winnings would equate to nearly £3 million at today’s values.

✚✚Manifesto hit the bookies hard on both occasions he won the Grand National, in 1897 and 1899. He was returned the 6/1
favourite for the first of those victories when owned by Irish solicitor Harry Dyas, whose gambling exploits apparently made bookmakers quake.

✚✚After being sold to John Bulteel, Manifesto was well supported into 5/1 but only second favourite in 1899. The 4/1 market leader
was his half-sister Gentle Ida, owned by Dyas, who fell at Valentine’s first time around, leaving Manifesto to reward his loyal supporters.

✚✚Vincent O’Brien was confident enough approaching the 1953 Grand National to tell Early Mist’s owner to have a good bet. ‘Mincemeat Joe’ Griffin backed his horse to win £100,000.

✚✚For good measure, Griffin won the following year’s Grand National, this time with Royal Tan, also trained by O’Brien, who remarkably made it three in a row in 1955 with Quare Times.

✚✚The prolific gambler Terry Ramsden went for a massive touch on Mr Snugfit in 1986, putting on £50,000 each-way at 8/1 and
combining the nine-year-old in a number of doubles and trebles with other horses he owned.

✚✚Despite finishing fastest of all, the horse did not deliver the win part of the substantial wager, although Ramsden ended up in profit as Mr Snugfit came fourth behind West Tip.

✚✚In more recent years, one of the biggest gambles landed occurred in 2000, when the Irish-trained Papillon struck for the father and son partnership of Ted and Ruby Walsh. The nine-year-old had been available at 33/1 early in the morning of the great race, only to start at 10/1 after being selected by several pundits including the influential Pricewise of the Racing Post newspaper.

✚✚Monty’s Pass landed another Irish-trained gamble in 2003. Mike Futter, front man of the fivestrong Dee Racing ownership syndicate, estimated his personal winnings at £800,000, while the partnership’s overall haul was in excess of £1 million. Futter first
backed the Jimmy Mangan trained winner ante-post at 66/1 and then at rates down to the eventual starting price of 16/1.

✚✚Due to the field size and competitiveness of the John Smith’s Grand National, the winner usually starts at double-figure odds.

✚✚Oxo (8/1), Merryman II (13/2), Red Rum (twice at 9/1), L’Escargot (13/2), Grittar (7/1), West Tip (15/2), Rough Quest (7/1), Earth Summit (7/1), Hedgehunter (7/1) and Comply Or Die (7/1) are the only winners to have been returned at less than 10/1 since 1959. Even so, fancied horses have a fair record. In the same time period, horses starting at 16/1 or under have won 34 times.

✚✚Eight market leaders have won since 1959: Merryman II in 1960, Red Rum in 1973 when joint favourite with the second Crisp,
Grittar in 1982, Rough Quest in 1996, Earth Summit in 1998, Hedgehunter in 2005, joint-favourite Comply Or Die in 2008, and the 2010 scorer Don’t Push It, who shared 10/1 favouritism with the fourth home Big Fella Thanks.

✚✚L’Escargot was second favourite in 1975 when the runner-up Red Rum was the 7/2 market leader. Red Rum was 11/1 joint second
favourite when successful for a record-breaking third time in 1977. Aldaniti started 10/1 second favourite in 1981 when the 8/1 favourite Spartan Missile was second, while Papillon was backed down to be 10/1 joint second favourite when winning in 2000 and both West Tip (15/2) and Rhyme ‘N’ Reason (10/1 in 1988) were also second best in the betting.

✚✚The 2009 renewal saw the biggest upset in 42 years as 100/1 shot Mon Mome stormed to a 12-length success. Tipperary
Tim (1928), Gregalach (1929), Caughoo (1947) and Foinavon (1967) are the only other 100/1 winners in the Grand National’s
history. As well as Foinavon and Mon Mome, other long-priced winners in the last 50 runnings have been 66/1 Ayala (1963)
50/1 Anglo (1966), Last Suspect (1985) 40/1 Royal Athlete (1995), Ben Nevis (1980) 33/1 Silver Birch (2007), Red Marauder
(2001) and Neptune Collonges (2012) 28/1 Kilmore (1962), Specify (1971), Maori Venture (1987) and Little Polveir (1989) 25/1 Rubstic (1979)

✚✚Three 100/1 shots have been placed since 1980 - Over The Deel in 1995, Camelot Knight in 1997 and Philson Run in 2007.

✚✚The shortest-priced winners have been Poethlyn (1919) at 11/4, followed by Huntsman (1862) at 3/1 and Roquefort (1885) at 100/30.

✚✚The Grand National favourite has not been sent off at less than 5/1 since 1975 such is the race’s competitive nature but - looking
further back - many short-priced market leaders have failed to reward their supporters’ faith.

✚✚Red Rum was 7/2 favourite when beaten 15 lengths into second by L’Escargot in 1975, while 1965 and 1966 runner-up Freddie was
sent off at 7/2 and 11/4 respectively.

