British Grand Prix
The Grand National – England 1839
I thought as The Grand National is an Iconic English Horse race, I thought it would be interesting to fans of English Horse racing to know It’s history. The origins of the Grand National can be traced back to the first official races at Aintree which were initiated by the owner of Liverpool’s Waterloo Hotel, Mr William Lynn. Lynn who leased the land from Lord Sefton, built a course, built a grandstand and staged the first Grand National on Tuesday February 26th 1839 and Lottery became the first winner of The Grand National. In those days the field had to jump a stone wall (now the water jump), cross a stretch of ploughed land and finished over two hurdles.
The Grand National in the days of the Topham family owned substantial tracts of land around Aintree and had been involved with the management of the course since the early years of the Aintree Meeting. In 1949 Lord Sefton sold the course to the Tophams who appointed ex-Gaiety Girl Mirabel Topham to manage it. Mrs Topham built a new track within the established National Racecourse and named it after Lord Mildmay, a fine amateur jockey and lover of the Grand National. The Mildmay course opened in 1953, the same year as the motor circuit which still encircles the track.
The motor circuit was another of Mrs Topham’s ideas and it quickly gained a reputation as one the best in the world hosting a European Grand Prix and five British Grand Prix. Stirling Moss won his first Grand Prix on it in 1955 while Jim Clark won the 1962 event.
Aintree Racecourse suffered some lean times in the post-war years and in 1965 it was announced that the course would be sold to a property developer. In 1973 the Tophams finally sold the course to property developer Bill Davies who gave a commitment to keep the race going however he was not a real racing fan. As a result the attendance at the 1975 Liverpool Grand National was the smallest in living memory (Davies had tripled the admission price) and the great race reached its lowest point.
Ladbrokes, the bookmaker made a bold bid in 1975 and signed an agreement with Davies allowing them to manage the Grand National.
Ladbrokes, like all true racing professionals, had a genuine love for the National and were determined to keep it alive. Their task stretched over the next eight years and they set about it admirably but Davies was reluctant to renew their contract. He was determined to sell Aintree.
Racing and the public in general finally realised that after so many years of “crying wolf” the threat was serious and a huge campaign was launched to rescue the race once and for all.
Donations from the public helped the Jockey Club pay Davies’ price and in early ’83 he finally sold the racecourse. That year the Grand National was sponsored by the Sun newspaper but in ’84 Seagram Distillers stepped in to provide the solid foundation on which Aintree’s revival has been built.
The last Seagram-sponsored National was in 1991 when the race was won by a horse which chairman Straker twice had the opportunity to buy; the horse’s name was Seagram.
The Seagram subsidiary, Martell, took over sponsorship in 1992. Martell backs the whole three-day Grand National meeting. Around 100,000 people will be at Aintree to watch the top horses battle for honours.
By far the most successful and my favourite horse in Grand National history was Red Rum, the only horse to win three times, in 1973, 1974, and in 1977. He also came second in the two intervening years, 1975 and 1976. In 1973, he beat the champion Crisp who had to carry 12 stone, in what is arguably the most memorable Grand National of all time.
Aintree racecourse has overcome all the obstacles and today enjoys its most successful period in modern times. Future plans include a new grandstand, a Heritage Centre and a strong ambition to establish Aintree as an international tourist attraction on non-racedays.
Below is a list of the Past Winners of the Grand National:
Year
Winner
1836
1836–38
1839
Lottery
1840
Jerry
1841
Charity
1842
Gay Lad
1843
Vanguard
1844
Discount
1845
Cure-All
1846
Pioneer
1847
Mathew
1848
Chandler
1849
Peter Simple
1850
Abd-El-Kader
1851
Abd-El-Kader
1852
Miss Mowbray
1853
Peter Simple
1854
Bourton
1855
Wanderer
1856
Freetrader
1857
Emigrant
1858
Little Charley
1859
Half Caste
1860
Anatis
1861
Jealousy
1862
Huntsman
1863
Emblem
1864
Emblematic
1865
Alcibiade
1866
Salamander
1867
Cortolvin
1868
The Lamb
1869
The Colonel
1870
The Colonel
1871
The Lamb
1872
Casse Tete
1873
Disturbance
1874
Reugny
1875
Pathfinder
1876
Regal
1877
Austerlitz
1878
Shifnal
1879
The Liberator
1880
Empress
1881
Woodbrook
1882
Seaman
1883
Zoedone
1884
Voluptuary
1885
Roquefort
1886
Old Joe
1887
Gamecock
1888
Playfair
1889
Frigate
1890
Ilex
1891
Come Away
1892
Father O’Flynn
1893
Cloister
1894
Why Not
1895
Wild Man From Borneo
1896
The Soarer
1897
Manifesto
1898
Drogheda
1899
Manifesto
1900
Ambush II
1901
Grudon
1902
Shannon Lass
1903
Drumcree
1904
Moifaa
1905
Kirkland
1906
Ascetic’s Silver
1907
Eremon
1908
Rubio
1909
Lutteur III
1910
Jenkinstown
1911
Glenside
1912
Jerry M
1913
Covertcoat
1914
Sunloch
1915
Ally Sloper
1916
1916–18 see below
1919
Poethlyn
1920
Troytown
1921
Shaun Spadah
1922
Music Hall
1923
Sergeant Murphy
1924
Master Robert
1925
Double Chance
1926
Jack Horner
1927
Sprig
1928
Tipperary Tim
1929
Gregalach
1930
Shaun Goilin
1931
Grakle
1932
Forbra
1933
Kellsboro Jack
1934
Golden Miller
1935
Reynoldstown
1936
Reynoldstown
1937
Royal Mail
1938
Battleship
1939
Workman
1940
Bogskar
1941
1941–45 no race [b]
1946
Lovely Cottage
1947
Caughoo
1948
Sheila’s Cottage
1949
Russian Hero
1950
Freebooter
1951
Nickel Coin
1952
Teal
1953
Early Mist
1954
Royal Tan
1955
Quare Times
1956
E.S.B.
