Tiger Roll won a thrilling Grand National to become the first horse since Red Rum 45 years ago to win the Aintree race back-to-back. The 4-1 favourite, ridden by Davy Russell, was level with Magic. The Grand National has lots of famous winners in its history. The 2013 winner Auroras Encore (66/1) is clearly the example of how the race can still spring a surprise or two, although there have been bigger priced winners in recent years, like Mon Mome in 2009. The Aintree Grand National. On Tuesday February 26, 1839, Lottery became the first winner of The Grand National. In those days the field had to jump a stone wall (now the water jump), cross a stretch of plough land and finish over two hurdles.
YEAR | CAR | |
Bill NeiKamp | 1929 Ford Roadster | |
1951 | Rico Squaglia | 1923 Ford Roadster |
Bud Crackbon | 1925 Ford Roadster | |
1953 | Dick Williams | 1927 Ford Roadster |
Frank Rose | 1927 Ford Roadster | |
1955 | Blackie Gejeian | 1927 Ford Roadster (Shishkabob) *tie |
Ray Anderegg | 1927 Ford Roadster *tie | |
1956 | Eddie Bosio | 1932 Ford Roadster |
Jerry Woodward | 1929 Ford Roadster | |
1958 | Richard Peters | 1929 Ford Roadster Pickup (Ala Kart) |
Richard Peters | 1929 Ford Roadster Pickup (Ala Kart) | |
1960 | Chuck Krikorian | 1929 Ford Roadster (Emperor) |
Rich Guasco | 1929 Ford Roadster | |
1962 | George Barris | 1927 Ford Roadster (Twister T) |
LeRoi 'Tex' Smith | 1927 Ford Roadster (XR-6) | |
1964 | Don Tognotti | 1914 Ford Roadster (KingT) |
Carl Casper | Custom Body (Casper's Ghost) | |
1966 | Don Lokey | 1927 Ford Roadster Pickup |
Bob Reisner | Custom Body (Invader) | |
1968 | Bob Reisner | Custom Body (Invader) |
Joe Wilhelm | Custom Body (Wild Dream) | |
1969 | Art & Mickey Himsl | Custom Body (Alien) |
Andy Brizio | 1923 Ford Roadster Pickup (Instant T) | |
1971 | Lonnie Gilbertson | 1923 Ford Roadster Pickup |
John Corno | 1930 Ford Roadster | |
1973 | Chuck Corsello | 1923 Ford Roadster |
Jim Vasser | 1914 Ford Touring | |
1975 | Lonnie Gilbertson | 1923 Ford Roadster Pickup |
Bob Sbarbaro | 1923 Ford Touring | |
1977 | Jim Molino | 1923 Ford Roadster Pickup (Candy Man) |
Phil Cool | 1932 Ford Roadster | |
1979 | Brian Burnett | 1932 Ford Roadster (Deucari) |
John Corno | 1929 Ford Roadster | |
1981 | John Siroonian | 1932 Ford Roadster |
Jamie Musselman | 1933 Ford Roadster | |
1983 | Chuck Lombardo | 1932 Ford Roadster |
Don Varner | 1927 Ford Roadster (California Star) | |
1985 | Larry & Judi Murray | 1933 Ford Phaeton |
Jim McNamara | 1933 Ford Roadster (Mere Image) | |
1987 | James Ells | 1932 Ford Roadster |
Ermie Immerso | 1932 Ford Roadster (Orange Crush) | |
1989 | Ermie Immerso | 1925 Ford Roadster (Golden Star) |
Butch Martino | 1932 Ford Roadster (Passion) | |
1991 | Ermie Immerso | 1925 Ford Roadster (Golden Star) |
Dennis Varni | 1929 Ford Roadster | |
1993 | Don Raible | 1932 Ford Roadster (Blu Steel) |
Joe MacPherson | 1929 Ford Roadster (Infinity Flyer) | |
1995 | Fred Warren | 1937 Ford Roadster (Smoothster) |
Boyd Coddington | 1932 Ford Roadster (Boydster) | |
1997 | Bob Young | 1932 Ford Roadster (Youngster) |
Dave Emery | 1932 Ford Roadster (Revolver) | |
1999 | Fred Warren | 1933 Ford Roadster(Shockwave) |
Chuck Svatos | 1932 Ford Roadster (0032) | |
2001 | Richard Berg | 1933 Ford Roadster (Impact) |
Paul Trussell | 1932 Ford Roadster | |
2003 | George Lange | 1932 Ford Roadster |
Charlie Lambetecchio | 1936 Ford Roadster | |
2005 | Paul & Erik Hanson | 1932 Ford Roadster (Sedeuced) |
Ken Reister | 1936 Ford Roadster (Impression) | |
2007 | Kevin and Karen Alstott | 1936 Ford Roadster (Radster) |
Rudy Necoechea | 1932 Ford Roadster (Undisputed) | |
2009 | Harry Willet | 1932 Ford Roadster |
Mike Dingman | 1933 Ford Roadster (Possessed) | |
2011 | Daryl Wolfswinkle | 1932 Ford Roadster |
Bill Lindig | 1927 Ford Roadster | |
2013 | John Mumford | 1927 Ford Roadster |
