Grand National A-Z – with regular updates/additions!! - (2025)

Over the next several days during the run-up to the World’s Greatest Steeplechase we’re producing our very own A-Z of the Grand National

Some serious, some quirky, and the odd downright potty facts and figures surrounding what has become an absolute institution – a few per day until it’s time to crown a new legend!

So – until they come under starter’s orders on Saturday, April 6^th, at 5.15pm, here’s our take on the race that stops OUR nation ….

A is for … AINTREE

Home to the National of course; but so much more. Aintree had a Formula One circuit back in the day, and legendary Scottish World Champion Jim Clark (below) is one of a select band of drivers to have won the British Grand Prix in Liverpool.

Red Rum no less dead-heated in a two-year-old Flat-race seller at Aintree, as racing on the level used to be commonplace there.

It also hosts pop concerts, and has a nine-hole golf course and driving range within its boundaries.

Topical tip? Just A Par

B is for … BECHER’S BROOK

Arguably the world’s most famous fence. Jumped twice during the race, it takes its name from Captain Martin Becher, who fell into the ditch when his mount Conrad unshipped him during the first official Grand National in 1839.

Reflecting on the rather wet end to his National bid, Becher remarked ‘water tastes disgusting without the benefits of whisky.’

It has been modified down the years, but at around 4ft 10ins still takes plenty of jumping, especially as the ground is lower on the landing side.

In the race’s early years they jumped a solid brick wall too, but fortunately that was quickly dispensed with!

Topical Tip? Lake View Lad

C is for … CORBIERE

Hero of the National in 1983, and especially notable as he was trained by Jenny Pitman (below), who became the first woman to train a Grand National winner.

‘Corky’ finished third in both 1984 and 1985, too – a real Aintree specialist. Won the Welsh National as well, for good measure. A lovely chestnut, with a flashy white blaze.

Women are riding the crest of a wave in the present-day, with both outstanding jockeys and trainers being completely commonplace, but Jenny was a real trailblazer.

Topical tip? Ms Parfois

D is for … DICKY

Richard ’Dicky’ Johnson OBE, to be precise, our champion National Hunt jockey. Presently part of a long list of frankly brilliant riders who have never won the big one at Aintree.

John Francome never won it. Nor Peter Scudamore. Jonjo O’Neill? As a trainer, yes. Rider? No way. Norman Williamson? Charlie Swan? Nope. 20-time champion Tony McCoy only managed to win it once.

It’s a long old list, but Dicky (above) is as notable a name as any upon it. Might all that be about to change? The champ rides Rock The Kasbah, and he’s been wrapped in cotton wool since December to ensure he’s cherry-ripe for Liverpool. The horse, that is.

Twenty times Dicky has faced the Grand National starter. Twice he’s been second. Perhaps he’s about to go one better ….

Topical tip? What else – Rock The Kasbah!

E is for … EYECATCHING

The relationship between the city of Liverpool and environs, and the National meeting, is something very special indeed. No better way is this demonstrated than by the support of the fairer sex for the three days of Aintree.

Year-on-year it’s a mecca for parties of friends determined to have the best of times, and look absolutely fan-flippin’-tastic while doing it.

Friday is nominally Ladies’ Day, but in truth every day is illuminated immeasurably by Merseyside’s finest strutting their stuff by the verdant stage.

Television’s fashion experts will be rewarding the lucky few (as above) with their own best-turned-out awards, but for all the other several thousand ladies who make such a stupendous effort, we say; thank you!

Eyecatching? You bet …

Topical tip? Got to be last year’s gallant runner-up; Pleasant Company!

F is for … FOINAVON

The year is 1967. Fred and Peter Done start a bookmaking business courtesy of a single shop in Salford. I think it’s fair to say it’s gone pretty well so far …..

It was the year that saw the first-ever Super Bowl, although they wouldn’t call it that until a bit later.

Celtic became the first British club to win the European Cup, and much to Fred’s delight Manchester United were champions of England, just 12 months before famously doing what Celtic had just achieved, and at Wembley no less.

