Favourite Grand National Horses
February 26th, 2008Where it all began?
Most people’s earliest gambling memory will be of the Grand National.
Mine was of an annual 10p each way on a horse called The Pilgarlic. I seem to remember that he made the frame on a couple of occasions but never quite got his head in front. It became a family joke that I would be backing ‘that horse with the funny name’. Whatever happened it got me hooked and I’m pleased that it did.
Backing winners used to be easy!
The years have come and gone and the stakes have increased (marginally!) and I have fond (financial and otherwise) of Seagram and Party Politics but mostly of Last Suspect.
I was a Tim Forster fan back in the 80’s and I managed to convince myself that the Duchess of Westminster’s horse wasn’t the screwball that everyone else seemed to think he was. I can’t describe the feeling of backing a 50/1 Grand National winner but to a relatively young and inexperienced punter it was like gold dust.
Unfortunately finding winners since haven’t been quite as easy!
Tell us about your favourite Grand National Horses
Who are your favourite Grand National horses? Did you manage a nice win on your favourite or was there one that got away? Or perhaps it was just a horse you enjoyed watching jumping the big fences?
Let us know your thoughts.
By the way, does anyone know how many times The Pilgarlic ran in the National and when?
SILVER BIRCH Says:
February 26th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Hello admin - my alltime favourite horse was a horse called andy pandy - who if my childhood memory serves me correct must have been about two fences in front of red rum going to bechers second time around ..anyway the rest is history - he slithered and crumpled on landing and i saw the family sweepstake disappear in front of my eyes . there was enough in that pot to keep me in curlywurlys and palm toffee for the next six months…total devastation. even now as a fortysomething i rerun the old race on my dvd and in my mind im still convinced hes gonna jump it and a mountain of chocolate and crisps will be mine
i think i probably need some therapy :-)anybody else suffering from andy pandy syndrome ?
Brian Says:
February 26th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
My first memory of a punt on the national was with a horse called romany king as my sister had a horse called Romany.
I was only 13 at the time and picking a horse that actually finished was something of an achievement never mind getting 2nd place (or so i was told back then).
Anyway 2 years later up stepped Minnehoma as Freddie star use to make me laugh so i picked his horse.
By now i thought i was unstoppable on the national even tho looking back now picking a horse named after your sisters horse and one that is owned by someone who makes you laugh is not probably the best strategy but hey it worked for me and got me hooked.
My next success was with Lord Gylenne as i remember the race card having NZ next to the horse and i thought WOW if a horse is gonna travel all that way just to have 1 race it gotta be good.
Well after been called a jammy git for picking horses on the back of such utter nonsense reasons i thought im gonna show them and that is when i started looking for winners with a genuine chance and not just on some whim i had at the time.
Anyway it was 4 years of nothing before i would taste success again with a horse called Bindaree.
Since then i have had a third (Amberleigh House 2003), and 3 firsts 2005-07 (Hedgehunter, Number6 and Silver Birch).
Stephen Says:
February 26th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Earliest Memory - Picking Romany King when he chased home Party Politics in 1992. I was 6 at the time and it sticks in my head as my first real go at the National.
Fav Horse - Probably would have to be Suny Bay that I backed when he was a gallant 2nd twice in ‘97 and ‘98.
Unluckiest Race - In 2002 when I had David’s Lad and Ad Hoc who were cruising coming to the 4th last fence when one fell and brought down the other. I still maintain one of them would have gone past Bindaree.
Race That Hurts The Most - Clan Royal’s 2nd to Amberleigh House in 2004. I had 33/1 Ante Post on him, he started as 10/1cf. He looked all over the winner before Liam Cooper dropped the whip four from home. He popped over the final fence and headed straight for The Chair before Liam had to throw him into the elbow. That cost him valuable lengths and he ended up 2nd. Gutted.
Fav Race - Hedgehunter’s win in 2005 was for me the greatest Grand National ride of all time. Ruby gave a masterclass in how to go round the famous course and win. Dropping Hedgehunter out the back for the first circuit and slowing creeping in to the race second time around, he sat motionless until the elbow and then let fly to win by 14 lengths. Genius.
Pav Says:
February 26th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
You lot make me feel so old! My earliest National memory was watching Freddie chase home Jay Trump (ok so I wasn’t old enough to bet).
