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Miinehoma and Red Marauder.
Backed Red Marauder at 33/1 and was always quite keen about Norman Mason’s runners. With only four finishers in the race and him being a very wide margin winner, I felt like a king.
Miinehoma was my first ever National winner and the recovery he made after being down on his knees was more than remarkable. Plus he had a proper jockey aboard.
Red Rum’s third. Historic in so many ways, including personally…
Told everyone at Junior school Red Rum would win the Grand National.
Previous year we had a family sweepstake. When Red Rum finished second I was given the money… Then the result was shown – First number 6 Rag Trade (or was it 16)? My reluctant Nan at the last minute before the off had just picked a number. Guess what number she picked? It hurt handing the money over. Felt great in 1977, finally getting to keep the sweepstake… and a racing fan was born.Value Is EverythingThree standouts for me.
1st 1988. Really strong line up, and after the relative boredom of 86 & 87, the race really sprung back to life. Plenty of thrills and spills, and a proper finish, won by a proper horse, Rhyme N Reason, made all the more miraculous by that recovery at First Bechers. Without a doubt my favourite National, and before my betting days, so happily not influenced by my pocket.
2nd 2004. Another strong line up, another exciting race, and another cracking finish. Amberleigh House was a very popular winner for most, and after my bets had went astray, by the time they went out on the second circuit, my eyes were focussed on Amberleigh. Loved that horse, but not a bean on him. Didn’t matter, a pleasure to watch him creep into contention, and I roared him home.
3rd 1994. After the disappointment of 1993, we got some compensation this year. The best line up for a National in my lifetime, and the race had everything going on, it was a real throwback. As much as I wanted to Just So to get there, he just didn’t have the gears of the winner. Like the previous two mentioned, could watch this over and over.
“Miinehoma was my first ever National winner and the recovery he made after being down on his knees was more than remarkable. Plus he had a proper jockey aboard.”
The Minnehoma Grand National always haunts me as I had backed Just So (or as he was unfairly known – Just Slow) as the conditions were ideal for him – fortunately I had backed him each way at huge prices, so still a very decent payout, but it would have been nicer had he won.
That was some quality race Paul. Young Hustler, The Fellow, Master Oats, Double Silk, Riverside Boy, Garrison Savannah, Moorcroft Boy, Topsham Bay, Zeta’s Lad….
Try and find a National with better profile in the past 25 years and you won’t find one.
2006: Lumped on Number6valverde and made more cash than I’d ever won before. Was one of those years where friends, family and colleagues all went with whatever I picked and thought I was some sort of tipping master.
They all came back the following year but my Point Barrow call never got further than the first fence
watching Spanish Steps in Grand National, just hoping my fav horse at the time would come home safe.
Another from the past was a horse called The Fossa.
Nearer to hand was Royal Mail who I thought was gong to win one year but faded I think to finish third
Aldaniti trained by Josh Gifford
ridden by Bob ChampionThe Fairytale ending Grand National
Bob Champion recovering from cancer winning on Aldaniti who had recovered from a career threatening injury.
Who would have believed the courage of both and afterwards Aldaniti starred as himself along with Josh Gifford in the making of the film Champions the music of which sends me into floods of tears everytime I hear it.
JacThings turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...Mine was the 1973 Grand National.
Hearbreaking finish for Crisp just getting caught on the line by Red Rum after leading for most of the race. They had a re-match at level weights later that season and Crisp won by 8l.
He was retired after the race and spent 8 years hunting. He died out hunting, and was buried at the entrance of his then-owner’s estate. A cherry tree was planted over the grave, which flowers at Grand National time.
Great film Jac
All comers, all ground, all beaten
Thank you Flyers…I’m going to print that article off.
Forgot what a handsome looking horse Aldaniti was and Bob Champion still going strong, I see him at Newmarket a lot often standing just a few strides away from me on the steps looking down the Rowley Mile watching the racing, a living Legend. JacThings turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...2003 – This started as a novice racing fan who was talked into visiting Listowel for the first time earlier that season. A horse called Monty’s Pass won the big race and I didn’t think much more about it until I read a couple of days before the National that a horse was running who had won the Kerry National at Listowel. I hadn’t even remembered his name. Told a few people to back him and I had a few quid each way on. The horse duly obliged for a jockey who was making a name for himself at the time, Barry Geraghty.
2012 – Should have been a favourite as I backed 1st, 3rd and 4th but the sad demise of Synchronised and According To Pete put a right downer on it and I couldn’t celebrate even a winner of Neptune Collonges’ prowess.
2015 – Backed Saint Are but sat in wonder at the toughest horse in training Many Clouds as he just battled on through guts and determination. An absolute phenomenal horse. Bringing a tear to my eye thinking about the great horse now
1998 – My first Grand National and perhaps my favourite. An enthralling race in tough conditions with a final mile to savour.
2001 – It’s all just so… surreal! Captivating stuff.
2004 – If only for that final straight. Amberleigh House’s win bares many striking resemblances to that of Red Rum’s first win; a runaway leader, the winner coming from a mile back, an unlucky runner up who veered off a true line and of course… nosebands!
To be fair, every National is just a little bit special!
The 1994 elicits happy and painful memories for me in exactly the same way as it does Paul, having invested (for me at the time) not insignificant increments of my then library holiday job wages on Just So each way.
Red Marauder was another grand National for me, coming as it did deep into my period of fanboy worship of all things Mason/Guest/Brancepeth oriented; but in truth any National in which there are as many horses going home at the end of the day as started it constitutes a perfect renewal for me.
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
Jac
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