1957
Sundew
1958
Mr What
1959
Oxo
1960
Merryman II
1961
Nicolaus Silver
1962
Kilmore
1963
Ayala
1964
Team Spirit
1965
Jay Trump
1966
Anglo
1967
Foinavon
1968
Red Alligator
1969
Highland Wedding
1970
Gay Trip
1971
Specify
1972
Well to Do
1973
Red Rum
1974
Red Rum
1975
L’Escargot
1976
Rag Trade
1977
Red Rum
1978
Lucius
1979
Rubstic
1980
Ben Nevis
1981
Aldaniti
1982
Grittar
1983
Corbiere
1984
Hallo Dandy
1985
Last Suspect
1986
West Tip
1987
Maori Venture
1988
Rhyme ‘n’ Reason
1989
Little Polveir
1990
Mr Frisk
1991
Seagram
1992
Party Politics
1993
race void [c]
1994
Miinnehoma
1995
Royal Athlete
1996
Rough Quest
1997
Lord Gyllene
1998
Earth Summit
1999
Bobbyjo
2000
Papillon
2001
Red Marauder
2002
Bindaree
2003
Monty’s Pass
2004
Amberleigh House
2005
Hedgehunter
2006
Numbersixvalverde
2007
Silver Birch
2008
Comply or Die
2009
Mon Mome
2010
Don’t Push It
The 1843 winner Vanguard was trained at Lord Chesterfield’s private stables at Bretby Hall
B) The race was abandoned from 1941 to 1945 because of World War II
C) The 1993 running was declared void because some of the horses failed to be called back after a false start.
Unofficial winners Pre-1839
The first official running of the “Grand National” is now considered to be the 1839
Grand Liverpool Steeplechase. There had been a similar race for several years prior to this, but its status as an official Grand National was revoked some time between 1862 and 1873.
Year
Winner
1836
The Duke
1837
The Duke
1838
Sir William
1916–18
For three years during World War 1, the Grand National could not be run at Aintree, and so a substitute event was held at another racecourse, Gatwick. This venue is now defunct, and it is presently the site of Garwick Airport. The course was modified to make it similar to Aintree, and the races were contested over the same distance, with one less fence to be jumped.
The 1916 running was titled the Racecourse Association Steeplechase, and for the next two years it was known as the War National.
Year
Winner
1916
Vermouth
1917
Ballymacad
1918
Poethlyn
Please visit my Horse racing and Jockeys on Art Prints Collection @ http://www.fabprints.com/HORSES.html
My other website is called Directory of British Icons: http://fabprints.webs.com
The Chinese call Britain ‘The Island of Hero’s’ which I think sums up what we British are all about. We British are inquisitive and competitive and are always looking over the horizon to the next adventure and discovery.
Copyright © 2010 Paul Hussey. All Rights Reserved.
About the Author
My family tree has been traced back to the early Kings of England from the 7th Century AD. I am also a direct descendent of Sir Christopher Wren which has given me an interest in English History and Icons which is great fun to research.
I have recently decided to write articles on my favourite subjects: English Sports, English History, English Icons, English Discoveries and English Inventions.
At present I have written over 100 articles which I call “An Englishman’s Favourite Bits Of England” in various Volumes.
Please visit my Blogs page http://Bloggs.Resourcez.Com where I have listed all my articles to date.
Copyright © 2010 Paul Hussey. All Rights Reserved.
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