In racing, we had quite simply one of the most extraordinary Grand Nationals of all time. The field in ’67 had made its way beyond Becher’s Brook for the second time – 28 of the 44 starters remained – and were about to negotiate one of the smallest fences on the course, at a ‘mere’ 4ft 6 inches, the 23rd.

A loose horse, the again aptly-named Popham Down, swerved violently to his right, in front of the field. Absolute mayhem ensued.

Horses in huge numbers refused, unseated, or fell. Galloping along many lengths behind was a nine-year-old Irish horse, Foinavon. He saw the carnage ahead and nimbly avoided the melee by jumping out to the right, the only scrap of clear space.

Some managed to remount, which was allowed in those days, or attempt the fence once again. By the time Foinavon had any pursuers at all he was 30 lengths clear, and maintained a healthy advantage to the line (pictured, above) – at odds of 100/1.

In 1984 the relatively innocuous-looking obstacle, jumped twice in the course of the National as many of them are, was renamed ‘The Foinavon fence.’

Topical tip? As it’s one of Aintree’s most oft-told and legendary tales; The Storyteller!

G is for … GOING

It’s so, so important – the state of the ground. The prevailing going. Not only do certain horses prefer quite markedly one type of ground or another, but as a rule of thumb for the National if it’s testing (anything with ‘soft’ of even more so ‘heavy’ in the going description) then there will not be too many who complete the gruelling course.

When Red Marauder won in 2001 only 4 horses finished the race, and two of those had been remounted, at a time when it was still allowed to do so. The ground was desperate that day, and the winner came home by an absolute street. He seemingly loved it – but no-one else did!

‘Red’ recorded the slowest winning National time for over 100 years.

Contrast this story with that of 1990 winner Mr Frisk. In the sunshine he flew around on fast ground, and set a record time that still stands – even though the race has been over 300 yds shorter since 2013!

20 completed the course that day – showing acutely the difference the going can make to the make-up of the race. It’s impossible to second-guess the British weather, but extremes of going (fast, or heavy) are not expected on the 6^th of April.

Good, safe jumping ground, on the soft side of good, is invariably the aim, and clerks of the course will always water to avoid fast conditions, which are these days deemed potentially harmful, quite rightly, in terms of fallers.

That record of Mr Frisk’s might just last for a very, very long time indeed.

Topical tip? Anibale FLY (he might do just that!)

H is for … HEDGEHUNTER/HEMMINGS

In 2005 the Willie Mullins-trained and Trevor Hemmings-owned Hedgehunter dotted up, having been heavily backed into 7/1 favouritism.

Winning jockey Ruby Walsh had won on Papillon five years earlier, trained by his father Ted, but this was avid National Hunt fan Hemmings’ first National. The billionaire businessman has been very lucky in the big one – with subsequent National successes courtesy of Ballabriggs, in 2011, and Many Clouds, in 2015.

Topical tip? What else other than Trevor’s main 2019 hope, Vintage Clouds (though he’s got a couple of others that might run, too!)

I is for … IRELAND

There’s often a presence of internationally-trained horses in the Grand National, with the Irish enjoying by far the most success, with 16 winners since 1900!

Lately, though, Irish-trained horses are having an even bigger impact on the race – recording eight wins from 1999 to now, including the likes of Hedgehunter, mentioned above. Well known jockeys Ruby Walsh and Barry Geraghty are among the winners during that time too.

You just have to look at this year’s line-up to see the influence. Last year’s winner and favourite for the April 6 showdown this year, Tiger Roll (this definitely won’t be his first mention!), is trained by Irishman Gordon Elliot, who has an incredible 18 entries in the race currently.

Of course the great Willie Mullins also has a presence in the race, with notable entries Ratvinden, who is strongly fancied in the market, and Pleasant Company, who finished second last year.

Topical tip? An Irish-trained, Irish horse – it’s Outlander

2019 Randox Health Grand National betting, with Betfred

More to come tomorrow …