Run at Aintree, the Grand National has been a British horse racing tradition – and a sporting institution since 1893. It is one of the biggest sporting events to bet on in the UK, and there are lots of Grand National tips to help you make your bets. Betting on this race is traditional – and seeing the outsiders win is part of the charm.
The very first Grand National race was won by a horse named Lottery – a lucky start for him. Meanwhile, Captain Becher fell at the world-renowned brook. Originally, William Lynn – a syndicate head and proprietor of Waterloo Hotel – founded the course. The land was leased from the 2nd Earl of Lefton, William Molyneux. He laid the foundation stone on 2nd Feb 1829 and called the race the Grand Liverpool Steeplechase.
Historical Landmarks
Given the long history of the race, there have been plenty of incredible stories. This includes incredible horses, such as Manifesto, who has run the race no less than eight times – finished first twice finishing third three more times. Then there’s Bruce Hobbs, who was just 17 when he won the Grand National in 1939 – the youngest in history; he rode Battleship – the smallest ever horse to win the race. On the opposite end of the spectrum, there’s Dick Saunders who was the oldest successful rider – who competed in his only ever Grand National in 1982, on Grittar, aged 48.
The first woman to ever train a Grand National winner was Jenny Pitman. She got the win firstly in 1983 with Corbiere and again in 1995 with Royal Athlete. Then, the second woman was Venetia Williams in 2009 who won with Mon Mome. She actually rode in the race 11 years previous. Other female winners include Sue Smith in 2013, and Lucinda Russell in 2017.
There have also been some incredible stories involving the obstacles. In 1928 there was the least number of horses to complete the race – just two (Tipperary Tim and Billy Barton). Then, in 2001 only four horses out of forty completed – with two remounting.
The Most Famous Grand National Horses
There have been many famous horses that have taken part in the Grand National and have made a name for themselves. Obviously, the most well-known of these all is Red Rum.
Red Rum
The world-famous Red Rum had his first Grand National in 1973, where he started the race as 9/1 favourite. He may not have started the race as strongly as his rival, Crisp, but Crisp weighed much more and his stamina wained. From being more than 15 lengths ahead, Red Rum wore him down and he beat him by three-quarters of a length. He ran to victory in a record-breaking 9 min 1.9 seconds, knocking nearly 20 seconds off Golden Miller’s best in 1934. This record stood for 16 years.
Red Rum went on to win the race another two times – in 1974 and 1977. He also finished second on his two other races – and became the greatest performer at the Grand National ever. What made this even more astonishing was he had overcome the bone disease Pedalosteitis, which should have stopped him from racing.
Foinavon
The reason Foinavon is well-known is because of the circumstances in which he won. The win, in 1967, came under the strangest circumstances. At the smallest of the fences, Popham Down, a riderless horse, cut across the horse and caused a massive pile up – nearly all of the horses were brought to a standstill. However, because Foinavon was a little way behind, Foinavon’s jockey steered him around the mess and went on to win as an incredible 100/1 outsider.
Because of this extraordinary event, the exec of Aintree named the fence in honour of the horse. The horse had taken part in some top races before, but never as a winner. His owner believed his chances of winning were so slim he didn’t even show up and watch the race. The horse ran at the following year’s Grand National but fell at the water jump.
Most Famous Grand National Characters
The ‘Iron’ Duke of Alburquerque
This man, Beltran Alfonso Osorio Diez de Rivera, aka the ‘Iron’ Duke of Alburquerque, is thought to be the worst Jockey ever in the Grand National. The Duke watched the Grand National as a child and became obsessed with the race. This mad Spanish aristocrat entered the race seven times – and was very consistent. He would gallop off and end up falling off the horse. In his several attempts at the race, he broke his vertebra, his leg and numerous other bones. In fact, when bookies saw he was riding, there were odds of 66/1 given on him completing the race still atop his mount.
In 1974, after one of his falls, the duke had to have sixteen screws in his leg. Shortly after these were removed, whilst training for the Grand National, he fell and broke his collarbone. However, this didn’t deter him, and he raced in his plaster cast. Funnily enough, this was the only time he finished the race – despite being in eighth (and last) place. However, a more serious accident occurred in 1976 when he fell and was trampled by several horses. As a result, he suffered 7 broken ribs, fractured vertebrae, a fractured thigh and wrist as well as concussion. He was in a coma for two days. Despite this fall, he still pledged to race again. However, organisers of the race revoked his license for his own safety. He never won a Grand National – but he set the record for the most broken bones.
