Year

Grand National Results 1978

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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winner Red Rum, due for one last hurrah at the age of 13, was found to be slightly lame on the eve of the race, withdrawn and immediately retired.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

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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.

Grand National Results 1975

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Run on good going in April 5, 1975, the 1975 Grand National featured 31 runners, but the pre-race hype was all about just one, Red Rum, the winner in 1973 and 1974, who was attempting an unprecedented hat-trick in the world-famous steeplechase. Red Rum once again face L’Escargot, whom he had beaten into third place in 1973 and second place in 1974, but who, in receipt of 11lb, was reopposing on the most favourable terms yet.

Understandably, the pair dominated the betting, with Red Rum sent off hot favourite at 7/2, L’Escargot next best at 13/2 and 12/1 bar the pair, which brought in the SGB Chase and Great Yorkshire winner Rough House. The latter, trained by Fred Rimmell and ridden by John Burke, had fallen at the Canal Turn on the first circuit in 1974, but was an even earlier casualty on this occasion, falling at the notoriously difficult fourth fence.

A total of 10 horses completed the course and, in a finish dominated by the market leaders, L’Escargot, ridden by Tommy Carberry, avenged his previous defeats in taking style. Crossing the Melling Road for the final time, Red Rum and L’Escargot matched strides in the lead, but over the final two fences it soon became clear that the latter was travelling by far the better of the pair. When asked for an effort on the run-in, L’Escargot drew further and further clear and passed the post 15 lengths ahead. Red Rum finished clear second, eight lengths ahead of Spanish Steps, who was, in turn, 12 lengths ahead of the fourth horse home, Money Market.

L’Escargot thus became just the second horse in history, after Golden Miller, to win both the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand National, albeit not in the same season. As noted in commentary by Sir Peter O’Sullevan, his jockey Tommy Carberry also became the first to win the Grand National, Irish Grand National and Cheltenham Gold Cup.