Wes Rydell | 1935 Chevrolet Phaeton | |
2015 | Larry Olson | 1933 Ford Roadster |
Darryl Hollenbeck | 1932 Ford Roadster | |
2017 | Bruce Wanta | 1936 Packard |
Dave Martin | 1931 Ford Roadster |
America’s Best Competition Car Award(Awarded from 1957 to 1971) | ||
OWNER | ||
1957 | Ed & Ray Cortopassi | Dragster (Glass Slipper) |
Romeo Palamides | Dragster | |
1959 | Henry Vincent | Dragster ( Top Banana) |
Gary McArthur | Dragster | |
1961 | Bob Tindle | 1932 Ford Sedan (Orange Crate) |
Richard Guasco | Fiat Roadster (Pure Hell) | |
1963 | Bob Tindle | 1932 Ford Sedan (Orange Crate) |
Dorricott & Sheehan | Fiat Coupe | |
1965 | Nick Mura | 1940 Willys |
No award given | ||
1967 | No award given | |
No award given | ||
1969 | Jim Gonsalves | Dragster |
Mike Mitchell | 1969 Corvette Funny Car | |
1971 | Tony Del Rio | 1927 Ford Roadster |
Grand National | |
Location | Aintree |
---|---|
Date | 26 February 1839 |
Winning horse | Lottery |
Starting price | 9/1 |
Jockey | Jem Mason |
Trainer | George Dockeray |
Owner | John Elmore |
1840 → |
The 1839 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase was the first official annual running of a steeplechase which later became known as the Grand National.
It was held at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on Tuesday 26 February 1839 and attracted a field of 17 runners.[1]
Although recorded by the press at the time as the fourth running of the Grand Liverpool Steeplechase, which was renamed the Grand National in 1847, the first three runnings were poorly organised affairs. This year the race came under new management and the arrival of the railway in Liverpool made travel to the course easier.
The race was not run as a handicap chase (the Grand National was converted to a handicap race in 1843) and therefore all the runners carried twelve stone.
Eighteen runners were declared to run in the race but shortly before the start Jerry was withdrawn. This left the field as follows:
Horse | Age | SP | Jockey | Note |
The Nun (mare) | 10 | 6/1 favourite | Allen McDonough | Jockey won the previous year's race; he was taking his third ride in the race. |
Rust | 9 | 7/1 | William McDonough | Jockey was one of fifteen riders not to have competed before. |
Daxon | 6 | 8/1 | Tom Ferguson | |
Lottery | 9 | 9/1 | James Mason | |
Railroad | 6 | 9/1 | A Powell | |
Seventy Four | 6 | 12/1 | Tom Olliver | |
Paulina (mare) | 9 | 12/1 | Mr. Martin | |
True Blue | 8 | 12/1 | P Barker | |
Pioneer | 11 | 12/1 | T Walker | |
Jack | 7 | 12/1 | Henry Wadlow | |
Cannon Ball | 10 | 12/1 | Johnnie Newcombe | |
Charity (mare) | 9 | 20/1 | N Hardy | |
Conrad | 11 | 20/1 | Capt. Martin Becher | Provided a third ride in the race for Becher who had won the race in 1836 on The Duke. |
Barkston | 11 | Mr. Wilmot | Not quoted by bookmakers. | |
Cramp | 6 | Larry Byrne | Not quoted by bookmakers. | |
Dictator | Robert Carlin | Not quoted by bookmakers. | ||
Rambler | 8 | J Morgan | Not quoted by bookmakers. |
The start was situated near to where the modern day Melling Road is and took the runners out into open countryside, jumping a line of natural banks, no more than 2 feet (0.61 m) high before reaching a post and rails over a brook. They then took the runners left towards the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, turning sharply (where the modern day Canal Turn is) to run along the canalside back towards the racecourse, negotiating the Second Brook (the modern day Valentine's Brook). The runners would then enter the 'racecourse proper' at the far end of the circuit to run back towards the stands, jumping a plain fence (the modern day Chair before jumping a wall topped with gorse (the modern day Water Jump). The field then took another circuit of the course, this time bypassing the final two obstacles towards the finishing post.