✚✚Prince Regent, the winner of 14 races including the Cheltenham Gold Cup, was 3/1 market leader in 1946 but could only manage
third under 12st 5lb. After winning a fourth consecutive Gold Cup, the1934 Grand National victor Golden Miller in 1935 started at only 2/1 - the shortestpriced Grand National favourite ever - but unseated his jockey at the 11th fence.

✚✚Britain is the global centre of betting expertise with a great variety of wagering types and many ways of placing a bet. Those coming to Aintree in 2013 can choose between on-course bookmakers, pool betting on the tote and theracecourse betting shops.

✚✚Neptune Collonges, trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Daryl Jacob, last year ended a 51- year wait for a grey winner when
getting up to beat Sunnyhillboy by a nose - the shortest winning margin in the 165 runnings.

✚✚He became only the third grey horse to win in the history of the Grand National, following on from Nicolaus Silver in 1961 and
The Lamb who scored in both 1868 and 1871.

✚✚Prior to Neptune Collonges’ success, greys had gone close to winning in recent years. Suny Bay, second to Lord Gyllene in 1997, filled the same spot behind Earth Summit in 1998 when the top-weight.

✚✚Over the next two seasons, Suny Bay finished 13th, while Kendal Cavalier came seventh and 12th in the same two renewals.
Baronet fell at the fourth in 1999 and Senor El Betrutti failed to get beyond the first in 2000.

✚✚Two greys were among the first four home in 2002 - the runnerup What’s Up Boys and the fourth Kingsmark - while Birkdale finished 10th and two other greys, Carryonharry and Gun ‘N’ Roses, failed to complete.

✚✚There were no greys in 2003 but What’s Up Boys (brought down sixth) and Kingsmark (ninth) ran again in 2004, with the other
grey that year, outsider Royal Atalza, being pulled up two out.

✚✚The three greys who ran in 2005 did not perform well - Strong Resolve finished 17th, while Double Honour and Marcus Du Berlais
unseated their riders.

✚✚In 2006, Ross Comm fell at the fourth, while the two greys in 2007 also failed to complete - Kandjar D’Allier fell at the eighth
fence and The Outlier unseated at the 19th.

✚✚King Johns Castle finished an excellent second to Comply Or Die in 2008, while the two other greys did not get round - Turko
fell at Valentine’s on the second circuit and D’Argent unseated RobertThornton two fences later.

✚✚Reveillez lined up as the only grey in the 2009 John Smith’s Grand National but the Jonjo O’Neill-trained 10-year-old, who
had won a handicap chase around the Mildmay Course at the John Smith’s Grand National meeting in 2007, made an early departure after being brought down at the third fence.

✚✚Four greys took part in the 2010 renewal. Character Building and Piraya completed in seventh and 13th respectively, while Beat
The Boys was pulled up before the 19th fence and King Johns Castle refused to race.

✚✚The closest a grey managed in 2011 was the 12th place of Scottish raider Silver By Nature, with Character Building getting
around again in 15th, while Piraya finished last in 19th place and Quolibet unseated his rider at the 11th.

✚✚Besides the winner Neptunes Collonges in 2012, there were three others greys in the 40-strong field. Swing Bill did
the best of them by finishing 10th, while Alfa Beat and Chicago Grey were brought down at the fifth and fell at the seventh
respectively.

 

[Old Vic]

✚✚Nine-year-olds have proved the most successful age group in recent years, providing the winner in nine of the last 30 runnings.

✚✚They were Grittar (1982), West Tip (1986), Rhyme ‘N’ Reason (1988), Lord Gyllene (1997), Bobbyjo (1999), Papillon (2000),
Hedgehunter (2005), Comply Or Die (2008) and Mon Mome (2009).

✚✚Nine-year-olds have the best overall record in the Grand National, winning at least 44 times in 165 runnings - the ages of
some early winners were not recorded.

✚✚Last year’s winner Neptune Collonges was the seventh successful 11-year-old in the same period. The others were Last
Suspect (1985), Maori Venture (1987), Mr Frisk (1990), Seagram (1991), Miinnehoma (1994) and Red Marauder (2001). Other winners by age group in the period are:

✚✚Eight-year-olds: Corbiere (1983), Party Politics (1982) and Bindaree (2002).

✚✚10-year-olds: Hallo Dandy (1984), Rough Quest (1996), Earth Summit (1998), Monty’s Pass (2003), Numbersixvalverde (2006), Silver Birch (2007), Don’t Push It (2010) and Ballabriggs (2011).

✚✚12-year-olds: Little Polveir (1989), Royal Athlete (1995) and Amberleigh House (2004).

✚✚The oldest winner of all, Peter Simple in 1853, was 15.

✚✚The youngest - aged five - have been Alcibiade (1865), Regal (1876), Austerlitz (1877), Empress (1880) and Lutteur III (1909)

✚✚Bogskar in 1940 was the most recent seven-year-old winner and a six-year-old has not scored since Ally Sloper in 1915.

✚✚A change in race conditions instituted for the 2012 running means that only seven-year olds and upwards can now take
part in the John Smith’s Grand National.

