2025

Grand National Results 1979

Admin December 2, 2025 No Comments

March 31, 1979 turned out to be a red-letter day in the history of Scottish National Hunt racing because, on that day, Rubstic, trained by John Leadbetter in Denholm, Roxburghshire, in the Southern Uplands and ridden by Maurice Barnes, became the first Grand National winner in history to be trained north of the border. That said, Bob Davies, who won the 1978 Grand National on Lucius, a ‘spare’ ride for Gordon W. Richards, went close to repeating the dose on Zongalero, trained by Nicky Henderson, who was originally due to be ridden by Tommy Carberry.

On good to soft going, 39 runners went to post, but only seven of them completed the course. Tragically, one that didn’t was the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, and 13/2 favourite, Alverton, trained by Peter Easterby and ridden by Jonjo O’Neill. Off just 10st 13lb, the nine-year-old appeared to hold outstanding claims, breasted Becher’s Brook on the second circuit, landed on his head, broke his neck and was killed instantly.

At the business end of the race, Rough And Tumble, ridden by John Francome, led over the final fence, but was joined, and passed, on the run-in by Zongalero and Rubstic. Inside the final furlong, aided in part by the appearance of a loose horse on the stands’ side, Rubstic asserted and, with both jockeys asking for maximum effort, went on to beat Zongalero by a length and a half. Rough And Tumble faded to finish third, five lengths away, with The Pilgarlic a gallant, but distant, fourth.

Of the other horses representing the 1978 Grand National form, Drumroan and Coolishall, who finished third and fourth, the former fell at the tenth fence and the latter at the final open ditch, four fences from home. Winning trainer Leadbitter said later, “The day he won was one of life’s better days, a magical moment, and an amazing feeling”.

Grand National Results 1978

Admin December 2, 2025 No Comments

No Grand National can realistically be described as an anti-climax, but the 1978 renewal did lack superstar quality after three-time winner Red Rum, due for one last hurrah at the age of 13, was found to be slightly lame on the eve of the race, withdrawn and immediately retired. In his absence, 42 horses went to post and the 1976 winner, Rag Trade, back with George Fairburn after ill-feeling among his co-owners, was sent off favourite at 8/1. Rag Trade never really featured and, tragically, was pulled up before Becher’s Brook on the second circuit, having brokeb down so badly that the only solution was for him to be humanely euthanised.

On the prevailing good going, 15 horses completed the course and, in a driving finish, the first five home were covered by a distance of less than four lengths. Victory went to the 14/1 chance Lucius, trained by Gordon W. Richards in Greystoke, near Penrith, Cumbria and ridden by Bob Davies, who nosed ahead inside the final furlong and stayed on best of all to win by half a length. Sebastian V, ridden by Ridley Lamb, finished second, just a neck ahead of Drumroan, ridden by Gerry Newman, and a further two lengths ahead of Coolishall, who just prevailed in a photo finish for fourth place with The Pilgarlic, ridden by Richard Evans.

Reflecting on his victory, decades later, winning jockey Bob Davies said, “I was a bit lucky. But only in the way I got the ride. Dave Goulding should have ridden him for Gordon Richards, as he was his jockey, but he hurt his back at Wetherby on the Monday.” Interestingly, Davies, who had been champion jockey in 1968/69 (jointly), 1969/70 and 1971/72, was completing the Grand National Course for just the second time. Although only a nine-year-old in 1978, Lucius never ran in the Grand National again.

Grand National Results 1977

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Saturday, April 2, 1977 was considered by many to be the day of reckoning for Red Rum who, as a 12-year-old, was making his third attempt to win a third Grand National, after finishing second in both 1975 and 1976. In the absence of the 1976 winner Rag Trade, trainer Fred Rimmell saddled another formidable contender in the form of Andy Pandy, who was sent off 15/2 favourite after beating Red Rum out of sight in the Grand National Trial at Haydock Park earlier in the season.

However, Andy Pandy was one of 33 casualties among the 44 starters, falling a Becher’s Brook on the second circuit, when in a clear lead. By that stage, Red Rum was, in fact, the only one in first half a dozen in the betting still standing. Left in the lead, Red Rum was never headed. He turned for home with only two loose horses and Churchtown Boy, who had won the Topham Chase just two days earlier, for company. Ridden by Martin Blackshaw, Churchtown Boy momentarily looked dangerous when closing down Red Rum approaching the second-last fence, but lost momentum with a less-than-fluent jump and thereafter Red Rum simply drew further and further clear.

“It’s hats off and a tremendous reception, you’ve never heard one like it at Liverpool,” exclaimed BBC commentator Sir Peter O’Sullevan, as Red Rum sauntered up the run-in in splendid isolation to win by 25 lengths. An exhausted Churchtown Boy finished second, six lengths ahead of Eyecatcher, who finished third for the second year running, and a further eight lengths ahead of The Pilgarlic in fourth place. Elsewhere, Charlotte Brew, who rode 200/1 outsider Barony Fort, who eventually refused four fences from home, also made history by becoming the first female jockey to participate in the Grand National.

Grand National Results 1976

Admin December 2, 2025 No Comments

On April 3, 1976, Red Rum returned to Aintree where, on good going, he made his second attempt to win the Grand National for an unprecedented third time. He was, however, without his regular jockey Brian Fletcher, who ridden him in 1973, 1974 and 1975, but was replaced by Tommy Stack after a disagreement with trainer Donald ‘Ginger’ McCain. Neither did he face his old rival L’Escargot, who had beaten him 15 lengths in 1975, but had subsequently been retired by his owner Raymond Guest.

According to the bookmakers, the pick of the opposition was the 1975 Scottish Grand National winner, Barona, trained by Roddy Armytage and Paul Kelleway, who was sent off 7/1 favourite. Despite a non-descript season over regulation park fences, Red Rum, by then an 11-year-old, was still sent off 10/1 favourite, with 12/1 bar the front two.

As he had the previous year, Red Rum made a bold bid for Aintree immortality, but for the second year running was frustrated, this time by the Welsh Grand National winner, Rag Trade, trained by Fred Rimmel at Kinnersley, Worcestershire and ridden by John Burke. Red Rum led narrowly over the final fence, just ahead of Eyecatcher (ridden by his former jockey Brian Fletcher), but was tackled on the run-in by Rag Trade, who went on to win by two lengths. Eyecatcher faded to finish third, a further eight lengths behind, while Barona finished a staying on fourth, a further three lengths away. All told, 16 of the 37 starters completed the course.

Rag Trade was, in fact, a fourth Grand National winner for Rimmell, after E.S.B.(1956), Nicolaus Silver (1961), Gay Trip (1970), thereby equalling the record set by George Dockeray in the mid-nineteenth century. Coincidentally, the record would be equalled again by Donald ‘Ginger’ McCain, the trainer of Red Rum, in 2004, courtesy of Amberleigh House.