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Aside from inspired winning rides, which jockey can be most proud of completing the Grand National course on a bad jumper?
Two that come to mind:
My Will, 3rd (Ruby Walsh – 2009)
Hardly jumped a fence cleanly, propped Walsh down his neck several times and still nursed into 3rd.
Lord Atterbury, 3rd (Mark Bradburne – 2004)
Hit just about every fence down the back on the second circuit, then fell at the first in 2005.Amateur jockey William Dutton on Tipperary Tim in the 1928 Grand National. In a 42-horse field in misty weather on a track like quicksand,
every other horse fell
.
Honorary mention to the only other horse to finish that race, the American timber horse Billy Barton and jockey Tommy Cullinan. He fell at the last while in the lead but his jockey had enough sense to remount and thus Billy Barton earned second place, a Time magazine cover and a statue at Laurel Park.
http://img.timeinc.net/time/magazine/archive/covers/1929/1101290318_400.jpg
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5014/5422818074_3c645eb8a6_n.jpg
Roc De Prince was hardly a natural in 92, or, in particular 94, with Jonathan Lower on board. Worked wonders to get him round.
Also Graham McCourt on Gold Cap in 95, and John Francome always said, So, in 81 hated every second.
First prize to Richard Guest on Red Marauder though.
Worthy contenders there – thanks guys. I forgot how hesitant Red Marauder was, VTC. Just watched it again. He almost banked the big ditch on the second circuit and walked right through the last.
How about John Buckingham. Just watch a replay of the famous 1967 national and you’ll see Foinavon trying to pull himself up when left in the lead.
Incidentally when did they start calling it the Foinavon fence, because in the seventies and eighties I never heard it called that before, and it should really be called Popham Down fence since it was him (riderless who caused the pile up, with another horse). Foinavon was just so far back that John Buckingham could avoid it.
Ruby Walsh for sure but now of course our own Ryan Mania is among the greats. Definate the lad did good and hails from Galashiels in Scotland icing on the cake, good for you lad.
How about John Buckingham. Just watch a replay of the famous 1967 national and you’ll see Foinavon trying to pull himself up when left in the lead.
Incidentally when did they start calling it the Foinavon fence, because in the seventies and eighties I never heard it called that before, and it should really be called Popham Down fence since it was him (riderless who caused the pile up, with another horse). Foinavon was just so far back that John Buckingham could avoid it.
I believe Jim McGraph coined it the ‘Foinavon Fence’ when he joined the Aintree team in ’93.
Also i understand one of the men broadcasting the National 1967 actually suggested it being named the Foinavon immediately after the race…? Took over 25 years, but he finally got his moment!
Johnny Buckingham also jokingly pondered why, if they named Bechers after a jockey, why they couldn’t call it the Buckingham fence? Has a pretty nice ring to it
How about John Buckingham. Just watch a replay of the famous 1967 national and you’ll see Foinavon trying to pull himself up when left in the lead.
Incidentally when did they start calling it the Foinavon fence, because in the seventies and eighties I never heard it called that before, and it should really be called Popham Down fence since it was him (riderless who caused the pile up, with another horse). Foinavon was just so far back that John Buckingham could avoid it.
I believe Jim McGraph coined it the ‘Foinavon Fence’ when he joined the Aintree team in ’93.
Also i understand one of the men broadcasting the National 1967 actually suggested it being named the Foinavon immediately after the race…? Took over 25 years, but he finally got his moment!
Johnny Buckingham also jokingly pondered why, if they named Bechers after a jockey, why they couldn’t call it the Buckingham fence? Has a pretty nice ring to it
Yes, I couldn’t find any race before 1993 when it was referred to as Foinavon, although in the 1992 post race analysis one of the commentators nearly called it Foinavon fence, instead of Foinavon race in his sentence.
Why would they call the fence after Buckingham, after all he didn’t fall off at it like Becher and Valentine did.
Btw when I saw the title of the thread I thought it was about the number of finishers in the race. This is 23 I believe, set when they first introduced a limit of 40 runners in the race.
The fence was officially named foinavon years before 1993 but the name didn’t catch on much. Several of my schoolboy (1980s) grand national books mention it.
Jim McGrath started using the name, at.a guess because he was keen on the races history. But he didn’t coin the name.
Two other fence names that didn’t catch on are Westhead (3rd) and Booth (11th), both named after course builders/groundsmen.
Paul Carberrys ride on King Johns castle in the 2008 race had me in awe at the time,i had him backed e/w and everything seemed to go wrong that day,horse made 1 or 2 bad errors and was almost brought down at another yet Carberry still managed to creep in to the race and get 2nd place on the run in.
In saying that i haven’t seen the race in years so as ever could be over romanticising it as i won a few quid
Just bought a book called ‘Foinavon; the story of the Grand Nationals biggest upset’, by David Owen. Will find out about the naming of the fence when I get to that bit [Chapter 23 ‘They might call this the Foinavon Fence’].
I’ve just bought that one as well, Moe. Don’t spoil it by telling me what happens at the end yet…
gc
Adoptive father of two. The patron saint of lower-grade fare. A gently critical friend of point-to-pointing. Kindness is a political act.
Two other fence names that didn’t catch on are Westhead (3rd) and Booth (11th), both named after course builders/groundsmen.
…whilst one which has fallen out of use is The Fan, the name given to fence two in honour of the Victorian-era racemare who refused there on numerous occasions.
gc
Adoptive father of two. The patron saint of lower-grade fare. A gently critical friend of point-to-pointing. Kindness is a political act.
gc; Foinavon’s lad and John Buckingham were there as well [along with the author who wrote ‘To Mo; still searching for the 100/1 winner..good luck!’ Nearly did it with AE as well;got 80/1]]. I’m only on chapter 2 [slow reader, me] but I love what I’ve read thus far. Reminds me a bit of the Ivor Herbert ‘Arkle’ book. They also had an actual newspaper with the runners in Ayala’s National, all stuck together with sellotape but wonderful to look at. Just when I decide I really should throw away the boxes and boxes I have of old Racing Posts I see something like that and they have a reprieve. I was told something else by his lad that I don’t think is in the book; I’ll tell you when you’ve read it [although you might know it already].
As author of that Foinavon book, may I first say a big ‘thank you’ to moehat and graysonscolumn.
I’m not sure I entirely answer the question of when the fence first started being called Foinavon on a routine basis. You will, though, find the name of the commentator who first suggested it might happen.
My main reason for posting is to make a contribution to the ‘greatest completion’ debate. The great Pat Taaffe would have said Francis Shortt’s ride to 5th place in 1962 aboard Fredith’s Son.
According to Taaffe, ‘This was the sort of ride you wouldn’t have wished on your worst enemy. FS didn’t jump a single fence correctly. He jumped them crookedly, landed parallel to the fence, twisted and did just about everything but fall…I don’t believe there was any other jockey in the world who could have completed the course with him.’
And, of course, while substantial changes had been made in 1961, the fences were considerably stiffer then than in 21st century Nationals.
As readers of the book will see, Shortt was one of those who almost wriggled through in 1967, well before Johnnie Buckingham and Foinavon reached the fence. Almost, but not quite…
In recent years, I have to put in a word for Keith Mercer on board Cerium in 2009. Not only was the horse not quite the greatest National contender, he also fractured his skull during the race.
Despite that, he managed to finish fifth.
Then, three years later, he beat a Future National Winner!
(Amirite, David/Rob?)Twitter=@PGHenn
So don't run, just like the others always do
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