✚✚Mares lining up in this year’s John Smith’s Grand National have to overcome a long losing sequence for their sex. Overall 13 mares have won the John Smith’s Grand National, but the most recent was Nickel Coin back in 1951.

✚✚The other successful mares were Charity (1841), Miss Mowbray (1852), Anatis (1860), Jealousy (1861), Emblem (1863), Emblematic (1864), Casse Tete (1872), Empress (1880), Zoedone (1883), Frigate (1889), Shannon Lass (1902) and Sheila’s Cottage (1948)

✚✚Since 1951, the mares Gentle Moya (2nd 1956), Tiberetta (3rd 1957, 2nd 1958 & 4th 1959), Miss Hunter (3rd 1970), Eyecatcher
(3rd 1976 and 1977), Auntie Dot (3rd 1991), Ebony Jane (4th 1994) and Dubacilla (4th 1995) have all finished in the first four.

✚✚In 1999, the only mare among the 32 runners, Fiddling The Facts, started 6/1 favourite and was going well when she came
down at Becher’s second time round. In 2007, Liberthine - who had won the 2006 John Smith’s Topham Chase over the National
fences - finished fifth under amateur Sam Waley-Cohen.

✚✚No mares ran in 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010 or 2012, while the one female representative in 2002, Wicked
Crack, got no further than the first fence. Other mares to take part in recent years have been L’Aventure (15th in 2005), French-trained Musica Bella (fell at the 12th in 2009) and Bluesea Cracker (14th in 2011).

 

[Old Vic]

✚✚Ruby Walsh holds the best record of current jockeys, having won the John Smith’s Grand National twice - on Papillon in 2000
and Hedgehunter five years later.

✚✚Of the more recently retired jockeys, Richard Dunwoody enjoyed two successes, with Miinnehoma in 1994 and in 1986 West Tip, on whom he also finished second in 1989 and fourth in both 1987 and 1988. Carl Llewellyn, who hung up his race riding boots finally in 2009 to become business partner of trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies, is another to have two winners courtesy of Party Politics trained by Nick Gaselee in 1992) and Earth Summit (trained by Twiston-Davies in 1998).

✚✚Many highly successful jockeys have tried and failed to win the Grand National, including eighttime champion Peter Scudamore,
who did best when third in 1985 on Corbiere, and seven-time champion John Francome, who went closest twice on Rough And Tumble - third in 1979 and second the following year.

✚✚The current record-breaking 17-time champion jockey Tony McCoy had to wait until his 15th attempt to win the John Smith’s
Grand National on Don’t Push It in 2010. He was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in June, 2010 and
voted the 2010 BBC Sports Personality of the Year. He finished third on the same horse in 2011.

✚✚George Stevens is the winningmost jockey in Grand National history with five successes on Free Trader (1856), Emblem (1863), Emblematic (1864) and The Colonel (1869 and 1870).

✚✚Six jockeys have won the race three times - Tom Olliver, Tommy Pickernell (amateur), Tommy Beasley (amateur), Arthur Nightingall, Jack Anthony (amateur) and Brian Fletcher.

✚✚The youngest jockey to win the Grand National was 17-year-old Bruce Hobbs on Battleship in 1938 and the oldest 48-year-old
amateur Dick Saunders on Grittar in 1982.

✚✚Since 1900 four successful jockeys went on to train winners as well - Algy Anthony, Tommy Carberry, Fulke Walwyn and Fred
Winter.

✚✚Together with the Lincoln Handicap run on the Flat at Doncaster, the John Smith’s Grand National forms leg two of the ‘Spring
Double’. The only jockey to have won both contests is Dave Dick, who captured the Lincoln on Gloaming in 1941 and the Grand
National on E.S.B. in 1956.

✚✚The smallest number of Grand National finishers was two in 1928, when Tipperary Tim beat the remounted Billy Barton by a
distance - amazingly, 42 horses faced the starter for that Grand National. Easter Hero became stuck on top of the Canal Turn
fence, putting the majority of the field out of the contest.

✚✚That same number might have also finished in the 1913 Grand National but Carsey, who would have won if he had jumped the
last instead of falling, was remounted by Jack Tyrwhitt-Drake to take third behind fortunate winner Covercoat and Irish Mail.

✚✚Just three also finished in 1951; largely due to a debacle at the first fence in which 11 of the 36 contestants fell. The usual subsequent spills and thrills meant that only six runners were still going at the start of the second circuit.

✚✚The most famous incident in Grand National history occurred in 1967 when the riderless Popham Down caused a huge pile-up at the 23rd obstacle at which most of the field, with the exception of 100/1 outsider and winner Foinavon, were stopped in their tracks.

✚✚Foinavon, who had been towards the rear of the 44 runners, managed to circumvent the mêlée and had flown the nest by the time his rivals got going again - eventually 17 other horses finished behind the easy winner. The fence that caused so much turmoil was subsequently renamed Foinavon.

✚✚More recently, only four finished the race in 2001. A loose horse (Paddy’s Return) at the Canal Turn the first time around put paid to the chances of a quarter of the 40 starters and then the heavy going did not suit many others. Red Marauder and Smarty were the only two horses to negotiate the 30 fences at the first attempt. But Blowing Wind and Papillon, who both came to grief at the 19th, were remounted to finish third and fourth respectively.

