1991 Grand National – Saturday 6th April 1991

Finishing Order

Pos Horse Jockey Age Weight SP Distance
1st Seagram 12/1 Nigel Hawke 11 10-06 12/1 Won by 5 lengths
2nd Garrison Savannah 7/1 Mark Pitman 8 11-01 7/1 8 lengths
3rd Auntie Dot 50/1 Mark Dwyer 10 10-04 50/1 25 lengths
4th Over the Road 50/1 Robbie Supple 10 10-07 50/1 Short head
5th Bonanza Boy 13/2 F Peter Scudamore 10 11-07 13/2 F 1½ lengths
6th Durham Edition 25/1 Chris Grant 13 10-13 25/1 4 lengths
7th Golden Minstrel 50/1 Tom Grantham 12 10-02 50/1 6 lengths
8th Old Applejack 66/1 Tim Reed 11 10-01 66/1 2 lengths
9th Leagaune 200/1 Mark Richards 9 10-00 200/1 4 lengths
10th Foyle Fisherman 40/1 Eamon Murphy 12 10-00 40/1 12 lengths
11th Ballyhane 22/1 Declan Murphy 10 10-03 22/1 1½ lengths
12th Harley I 150/1 Ger Lyons 11 10-00 150/1 30 lengths
13th Mick’s Star 100/1 Charlie Swan 11 10-00 100/1 5 lengths
14th Ten of Spades 15/1 John White 11 11-01 15/1
15th Forest Ranger 100/1 Dai Tegg 9 10-00 100/1
16th Yahoo 33/1 Norman Williamson 10 11-01 33/1
17th Golden Freeze 40/1 Michael Bowlby 9 11-00 40/1 Last to complete

Run on good to soft going, on April 6, 1991, the 1991 Grand National featured a then-maximum 40 runners, including the first three home from the 1990 renewal, Mr. Frisk, Durham Edition and Rinus. Favourite, though, was Bonanza Boy, trained by Martin Pipe and ridden by Peter Scudamore, who could race off the same handicap mark as when winning the Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter, by 20 lengths, unchallenged, three weeks beforehand.

As it happened, Bonanza Boy was soon outpaced and well behind, and, while he made headway under pressure over the last half a dozen fences, a well-beaten sixth, 38 lengths behind the winner, was the best he could manage. That winner was Seagram, trained by David Barons and ridden by Nigel Hawke, who had already beaten Bonanza Boy by three lengths at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day, but was 8lb worse off at Aintree and hence closely handicapped with the favourite.

Seagram fared by far the better of the pair on this occasion, although halfway up the run-in it appeared that he may play second fiddle to the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Garrison Savannah, who was attempting to become the first horse since the legendary Golden Miller to win both premier steeplechases in Britain in the same season. Trained by Jenny Pitman and ridden by her son, Mark, Garrison Savannah weakened in the last hundred yards or so, allowing Seagram to surge past and win by five lengths. Two 50/1 outsiders, Auntie Dot and Over The Road, filled third and fourth places, beaten eight lengths and 25 lengths by the winner, respectively.

Later reflecting on winning the Grand National at his first attempt, Hawke said, “It just all happened so quickly with Seagram that I couldn’t really appreciate it. You never catch up with yourself. I wouldn’t mind trying it again.”

By Admin