The Grand National

The imposing fences Becher's Brook, the Chair, Valentine's, the Canal Turn... never fail to excite.

The race has given us some of sports must endurable memories and legends have been made of the likes of Devon Loch, Dick Francis, Foinavon, Red Rum, Ginger McCain , Aldaniti, Bob Champion etc.

Race Facts:
Today the maximum number of runners permissible in the Grand National is 40.

The race is run over four and half miles.

Horses have to successfully jump a total of 30 fences. Each of the 16 individual fences are jumped twice, apart from The Chair and The Water Jump. The race comprises two circuits of the course.

Fence 15 : The Chair is the tallest and broadest fence on the course at 5 feet 2 inches. There is a 6 feet wide ditch on the take-off side, requiring perfect timing of the jump.

After the final fence, the horses face a 494 yard sprint for the winning post!

Race History:
1839 - The first Aintree Grand National, won by the 5-1 favourite "Lottery". This was also the year in which the infamous Captain Martin Becher fell from his horse "Conrad" into the brook when in the lead, thus beginning the legend that is Becher's Brook. Becher's Brook is the 6th fence on the first circuit, and 22nd on the second. It was modified for safety purposes in 1989, and remains one of the most formidable fences.

1840 - Valentines (fence 8 and 24) was named this year when a horse called "Valentine" reared up violently before jumping the fence and somehow managing to reach the other side. The race was won by "Jerry", a 12-1 outsider.

1845 - "Cure All" won and was the first horse to do so in less than 11 minutes.

1850 - "Abd-El-Kader" won and was the first horse to do so in under 10 minutes, winning �1,000.

1851 - "Abd-El-Kader" became the first ever dual Grand National winner.

1857 - The renewal of the Grand National saw no less than 7 false starts. The race was won by "Emigrant" at 10-1.

1868 - "The Lamb" won for the first time at 9-1, the first grey horse to win the National.

1869 - "The Colonel" won for the first time at 100-7.

1870 - "The Colonel", 7-2 favourite, became a dual winner.

1871 - "The Lamb" became a dual winner at 11-2.

1884 - The first horse owned by HRH The Prince of Wales ran this year - a horse called "The Scot" who failed to complete the course. The race was won by "Voluptuary" at 10-1.

1885 - Foul play was suspected as one of the runners met with a severe case of poisoning as the favourite, "Roquefort", won the race with �1,035 prize money.

1893 - 9-2 favourite, "Cloister", won with a time of just over 9� minutes creating a new record.

1897 - "Manifesto" won for the first time.

1899 - "Manifesto became a dual winner.

1900 - The National was won by HRH The Prince of Wales' horse "Ambush II".

1903 - King Edward VII had "Ambush II" running again, but this time the horse fell. The favourite "Drumcree" won making his owners �2,000 richer.

1916-1918 - With the first World War the race was moved to Gatwick.

1919 - Lester Piggott's Grandfather, Ernie Piggott, won the race on "Poethlyn" , at 11-4, winning just over �3,500 for the owners .

1921 - A record 35 horses took part with "Shaun Spadah" winning �7,000 for the owners.

1923 - "Sergeant Murphy" won at 100-6.

1925 - This year saw the introduction of the starting gate with "Double Chance" ridden by Major J Wilson winning at 100-9.

1927 - The BBC started its radio coverage showing 37 starters and a win by the 8-1 favourite "Sprig".

1928 - A new record of 42 faced the starter but only two finished (an all-time low) as "Tipperary Tim" won at 100-1. Most of the field departed at the Canal Turn when "Easter Hero" fell and caused a huge pile up .The prize money that year was �11,000.

1929 - The biggest field ever to take part in the National saw 66 horses charge down to the first fence. The race was won by 100-1 shot, "Gregalach", who netted �13,000 pounds for his grateful owners.

1933 - The great "Golden Miller", dual winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, fell at the Canal Turn with 25-1 "Kellsboro' Jack" winning.

1934 - "Golden Miller", at 8-1, won in 9 minutes and 20 seconds.

1935 - "Golden Miller", with 5 Gold Cups and a National win under his belt, started at 2-1 favourite but unseated his rider at the 10th fence as "Reynoldstown" went on to win the race.

1936 - "Reynoldstown" completed a double in the National.

1938 - An unlikely pair, Bruce Hobbs at the tender age of 17 on "Battleship" who was just over 15 hands high took the victory.

1941-1945 - Aintree Racecourse was used as an American Army Base for the Second World War.

1947 - The race was moved to a Saturday as 57 horses lined up with "Caughoo" taking first place at 100-1.

1948 - A 50-1 outsider, "Sheila`s Cottage", won the race.

1950 - Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth had her first horse in this race, "Monaveen", which finishes sixth while "Freebooter" won at 10-1.

1952 - Mrs Topham employed her own commentators for the race, which "Teal" won at 100-7.

1953 - "Early Mist" won for Irish Trainer, Vincent O'Brien.

1954 - "Royal Tan" won, trained by Vincent O'Brien.

1955 - Vincent O'Brien notched up his 3^rd National win in a row with "Quare Times".

1956 - The greatest mystery ever on a racecourse occurred with "Devon Loch". It was coronation year, Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II's horse, "Devon Loch", was clear coming up to the elbow at the end of the National when he went to jump a non existent obstacle, slipped along the turf and came to a halt being beaten by "ESB". Was it the shadow of the Chair Fence that made him jump? Was it the huge crowd that frightened him with the tremendous crescendo of noise that was about to greet a Royal Grand National winner? We will never know, but Devon Loch will always be known as the unluckiest Aintree loser of all time.