The remounting of horses was banned in all races by the British Horseracing Authority in November, 2009.

✚✚Only four got home in 1980. Stamina-sapping ground made the race even more testing than usual for the 30 runners, who
were gradually whittled down to just the winner, Ben Nevis, and three others.

✚✚Six managed to finish in 1994 when heavy rain, which had hit Liverpool the previous night, was again the main culprit, making
the going heavy for successful Miinnehoma. Six also got round in 1998, the year the race was won by Earth Summit who loved
the very soft ground.

✚✚The highest number of finishers was 23 in 1984, when Hallo Dandy was first home from 40 starters. There were 22 finishers from 47 starters in 1963, and 22 from 40 in both 1987 and 1992.

✚✚The highest number starters was 66 in 1929, while 57 lined up in 1947. The lowest number of horses to face the starter was 10 in 1883.

✚✚The maximum field now allowed of 40 has lined up every year since 2000 except in 2004 when 39 went to post. This is in parts
thanks to the reserve system, introduced in 2000. Eight horses have come into the John Smith’s Grand National after declared runners were withdrawn before 9am on the eve of the contest.

✚✚Cerium was the first horse introduced as a reserve to complete the course when finishing 11th behind Don’t Push It in 2010.
The Paul Murphy-trained gelding had taken his place among the 40 runners at the expense of stable companion Mr Pointment, who was withdrawn with a vet’s certificate minutes before the Friday deadline.


✚✚Four reserves will be on standby for the 2013 John Smith’s Grand National.

 

[Old Vic]

In 1984, Valerie Alder, 24, rode Bush Guide, trained by her father John, who had partnered Tant Pis to finish ninth in 1965. Bush Guide
fell at the Canal Turn on the first circuit. Now Valerie Jackson, she finished fifth in the 2009 Foxhunters Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on her own horse Robbers Glen.

 

[Old Vic]

GEE ARMYTAGE
One of the best female riders of her generation, Gee Armytage had been victorious twice at the Cheltenham Festival before
partnering the aptly named Gee-A in the 1988 Grand National. Gee-A was still going well on the second circuit before being pulled
up before the 26th fence by his 22-year-old rider after she strained a muscle in her back. Her amateur rider brother Marcus, a
journalist with The Daily Telegraph, won the Grand National on Mr Frisk in 1990. Gee is married ex-jockey Mark Bradburne, who retired in 2012, and is personal assistant to 17-time champion jump jockey Tony (A P) McCoy.

CHARLOTTE BREW
The 1977 Grand National was won most memorably by Red Rum. The Ginger McCain-trained gelding swept past the grandstands amid
scenes of tremendous emotion to gain his record-breaking third win. But there was also another focus, as Charlotte Brew, at the age of 21, became the first woman to compete in the Aintree spectacular. Partnering her own horse, 12-year old Barony Fort, on whom she had managed one circuit of the course when fourth in the 1976 Fox Hunters’ Chase, Brew’s effort was a determined one. Despite being tailed off after half way, her 200/1 chance kept going until he refused four fences from home. She had been given Barony Fort for her 18th birthday by her parents and rode regularly in point-to-points. While the media applauded the performance, McCain announced in typically forthright fashion that the Grand National was no place for lady riders. Charlotte, from Essex, was a guest on the BBC Sports Personality of the Year show and the Daily Mirror arranged a day-trip on Concorde to Washington. She later turned to catering and training point-to-point horses from a farm in Somerset.

Charlotte Brew (now Budd) tried again on Martinstown in 1982 but was unseated at the third.

NINA CARBERRY

Nina Carberry is a very experienced Irish amateur, with over 300 winners, and comes from a famous and successful racing family. Her
father Tommy rode the 1975 Grand National winner L’Escargot, while her brother Paul carried on the tradition by partnering Bobbyjo to
victory in 1999 (trained by Carberry senior).

Female riders Race Results
1977 Charlotte Brew Barony Fort 200/1 Refused four out
1979 Jenny Hembrow Sandwilan 100/1 Fell first
1980 Jenny Hembrow Sandwilan 100/1 Pulled up 19th
1981 Linda Sheedy Deiopea 100/1 Refused 19th
1982 Geraldine Rees Cheers 66/1 Eighth (last)
1982 Charlotte Brew Martinstown 100/1 Unseated 3rd
1983 Geraldine Rees Midday Welcome 500/1 Fell 1st
1983 Joy Carrier King Spruce 28/1 Unseated 6th
1984 Valerie Alder Bush Guide 33/1 Fell 8th
1987 Jacqui Oliver Eamons Owen 200/1 Unseated Chair
1988 Gee Armytage Gee-A 33/1 Pulled up 26th
1988 Venetia Williams Marcolo 200/1 Fell sixth
1988 Penny Ffitch-Heyes Hettinger 200/1 Fell first
1989 Tarnya Davis Numerate 100/1 Pulled up 21st
1994 Rosemary Henderson Fiddlers Pike 100/1 Fifth
2005 Carrie Ford Forest Gunner 8/1 Fifth
2006 Nina Carberry Forest Gunner 33/1 Ninth (last)
2010 Nina Carberry Character Building 16/1 Seventh
2011 Nina Carberry Character Building 25/1 15th
2012 Katie Walsh Seabass 8/1JtF Third
2012 Nina Carberry Organisedconfusion 20/1 Unseated 8th Katie Walsh (2nd right)

✚✚Geraldine Rees became the first female jockey to complete the Grand National on Cheers in 1982.

