The 1935 Grand National
The 1935 Grand National was won by "Reynoldstown" who a year later would become the first horse to win two Nationals in a row since "Poethlyn" won "The War National Steeplechase" in Gatwick in 1918 followed by the Liverpool Grand National, a year later and also the first horse to win two in a row at Aintree since "The Colonel" in 1869 and 1870. "Reynoldstown" was both owned and trained by Noel Furlong who would perform both duties again the following year.
The jockey Frank Furlong would only ride the horse to victory in 1935, as Fulke Walwyn would be in the saddle the following year. Frank had ridden well previously in the Grand National with finishes as high as second on "Really True" as a 66-1 outsider in 1933, but this would surpass all other races for the jockey who deservedly won. "Blue Prince" finished second followed by "Thomond II" who would match his 1934 finishing place of third again ridden by Mr. W Speck.
1935 was also the first time a Grand National began with under 30 runners since 1923 when 28 raced that year, which was one more than the twenty-seven to compete this time around. It would not be until 1954 that less than thirty would race in the National again and that would only miss out by one solitary horse.
The 1934 Grand National
Five-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner "Golden Miller" won the 1934 Grand National and is now considered to be arguably the greatest steeplechaser of all time. Such high praise considering the other great horses that have come and gone, but the horse which added a Grand National victory to it's resume will always be thought of highly. 1934 was also the last time "Golden Miller" completed the course at Aintree as horse and jockey Gerry Wilson finished ahead of "Delaneige" who moved up from fourth a year earlier. "Thomond II" and 1932 winner "Forbra" followed the two in third in fourth.
The 1933 Grand National
Jockey Dudley Williams who had previously finished third in the 1930 National and third again in 1932 won the 1933 race while riding "Kellsboro' Jack" to his only Grand National victory. It was a momentous day for the jockey who'd come as close as anyone the past few years as he finally won his one and only victory in the big one at Aintree with owner Ivor Anthony cheering the pair on. For Ivor Anthony though it would not be just the one win as he would return to the top four years later, then as owner of "Royal Mail" who would win the 1937 National.
"Really True" finished in second with Frank Furlong who would later win the National followed by "Slater" in third and "Delaneige" ridden by Mr. J Moloney who had consistently performed well pairing up in fourth place in a year when nineteen horses completed the course. The nineteen horses that finished the race was the most ever at a Liverpool National only being beaten in 1947 when twenty-one from fifty-seven finished.
The 1932 Grand National
"Forbra" won the 1932 Grand National ridden by Mr. Hamey as the pair, which began at 50-1, completed the course in first followed by "Egremont" and Mr. E C Paget also with wide odds of 33-1 in second. "Shaun Goilin" finished third two years after winning the race with new jockey Dudley Williams who himself would win the following year with "Near East" completing the quartet.
The 1931 Grand National
Robert Lyall riding "Grakle" won the 1931 Grand National followed by 1929 winner "Gregalach" who couldn't really have had larger odds than when he won from 100-1 two years earlier, with him this time starting the race at 25-1. "Annandale" finished third followed by "Rhyticere" as nine from forty-three finished. The 1931 also featured it's second foreign horse run as "Gyi Lovam" from Czechoslovakia as it was then raced, fell, was remounted and then fell again. "Gyi Lovam" was the first foreign horse to race since 1868 when "Buszke" from Hungary entered the National but also did not complete the course.
The 1930 Grand National
It was "Shaun Goilin" who was making his first appearance in the first four past the post but not his last as he won the 1930 Grand National ridden by Tommy Cullinan. The horse would return to the top four two years later then in third place. For the jockey though finishing this high wasn't entirely new as Tommy Cullinan had lead a National before when riding "Billy Barton" two years earlier only to miss out and finish in second place as "Tipperary Tim" won.
The pair lead from "Melleray's Belle" in second who began with much lower odds in 1930, dropping from 200-1 a year earlier to 20-1 this time around. "Melleray's Belle" was ridden by Mr. J Mason again as the pair finished ahead of "Sir Lindsay" in third and "Glangesia" in fourth who were four of the six horses to finish from forty-one that had started.
