Top 10 Memorable Moments in Grand National History

The Grand National history is packed with iconic moments. Millions of people watch this race every year and most aren’t seasoned horse racing fans. What they love more than anything is drama; something to talk about over the office water cooler on Monday morning.

We’ve seen it all down the years. Records broken, wins surrendered, mass pile-ups, and barriers shattered. This race is over 180 years old, is one of the longest steeplechases on the planet, and attracts viewers from around the world.

No wonder we found it easy to find 10 memorable Grand National moments. In fact, the nard part was reducing the number to just 10!

10 Memorable Grand National Moments

From iconic winners to major shocks, below are our 10 famous moments in the Grand National…

10. Only two finishers – 1928

The record for the fewest finishers was set when just two crossed the line

The Grand National is famed for its large number of runners, which usually means we get a good amount of horses crossing the line. That didn’t happen in 1928 when just two horses completed the race from 41 that started.

The mess began at the Canal Turn where all but seven horses fell. By the last jump there were just three left. Great Span then lost his jacket as his saddle slipped, before Billy Barton fell. Tipperary Tim was able to cross the line for a 100/1 victory. Billy Barton’s jockey managed to remount and be only the second horse to finish.

Did you know? The Grand National has never had fewer than two horses finish the race! It probably never will.

9. Bob Champion’s post-cancer triumph – 1981

The jockey had been diagnosed with cancer just two years before the race

Bob Champion was a decent jockey in his time but his impact has been felt far beyond the world of racing. He was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1979 but came through chemotherapy to return to the saddle and win the 1981 Grand National atop Aldaniti.

The 10/1 shot cruised to victory by four lengths and made Champion an instant living room hero. He was swiftly awarded an MBE, set up the Bob Champion Cancer Trust, and had a biopic made of his life. John Hurt played the lead.

Did you know? The Bob Champion Cancer Trust has raised more than £15m for cancer research

8. Virtual Grand National – 2020

Covid-19 cancelled the 2020 Grand National, so the sport went virtual

April 2020 was a time of lockdown for the entire nation. Cheltenham Festival had been given the go-ahead the month before but coronavirus was now out of control. Lockdown forced the cancellation of all football, rugby, tennis, golf… and horse racing.

The Grand National was scrapped but organisers had a backup plan. They simulated a race of 40 horses, which was broadcast live on ITV, with bookmakers taking wagers as usual.

The ‘winning horse’ was Potters Corner, an 18/1 shot. Bookmaker profits went to the NHS Charities Together fund.

Did you know? Bookmakers priced Tiger Roll at 5/1 to win the virtual Grand National. He finished fifth

7. The void race – 1993

30 of the 39 runners didn’t realise the start was recalled, meaning the race was voided

The Grand National has always had a problem with starting the race. How do you herd around 40 horses together and let them begin fairly? The answer is you can’t. Instead, stewards aim to get all horses roughly bunched together before letting them race.

In 1993 30 of the 39 runners bolted and their jockeys didn’t notice the stewards had called a false start. Seven went on to complete the course, with Esha Ness recording the second-fastest ever time.

Yet the false start meant the race was void and the stewards opted not to re-run it with just nine horses. Instead, the whole thing was scrapped.

Did you know? Bookmakers paid back £75m in wagers when the 1993 Grand National was declared void

6. Tiger Roll wins again – 2019

Not since Red Rum in the 1970s had a horse defended their Grand National title

Tiger Roll was top of the world when he arrived at Aintree as defending Grand National champion in 2019. His remarkable victory the previous year had fulfilled what many believed was his destiny to win the Grand National. Could he do it again?

Tiger Roll was loaded with 11st 5lbs on the saddle and the bookies still slashed their odds to as short as 4/1.

But he was always going to win again. Tiger Roll cruised under Davy Russell and crossed the line 40 seconds faster than the previous year. Covid-19 was the only thing stopping him going for three in a row.

Did you know? Tiger Roll is thought to have cost the bookmakers £250m with his triumph in 2019, a record in the history of the Grand National

5. The ultimate pile-up – 1967

A mass pile-up at the 23rd fence gave Foinavon the chance to upset the odds

Foinavon is considered the biggest against-the-odds upset in Grand National history. Other horses have also won at 100/1 but none in quite these circumstances. It all happened on the 23rd fence, when the unseated Popham Down ran across the jump and collided with the field. Every horse bar Foinavon either went down, was unseated, or was blocked from jumping the fence.

Foinavon snuck through and won the National by 15 lengths. By the time he’d crossed the line most horses had got over the 23rd jump, or their jockeys had given up. TV footage of the melee caused activists to begin arguing more ardently for safer jumps to help horses and jockeys’ welfare. It remains perhaps the most controversial of all Grand National incidents.

Did you know? The Tote paid out a record 444/1 on Foinavon’s triumph

4. The photo finish – 2012

Sunnyhillboy and Neptune Collonges could only be split by a photo on the line

Sunnyhillboy was on course to claim a 16/1 victory for J.P. McManus when he was pipped at the line. Neptune Collonges, ridden by Daryl Jacob, was a 33/1 outsider that literally came on the outside of Sunnyhillboy in the home straight.

Neptune Collonges won by a nose but only after the stewards had a good, hard look at the photo finish. After four miles and two-and-a-half furlongs of racing, there was little more than an inch in it.

Did you know? Sunnyhillboy won nine of 29 career starts and unseated his rider at the last fence of the 2013 Grand National

3. Red Rum vs Crisp – 1973

The two favourites put on a royal rumble at Aintree

Red Rum won his first Grand National in 1973 as the joint-favourite with Crisp at 9/1. It was apt, then, that these horses were neck-and-neck down the final straight at Aintree. Australian Crisp was carrying top weight at 12st and was 15 lengths clear of Red Rum at the final fence.

However, his rival hunted him down in front of the grandstand and made his lighter weight (10-5) count.

In a sign of just how remarkable the feat was, third-place L'Escargot came in 25 lengths back.

Did you know? Crisp beat Red Rum by eight lengths in a match race at level weights later that same year

2. Rachael Blackmore makes history – 2021

No woman had ever won the Grand National before Blackmore came along

It took 44 years after Charlotte Brew became the first woman to ride in the Grand National for a woman to win it. Rachael Blackmore is well accustomed to shattering barriers and she did just that in 2021 when leading Minella Times to victory.

It was a moment that had long been coming and has already proved a flagship event in horse racing. Sixteen percent of UK jockeys are now female, with more entering the sport every year.

Did you know? Despite Blackmore’s success there are still rarely more than one female jockey competing in the National each year

1. Devon Loch flops – 1956

The horse was on course to win for the Queen Mother but fell on the home straight

Some say he was scared by the crowd, others think a shadow spooked him. No-one will ever know for sure why Devon Loch took a belly flop when leading the Grand National and with the finish line in sight.

Devon Loch had done the hard work, zipping on good conditions to secure a commanding lead. All he needed to do was canter past the post.

But viewers watched in shock as he half-jumped and landed on his belly, legs splayed, on the turf. Jockey Dick Francis couldn’t get him back up and ESB ended up winning at 100/7.

Did you know? Having a ‘Devon Loch’ moment is when a sports team or player makes a mistake from a seemingly winning position