✚✚Four other female jockeys have finished the Grand National, with Katie Walsh faring best of all when guiding Seabass, trained
by her father Ted, to be third in 2012. She was having her first ride in the race and held a narrow advantage jumping the last but
her mount could find no extra in the closing stages.

✚✚Rosemary Henderson came fifth on her own horse, the 13-yearold 100/1 shot Fiddlers Pike, in 1994, while Carrie Ford filled the same position on Forest Gunner at 8/1 in 2005.

✚✚Nina Carberry has had four rides in the John Smith’s Grand National and her best finishing position is seventh on Character Building in 2010. Despite being unseated on Forest Gunner at the third fence in the Becher Chase at Aintree over the famous obstacles in 2005, Nina guided the 12-year-old to ninth spot at odds of 33/1 in the 2006 John Smith’s Grand National the following April, becoming the fourth female rider to finish the race. Paul also took his place in the race that year on Sir Oj who fell at the 22nd fence. They are the only brother and sister to have ridden against each other in a Grand National. Nina, born on July 21, 1984, returned to the John Smith’s Grand National in 2010 after getting the call to ride Character Building. The John Quinn-trained grey had been purchased days before the race by David and Patricia Thompson, who had also previously bought the 1992 John Smith’s Grand National winner Party Politics on the eve of his victory.

While brother Paul was left at the start when King Johns Castle refused to race, Nina got round on Character Building as her mount
came seventh of the 14 finishers behind Don’t Push It. She was reunited with Character Building in 2011, finishing 15th of the 19 to get around when becoming the first woman to ride in the Grand National three times.

Nina married Ted Walsh junior in February, 2012, and rode against her husband’s sister, Katie, in the 2012 John Smith’s Grand National. She partnered the Arthur Mooretrained Organisedconfusion, whom she had ridden to win the Irish Grand National in 2011. There was no similar ending, with Nina unseated at the eighth fence. Nina has partnered four winners at the Cheltenham Festival,
including three successes in the cross country chase on Heads Onthe Ground (2007) and Garde Champetre (2008 & 2009). She rode her first winner on Sabrinsky in the Ladies’ Derby on the Flat at the Curragh on July 15, 2001.

JOY CARRIER
The American Joy Carrier, 29, managed to clear five fences in 1983 before being unseated at Becher’s by nine-year-old King Spruce, owned by her husband Rusty and the winner of the previous year’s Irish National. The amateur rider was successful in the Maryland Hunt Cup twice (in 1980 and 1981) over timber and tried to have another go on King Spruce, then trained by Bob Champion, in the 1986 Grand National but the horse was balloted out.

TARNYA DAVIS

A talented professional jockey, 24-year-old Tarnya Davis reached Becher’s on the second circuit before pulling up 100/1 chance Numerate in the 1989 renewal. Numerate was bought 48 hours before the big race by Tarnya’s father, Peter, from trainer Oliver
Sherwood. She was a jockey for 10 years, partnering 47 winners under Rules, and married Sherwood in October, 1993. They have two children, Sabrina and Archie.

 

[Old Vic]

PENNY FFITCH-HEYES
Purchased by her trainer father, John, Hettinger fell at the first fence for 24-year-old Penny Ffitch-Heyes in 1988. She started out as a show jumper before becoming a jockey. She is now a jockeys’ agent in America, based near Arlington Park Racecourse, Chicago, after moving to the United States in 1993.

CARRIE FORD
Carrie Ford made history when fifth in the feature event at the John Smith’s Grand National meeting in 2005. To complete the race is
a feat in itself and, at the age of 33, Carrie Ford became the third woman rider to get around in the John Smith’s Grand National.
She equalled the highest-placed finish by a female rider, achieved by Rosemary Henderson on Fiddlers Pike in 1994, after turning
professional just before the race so as to be able to claim a share of the prize money.

Trained by her then husband Richard Ford, Forest Gunner was attempting to follow up his two victories in 2004 at Aintree over the
Grand National fences. The chaser won the Fox Hunters’ at the Grand National meeting with Carrie in the saddle, just 10 weeks after she had given birth to a daughter Hannah, and also triumphed in the Grand Sefton Handicap Chase (ridden by Peter Buchanan) later in the year. She started working full time for British Horseracing Education and Standards Trust in January, 2011 after four years of freelancing. She is the Northern Region Education Officer for BHEST’s Racing to School programme.