The 1929 Grand National
The 1929 Grand National was won by "Gregalach" and marked two consecutive years of horses with 100-1 odds winning the National. The sixty-six runners that began the race played their part in helping such a huge outsider win the race as the chaos, which ensued, left only ten horses to complete the course. The sixty-six starters in the largest number ever to race a Grand National and should never be surpassed as only forty horses are now allowed to race, a rule which has been in place for some time.
Robert Everett rode "Gregalach" and neither horse nor jockey would finish in the top four again. "Easter Hero" who has caused much trouble the year before finished second this time after starting the race as 9-12 favourite followed by "Richmond II" and "Melleray's Belle" in third and fourth. "Melleray's Belle" began the race at 200-1 and was the first horse with odds as wide as this to finish in the top four since "Magpie" who was also a 200-1 bet back in 1886.
The 1928 Grand National
Only two horses completed the 1928 Grand National, marking the first time less than three horses made it past the winning post and the only time in Grand National history, that two or less horses went the distance. The main reason only "Tipperary Tim" and "Billy Barton" were left standing at the end was because of a horse called "Easter Hero".
"Easter Hero" had the misfortune of falling at the Canal Turn causing a massive pile up which left only seven horses standing. This reduced to only three horses left, once the penultimate fence was reached with "Great Span" looking most likely to win. This all changed when "Great Span's" saddle slipped leaving only two horses left as "Billy Barton" raced ahead of "Tipperary Tim" only to fall leaving "Tipperary Tim" who began at 100-1 clear to complete the race as the only horse which wasn't remounted to go the distance.
"Billy Barton" was remounted and followed through in second place as the last horse to complete the course.
The 1927 Grand National
After finishing fourth in both 1925 and 1926 "Sprig" was installed as the favourite to win the 1927 Grand National as thirty-seven horses lined up to compete again marking a new record for the number of horses to race in one National. "Sprig" with returning jockey Ted Leader were favourites for the second year in a row beating out all the other horses as 100-1 bet "Bovril III" finished as runner up.
Jack Anthony again performed well finishing third on "Bright's Boy" with "Drinmond" in fourth in a year that saw the introduction of Radio to the race as BBC broadcasted the race to it's largest ever audience who all heard "Sprig" come through in first. The winning horse was originally bred by Captain Richard Pennington who had intended to one-day ride the horse in the Grand National, but unfortunately met his death shortly before the war ended.
The 1926 Grand National
The 1926 Grand National was won by a horse called "Jack Horner" who was ridden by William Watkinson, the same William Watkinson who had finished fourth in 1922 on "Drifter". The pair began the race as 25-1 outsiders as both Jack Anthony riding "Old Tay Bridge" and favourite Ted Leader riding "Sprig" expected to finish better. It was then nothing strange when "Old Tay Bridge" finished second with "Sprig" in fourth place matching the finish from a year earlier. Ted Leader and "Sprig" did however start with much better odds at 5-1 than they had the previous year when the pair began at 33-1.
The 1925 Grand National
Ridden my Major J P Wilson, "Double Chance" won the 1925 Grand National ahead of 9-1 favourite "Old Tay Bridge" and jockey Jack Anthony who was attempting to win his fourth National and would never come closer than on this horse which he returned with yet again the following year. Even though Jack Anthony was the favourite in 1925 he had began earlier Grand Nationals with better odds and not been expected to perform quite so well as each of his three victories saw another pairing with lower odds.
"Fly Mask" finished in the top four again followed in fourth by "Sprig" who would perform very well over the next few years as ten horses completed the course from thirty-three.
The 1924 Grand National
25-1 Outsider "Master Robert" shocked many by winning the Grand National in 1924, which again fielded thirty starters or more and was the third time in fours years that at least thirty horses raced. The horse and jockey Robert Trudgill would not manage to repeat the feat either together or individually, but it was a repeat victory for trainer Aubrey Hastings who had also trainer the 1915 winner "Ally Sloper".
The horse known as "Drifter" made his second appearance in the top four two years after finishing second, this time finishing fourth with "Fly Mask" and "Silvo" in second and third with the pair both starting at 100-7. "Fly Mask" would also finish in the top four for a second time the following year, dropping a place but performing very well regardless.
