Top 10 Grandnational Winners

29 June 2015

1) Red Rum (murder spelled backwards) achieved an unmatched historic treble when he won the Grand National in 1973, 1974 and 1977, coming second in the two intervening years. He was also renowned for his jumping ability, having not fallen in 100 races. His 1973 comeback victory from 30 lengths behind is considered one of the greatest Grand National wins in history.

2) Foinavon Ridden by John Buckingham, Foinavon was an undistinguished Irish racehorse whose owner Cyril Watkins had such little belief in his chances that he was not even at the course. However, he defied odds of 100/1 to win the 1967 Grand National in a remarkable race after the rest of the field fell, refused, were hampered or brought down in a mêlée at the 23rd fence. The fence was officially named after Foinavon in 1984.

3) Manifesto won the Grand National twice in the late 1890s and ran in the race a record eight times. He was instrumental in restoring the prestige and popularity to the Grand National as the race had been marred by corruption in previous years. He was a tough, well-proportioned and powerful horse which was just as well as he jointly holds the record for the highest weight carried by a wining horse (12st 7lbs) and also the record weight for a placed horse (12st 13lbs).

4) West Tip In 1982, West Tip had been injured in an accident involving a lorry outside his stables, after which it was feared the horse would have to be put down. However, 3 years later with a distinctive scar on his hind quarters he went on to contest the 1985 Grand National, falling at Beechers Brook on the second circuit. He then went on to win the race the following year in 1986 before finishing fourth in 1987 and 1988, second in 1989 and tenth in 1990. On each occasion he was ridden by Richard Dunwoody.

5) Aldaniti The horse they said would never run again after suffering 2 serious tendon injuries provided one of the great moments in sporting history with his 1981 Grand National victory. It was made all the more endearing when you consider he was ridden by jockey Bob Champion who'd fought testicular cancer and was almost written off by the doctors. The heroic success of Aldaniti and Bob Champion kick-started a season of celebration in Britain, with a royal wedding and a famous win in the Ashes to follow.

6) Battleship The American Battleship is the only horse to have won both the American Grand National, in 1934 and the Grand National 4 years later in 1938. A muscular but small horse, he was nicknamed the American Pony.

7) Golden Miller is the most successful Cheltenham Gold Cup horse ever, winning the race for 5 consecutive years between 1932 and 1936. He is also the only horse to ever win both the Gold Cup and the Grand National in the same year (1934). Having fallen at the canal turn as favourite for the 1933 race, he won the Grand National in a then record time in 1934.

8) Reynoldstown won two consecutive Grand Nationals at Aintree. In his first win, in 1935, ridden by Frank Furlong, he beat the great Golden Miller. In the 1936 race, this time ridden by Fulke Walwyn, he carried top weight of 12st 2lbs and became the first horse to win two Nationals in a row since 1918.

9) Earth Summit Shortly after winning the Scottish Grand National in 1994, Earth Summit suffered a near fatal injury in what was his only fall in a 37 race career. Deemed unlikely to race again, 21 months later the son of Celtic Cone returned to the track and in December 1997 he won the Welsh version of the race. After winning the Grand National in 1998, Earth Summit became the only horse to have completed Britain's National treble.

10) Devon Loch Although Devon Loch never won the Grand National, he is well remembered for his run in 1956. Owned by the Queen Mother, he was well fancied for the race and at the race climax, with only 10 horses remaining, he was on the final stretch just 40 yards from the winning post with a 5 length lead. Then, he suddenly and inexplicably jumped into the air allowing E.S.B to over-take and win. No one is certain why Devon Lock jumped, some reports claim cramp, others that he was confused by a shadow and jumped an imaginary fence, while another theory was that the loud cheers for an expected royal winner distracted the horse.