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Hi People:
I have the last fifty years of Grand Nationals on DVD and some of my American friends who have never seen the race before wish to view some.
As I have been in the US for many years, some suggestions on recent races would also be appreciated as well as some of the older races. This is what is on my list so far.
1. 1960. First televised year.
2. 1963. Ayala and Carrickbeg.
3. 1965. Jay Trump (American Horse)
4. 1967. Foinavon (Obvious reasons)
5. 1973. Crisp and Red Rum.
6. 1977. Red Rum’s third.
7. 1981. Aldaniti.
8. 1986. West Tip (Best horse to win the race I have seen in my life.)
9. 1993. Obvious reasons.What say you guys?
Thanks,
Craig
1980-Ben Nevis II (another American horse/undefeated in the USA).
All of Red Rum’s races, he’s the only steeplechaser that most Americans have actually heard of.
The Rhyme ‘N’ Reason one would be okay, so long as shows the horse down on his nose.
1975 – Dual Gold Cup winner L’Escargot getting his just desserts aged 12 after two placed efforts by beating Red Rum albeit in receipt of 11 lbs.
2001 a must surely Craig? If only for the "horses falling doesn’t always mean injury/death" brigade given i think the worst injury sustained by man or horse was a broken thumb for Choc Thornton (I think) on Village King.
Craig,
The official best Nationals to show are…
88 – Rhyme N Reason
94 – Miinnehoma
01 – Red Marauder
04 – Amberleigh HouseAvoid 1996 to 1999, particularly 1996, the worst National of all time.
Personally I wouldn’t include Red Marauders, it was the dullest and most anti-climactic National I can remember.
Personally I wouldn’t include Red Marauders, it was the dullest and most anti-climactic National I can remember.
As one of only three National winners I’ve ever backed alongside Maori Venture ’87 and Mr Frisk ’90 it was pretty memorable for me … not my luckiest race
As one of only three National winners I’ve ever backed alongside Maori Venture ’87 and Mr Frisk ’90 it was pretty memorable for me … not my luckiest race
Would make a difference BHL, don’t know about it being unlucky for you (sounds like one of McCriricks stats
) you must be well up to a pound level stake?Would make a difference BHL, don’t know about it being unlucky for you (sounds like one of McCriricks stats
) you must be well up to a pound level stake? Very true, Yeats, when viewed in those terms … 28/1, 16/1 and 33/1 over a 23 year period … problem with a race like the National is that you tend to pick 2 or 3 just in case you get an early casualty … never been a favourite backer … work more on the Hugh Taylor theory of looking for value.Talking of value, I have a theory about horses that finish 5th in flat races of 10 or more runners … the proviso is they cannot have the word "weakened" in the race readers analysis irrespective of the race distance ( I know this is arbitrary but it’s just my little quirk ) … as long as the description states "stayed on" or "late headway" or even "one paced closing stages" it’s incredible how many of these horses win or go very close on their next starts … and invariably, because they finished 5th, the price often provides a bit of value … can’t imagine anyone has any stats on this sort of thing but be interested to hear if anyone else has quirky little theories such as this
1990 Mr Frisk for me . If memory serves Frisky still holds the course record time. 1997 as well for the Monday running if nothing else it prooves US Brits don’t let Terrorists stop us.
Wasn’t Mr Frisk owned by an American. Also show 1968 when American socialite and gifted amateur rider Tim Durant got round (remounted second Becher’s). He won their race The Foxhall Cup between the wars.
Papillon was owned by an American-Betty Maxwell Moran-owner of Brushwood Stables-who would definitely be known by American flat folk
1938 Battleship, American owned & bred & he was an entire who went to stud in his homeland. It also is a very close finish, it is on the Pathe News site.
When Mr Frisk won, he and Uncle Merlin were having a proper tussle which might have gone down in history had Hywel Davies not been unseated at Becher’s second time. Uncle Merlin was another Maryland Hunt Cup winner I believe while Mr Frisk was also owned by an American (Lois Duffy).
L’Escargot also had a strong US back story and was another successful in his owner’s home country. He won the 1969 Meadow Brook, finished third in the 1969 Temple Gwathmey and fourth in the inaugural Colonial Cup – I believe he was hunted by Guest’s son Achille in his retirement.
I’d include both the ’82 and ’83 races – Grittar and Corbiere gave near perfect Aintree performances.
L’Escargot is in the US Racing Hall of Fame along with Battleship, Jay Trump, and Ben Nevis II.
Going way back the great American timber horse Billy Barton, winner of the Maryland Grand National (twice), Meadowbrook Cup, VA Gold Cup, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland Hunt Cups (setting a new course record in the MHC), ran twice in the English Grand National. In 1928 he finished second-however, only 2 horses out of 42 actually finished the race! He fell, too, but his rider had the sense to remount. He ran again the next year but did not finish.
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