Worst moment? Two years later my dad had backed the winner of the Lincoln and stood to win £861 if Honey End won the National which was a fortune then. It ended in tears (1967 Foinavon)but the race became part of my life and ‘Grand National Day’ is always celebrated. My wife gives me an all day pass knowing that I’ll be home by about half past seven with tales about how much I nearly won (I could ride a better finish than Liam Cooper etc etc)
Favourite moment? Anyone notice how Peter O’Sullevan sounds like a dalek when he gets excited? Listen to Red Rum jumping the second last in 1977 and see if you agree. I backed Red Rum twice. 1975 and 1976.
Best bet? Numbersixvalverde at 40/1.
Keep up the good work on this site and keep sending in the posts. The National is THE greatest sporting event and will no doubt throw up a surprise or two this year. I think Mr Pointment will run a big race and will be in my squad. The handicap is going to be more squashed this year than ever before and I can see Mr P bounding along in front drawing comparisons with Crisp except perhaps he won’t get caught….
Johnny Valentine Says:
February 28th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
I think The Pilgarlic ran four times: 4th (1977), 5th (1978), 4th (1979) and 3rd (1980). It was the Suny Bay or Durham Edition of its day.
My favourite winner was Miinnehoma in 1994. A sunny spring day but the ground was heavy. Dunwoody had a tight grip as they approached The Elbow. I was high up in the press enclosure from where I could see that Miinnehoma was almost toying with Moorcroft Boy, waiting to pounce.
admin Says:
February 29th, 2008 at 10:44 am
Hi everyone,
Some great memories there - keep ‘em coming!
Johnny V - thanks a lot for The Pilgarlic info that has really helped set my age against the memories, although I’ve obviously distorted it as I thought I was about six or seven but must have been in my teens!!!!
Where did you get your info from? Is it possible to get detailed info of Grand National results on the web anywhere going back past the Racing Post’s history? If you’ve got easy access, Johnny V, when was Sebastian V, running in the National? That was another perennial placed favourite of mine? Appreciate your help.
SILVER BIRCH Says:
February 29th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Great stuff guys on faboulous memories from the seventies - can anyone remember a horse called boomdocker .. if memory serves me right he hared off at 100mph and was about three fences in front before deciding either to refuse or get rid of his jockey as hed decided hed done enough - he was like a cross between roadrunner and buckaroo… !
Johnny Valentine Says:
February 29th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
I’m pretty sure Boom Docker raced in 1977 and helped set the pace in Red Rum’s finale race. I’ll check it out and see if I can dig out some other familiar names from the 1970s…
Neil Says:
March 1st, 2008 at 11:53 pm
My first G.N bet I can remember was a bob e/w on PURPLE SILK who was just passed near the line by TEAM SPIRIT. I think it was 100/8. I picked it because it was allegedly, temporarily stabled in box at our local DOG track( a flapper in Coatbridge, my Hometown). That and the film National Velvet got me hooked on the yearly attempt to pick the winner.
Phil P Says:
March 12th, 2008 at 11:50 am
Being born and brought up in Liverpool, I’ve always had a great love of The National. I started taking an interest in the stats side about 10 years ago and it’s proved to be very good for me financially.
In recent years I’ve backed
Silver Birch
Amberleigh House
Monty’s Pass
All these were based on my system (which I haven’t had a proper chance to look at this year yet)
Other recent winners (which I received tips for from a good source) were
Minnehoma
Bobbyjo
Numbersixvalverde
The best of that lot for me though was Amberleigh House. I’d lumped on 3 times from Christmas onwards at 33-1 and 25-1 (Each Way). We were at Aintree on the day of the big race and the previous night I’d been doing some serious research and really fancied Clan Royal aswell which I had a fair sized punt on.
Watching the leader go past me in front of Aintree Mound I thought Clan Royal had won and was looking forward to collecting my winnings. As it went past I glanced back and noticed another horse was catching up steadily. The other horse went past me and I concentrated on watching the big screen to make sure Clan Royal was going to stay the distance. I soon realised it wasn’t!! I said to my mate next to me “I don’t know what that other horse is, but it’s going to win”. My mate had been paying slightly more attention than me and says “It’s number 17″. I glanced at my racecard and realised that it was Amberleigh House!! A full pint of Fosters (luckily in a plastic glass!) flew into the air and the majority of it landed on the bloke in front of me.
I watched it back the following morning and realised what a great run it had been for Amberleigh House.
COMPLY OR DIE Says:
March 14th, 2008 at 10:19 am
Yes that was a brilliant run by AH,I also was on
Monty`s Pass but not SB (did not think it would be soft enough but the week long watering of the course seen to that) last year instead I was on
the very unlucky Mckelvey.
