Run on good going on April 4, 1987, the 1987 Grand National featured a maximum 40 runners, including the 1986 winner, West Tip, who was sent off 5/1 favourite. Victory, though, went to the 28/1 chance Maori Venture, owned by Harry ‘Jim’ Joel – who, at the age of 92, became the oldest winning owner in Grand National history – trained by Andrew Turnell, in East Hendred near Wantage, Oxfordshire, and ridden by Steve Knight.
Lean Ar Aghaidh, trained by Stan Mellor and ridden by 20-year-old Guy Landau, led over the final fence, but approaching the Elbow, halfway up the run-in, was challenged, and passed, by Maori Venture on the stand side and The Tsarevich on the far side. Maori Venture finished the stronger of the pair, passing the post five lengths ahead of The Tsarevich, with Lean Ar Aghaidh third, a further four lengths away, and West Tip fourth, a similar distance further back.
All told, 22 runners completed the course, but one that didn’t was second-favourite Dark Ivy, trained by Gordon Richards and ridden by Phil Tuck, who suffered a fatal fall at Becher’s Brook on the first circuit. The 11-year-old grey broke his neck when turning somersault at the infamous fence and the incident made front-page news in the tabloid press, led to public outcry and became a defining moment in the history of the Grand National.
Turnell – who, himself, rode in the Grand National 13 times, finishing third on Charles Dickens behind Red Rum and L’Escargot in 1974 – said afterwards, “It’s quite emotional. I’ve tried to win it for a lot of years as a rider and a trainer.” Knight, who retired from race riding in 1989, said later, “Winning the National was the highlight of my riding career by a long way…”