JENNY HEMBROW
Jenny Hembrow’s attempt in 1979 to land a blow for female jockeys failed, as she exited the race at the first fence on Sandwilan, the
11-year-old bottom weight. Unperturbed by this experience, Hembrow, an experienced pointto- point rider, partnered the same horse again the following year and did better. Having been prominent early on, the 100/1 chance was pulled up at the 19th fence.

ROSEMARY HENDERSON
Rosemary Henderson, at the age of 51, finished fifth on her own Fiddlers Pike on April 9, 1994. At the time, she became the highest-placed female rider in the Grand National as well as only the second to complete the course. Born and raised in Gloucestershire,
she rode ponies as a hobby and took up point-to-point racing at the age of 30. Fiddlers Pike was also a late starter
on racecourses, progressing from point-to-points to hunter chases at the age of 10. He retired at 16 after winning four of his 35 starts under Rules, with Mrs Henderson partnering him in all of his races. She now lives in New Zealand and has written a book about her experiences.

JACQUI OLIVER
Jacqui Oliver was in contention aboard Eamons Owen, trained by her mother Sally, before being unseated at the Chair in 1987.
A professional jockey, she won the race before the 1987 Grand National, the Aintree Hurdle, on Anoch, owned by her father Henry and also trained by her mother. She partnered around 80 winners during her riding career.

GERALDINE REES

On the fifth attempt by a female jockey, Geraldine Rees, then 26, completed the course in eighth and last place on Cheers in 1982,
thus becoming the first woman to successfully get round. However, the following year, riding Midday Welcome, she fell at the
first fence. She subsequently embarked on a training career near Preston in Lancashire but announced in early 2010 that she
was handing in her licence after 12 years.

LINDA SHEEDY
In 1981, when Bob Champion overcame cancer to win the Grand National on Aldaniti, mother of twins Linda Sheedy rode Deiopea
(100/1) who refused at the 19th fence when well behind.

KATIE WALSH
Born on December 18, 1984, Katie Walsh comes from a family steeped in racing heritage as her father is the trainer, broadcaster and former champion amateur jockey Ted Walsh, while one of her brothers is Ruby Walsh, the most successful jockey ever at the Cheltenham Festival who has twice ridden the winner of the John Smith’s Grand National. Katie led up the 2000 Grand
National winner Papillon, trained by her father and ridden by Ruby. Along with her sister-in-law, Nina Carberry (who is married to her
brother Ted Jnr), she is one of the best female jump jockeys.


She enjoyed two winners at the 2010 Cheltenham Festival, on Poker De Sivola in the National Hunt Chase and the Willie Mullinstrained
Thousand Stars in the Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle. Katie came in for her first John Smith’s Grand National ride on Seabass in 2012. The nine-yearold, trained by her father, was going for a seven-timer. Sent off the 8/1 joint-favourite, Seabass’s stamina ebbed away in the closing stages, after jumping the last in the lead, and he finished third. This is the highest finishing position obtained by any female rider and the sixth time one had completed the race.

VENETIA WILLIAMS
Venetia Williams tried her luck as an amateur rider in 1988 but got no further than the sixth fence, Becher’s, on Marcolo and was
knocked unconscious in the fall. She broke her neck in a fall at Worcester two weeks later which ended her riding career.
She started training in 1995 and has established herself as one of the leading trainers in Britain, winning races such as the Hennessy Gold Cup and the King George VI Chase with Teeton Mill. She became only the second woman ever to train the winner of the John Smith’s Grand National in 2009, when she sent out 100/1 chance Mon Mome to victory for owner Vida Bingham.

 

[mayo]

Love this story from Marcus Armatyage

However, the blanket of snow which settled upon Aintree racecourse on Saturday was a reminder of another fabulous National tale, which is now ingrained in the race’s folklore.
In 1901 the race was run in a blizzard. It was still a good decade before World War I, when human let alone equine life had a different value. Even so, as each of the 24 riders due to ride in the race weighed out, they signed a petition calling for it to be postponed for a few days as the 1855 (frost) and 1858 (heavy snow) Nationals had been. Although visibility was almost non-existent the stewards would have none of it and their only concession to the jockeys was to allow them to go straight to the start instead of parading.
The success of Grudon, an entire who would go on to become a stallion despite being out of a working plough horse, in the March-run race may have been partly attributable to the fact that his first run in the National, in 1898, was also in a snowstorm of such strength that few could make out the winner Drogheda’s colours as he crossed the line.
But victory was also due to the sharp thinking of Grudon’s owner-trainer Bernard Bletsoe who, having walked the course, dispatched a stablelad to a local shop to buy two pounds of butter, which he packed in the horse’s feet to prevent the snow balling up. While slipping contributed to the falls of many others, including the popular True Blue, Grudon made all to beat the eight other finishers and skipped round in a very respectable time.

 

[Yeehaa]

The oldest, the quickest, the first lady and the greatest – a look back on the National through the years

IT is the 166th running of the world’s greatest steeplechase on April 6. And there have been so many highs, lows and stories that make up the Aintree legend.

Here we take a look back at some of the most significant dates in John Smith’s Grand National history with a particular look at the races when the year ends in a three.