Michael O’Hehir
Commentator, Michael O’Hehir, is most famous for commentating on the famous carnage of 1967 when Foinavon was victorious. He reported on the race with a coolness as he identified Foinavon as a horse that was coming out of the melee unscathed. O’Hehir stated that Foinavon’s unfamiliar colours made him easily recognizable. The commentator, as is customary, visited the weighing room before the race in order to become more familiar with the colours of the silks. John Buckingham’s black, red and yellow braces threw O’Hehir and he had to ask Buckingham who his horse was. At the last minute, he changed his colours from green as he felt it was unlucky. This event stuck out and made him more memorable.
Grand National Previous Winners
2000 – 2018
Year | Horse | Age | Weight | Trainer | Jockey | SP |
| 2018 | Tiger Roll | 8 | 10-13 | Gordon Elliot | Davy Russell | 14/1 |
| 2017 | One For Arthur | 8 | 10-11 | Lucinda Russell | Dereck Fox | 14/1 |
| 2016 | Rule The World | 9 | 10-07 | Mouse Morris | David Mullins | 33/1 |
| 2015 | Many Clouds | 8 | 11-09 | Oliver Sherwood | Leighton Aspell | 25/1 |
| 2014 | Pineau De Re | 11 | 10-06 | Dr Richard Newland | Leighton Aspell | 25/1 |
| 2013 | Auroras Encore | 11 | 10-03 | Mrs S Smith | Ryan Mania | 66/1 |
| 2012 | Neptune Collenges | 11 | 11-06 | P Nicholls | D Jacob | 33/1 |
| 2011 | Ballabriggs | 10 | 11-00 | D McCain | J Maguire | 14/1 |
| 2010 | Don’t Push It | 10 | 11-05 | J O’Neill | AP McCoy | 10/1 JF |
| 2009 | Mon Mome | 9 | 11-00 | Miss V Williams | L Treadwell | 100/1 |
| 2008 | Comply or Die | 9 | 10-09 | D E Pipe | T Murphy | 7/1 JF |
| 2007 | Silver Birch | 10 | 10-06 | G Elliott | R M Power | 33/1 |
| 2006 | Numbersixvalverde | 10 | 10-08 | M Brassil | N P Madden | 11/1 |
| 2005 | Hedgehunter | 9 | 11-01 | W P Mullins | R Walsh | 7/1 F |
| 2004 | Amberleigh House | 12 | 10-10 | D McCain | G Lee | 16/1 |
| 2003 | Monty’s Pass | 10 | 10-07 | JJ Mangan | B J Geraghty | 16/1 |
| 2002 | Bindaree | 8 | 10-04 | NA Twiston-Davies | J Culloty | 20/1 |
| 2000 | Papillon | 9 | 10-12 | T M Walsh | R Walsh | 10/1 |
1975 – 1999
Year | Horse | Age | Weight | Trainer | Jockey | SP |
| 1999 | Bobbyjo | 9 | 10-00 | T Carberry | P Carberry | 10/1 |
| 1998 | Earth Summit | 10 | 10-05 | NA Twiston Davies | C Llewellyn | 7/1F |
| 1997 | Lord Gyllene | 9 | 10-00 | SA Brookshaw | A Dobbin | 14/1 |
| 1996 | Rough Quest | 10 | 10-07 | T Casey | MA Fitzgerald | 7/1F |
| 1995 | Royal Athlete | 12 | 10-06 | Mrs J Pitman | JF Titley | 40/1 |
| 1994 | Miinnehoma | 11 | 10-08 | MC Pipe | R Dunwoody | 16/1 |
| 1992 | Party Politics | 8 | 10-07 | NA Gaselee | C Llewellyn | 14/1 |
| 1991 | Seagram | 11 | 10-06 | DH Barons | N Hawke | 12/1 |
| 1990 | Mr Frisk | 11 | 10-06 | KC Bailey | Mr M Armytage | 16/1 |
| 1989 | Little Polveir | 12 | 10-03 | GB Balding | J Frost | 28/1 |
| 1988 | Rhyme N Reason | 9 | 11-00 | DRC Elsworth | B Powell | 10/1 |
| 1987 | Maori Adventure | 11 | 10-13 | A Turnell | S Knight | 28/1 |
| 1986 | West Tip | 9 | 10-11 | M Oliver | R Dunwoody | 15/2 |
| 1985 | Last Suspect | 11 | 10-05 | T Forster | H Davies | 50/1 |
| 1984 | Hallo Dandy | 10 | 10-02 | G Richards | N Doughty | 13/1 |
