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Rhyme ‘N’ Reason

admin March 5, 2026

Owned by Juliet Reed and trained by David Elsworth, Rhyme ‘N’ Reason won the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse as a six-year-old and emerged from a spell in the doldrums to become a leading contender for the 1988 Grand National. In 1987/88, he won four of his eight starts prior to the National, including the Racing Post Chase at Kempton in February and fell four from home, when still in contention, in the 1988 Cheltenham Gold Cup, won by Charter Party.

Ridden by regular jockey Brendan Powell Snr and saddled with 11st 0lb, Rhyme ‘N’ Reason was sent off 10/1 joint-second favourite for the Grand National, alongside Lean Ar Aghaidh, whom he had beaten at Kempton, and behind only 17/2 favourite Sacred Path. It would be fair to say that his task was made easier when Sacred Path fell at the very first fence, but he would still go on to win under remarkable circumstances.

At Becher’s Brook on the first circuit, Rhyme ‘N’ Reason blundered, went down on his haunches on the landing side and was all but out of the race. Powell did well to stay in the saddle and, although relegated to last place, gave his mount time to recover. After crossing the Melling Road towards the end of the first circuit Rhyme ‘N’ Reason made steady headway and, five fences from home, was left in the lead when Little Polveir blundered and unseated rider. At the penultimate fence, he was headed by Durham Edition, trained by Arthur Stephenson and ridden by Chris Grant, but rallied on the run-in to win by four lengths. Monanore finished third, a further 15 lengths behind and West Tip fourth, eight lengths further back.

The memorable victory for Rhyme ‘N’ Reason was not without cost. He was subsequently diagnosed with a fractured hock, more than likely sustained during his Becher’s Brook mishap. In any event, he underwent surgery on the injury the following day and never raced again. Indeed, he required further life-saving surgery to remove a chip of bone from his hock later in 1988, but recovered to enjoy what his owner described as a “muddy retirement” at her Woodhaven Stud, near Newbury, Berkshire.

One For Arthur

admin March 5, 2026

Owned by Belinda McClung and Deborah Thomson, collectively known, for racing purposes as ‘Two Golf Widows’, trained by Lucinda Russell in Milnathort, Kinross-shire and ridden by Derek Fox, One For Arthur won the Grand National in 2017. In so doing, he became just the second horse trained in Scotland, after Rubstic in 1979, to win the world-famous steeplechase.

One For Arthur made a successful start to his 2016/17 campaign, winning at Kelso and Warwick either side of finishing a close fifth in the Becher Chase, over the Grand National fences, at Aintree. In the latter contest, he stayed on well from two out over a seemingly inadequate three-and-a-quarter miles and was going on at the finish, highlighting his claims as a bona fide Grand National contender. However, his progressive form did not go unnoticed by the handicapper, such that, when he lined up in the Grand National on April 8, 2017, he was 21lb higher in the weights than at the start of the season.

Sent off at 14/1 fifth favourite, One For Arthur was patiently ridden at Aintree, but made steady progress from the rear early on the second circuit, moved into contention at the second-last fence, where he had a minor coming together with favourite Blaklion. He jumped through to lead over the final fence and, although Cause of Causes, trained by Gordon Elliott and ridden by amateur Jamie Codd chased him all the way to the line, he was never making any real impression and One For Arthur passed the post four-and-a-half lengths to the good. Winnning trainer Russell said of him, “He has done us proud, done Scotland proud and done everyone at the yard proud.”

After his Grand National triumph, One For Arthur did not see a raceccourse again until the 2018/19 season, when he unseated rider on his first two starts before finishing sixth in 2019 Grand National, 26 lengths behind the winner, Tiger Roll. After three more unsuccessful starts, and a wind operation, he was due to run in the 2020 Grand National, but with that race cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, he was retired from racing the following November.

Red Rum

admin March 5, 2026

The winner of the Grand National an unprecedented three times, in 1973, 1974 and 1977, is one of the most famous, if not the most famous, racehorses in British history. He was bought, for 6,000 guineas, by trainer Donald ‘Ginger’ McCain on behalf of owner Noel Le Mare after finishing fifth in the Scottish Grand National at Ayr in 1972. McCain famously trained him, unconventionally, on the sands of Southport, which allowed to overcome pedal osteitis, a chronic hoof disease.

In 1973, when ridden by Brian Fletcher, Red Rum was considered the villain of the piece by some observers, despite being sent off joint-favourite and winning the National in a course record time. The other joint-favourite, Crisp, trained by Fred Winter and ridden by Richard Pitman, made most of the running and was still 10 lengths clear halfway up the run-in, but stopped to nothing in the closing stages, allowing Red Rum, who was receiving 23lb, to sweep by in the dying strides and win by three-quarters of the length.

