Category: Grand National

According to the Rules of Racing, with the exception of the Water Jump, which is jumped just once during the Grand National, all the fences on the National Course must be a minimum of 4’6″ high, measured on the take-off side. In fact, just three fences conform to the official minimum height, but one or two of them have still proved troublesome.

Historically, the first fence has claimed numerous victims, not because of its height, but because runners tend to approach it at a rate of knots. Indeed, in 2013, the starting position of the Grand National was moved closer to the first fence – thereby reducing the advertised distance by half a furlong – in an attempt to prevent runners building up a head of steam on their approach.

The seventh (and twenty-third) fence is, without question, the most famous of the smaller fences on the Grand National Course. It bears the name of ‘Foinavon’, who went on to win the 1967 Grand National at odds of 100/1 after avoiding a melee at the fence on the second circuit. Of course, the Foinavon fence does immediately follow the formidable Becher’s Brook, so can catch out the unwary,

By contrast, fourteenth (and thirtieth, and final) fence is probably the most innocuous of all the smaller fences on the National Course. Billy Barton did famously fall at the final fence in the 1928 Grand National to leave another 100/1 outsider, Tipperary Tim, to finish alone but, on the whole, final fence fallers are something of a rarity.

The most attritional renewal of the Grand National in recent memory came in 2001, when just four horses finished and just two of them completed the course unscathed. The combination of bottomless ground and ‘carnage’ at The Canal Turn, caused by the riderless Paddy’s Return, conspired to whittle the 40-strong field down to just seven heading out on the final circuit. Further mishaps followed and, at the fence before Becher’s Brook on the second circuit, the field was reduced to just two. Red Marauder made the best of his way home to beat Smarty by a distance, with the remounted pair Blowing Wind and Papillon and equally distant third and fourth, respectively.

However, the Grand National with the fewest finishers ever was the 1928 renewal, in which 100/1 outsider Tipperary Tim was the only horse to safely negotiate all 30 obstacles at the first time of asking. He was followed home by just one other finisher, Billy Barton, who fell at the final fence, but was subsequently remounted to finish a distant second. Once again, conditions at Aintree were atrocious and, once again, a melee at The Canal Turn on the first circuit put paid to the chances of many of the 42 runners. At the third last fence, Great Span, Billy Barton and Tipperary Tim were the only three left standing, but Great Span and Billy Barton both departed to leave Tipperary Tim to win unchallenged.

Forced into retirement in December, 1999, after aggravating a neck injury, Richard Dunwoody won the Grand National twice. On his first attempt in the Grand National, in 1985, Dunwoody led over Becher’s Brook on joint-favourite West Tip, only for his mount to crumple on landing and fall. Nevertheless, the partnership made amends in 1986, with West Tip tackling the leader Young Driver halfway up the run-in, as Dunwoody glanced across at his toiling rival, and staying on well to win by two lengths. Indeed, West Tip proved a grand servant to connections, finishing fourth in the Grand National in 1987 and 1988 and second in 1989, all under Dunwoody.

Dunwoody subsequently succeeded Peter Scudamore as stable jockey to Martin Pipe and won the first of three consecutive jockeys’ titles in 1992/93. The following season, he won the Grand National again on Miinnehoma, trained by Pipe and owned by Liverpudlian comedian Freddie Starr. In an attritional renewal, run on heavy going, Miinnehoma was one of just six finishers, but could be called the winner some way from home, racing upsides the eventual second, Just So, from the third-last fence before cruising into the lead on the run-in to win by 1¼ lengths.