Tag: grand national

What are the race conditions for the Grand National?

In recent years, in the interests of safety, the race conditions for the Grand National – particularly those relating to the eligibility of horses and jockeys – have been modified more than once. Nowadays, to be eligible to run in the National, horses must be at least seven years old and have an official handicap rating of 125 or more, according to the British Horseracing Authority (BHA). Furthermore, horses must have competed in three or more steeplechases during their careers, including at least one during the current season, and have finished first, second, third or fourth in a steeplechase over an official distance of 2 miles 7½ furlongs or beyond. To be eligible to ride in the National, jockeys, whether amateur or professional, must have ridden at least 15 winners – of which at least ten must have been in steeplechases – under the Rules of Racing in Britain or Ireland. Other changes to the race conditions for the Grand National since the turn of the century include lowering the maximum weight to be carried from 12st to 11st 12lb in 2002 and from 11st 12lb to 11st 10lb in 2009; as previously, no penalties are applied once the weights have been published.

Which horse won the first ‘official’ Grand National?

The race that eventually became the Grand National was derived from an earlier, and highly successful, race, known as the St. Albans Grand Steeplechase, which was first staged in 1830. A steeplechase, known as the Liverpool Grand Steeplechase, was run at Aintree on February 29, 1836 and was won by The Duke, trained by Mr. W. Sirdefield and ridden by Captain Martin Becher. However, the ‘official’ status of this race, and subsequent renewals in 1837 and 1838 – which some sources state took place not at Aintree, but at nearby Maghull – was revoked later in the nineteenth century.

Most racing historians accept that the first official running of the Grand National – although the title ‘Grand National Handicap Steeplechase’ was not adopted until 1847 – was the 1839 renewal of the Grand Liverpool Steeplechase. That race, too, was staged at Aintree, on February 26, 1839, and attracted seventeen runners. The winner on that occasion was Lottery, trained, at least as far as the record books are concerned, by George Dockeray, and ridden by James ‘Jem’ Mason. The nine-year-old took the lead at the fence known simply as the ‘First Brook’ – although it would soon gain notoriety thanks to the exploits of the aforementioned Captain Becher – and was never headed, eventually winning easily.

Which jockey, who retired in 2017, was placed in seven consecutive Grand Nationals?

Whether finishing in the first four in the Grand National seven years running, without ever winning the world famous steeplechase, is an enviable, or unenviable, record is really a matter of opinion, but the jockey who did just that was Paul Moloney. Having hung up his riding boots in 2017, Moloney joined a list of exceptional jockeys, including the John Francome, Jonjo O’Neill, Peter Scudamore and, of course, Richard Johnson – although the latter is still trying, after 21 attempts, so far – never to have won the Grand National. Moloney, himself, failed to complete the course on his first four attempts in the National but, thereafter, his record was remarkable.

Moloney achieved all seven placings aboard three horses, all saddled by Vale of Glamorgan trainer Evan Williams and all carrying the familiar blue colours of William and Angela Rucker. His sequence began with State Of Play, who finished fourth behind Mon Mome in 2009, third behind Don’t Push It in 2010, and fourth, again, behind Ballabriggs in 2011. In 2012, Cappa Bleu, described by Moloney as ‘an absolute armchair ride’, picked upon the baton, finishing fourth, yet again, behind Neptune Collonges and, in 2013, finished second behind Auroras Encore. Next it was the turn of the quirky, but talented, Alvarado, who finished fourth behind both Pineau De Re in 2014 and Many Clouds in 2015.

How many times did Richard Dunwoody win the Grand National?

Thomas Richard Dunwoody, who was awarded the MBE for services to horse racing in 1993, won the Grand National twice. Indeed, Dunwoody may well have won the celebrated steeplechase at the first attempt, in 1985, but for parting company with joint-favourite West Tip when disputing the lead at Becher’s Brook on the second circuit. Nevertheless, the partnership returned to Aintree in 1986 when, once again well-fancied at 15/2 second favourite, West Tip kept his feet to record a two-length win over 66/1 outsider Young Driver.

In fact, by his own admission, West Tip was the first horse that really set Dunwoody ‘on the way’. Dunwoody rode West Tip in three subsequent Grand Nationals, finishing fourth in 1987 and 1988 and second in 1989 – which was, in itself, a remarkable record – but it was not until 1994 that he won the Aintree showpiece again. By that stage of his career, Dunwoody had become stable jockey to Martin Pipe and won the National Hunt Jockeys’ Championship for the first time, in 1993.

His mount, Miinnehoma, who was owned by Liverpudlian comedian Freddie Starr and trained by Martin Pipe, was only co-fifth choice of the betting market at 16/1 but, having survived a mistake at Becher’s Brook on the second circuit, was one of only six of the thirty-six starters to complete the course. On the prevailing heavy going, Miinnehoma took over from the weakening favourite, Moorcroft Boy, who would eventually finish third, on the run-in and withstood a renewed challenge from confirmed mudlark Just So in the closing stages to win by 1¼ lengths.

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