Grand National

The Grand National is the most valuable National Hunt horse race in the world. It is popular amongst many people who do not normally watch or bet on horse racing at other times of the year. It is also one of the most controversial, due to the high profile given to injuries and fatalities suffered by the participating horses, making it a target for animal rights groups who have campaigned to have it banned. [cite press release
title = Animal Aid calls for boycott of the notorious race
publisher = Animal Aid
url = http://www.animalaid.org.uk/h/n/NEWS/pr_horse/ALL/1759//
date = 28 March 2008] In one hundred and sixty two runnings of the race there have been fifty-seven equine fatalities, four of those in one year, 1954, while one jockey has also lost his life as a result of injuries sustained in the race. [ ISBN 978-1-905156-43-6 A-Z of The Grand National]

Event

The Grand National is a Grade 3 handicap chase currently restricted to six-year-old and above horses. It is run over a distance of 4 miles 4 furlongs (7,242 m) at Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool, usually on a Saturday in early April. There are thirty fences to be jumped in the race.

It is run over two circuits of Aintree's "National Course", on which there are sixteen fences. All except The Chair and the Water-Jump are jumped twice. Some fences have acquired near-legendary status for their severity, particularly Becher's Brook [http://www.aintree.co.uk/pages/the-grand-national-course/] and The Chair, although in recent years this severity has been much reduced due to pressure from various animal rights groups. The Grand National is the centerpiece of a three-day meeting, one of only four run at Aintree in the racing season.

It is one of ten events reserved for live broadcast on UK terrestrial television under the ITC Code on Sports and Other Listed Events. Each year since 2000 the Grand National has been watched worldwide by over 600 million viewers. Since 1987 the viewing base for the Grand National has been over 500 million showing the fan base for the big race has increased significantly.

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

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

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

History

There is much debate among historians regarding the first official race held and most who have trawled the newspaper libraries of the United Kingdom now prefer the idea that the first running was in 1836 and was won by The Duke. This same horse triumphed again in 1837, while Sir William was the winner in 1838. These races have long been disregarded because of the belief that the 1837 & 1838 runnings took place at Maghull and not Aintree. In the last twenty years, several race historians have unearthed indisputable evidence that these three races were all run over the same course at Aintree and were regarded as having been Grand Nationals up until the mid 1860s. To date though, their calls for the Nationals of 1836-38 to be restored to the record books have been ignored. The first Grand National at Aintree was in 1839 and was won by the aptly named horse, Lottery.

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

During the 1950s the Grand National was dominated by Vincent O'Brien who trained the winner of the race for three consecutive years between 1953 and 1955. Early Mist won the race in 1953 with Royal Tan winning in 1954 and the hat-trick of victories for the Irish trainer was completed by Quare Times in 1955.

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

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

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

In 1997, the Saturday meeting was abandoned after two coded bomb threats were received, reportedly from the Provisional Irish Republican Army. 60,000 spectators, jockeys, race personnel and local residents were evacuated, and the course was secured by police. The race was eventually run on the Monday, with the meeting organisers offering free admission. Some 20,000 people were left stranded over the weekend, with cars and coaches locked in the course. With limited accommodation in the city and surrounding areas, local residents opened their doors and took in many of those stranded.

Many well known jockeys have failed to win the Grand National. These include champion jockeys such as Terry Biddlecombe, John Francome, Josh Gifford, Stan Mellor, Jonjo O'Neill (who never finished the race), Fred Rimell and Peter Scudamore. More recently, multiple champion and record holder Tony McCoy has failed to win the race along with contemporaries Richard Johnson, and Adrian Maguire. Three jockeys who led over the last fence in the National and just lost the race on the run-in ended up as TV racing pundits. These were Lord Oaksey on Carrickbeg in 1963, Norman Williamson on Mely Moss in 2000, and Richard Pitman on Crisp in 1973. The same fate occurred to Pitman's son Mark on Garrison Savannah in 1991.

Twelve mares have won the race: Miss Mowbray (1852), Anatis (1860), Jealousy (1861), Emblem (1863), Emblematic (1864), Casse Tete (1872), Empress (1880), Zoedone (1883), Frigate (1889), Shannon Lass (1902), Sheila's Cottage (1948) and Nickel Coin (1951).

Records

Records from Grand Nationals run at Aintree since 1839.
* Most successful horse - Red Rum, 3 wins (1973, 1974, 1977), 2 second places (1975, 1976)
* Most successful jockey - George Stevens, 5 wins (1856, 1863, 1864, 1869, 1870)
* Most successful trainer - Fred Rimell (1956, 1961, 1970, 1976), Ginger McCain (1973, 1974, 1977, 2004), 4 wins each *
* Fastest winning time - 8m 47.8s, Mr Frisk (1990)
* Oldest winning horse - Peter Simple, aged 15 (1853)
* Youngest winning horse - Alcibiade (1865), Regal (1876), Austerlitz (1877), Empress (1880), Lutteur III (1909), all aged 5
* Oldest winning jockey - Dick Saunders, aged 48 (1982)
* Youngest winning jockey - Bruce Hobbs, aged 17 (1938)
* Longest odds winner - Tipperary Tim (1928), Gregalach (1929), Caughoo (1947), Foinavon (1967), all 100/1
* Largest field - 66 runners (1929)
* Smallest field - 10 runners (1883)
* Most horses to finish - 23 (1984)
* Fewest horses to finish - 2 (1928)

"* George Dockeray is also credited with four training successes between 1839-52 but it is difficult to determine whether he actually trained the horses involved or merely stabled them."

