Grand National Facts

12) The first horse to retain the National crown was the diminutive Abd-El-Kader , winning in 1850 and again the next year. Abd-El-Kader's mare was English Lass who had impressed Henry Osborne whilst helping to pull a stagecoach! Mr Osborne bought the mare for 40 guineas. Abd-El-Kader was owned and trained by his son, Joe.

13) As steeplechasing was developed from riding over open farmland, no one thought it strange that much of Aintree racecourse remained completely unturfed for the early Nationals. The area beyond the Melling Road was farmland and on race days, horses jumped over hedges from one field to another. In most cases, competitors jumped out of one field and into another at a lower level. The course was finally turfed in 1885.

14) In 1857, the National was run in torrential rain. Jockey Charlie Boyce, riding with one arm strapped to his side after a hunting accident, noticed some good ground and steered his horse, Emigrant, on to it. It was the canal towpath! His eventual victory stands in the record books, though the stewards were less than pleased. Since that race, all steeplechase fences have carried flags at both ends of the fence to make sure no jumps are missed out!

15) When nearing the finish whilst leading on Anatis in the 1860 National, legendary jockey Thomas Pickernell ignored the offer of a £1000 bribe from the rider of the second placed horse, Huntsman, and went on to win at 7-2 favourite.

16) During the 1875 National, when aged 41, Thomas Pickernell partnered a little known and unfancied gelding called Pathfinder. Pickernell enjoyed a draft of Dutch courage before the race and reportedly had to ask a fellow jockey which way he should be facing at the start. During the race, Pathfinder was struggling on the heavy going and Pickernell was going to pull him up, but decided to let the owners have a run for their money. Suddenly, after Valentine's Brook, Pathfinder began to pick up and went on to win by half a length!

17) Salamander, the 40-1 winner of the 1866 National was born with a crooked leg and was thought to be near to worthless. Mr Edward Studd of Rutland bought the horse for a bargain price when it looked like "an exhausted scarecrow". Salamander repaid Mr Studd's faith by making a full recovery - and helping him land a huge gamble of £40,000 from the betting ring!

18) A horse bred by Mr Henchy of County Limerick was so small, weedy and mild mannered that his son named him "The Lamb". When he was entered for the 1868 National, some scornful observers doubted that The Lamb would be able to see over the fences, let alone jump them. He made his doubters eat humble pie by bravely hanging on in the run in to win by two lengths from Pearl Diver. Tragically, The Lamb was struck down by a wasting disease, which nearly killed him and kept him off a racecourse for two years. During this time, his winning jockey of 1868, George Ede-Edwards had been killed in a steeplechasing fall. Under jockey Thomas Pickernell, The Lamb bravely won his second National in 1871!

19) In the 1869 National, The Colonel, a six-year old stallion, was lining up for only his second ever steeplechase. His pilot was George Stevens, a jockey who had already won three Nationals. George used his usual tactic of hunting The Colonel around the first circuit before making a late challenge. The tactics worked perfectly, with The Colonel bringing home the spoils at 100-7. The following year, despite a 19lb penalty and not having raced since the previous National, The Colonel went off at 7-2 favourite and just hung on by a neck. In 1871, he was sixth. Tragically, just three months later, George Stevens was killed in a riding accident. With five wins to his credit, George remains the most prolific National-winning jockey of all time. The Colonel became a successful stallion at stud.

20) Cloister, second in 1891, 92 and winner by 40 lengths in 1893 carrying 12 stones 7lbs, was twice withdrawn "injured" when a hot ante-post favourite in 1894 and 1895. On both occasions, the bookies knew well in advance of the public what was going on!

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