1959 - This year saw the heroic riding of Tim Brookshaw who rode "Wyndburgh" into second place despite having to ride without irons from Bechers Brook second time around. "Oxo" won the race at 8-1.

1960 - Saw the first ever televised Grand National with the great Peter O'Sullevan starting his affiliation with Aintree and the Grand National. "Merryman II" won the race in a time of 9 minutes and 26 seconds.

1961 - The Russians came in the shape of two horses, "Grifel" and "Reljef" but they failed to complete the course with the race won by "Nicholas Silver", the second grey horse to win the National.

1967 - "Foinavon" won at 100-1 as he was the only horse to negotiate fence 23 at the first time of asking. "Popham Down" ran right across the fence causing complete chaos for the rest of the field. The selling race which took place the day before, saw a horse dead heat for first place that would later bring the Grand National back to its place at the heart of the nation - that horse was called "Red Rum".

1968 - American film star Gregory Peck owned the favourite, "Different Class" who finished third with victory going to "Red Alligator" ridden by Brian Fletcher.

1973 - "Red Rum" won his first National in a record time of 9 minutes and 2 seconds. The race revolved around Red Rum and a great Australian chaser called Crisp, both 9-1 joint favourites. Crisp had 12-0 on his back and Red Rum had 10-5. The Australian horse led for a lot of the way but was just run out of it in the last few strides. It was a memorable Grand National and the start of a legend of "Red Rum" - incidentally named because it spells Murder backwards!

1974 - "Red Rum" at 11-1 won for the second time, with his jockey, Brian Fletcher, taking his third win in the race.

1975 - The News of the World was the new sponsor of the race with prize money of �38,000 which went to "L'Escargot" at 13-2, beating "Red Rum".

1976 - "Red Rum" finished second, this time to 14-1 shot "Rag Trade". Once again the legendary horse was valiant in defeat carrying 11 stone 10 pounds around the course and only being beaten by a couple of lengths.

1977 - History was made! "Red Rum" at 9-1 won his third Grand National beating "Churchtown Boy" by 25 lengths. This remains the most moving piece of Aintree's history as this horse captured the heart of the nation. Also in this year Miss Charlotte Brew became the first woman ever to ride in the race but her mount, "Barony Fort", refused with 4 fences still to jump.

1980 - "Ben Nevis", 40-1, from the USA won the race worth nearly �46,000 and this year saw the death of Aintree's owner, Mrs Topham.

1981 - Another Aintree legend saw "Aldaniti" ridden by Bob Champion into first place. Aldaniti had been plagued with injuries throughout his career and Bob Champion had fought to recover from cancer. Aldaniti led from the eleventh fence and beat Spartan Missile, ridden by 54 year old amateur jockey John Thorne, by four lengths. The race was now worth �51,324.

1982 - Mrs Geraldine Rees became the first woman to complete the course and last year's winner "Aldaniti" fell at the first fence. Dick Saunders, aged 48, won on Grittar, the 7-1 favourite.

1983 - The first lady of Aintree, trainer Jenny Pitman, won the race with "Corbiere" ridden by Ben De Haan.

1984 - This was the year when most horses finished the course - a total of 23. "Hallo Dandy" won the race but, despite his achievement he was to become the subject of horror a few years later when he was found disshevelled and neglected in a field. He is now enjoying a happy retirement at the Thoroughbred Rehabilitation Centre.

1985 - "Last Suspect" at 66-1 and trained by Captain Tim Forster won �54,000 for the owner, The Duchess of Westminster.

1987 - "Maori Venture" won �64,000 pounds for his owner, octogenarian Mr Jim Joel.

1988 - "Rhyme 'n' Reason" won �85,000 for Juliet Reed despite sprawling on all fours at Bechers Brook on the first circuit.

1990 - The first horse to win in under 9 minutes - Mr Frisk takes first place in 8 minutes and 47 seconds. A few weeks later Mr Frisk went on to win the Whitbread Gold Cup and became one of the few horses ever to do the big race double.

1991 - The Seagram Grand National was won by a horse called "Seagram" winning �90,000 for the owners.

1992 - The giant 18 hands high "Party Politics" won despite a tube in his neck to help him breath. The prize money for the winner had now reached �99,943.

1993 - This National that wasn�t . First attempt and animal activists meddled at the start. When the race was eventually started Richard Dunwoody got the tape stuck round his neck and a false start was given. Unfortunately the flagman did not see the flag so he never signalled for a false start. Consequently some horses stopped at the start and some horses stopped halfway while 7 carried on to complete the course with "Esha Ness" and John White winning for trainer Jenny Pitman only to be told that the race was void.

1994 - "Comedian"? Freddie Starr won the race with his horse "Minnehoma" trained by Martin Pipe and ridden by Richard Dunwoody.

1995 - Trainer, Jenny Pitman, won again with 40-1 "Royal Athlete" ridden by Irishman Jason Titley having his first ride in the big race.

1997 - A bomb scare disrupted the race and it was re-scheduled for Monday afternoon where it was won by "Lord Gyllene" ridden by Tony Dobbin.

2000 - Irish father and son Ted and Ruby Walsh won the race with "Papillon" who was subject of a huge morning gamble dropping odds from 33-1 down to around 12-1 netting a supposed �1m coup.

2001 - Red Maurauder won a controversial race at 33-1 when only four finished (and two of those remounted!). The ground was very heavy, and there was massive debate as to whether the race should have gone ahead. Mayhem rained at the Canal Turn when "Paddys Return" trotted into the path of oncoming horses, taking many with him. Fortunately, all horses and jockey's came out unscathed.

2002 - Bindaree won for trainer Nigel Twiston Davies.

2003 - Monty's Pass 

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