Category: Grand National

Granted that the last of his record five wins came over 150 years ago, in 1870, is would be fair to say that the most successful jockey in the history of the Grand National is hardly a household name. However, the jockey is question, George Stevens, benefited from the tutelage of Tom Olliver, himself a Grand National-winning jockey and, in 1856, at the age of 22, won his first Grand National on Freelander. Carrying just 9st 6lb, the 25/1 chance was left in third place at the fence now known as ‘Foinavon’ on the second circuit, took the lead on the turn for home and, after a protracted duel with the eventual runner-up, Minerva, who became entangled in the final hurdle, finally prevailed by a length.

Stevens achieved his second and third victories in the Grand National courtesy of back-to-back victories aboard the 7-year-old mare Emblem and her 6-year-old half-sister Emblematic in 1863 and 1864, respectively. Wins number four and five also came in consecutive years, 1869 and 1870, but this time aboard the same horse, The Colonel. On the first occasion, Stevens employed exaggerated waiting tactics, as was his custom, and steered a wide course, which allowed him to avoid trouble in running. He did not take closer order until crossing the Melling Road for the final time, but swept into the lead at the second-last fence to win comfortably by 3 lengths. On the second occasion, Stevens rode a similar race and, although involved in a neck-and-neck battle with eventual runner-up The Doctor on the run-in, The Colonel prevailed again, albeit narrowly.

Red Rum, of course, famously made five appearances in the Grand National, winning three times, in 1973, 1974 and 1977, and finishing second twice, behind L’Escargot in 1975 and Rag Trade in 1976, respectively. However, the horse that holds the record for the most appearances in the Grand National is Manifesto, who contested eight renewals between 1895 and 1904.

Bred and originally owned by Harry Dyas, Manifesto finished fourth on his first attempt, as a 7-year-old, in 1895, but the following year, ridden by Dyas, got no further than the first fence. In 1897, professionally trained by Willie McAuliffe and ridden by leading jockey Terry Kavanagh, as he had been on his first attempt, Manifesto won the Grand National by 20 lengths. He missed the 1898 renewal through injury but, having been sold and transferred to Willie Moore, was back again in 1899; despite the welter burden of 12st 7lb, he justified favouritism by winning, again, by 5 lengths.

Third, under an eye-watering 12st 13lb, in 1900, Manifesto missed the 1901 National, but tried three more times, without success, to win the celebrated steeplechase. That said, he finished third in 1902 and 1903, under 12st 8lb and 12st 3lb, respectively and eighth, under 12st 1lb, on his final attempt, as a 16-year-old, in 1905.

In 2019, Tiger Roll was sent off 4/1 favourite to become the first horse since Red Rum, in 1974, to win the Grand National two years running. The diminutive 9-year-old did so, making him the shortest priced winner of the National for exactly a century. Indeed, in 172 runnings of the celebrated steeplechase, just five winners have been sent off at odds shorter than 4/1. The first four were, in chronological order, Anatis (7/2) in 1860, The Huntsman (3/1) in 1862, The Colonel (7/2) in 1870 and Roquefort (10/3) in 1885.

However, the shortest priced winner in the history of the Grand National was Poethlyn, who had won the substitute ‘War National’ at Gatwick in 1918 and was consequently sent off 11/4 favourite for the so-called ‘Victory National’, when the race returned to Aintree in 1919. Ridden by Ermie Piggott, grandfather of Lester, Poethlyn was saddled with the welter burden of 12st 7lb, but justified favouritism in fine style. Always prominent, Poethlyn made headway from Valentine’s Brook on the second circuit to dispute the lead two fences later. By the second-last fence he had established a clear lead over his nearest rival, Ballybogan, who was receiving 11lb, and eventually won easily, by 8 lengths.