The first official races at Aintree were organised by a syndicate, headed by the owner of Liverpool’s Waterloo Hotel, William Lynn.

He leased the land from Lord Sefton, set out a course and built a grandstand.

Lord Molyneux laid the foundation stone on February 7, 1829, and placed a bottle full of sovereigns in the footings.

The first Flat fixture was held five months later on July 7.

A horse called Mufti won the opening race, the one and a quarter mile Croxteth Stakes.

Aintree started by putting on three race meetings a year.

In 1839 the Grand National was run at Aintree for the first time on Tuesday, February 26, under the guise of the Grand Liverpool Steeplechase, with an estimated 40,000 people attending.

The obstacles included a stone wall, a stretch of ploughed land and two hurdles to finish, with the distance raced over being four miles.

A horse named Lottery took the honours. Captain Martin Becher was unseated from his mount, Conrad, when leading at the sixth fence on the first circuit and the fence, also the 22nd obstacle when jumped on the second circuit, subsequently became known as Becher’s Brook.

1843

EDWARD William Topham, a handicapper, was responsible for turning the National into a handicap for the first time after it had been a weight-for-age race for the first four years. Lord Chesterfield’s Vanguard won the race. He was ridden by Tom Olliver, who had also won the previous year’s National on Gay Lad.

1853

PETER SIMPLE, at the ripe old age of 15, became the oldest horse to win the Grand National. He is still two years older than any other Grand National winner to this day. It was his second victory in the race, having also triumphed in 1849. He returned to Aintree in 1854 for what was to be his farewell, but failed to get round when trying to defy top weight.

1863

IN 1863 Emblem, owned by the ninth Earl of Coventry, became the fifth mare to win the Grand National. The seven-year-old won decisively by more than 20 lengths over the new official distance of four and a half miles.

1883

ZOEDONE won in 11 minutes and 39 seconds, one of the slowest times ever recorded. The field of 10 runners was the smallest in the history of the Grand National. The mare, owned and ridden by Count Karel (Charles) Kinsky, was the ninth of her sex to capture the Grand National.

1893

JOCKEY Harry Barker achieved the amazing feat of finishing second in both the Grand National and the Derby. He rode Aesop at Aintree and Ravensbury at Epsom Downs. The winner Cloister became the first horse to defy 12st7lb.

1903

AMBUSH II was the first runner owned by a reigning monarch but fell at the last, leaving Drumcree to run on for a three-length victory.

1913

FOLLOWING Jerry M and Cloister, Charles Assheton-Smith saw his colours carried to victory for a third time when Jenkinstown’s half-brother Covercoat prevailed.

1923

AT 13, Sergeant Murphy became the joint second oldest winner of the Grand National. He shares the honour with Why Not, who won in 1894.

 

[Yeehaa]

1923
AT 13, Sergeant Murphy became the joint second oldest winner of the Grand National. He shares the honour with Why Not, who won in 1894.
1933
KELLSBORO Jack beat 33 rivals to give owner Florence Clark, sold the seven-year-old by her American millionaire husband F Ambrose Clark for a pound, a famous victory after 9/1 favourite, the legendary Golden Miller, got rid of his jockey at the Canal Turn.
1941-1945
AINTREE was used as a base for American troops during World War II.
1953
TRAINER Vincent O’Brien gained the first of three successive winners of the Grand National, courtesy of Early Mist, and went on to score with Royal Tan in 1954 and Quare Times a year later. He subsequently saddled six Epsom Derby winners and is regarded by many as the greatest trainer ever. The Mildmay Course held its first races, having been the brainchild of Mirabel Topham. The course, which stages races over conventional fences and hurdles, is named after Lord Mildmay, a fine amateur jockey and great supporter of the Grand National.
1963
BREWERS Vaux became involved with the sponsorship of the Grand National and the race was run “for the Vaux Gold Tankard”. Hollywood actor Gregory Peck came to Aintree to witness his Owen’s Sedge finish seventh behind winner Ayala, who was trained by Keith Piggott.
1973
THE great Red Rum won the first of his three Grand Nationals – more than any other horse the race’s history – and he broke the course record time in the process. He completed in 9m1.9s. This was also the year that Brian Fletcher won the world’s greatest steeplechase for the second time, having struck on Red Alligator in 1968. He also went on to score again on Red Rum in 1974. Aintree racecourse was finally sold for £3million to property developer Bill Davies, who vowed to keep the race going.
1983
FUNDRAISERS failed to raise enough money to purchase Aintree and the race was run under the auspices of the Jockey Club after an extension had been agreed with Bill Davies. Jenny Pitman became the first woman to train the winner when Corbiere, ridden by Ben De Haan, beat Greasepaint. Pitman also sent out Royal Athlete to success 12 years later. She retired from training in 1999 and writes thrillers with a racing theme.
1993
THE race was declared void after a false start amid chaotic scenes. The contest was ‘won’ by the Jenny Pitman-trained Esha Ness, who was among a number of horses whose riders failed to notice starter Keith Brown had called a false start and continued to race.
2003
MONTY’S Pass gave the Irish a third victory in five years when landing a massive gamble for the members of the Dee Racing Syndicate. The Jimmy Mangan-trained 10-year-old won by 12 lengths under Barry Geraghty.