Paulina refused the first jump but continued after being put at the fence a second time. The most famous incident of the race occurred at the fence then known as the First Brook. Captain Becher had taken Conrad into second place at this stage but his mount failed to clear the rails and fell. Becher was forced to dive for cover into the brook itself as the other horses cleared the obstacle and legend has it that he was heard to tell the spectators that he did not realise how filthy water tasted without the benefit of whisky.
Seconds later, William McDonough joined Becher in the brook after falling from Rust but it was the Captain's name attributed to the fence, now known as Becher's Brook. Both riders remounted but Becher's race ended when his mount fell again at the Second Brook where both Barkston and Cannon Ball had also fallen. It was one of these horses, while running loose, who ended the hopes of the favourite when The Nun was brought down shortly before rejoining the racecourse; she was remounted by Tom Ferguson while Rust was pulled up before reaching the stands. Charity fell at the wall in front of the stands but was also remounted.
Railroad led at this stage with Lottery in second place but so slow was the pace of the race and so wide the distances between competitors that the favourite The Nun had managed to make up ground to move into third. Seventy-Four was fourth.
On the second circuit, Charity fell before reaching the First Brook for the second time while Dictator fell at the fence situated at the turn by the canal but was quickly remounted by Robert Carlin. Daxon and The Nun both fell for a second time at the next fence, the Second Brook, while Dictator fell there again, this time fatally, becoming the first equine fatality of the Grand National
Jem Mason took Lottery into the lead at the First Brook and maintained it to the finish, winning more easily than the three-length margin suggested in a time of 14 minutes 53 seconds, 53 seconds outside the course record. Lottery was prepared for the race at the stables of George Dockeray in Epsom, who is loosely regarded as the trainer but most of the preparation was more likely conducted by the owner, Piccadilly horse dealer John Elmore in whose colours of blue jacket and black cap the jockey rode. Seventy-Four was second, Paulina third and True Blue fourth. Pioneer was on course to finish third when he unseated his rider. Walker quickly remounted but could only manage fifth place.
Although regarded at the time as the fourth running of the Grand Liverpool Steeplechase, this running went on to be regarded as the first official running of the Grand National. The finishing order was only loosely recorded in the press as Jack in sixth, The Nun seventh, Railroad eighth, Rambler ninth and Cramp the last of ten to pass the post. Later record books show seven finishers though this is not supported by any press reports from the time. There was also much criticism in the press over the severity of the event, especially the conduct of Robert Carlin in remounting Dictator when witnesses described the horse as distressed. His cause of death was recorded as a burst blood vessel.
Position | Horse | Jockey | Age | SP | Distance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
01 | Lottery | Jem Mason | 9 | 9/1 | 3 lengths |
02 | Seventy-Four | Tom Olliver | 6 | 12/1 | 3 lengths |
03 | Paulina | S. Martin | 9 | 12/1 | 3 lengths |
04 | True Blue | P Barker | 8 | 12/1 | |
05 | Pioneer | T Walker | 11 | 12/1 | |
06 | Jack | Henry Wadlow | 7 | 12/1 | |
07 | The Nun | Allen McDonough | 10 | 6/1 F | |
08 | Railroad | Horatio Powell[2] | 6 | 9/1 | |
09 | Rambler | J Morgan | 8 | NQ | |
10 | Cramp | Larry Byrne | 6 | NQ |
*NQ = not quoted
Fence | Horse | Jockey | Age | SP | Fate |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
17 | Rust | William McDonough | 9 | 7/1 | Fell at First Brook, remounted; pulled up after first circuit |
09 (Valentine's) | Conrad | Capt. Martin Becher | 11 | 20/1 | Fell at First Brook, remounted; fell at Second Brook |
09 (Valentine's) | Barkston | Mr. Wilmot | 11 | NQ | Fell at Second Brook |
06 (Becher's Brook) | Cannon Ball | Johnnie Newcombe | 10 | 12/1 | Fell at First Brook |
17 | Charity | N Hardy | 9 | 20/1 | Fell at the wall, remounted; fell again early on second circuit |
25 (Valentine's) | Daxon | Tom Ferguson | 6 | 8/1 | Fell at Second Brook on second circuit |
25 (Valentine's) | Dictator | Robert Carlin | NQ | Fell at Second Brook on second circuit |
*NQ = not quoted[3]
Irish Newsletter 1839
Liverpool Mercury 1839
The Times 1839