Winners

* "Weights given in stones - pounds; Amateur jockeys identified by title ("Mr", "Captain" etc)."* The 1836 to 1838 races are not currently recognised as Grand Nationals by Aintree Racecourse.
* From 1916 to 1918 there was no race at Aintree due to World War I, but an alternative race was held each year at Gatwick.
* The race was not run from 1941 to 1945 due to World War II.
* The 1993 race was declared void because some of the runners failed to be called back after a false start.

Notes

* 1836 - The Duke won the inaugural Great Liverpool Steeplechase at Aintree which would be later renamed the Grand National.
* 1900 - The winning horse Ambush II was owned by the Prince of Wales - the future King Edward VII.
* 1905 - Kirkland, based in Pembrokeshire, is the only winner to be trained in Wales.
* 1923 - Sergeant Murphy became the first American-bred horse to win the Grand National.
* 1926 - Willie Watkinson recorded the first riding success for Australia. Sadly the Tasmanian born rider was killed at Bogside in Scotland less than three weeks later.
* 1927 - The first BBC radio commentary of the race, by Meyrick Good and George Allison.
* 1934 - The only horse to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National in the same season - Golden Miller.
* 1938 - The American-bred Battleship, son of the famous Man o' War, became the first (and so far only) horse to have won both the Grand National and the American Grand National (won four years earlier).
* 1956 - Devon Loch, owned by the Queen Mother and ridden by Dick Francis, was in the lead and certain to win when he inexplicably leapt and unseated the jockey on the run-in, 50 yards (45 m) from the finish, giving victory to E.S.B.
* 1960 - The race was televised for the first time. Since then it has always been shown by the BBC.
* 1961 - The most recent grey horse to win the race - Nicolaus Silver. The only previous grey to win was The Lamb (1868 and 1871).
* 1962 - Wyndburgh finished runner-up for the third time, but was never to win the race.
* 1967 - A pile up at the 23rd fence held up many horses in the race, allowing 100-1 outsider, Foinavon, to win.
* 1968 - The favourite for the race Different Class was owned by actor Gregory Peck.
* 1975 - The second Cheltenham Gold Cup winner to win the Grand National - L'Escargot.
* 1977 - Red Rum's third victory in the Grand National.
* 1977 - The first female jockey rode in the race. Charlotte Brew rode 200-1 shot Barony Fort, who refused at the fourth fence from home.
* 1979 - Rubstic, based in Roxburghshire, was the first winner to be trained in Scotland.
* 1981 - Bob Champion, who had been diagnosed with cancer and told he only had months to live in 1979, was the winning jockey on Aldaniti, who had almost been retired because of leg trouble. A film was made of their story entitled Champions.
* 1982 - The first female jockey to complete the race - Geraldine Rees, finished 8th (last) on 66-1 outsider Cheers.
* 1983 - The first woman to train the winner - Jenny Pitman, with Corbiere.
* 1988 - The race was won by Brendan Powell riding Rhyme 'n' Reason, despite the horse spread-eagling on landing at Becher's Brook on the first circuit.
* 1990 - Jockey Chris Grant came second in the race for the third time (previous years were 1986 and 1988).
* 1991 - The race was won by a horse called Seagram - coincidentally the race was sponsored at the time by the company Seagram. The company had previous chances to buy the horse.
* 1992 - Party Politics won the race just five days before the 1992 UK General Election. Carl Llewellyn got his winning ride only because the horse's regular jockey Andrew Adams was injured. In 1998 he got another winning ride, this time because of an injury to that horse's regular jockey Tom Jenks.
* 1993 - The race was declared void after many of the riders did not hear the starter's recall. The first horse past the post was Esha Ness, ridden by John White.
* 1994 - The winning horse Miinnehoma was owned by the comedian Freddie Starr.
* 1997 - The delayed race (rescheduled 48 hours later after a suspected IRA bomb threat) was the last of 50 Nationals (including the void race of 1993) to be commentated on by Peter O'Sullevan.
* 2001 - Richard Guest's winning ride on Red Marauder subsequently won the Lester Award for "Jump Ride of the Year".
* 2005 - The race was moved back by 25 minutes owing to the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles.
* 2008 - Jockey Mick Fitzgerald sustained a serious neck injury and 2007 runner-up McKelvey had to be put down. [cite news
title = 2008 Grand National
publisher = BBC
date 5 April 2008
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/horse_racing/7330079.stm]

References

* [http://www.aintree.co.uk/files/media_guide.pdf Aintree Media Guide]
* [http://www.grandnational.org.uk Official Grand National site]
* [http://www.horseracinghistory.co.uk/hrho/action/viewRaces?id=7 horseracinghistory.co.uk]
* Racing Post:
** [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=23802&r_date=1988-4-9 1988] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=29353&r_date=1989-4-8 1989] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=34757&r_date=1990-4-7 1990] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=40399&r_date=1991-4-6 1991] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=45936&r_date=1992-4-4 1992] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=57601&r_date=1994-4-9 1994] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=62988&r_date=1995-4-8 1995] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=200402&r_date=1996-3-30 1996] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=233919&r_date=1997-4-7 1997] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=247613&r_date=1998-4-4 1998]
** [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=262162&r_date=1999-4-10 1999] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=276313&r_date=2000-4-8 2000] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=295995&r_date=2001-4-7 2001] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=310979&r_date=2002-4-6 2002] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=326818&r_date=2003-4-5 2003] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=344211&r_date=2004-4-3 2004] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=368041&r_date=2005-4-9 2005] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=398944&r_date=2006-4-8 2006] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=423603&r_date=2007-4-14 2007] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/race_result.sd?race_id=448236&r_date=2008-4-5 2008]
* [http://www.tbheritage.com/TurfHallmarks/racecharts/GrandNational.html tbheritage.com]

ee also

* Horseracing in Great Britain
* List of British National Hunt races