The 1923 Grand National
Moving up from fourth in 1922 was "Sergeant Murphy" who would win the 1923 Grand National ahead of the winning jockey from two years earlier. A different jockey rode "Sergeant Murphy" to the previous years jockey as Captain Geoffrey Bennet led the horse to victory ahead of "Shaun Spadah", "The Conjurer II" and "Punt Gun" who would finish the race in that order. Twenty-eight horses raced in the 1923 Grand National, which would not see under thirty participate until 1935 when six would finish from twenty-seven.
The 1922 Grand National
Another Rees won the Grand National in 1922 as Lewis Rees riding "Music Hall" came through in first with identical odds to the 1921 winner Fred Rees at 100-9. The 1922 race started with thirty-two runners marking the largest amount to race a National over any two-year period to this point. "Sergeant Murphy" finished in the top four again in 1922 following a fourth place in 1920. The only other horse to finish so high, which would make an appearance in this group, again was runner up "Drifter" ridden by Mr. W Watkinson.
The 1921 Grand National
The 1921 Grand National was won by "Shaun Spadah" ridden by Fred Rees from "The Bore" in second who was again partnered by Mr. H A Brown and matched their position from a year earlier. Three of the first four to finish had to be remounted with only the winning jockey staying on throughout the race as only five of the thirty-five starters completed the race. The 35 runners was the largest amount to begin a Grand National since it started in 1836 and would be beaten when 37 horses took part six years later.
The 1920 Grand National
"Troytown" won the 1920 Grand National after starting the race at 6-1, it was however not the horse that was so highly favoured, but the jockey riding him which saw the two starting with such low odds. The jockey Mr. Jack Anthony won his third Grand National following victories in 1911 on "Glendside" and victory at the last National held at Aintree before it moved south during the war, that year, he was riding "Ally Sloper".
Jack Anthony became the sixth jockey to win at least three Grand Nationals with only Brian Fletcher who would ride "Red Alligator" to victory in 1968 and "Red Rum" over half a century later to two victories to join that group. The race was only completed by five horses with "The Turk II" in second followed by "The Bore" and "Sergeant Murphy" in third and fourth respectively.
The 1919 Grand National
The 1919 Grand National now back in Liverpool following the end of the war, which ended November 1918 was won by jockey Ernie Piggott again being partnered by "Poethlyn" as the pair began the race as 11-4 favourites. The two won just over £3,500 on March the 28th with the event back in full force.
"Ballyboggan" finished second ridden by Mr. W Head as twenty-two horses ran with only seven finishing the race as those who had gotten used to easier fences in Gatwick were eased back into the reality of Aintree's high fences. "Pollen" finished in third followed by "Loch Allen" in fourth.
The 1918 Grand National
"Poethlyn" ridden by Ernie Piggott who had won the Grand National several years earlier paired together to win the 1918 War National Steeplchase and the last race at Gatwick before it returned to Liverpool following the end of the war. The jockey who is grandfather of Lester Piggott would return with "Poethlyn" to the Grand National in Liverpool the following year to win again then as the favourite as both trainer Harry Escott and owner Mrs. Hugh Peel also winning the event two years in a row.
The 1917 Grand National
Renamed for 1917 as "The War National Steeplechase" the race was again held at Gatwick and was won by "Ballymacad" ridden by Edmund Driscoll with the pair beginning with odds of 100-9. From information collected it is believed that the prize money from the 1916 and 1917 races was given to the home for blinded soldiers, which would have been an incredibly good gesture from the owners of both horses.
The 1916 Grand National
Following the 1915 Grand National the racecourse at Aintree was taken over by the war office making it impossible to hold the 1916 National there. The race itself was by now too much of an event to consider canceling by those close by who decided to begin a search for another location where the race could be held. That place was Gatwick racecourse, which was several hundred miles to the south and had held many racing events since it's opening in 1891. Gatwick racecourse was a popular venue for a time, but no longer exists as it was closed in 1940 and has been replaced by Gatwick airport.