| 1983 | Corbiere | 8 | 11-04 | Mrs J Pitman | B de Haan | 131 |
| 1982 | Grittar | 9 | 11-05 | F Gilman | Mr R Saunders | 7/1F |
| 1981 | Aldaniti | 11 | 10-13 | J Gifford | R Champion | 10/1 |
| 1980 | Ben Nevis | 12 | 10-12 | T Forster | Mr C Fenwick | 40/1 |
| 1979 | Rubstic | 10 | 10-00 | SJ Leadbetter | M Barnes | 25/1 |
| 1978 | Lucius | 9 | 10-09 | GW Richards | BR Davies | 25/1 |
| 1977 | Red Rum | 12 | 11-08 | D McCain | T Stack | 9/1 |
| 1976 | Rag Trade | 10 | 10-12 | T F Rimell | J Burke | 14/1 |
| 1975 | L’Escargot | 12 | 11-03 | D Moore | T Carberry | 13/2 |
1950 – 1974
Year | Horse | Age | Weight | Trainer | Jockey | SP |
| 1974 | Red Rum | 9 | 12-00 | D McCain | B Fletcher | 11/1 |
| 1973 | Red Rum | 8 | 10-05 | D McCain | B Fletcher | 9/1 |
| 1972 | Well To Do | 9 | 10-01 | Capt. T A Forster | G Thorner | 14/1 |
| 1971 | Specify | 9 | 10-13 | J Sutcliffe | J Cook | 28/1 |
| 1970 | Gay Trip | 8 | 11-05 | TF Rimell | P Taaffe | 15/1 |
| 1969 | Highland Wedding | 12 | 10-04 | T Balding | E Harry | 100/9 |
| 1968 | Red Alligator | 9 | 10-0 | D Smith | B Fletcher | 100/7 |
| 1967 | Foinavon | 9 | 10-0 | J Kempton | J Buckingham | 100/1 |
| 1966 | Anglo | 8 | 10-0 | F Winter | T Norman | 50/1 |
| 1965 | Jay Trump | 8 | 11-05 | F Winter | T Smith | 100/6 |
| 1964 | Team Spirit | 12 | 10-03 | F Walwyn | W Robinson | 18/1 |
| 1963 | Ayala | 9 | 10-00 | K Piggott | P Buckley | 66/1 |
| 1962 | Kilmore | 12 | 10-04 | R Price | F Winter | 28/1 |
| 1961 | Nicolaus Silver | 9 | 10-01 | F Rimell | B Beasley | 28/1 |
| 1960 | Merryman II | 9 | 10-12 | N Crump | G Scott | 13/2F |
| 1959 | Oxo | 8 | 10-13 | M Scudamore | W Stephenson | 8/1 |
| 1958 | Mr What | 8 | 10-06 | T Taaffe, Sr | A Freeman | 18/1 |
| 1957 | Sundew | 11 | 11-07 | F Hudson | F Winter | 20/1 |
| 1956 | ESB | 10 | 11-03 | F Rimell | D Dick | 100/7 |
| 1955 | Quare Times | 9 | 11-00 | V O’Brien | P Taaffe | 100/9 |
| 1954 | Royal Tan | 10 | 11-07 | V O’Brien | B Marshall | 8/1 |
| 1953 | Early Mist | 8 | 11-02 | V O’Brien | B Marshall | 20/1 |
| 1952 | Teal | 10 | 10-12 | N Crump | A Thompson | 100/7 |
| 1951 | Nickel Coin | 9 | 10-01 | J O’Donoghue | J Bullock | 40/1 |
| 1950 | Freebooter | 9 | 11-11 | B Renton | J Power | 10/1 |
Grand National 2019
Those looking to follow the Grand National this year have some impressive names to watch. However, we have got the best tips and odds to help you out. Here is a list of the movers and shakers this year…
Horses:
- Abolitionist (favourite)
- Folsom Blue
- Don Poli
- Pleasant Company
- Rock the Kasbah
- Alpha Des Obeaux
- Go Conquer
- General Principle
- Rathvinden
- Step Back
- Anibal Fly
- Tiger Roll
- Isleofhopendreams
- Joe Farrell
- The Storyteller
- The Young Master
- Impulsive Star
- Baie Des Iles
- Mala Beach
- Ballyoptic
- Mall Dini
- Vieux Morvan
- Vintage Clouds
- Lake View Lad
- Ultragold
- Valtor
- Minella Rocco
- Milansbar
- Monbeg Notorious
- Ms Parfois
- Captain Redbeard
- Cogry
- Walk in the Mill
- Out Sam
- Pairofbrowneyes
- Bless The Wings
- Noble Endeavor
- One For Arthur
Check out our best Grand National betting Tips and Odds as well as our best Horse Racing betting Strategies so you can make the most of the Grand National betting.