22 days and counting.
templepunk Says:
March 24th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
My first memory of the National was a horse called Greasepaint in the late seventies I think who I recall earned me a few pence each way courtesy of my Gran who placed my juvenile wager. Living in the Highlands of Scotland I vividly remember not picking out Ben Nevis as an obvious candidate possibly in the same year.
Wonderfully nostalgic moments relived annually in the build up .. roll on the next chapter ..
Johnny Valentine Says:
March 25th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
Admin, you asked if records of Grand Nationals pre-1980s are available. I’ve not found them online, but the best resource is ‘A Race Apart: The History of the Grand National’ (Hodder and Stoughton) first published in 1988 but subsequently re-printed several times I think.
Reg plots each race in great detail and presents detailed results, including odds, weights, jockeys, etc. Absorbing stuff. Don’t take it on holiday with the missus.
Obviously the further back in time you go, the more sketchy become the details.
I don’t think Reg had any connection to racing or Aintree apart from a love of it. He first went to the Grand National as a young boy in 1946 and watched from his father’s shoulders as Lovely Cottage strode to victory.
Reg was a regular guest of Des Lynam’s on Grand National Grandstand in the 1980s and 1990s. His obsession with the race was only matched by his passion for it. Reg could talk for hours about Aintree and its wonderful history.
I met him several times and wish I’d spent more time in his company. Sadly, Reg died earlier today (March 25) aged 70. God bless you, Reg, You left a lot behind.
admin Says:
March 26th, 2008 at 3:13 am
Thanks to everyone for their memories on this thread - keep ‘em coming right up to the big race and beyond!
Johnny V - thanks very much for the book recommendation. I’m off on a scouting mission for GN info tomorrow so I’ll be on the look out for Reg’s book - it sounds ideal.
QuatreBras Says:
March 31st, 2008 at 7:39 pm
My favourite of all time is Rhyme n Reason (1998). Carried 11st (no lightweight!), virtually fell at Bechers first time, was in last place after the mistake, yet managed to win. It was an incredible performance, certainly the best I’ve seen. Sadly, the horse never raced again.
QuatreBras Says:
March 31st, 2008 at 7:40 pm
That should be 1988!!!!
pete Says:
April 22nd, 2008 at 9:59 pm
my first winner was Red Rum in 1977. I then used to back the Pilgarlic every year from 78-80. I believe he ran 4 times in the race from 77-80 and was placed 3 times. Ironically the nearest he came to winning was in 78 when he finished fifth behind Lucius but was only beaten about five lengths.
The eighties was a barren decade for me aside from hallo dandy in 84. Rough quest and the wonderfull Lord Gyllene brought back to back victories for me. Since then a few near misses in Mely Moss and Whats Up Boys. I still have nightmares over Whats Up Boys cos the race was in the bag.
Amberleigh house was my last winner. Since then not a sniff not even close.
Pete Norriss Says:
May 1st, 2008 at 12:12 am
Every Grand National is my favourite since i watched my first one, Team Spirit in 1962.
The Pilgarlic i remember very fondly, always stayed the trip and gave you a good run for your money.I backed him every year he ran in it.The best jumping round in my opinion was Hallo Dandy in 1984, hardly touched a twig!
The one i remember most is 1982 (Grittar),i’d tipped him to win after he won the Foxhunters the year before, but unfortunately never backed it ante post.That race i must’ve seen 40 times on video, i learnt all the runners colours the weeks before and even now, when i see the race i could name most of them.The worst experience of the race for me(apart from horses deaths) was Geraldine Rees getting Cheers round in 1982 to become the first woman to complete the course.To say the horse finished distressed is a massive understatement,it was sad to see , just so she could make history!Alas, this years race could be my last, i plan on moving to the U.S.A later this year and the Grand National is one of the things i’ll miss most.Grand National day has been just that to me for years..Grand National Day, and nothing else mattered.
Tim Says:
September 19th, 2008 at 5:25 am
Johnny Valentine said (February 29th, 2008 at 5:51 pm)
> I’m pretty sure Boom Docker raced in 1977 and helped set the pace in Red Rum’s finale
> race. I’ll check it out and see if I can dig out some other familiar names from the 1970s…
Yes, indeed. Boom Docker was way out in front but refused at the 17th leaving Andy Pandy leading the pack in the 1977 National. I am watching it now on Youtune.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp4KN3vmBkg&feature=related