A special 29-fence course was built for the race with it being market out to the same length of the Liverpool race at 4 miles and 856 yards with the name of the race also being changed to "The Racecourse Association Steeplechase". The National Hunt Committee organized the event and it had no input at all from the Aintree executive, which may explain why several history sources do not list results for this time period. The race itself was won by "Vermouth" ridden by Jack Reardon with prize money of 500 gold sovereigns as twenty-one horses competed with only one failing to complete the course,
which is mainly due to the fences not being as difficult as those at Aintree.
The 1915 Grand National
Friday March the 26th 1915 was the date, the date the last Grand National would be run before being moved due to the Great War, which was showing no signs of ending soon. There had already been loses of lives of those linked to the great race with people like Herbert W Tyrwhitt-Drake who had ridden the past few years losing his life due to the war. The number of punters had severely reduced it was "Ally Sloper" who would win the race in Liverpool ridden by Jack Anthony who had also won in 1911 on "Glenside".
"Sunloch" hadn't returned to defend the title, but jockey William Smith had come back to try for two in a row riding "Throwl Pin" who wasn't to be confused with another jockey that shared the same name who rode "Blow Pipe" and would win the 1917 equivalent race in Gatwick. The two most experienced jockeys were Ernie Piggott who would win the first Grand National back in Liverpool after the war and Alf Newey who would not compete in the event again. Alf who had won a National before finished well in second place on "Jacobus" followed by "Father Confessor" in third.
The 1914 Grand National
Four horses completed the course at Aintree for the 1914 Grand National, as only thirty-nine horses would go on to complete a National from 1910 to 1919, largely due to the First World War, which would start in 1914 and see three consecutive years without a Grand National from 1916 to 1918. The National though was not interrupted in 1914, as the war would not start until later that year after the horse "Sunloch" and jockey William John Smith had recorded their victory in the race. The jockey returned for his second National riding the eight year old "Sunloch" who managed to hold off "Trianon III",
"Lutteur III" and "Rory O'Moore" as the three finished in that order.
The 1913 Grand National
Making his final appearance in the top four at the Grand National in 1913 was "Carsey" ridden for the second time by Mr. Herbert W Tyrwhitt-Drake as the pair finished third and last as only three of the twenty-two runners completed the course this year. This was the first time since 1882 that under four horses finished the race and only one of four times in the history of the Grand National that less than four would ever pass the post.
The winning horse "Covercoat" was ridden by Percy Woodland who recorded his second victory in a Grand National after winning on the back of "Drumcree" in 1903 and it could have been three as Percy Woodland missed out in 1905 when he finished second. The only other horse to run the National in its entirety was "Irish Mail" who finished third.
The 1912 Grand National
"Jerry M" who had finished second in 1910 raced again as a 4-1 favourite in the Grand National, this time with jockey Ernie Piggott as the pair won the 1912 race at Aintree from "Bloodstone" in second, ridden by Mr. F Lyall whose previous best finish was fourth five years earlier. "Bloodstone" was yet another horse previously not fancied or expected to do well on the day that had managed to finish so highly placed. "Axle Pin" finished in third and was much better backed on the day with last years fourth placed finisher, "Carsey" in the same position again,
with the same odds again at 100-8, but a different jockey than in 1911 National, Mr. Herbert W Tyrwhitt-Drake.
The 1911 Grand National
Returning to the Grand National in 1911 and going on to victory was "Glenside" who, after falling in 1910 was given little chance to perform so well mainly because he was a "broken winded" one eyed horse that the public hadn't taken to. Leading up to the race though the course was hit with torrential rain, which contributed to twenty-two of the twenty-six runners failing to finish as "Glenside" how wasn't really in the running only managed to take the lead when "Caubeen" and "Rathnally" collided after Becher's Brook.
"Glenside" enjoying such luck was ridden home by Jack Anthony to a twenty length victory followed by "Rathnally" who had been remounted as his jockey Robert Chadwick missed out on an excellent opportunity to win two Grand Nationals in a row. "Shady Girl" finished behind in third with the only other horse to finish the race "Fool-Hardy" in fourth place as both had to be remounted.
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