In 1974, Red Rum, himself, was saddled with 12 stone, but was still sent off at 11/1 third favourite on his attempt to become the first horse since Reynoldstown, in 1936, to record back-to-back victories in the Grand National. He did so with something in hand, coming home seven lengths ahead of former dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner L’Escargot, to whom he was conceding 1lb. Two weeks later, Red Rum carried 11 st 13lb to victory in the Scottish Grand National at Ayr, thereby becoming the only horse to win both races in the same season.

Red Rum finished second in the Grand National for the next two years, behind L’Escargot in 1975 and Rag Trade in 1976. However, he returned to Aintree, as a 12-year-old, in 1977 when, in the hands of Tommy Stack – who had replaced Fletcher after he fell out with McCain – he came home in splendid isolation, 25 lengths ahead of his nearest pursuer, Churchtown Boy. As BBC commentator put it, “You’ve never heard a reception like it at Liverpool. Red Rum wins the Grand National.”

Mr Frisk

admin March 5, 2026

Owned by Lois Duffey, trained by Kim Bailey and ridden by amateur Marcus Armytage, Mr Frisk won the 1990 Grand National in a time of 8 minutes and 47.80 seconds, smashing the previous record set by Red Rum in 1973 and posting the first sub-nine-minute National. The winter of 1989/90 was one of the driester and warmest on record, such that by the time April 7, 1990 rolled around, in the absence of a watering system, the going at Aintree was officially described as ‘firm’. Nowadays, the Grand National is run over a distance a furlong-and-a-half shorter than it was in 1990, but the course is judiciously watered, when required, to provide going on the softer side of good, so it is conceivable that the course record may never be broken.

Mr Frisk warned up for the Grand National with a creditable fourth, under Armytage, in the Kim Muir Challenge Cup at the Challenge Cup. An exuberant jumper, he was in his element on the sun-baked ground at Aintree and sent off at 16/1 to make a winning Grand National debut. He was ridden prominently, but the complexion of the race changed when Uncle Merlin, who had made most of the running, blundered and unseated Hywel Davies at Becher’s Brook on the second circuit.

Left in the lead sooner than expected, Armytage refused to panic and, although challenged by the well-fancied Durham Edition from the final fence, did not reach for his whip until the famous Elbow, halfway up the run-in. When he did, Mr Frisk responded to his urgings and held on well to beat Durham Edition by three-quarters of a length, a little more comfortably than the winning distance might suggest.

Three weeks after his Grand National triumph, Mr Frisk was sent off favourite for the Whitbread Gold Cup (now the bet365 Gold Cup) at Sandown Park. He jumped well and made all the running, beating the luckless Durham Edition eight lengths into second place. In so doing, he became the first and, so far, only horse to win both races in the same season. Mr Frisk returned to Aintree for the 1991 Grand National but, on unfavourable rain-softened ground, was tailed off when pulled up after Becher’s Brook on the second circuit.

Hedgehunter

admin March 5, 2026

Owned by the late Trevor Hemmings and trained by Willie Mullins, Hedgehunter made his Grand National debut, as an eight-year-old, in 2004, when he was ridden by David Casey. Saddled with 10st 12lb and sent off at 11/1, behind 10/1 co-favourites Bindaree, Clan Royal, Joss Naylor and Juracon II, he was a close third when falling at the final fence.

Hedgehunter returned to Aintree for the 2005 Grand National, in which Ruby Walsh replaced Casey, who had ridden him to victory in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse on his previous start. Off a handicap mark 3lb higher than the previous year, he was sent off clear 7/1 favourite to redeem himself and justified his lofty market position with something in hand.

Hedgehunter did give his supporters one slightly anxious moment when Walsh briefly lost an iron at the fence before Becher’s Brook on that second circuit. That problem, though, was nothing compared to those faced by 9/1 second-favourite Clan Royal, ridden by Tony McCoy, whose breast girth broke early in the race and was eventually carried out when a loose horse ran down Becher’s Brook on the second circuit, when six lengths in the lead.

Gifted the lead, Walsh made the best of his way home and, although one of 10 horses still in with a realistic chance of winning approaching the second-last fence, Hedgehunter never really looked like being beaten. He led by four lengths over the final fence and on the run-in drew further and further clear, passing the post 14 lengths ahead of his nearest pursuer, 40/1 chance Royal Auclair, with 66/1 chance Simply Gifted a head behind in third place.

Hedgehunter also ran in the Grand National again in 2006, 2007 and 2008. In 2006, just over three weeks after finishing a close second in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, he humped top weight of 11st 12lb into second place, six lengths behind the winner, Numbersixvalverde. Hedgehunter carried the same welter again in 2007 and 2008, but was well beaten on both occasions. He was retired after running in the Grand National for the fifth time, at which point Mullins said, “He has been a very special horse, and provided me with the highlight of my training career by winning the National.”