 

[Yeehaa]

From Southport Advertiser ( don't have the answers yet )

1What was the winning price of Red Rum when he won his first Grand National in 1973?

2In what year was the Grand National first televised?

3Apart from last year’s winner Neptune Collonges, name the only two grey horses to win the National?

4Jenny Pitman became the first female trainer to win the National in 1983. But who rode her winner Corbiere to victory?

5Name the six Irish trainers – and the horse and year – to have won the National since 1999?

6In which year were Tipperary Tim and Billy Barton the only finishers of the race?

7The following four men – Algy Anthony, Fulke Walwyn, Fred Winter and Tommy Carberry – are the only ones to achieve what in National history?

8Who is the oldest owner of a National winner and what was his horse?

9Who was the oldest Grand National-winning jockey and who did he ride to victory?

10Carl Llewellyn came in for the winning ride on 1992 hero Party Politics because his regular jockey was injured. Who was that jockey?

11Martin Pipe had 81 runners in the race between 1981 and 2006 Miinnehoma won in 1994 but five of his horses were placed. Name the four horses who made the frame from his Pond House stable?

12John Francombe never won the National, the closest he got was third and second on the same horse. Name the horse and years?

13Esha Ness ‘won’ the void race of 1993 But what horse finished second and who was sent off favourite for the race?

14Only two horses ever finished in front of Red Rum in the Grand National. Who were they?

15What do winners Battleship, Foinavon, L’Escargot and Earth Summit have in common?

16Who is the only winner to be trained in Scotland?

17Who is the only winner to be trained in Wales?

18Paul Nicholls won his first Grand National in 2012 with Neptune Collonges. In 52 previous runners he had a horse finish second, third, fourth and two in fifth. Who were they and in what year?

19There have been 13 Grand National-winning mares. But who was the last?

20Which current trainer partnered Rhyme ‘N’ Reason to victory in 1988?

21What happened to 1843 Grand National winner Vanguard after he died? Was he: A Buried at Aintree, B Had his skin made into a sofa by his jockey, or C Sold to the meat trade

22Which is the only horse to have finished second three times?

23Who is the only horse to have won the English, Scottish and Welsh Grand Nationals?

24Which jockey won the Grand National on his only ride in the UK, on what horse and in what year?

25Since the photo-finish was introduced only once have two horses dead-heated. It was for fifth place in 1995. Name the horses?

26Tony McCoy won his first National at the 15th attempt on Don’t Push It in 2009. Who did he ride and where did his finish on his debut in 1995?

27Hollywood actor Gregory Peck owned two horses who ran in the Grand National in 1963 and 1968 respectively. Who were they and where did they finish?

28In recent history, in what year was the famous Becher’s Brook fence first modified?

29Foinavon famously won the Grand National in 1967 at 100-1 following a pile-up at the fence named in his honour. But what horse was the main cause of the pile-up?

30Owned by Liverpool businessman Terry Neill and trained by Martin Pipe, which horse ran in two Nationals in 2000 and 2001 and fell at the first both times?

31Who was the youngest winning jockey in the National?

32Katie Walsh became the fifth and best-placed female jockey to finish the race when she was third on Seabass last year. Name the other four?

 

[Morning Glory]

I see Dickie holds the record for most rides without a win now...this was before last years race.

It is emblematic of Richard Johnson's quietly remarkable riding career that the record he is likely to break in Saturday's Grand National is the one he does not want. If Planet Of Sound, a 40-1 outsider, finishes anywhere but first this weekend, Johnson will have ridden in 16 Nationals without success, and no jockey in the 163-year history of the race will have been to Aintree so frequently without reaching the winner's enclosure.

Johnson currently shares the record for not winning the Grand National with Jeff King, though King could be said to be marginally less successful as he did not finish better than third in his 15 starts in the race. Johnson took second place on What's Up Boys in 2002, when he looked like the winner until Bindaree swept past on the run to the line, though his record also includes falls at something of a holy trinity of National fences: Becher's Brook, The Chair and the first.

Until Tony McCoy won the race two years ago – at the 15th time of asking – his annual insistence beforehand that his lack of a National winner did not bother him was something of an Aintree tradition. So too was the fact that no one really believed him. Johnson, though, is much more convincing when he says that not winning the National does not cost him any sleep.

"I've just not been on the right horse, it's as simple as that," he says. "What's Up Boys had a very good chance and he was only collared on the line.

"I'm in a very fortunate position in that I've ridden lots of very, very good horses in my career and I'm the last one to complain about not doing something. I just feel very lucky to have got what I've had.

"Of course, it's something I'd like to do but there's no point in my worrying about it because worrying about it doesn't achieve anything. I just have to do my best come Saturday."

 

[Old Vic]

How Bechers was named

http://www.fatjockey.com/festivals/racing_festivals.php?How-Bechers-Brook-was-named-230