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Grand National results 1974

Admin December 1, 2025 No Comments

Following his last gasp, smash and grab victory over Crisp in 1973, Red Rum returned to Aintree on March 30, 1974, attempting to become the first horse since Reynoldstown,in 1936, to win back-to-back renewals of the Grand National. In the absence of Crisp, injured when beating Red Rum by eight lengths, at level weights, in a match race at Doncaster, the latter was saddled with top weight of 12st 0lb in the National, 23lb more than in 1973. Consequently, he was 24lb worse off with L’Escargot, whom he had beaten into a distant third the previous year.

A total of 42 horses went to post for the 1974 Grand National, of which 17 completed the course. At the ‘off’, the lightly-weighted Scout, trained by Arthur Stephenson and ridden by Tommy Stack, was sent off marginal favourite at 7/1, just ahead of L’Escargot at 17/2, with Red Rum at 11/1 and 14/1 bar that trio.

Ridden by Brian Fletcher, as he had been in 1973, Red Rum took closer order early on the second circuit, led over Becher’s Brook second time around and, thereafter, was not for catching. L’Escargot, ridden by Tommy Carberry, briefly closed to press the leader approaching the second-last fence, but Red Rum drew clear again, with Fletcher looking around, and crossed the line seven lengths to the good. L’Escargot just held second, a short head in front of 50/1 chance Charles Dickens, to whom he was conceding 27lb, with Spanish Steps fourth (for the second year running), a further eight lengths away. On the prevailing good going, the winning time, 9 minutes and 20.3 seconds, was much slower than the record 9 minutes and 1.9 seconds set by Red Rum himself, on good to firm going, the previous year, but nonetheless only 0.1 seconds slower than the previous record set by the aforementioned Reynoldstown in 1935.

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Grand National results 1973

Admin December 1, 2025 No Comments

Run on good to firm going on March 31, 1973, the 1973 Grand National featured 38 runners, of which 17 completed the course. However, the race essentially revolved around two horses, who produced arguably the most famous finish in the history of the Grand National since its first ‘official’ running in 1839. Those horses were, of course, the eight-year-old Red Rum, trained by Donald ‘Ginger’ McCain in Southport, Lancashire and ridden by Brian Fletcher, and the ex-Australian 10-year-old Crisp, trained by Fred Winter in Lambourn, Berkshire.

Crisp had already won the Two Mile Champion Chase (now the Queen Mother Champion Chase) at the Cheltenham Festival in 1971 and finished fifth, behind Glencarraig Lady, in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1972. Consequently, alongside previous dual Cheltenham Gold winner L’Escargot, he was allotted joint top weight, of 12st 0lb, while Red Rum, on 10st 5lb, was receiving 23lb from both of them. Red Rum and Crisp were sent off 9/1 joint-favourites, with 11/1 L’Escargot and 14/1 bar that trio.

Once underway, Crisp led his rivals a merry dance for most of the way and, when his nearest pursuer, Grey Sombrero fell at The Chair, towards the end of the first circuit, he already looked to hold an unassailable lead. At the final fence, Crisp was still 15 lengths ahead, with Red Rum his only conceivable danger, but approaching the Elbow, halfway up the run-in, he started to wander under pressure as Red Rum made up ground hand-over-fist. Heartbreakingly, in the final strides, Red Rum swept by to win by three-quarters of a length and, in so doing, set a new course record that would stand until beaten by Mr. Frisk, on firm going, in 1990. L’Escargot finished third, fully 25 lengths behind the first two, with Spanish Steps fourth.

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Grand National results 1972

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The 1972 Grand National featured 42 runners, including the first three home in the 1971 renewal, Specify,. Black Secret and Astbury, the 1970 winner, Gay Trip, who had started favourite in 1971, but fallen at the first fence, and L’Escargot, who had won back-to-back renewals of the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1970 and 1971 and finished fourth in the ‘Blue Riband’ event in 1972. Indeed, despite top weight of 12st 0lb, L’Escargot was sent off 17/2 favourite on his first attempt in the Grand National. His effort, though, was short-lived, as he was unluckily knocked over at the third fence.

Despite the prevailing good to soft going, just nine of the 42 starters completed the course, but three of the first four horses home – there was, in fact, a dead-heat for third place – come from the first half a dozen in the betting. Victory went to the well-backed nine-year-old Well To Do, owned and trained by Tim Forster in Letcombe Bassett, Oxfordshire and ridden by Graham Thorner. Forster had acquired Well To Do when his previous owner, Heather Summer, died from cancer the previous year and bequethed the horse to his trainer in her will.

One of half a dozen still with a realistic chance of winning turning for home, Well To Do led over the final fence and, try as they might, his rivals failed to make any inroads in the closing stages. Terry Biddlecombe steered Gay Trip towards the stands’ side in search of better ground, but was still two lengths behind at the line, while Black Secret and General Symons dead-heated for third – the first time the judge had been unable to split placed horses in the Grand National – a further three lengths away. Forster would subsquently win the Grand National twice more, with Ben Nevis in 1980 and Last Suspect in 1985.

Year

Grand National results 1971

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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.