December 2025

Grand National results 1971

Admin December 1, 2025 No Comments

The 1971 Grand National featured 38 runners, including the first three home in the 1970 renewal, Gay Trip, Vulture and Miss Hunter, although none of that trio completed the course. Favourite Gay Trip, reunited with Terry Biddlecombe, who missed the winning ride in 1970 through injury, fell at the very first fence, Miss Hunter fell at the penultimate fence on the first circuit, The Chair, and Vulture fell at the first open ditch on the second circuit. The majpr hard-luck story, though, involved 66/1 chance Gay Buccaneer, who led over the Canal Turn on the first circuit only to be badly hampered, and nearly carried off the course, by a loose horse and relegated to last place.

All told, 13 horses completed the course and, in a particularly close finish, were led home by 28/1 chance Specify, owned by Fred Pontin (of holiday camp fame), trained in Epsom by John Sutcliffe and ridden by John Cook. Although only fifth or sixth turning for home, Specify was noted by BBC commentator Sir Peter O’Sullevan, “still going strongly just in behind the leaders”. Still only fifth jumping the final fence, when asked for an effort, the nine-year-old made relentless progress on the run-in and led inside the final hundred yards to win more comfortably than the neck margin might suggest. Black Secret, who was conceding 16lb to the winner, finished second, Astbury third, Bowgeeno fourth and Sandy Sprite. Remarkably, aftter four and a half miles, the first five horses home were covered by a distance of less than five lengths.

In 1972, Specify attempted to repeat his National victory but, although travelling well enough at Becher’s Brook, eventually faded to finish sixth of the nine finishers. He raced just once more before being retired from racing and spent his final years at the stables of his owner in Farringford on the Isle of Wight.

Year

Grand National results 1970

Admin December 1, 2025 No Comments

On April 4, 1970, a relatively small field of 28 runners lined up for the Grand National. Among them were three previous winners over the Grand National fences, in the form of The Fossa, who had won the Grand Sefton Chase in 1965, Red Alligator, who had won the Grand National itself in 1968 and Dozo, who had won the Topham Chase in 1969. The latter, trained by Toby Balding and ridden by Eddie Harty, was the best-fancied of the trio, being sent off at 100/8 joint second-favourite, and fared best, too, finishing fourth. Red Alligator fell at the eleventh fence, while The Fossa refused at Becher’s Brook on the second circuit.

Just seven horses completed the course, but victory went to Gay Trip, trained by Fred Rimnel and ridden by Pat Taaffe. Gay Trip had won the Mackeson Gold Cup at Newbury the previous November and subsequently run with credit in both the King George VI Chase and the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Consequently, he was saddled with top weight of 11st 5lb in the National, but nonetheless moved smoothly into the lead turning for home and gradually drew further and further clear, with Taaffe afforded the luxury of looking around several times in the closing stages.

Sent off at 15/1, Gay Trip evetually passed the post 20 lengths to the good over his nearest pursuer, the equally well-fancied Vulture, who just held second, by half a length, from 33/1 chance Miss Hunter, with Dozo fourth, a further six lengths away. Thus, the eight-year-old became the third of four Grand National winners for Rimmell – and the best of the quartet, according to his trainer – and a second for Taaffe, who had previous ridden Quare Times 15 years earlier. Taaffe, 40, was the oldest professional jockey riding in the National that year and was, in fact, deputising for the injured Terry Biddlecombe.