Michael Scudamore

Michael Scudamore The late Michael Scudamore was, of course, the patriarch of a notable racing dynasty. His son, Peter, was National Hunt Champion Jockey eight times between 1981/82 and 1991/92 and is now assistant to Grand National-winning trainer Lucinda Russell, while his grandsons, Tom and Michael Jnr., also maintain the family tradition, as a jockey and trainer, respectively.

However, after a public vote, Michael Scudamore was inducted into the Grand National Hall of Fame at Aintree Racecourse in 2012 by virtue of having ridden in the race 16 times, consecutively, between 1951 and 1966. He won the National just once, on Oxo, an eight-year-old bay gelding owned by John Big and trained by Willie Stephenson, in 1959.

Scudamore recalled that Tim Brookshaw, the jockey of Wyndburgh, shouted across that he’d broken a stirrup leather at Becher’s Brook on the second circuit. However, Brookshaw kicked his other foot out of the stirrup and rode the remainder of the race – which still involved negotiating eight more fences, including the Canal Turn and Valentine’s Brook – with no irons at all. The bold move almost paid off because Wyndburgh, who’d looked beaten at the final fence, rallied gamely on the long run-in and was eventually only beaten 1½ lengths.

Scudamore and Oxo, meanwhile, nearly came a cropper at the final fence, with the jockey forced to ride at the buckle end of the reins to keep the partnership intact. Scudamore, though, held Oxo together brilliantly well in the closing stages, despite the sound of thundering hooves creeping closer and closer. He later recalled, “I could hear Tim and Wyndburgh behind me all the time. It seemed a long time from the final fence to the finish.”

George Dockeray

George Dockeray Any Grand National buffs worth their salt can probably tell you that the first “official” Grand National – albeit run as the “Grand Liverpool Steeplechase” – in 1839 was won by the aptly-named Lottery. However, they may not be quite as quick to tell you that Lottery was saddled by former Derby winning jockey-turned-trainer George Dockeray. In fact, Dockeray saddled three more Grand National winners in the next 13 years – Jerry (1840), Gaylad (1842) and Miss Mowbray (1852) – which means that he ranks alongside Fred Rimell and Donald “Ginger” McCain, who also recorded four Grand National wins as trainers.

After retiring from race riding, Dockeray took up training, first at Mickelham, near Dorking and later at nearby Epsom where, in 1839, he received Lottery from owner John Elmore. Elmore, based in Harrow, was also a horse dealer and trainer and had previously campaigned Lottery at the Hippodrome, Bayswater and elsewhere in London. In 1837, Lottery is recorded as winning the “Hippodrome 50 Sovereigns Plate”, over 2 miles, on the first day the Hippodrome, Bayswater was opened.

In any event, Lottery started favourite for the inaugural Grand National and, ridden by James “Jem” Mason, won in a hack canter. According to the Daily Telegraph of the day, “…Lottery was in command as they finally entered the straight, and a prodigious leap at the last left him well clear.” George Dockeray died on May 2, 1857, aged 68, but over a century and a half after his death, after a public vote, he was inducted into the Aintree Hall of Fame in 2012.

Fred Winter

Fred Winter Frederick Thomas “Fred” Winter CBE was a leading figure in British National Hunt racing for nearly four decades. Despite the fact that he “was not a natural steeplechase jockey”, at least not according to his brother, John, he rode 923 winners and became Champion Jockey four times. On his retirement from the saddle in 1964, Winter turned his attention to training and, in 24 seasons, saddled 1,557 winners and became Champion Trainer eight times. He also has the distinction of being the only man to have both ridden and trained two Grand National winners.

His first success in the National, as a jockey, came in 1957 aboard Sundew, trained by Frank Hudson. Sundew has run in the National in the two previous years, falling at the fourth last fence in 1955 and at Becher’s Brook on the second circuit, when ridden by Winter, in 1956. However, on their second attempt, Sundew and Winter made most of the running and drew away in the closing stages to win by 8 lengths.

Winter rode his second National winner, Kilmore, trained by Ryan Price in 1962. Ridden patiently, Kilmore made headway to chase the leader, Gay Navaree, at the fourth last fence. Winter produced the 12-year-old to lead jumping the final fence and he cleared away on the run-in to beat Wyndburgh – who, coincidentally, had also finished second to Sundew five years earlier – by 10 lengths.

Winter didn’t have to wait long to win the Grand National as a trainer. In fact, he did so at the first time of asking, with Jay Trump, ridden by American amateur rider Tommy Smith, in 1965. Amazingly, Winter won the National again in 1966, this time with Anglo, ridden by Tim Norman. The 50/1 chance jumped up into second place on the inside at Valentine’s Brook on the second circuit, took the measure of long-time leader Forest Prince jumping the last and strode right away to win by 20 lengths.

Winter later remarked on his good fortune, saying, “It was almost embarrassing standing in the winners’ enclosure again when you think of all the people who have been training horses for years and always had the luck go against them at Aintree.”

Fred Rimmell

Fred Rimmell Thomas Frederic “Fred” Rimmell was National Hunt Champion Trainer on four occasions, in 1960/61, 1968/69, 1969/1970 and 1974/75, but earned his place in the Grand National Hall of Fame by virtue of saddling four different horses to win the famous steeplechase. His winners were ESB in 1956, Nicolaus Silver in 1961, Gay Trip in 1970 and Rag Trade in 1976.

On the first occasion, ESB was, as jockey Dave Dick later admitted, “a terribly lucky winner”, after the leader, Devon Loch, inexplicably collapsed on the run-in at Aintree, just 50 yards from the winning post. Fortunate though he may have been, ESB still recorded the fourth fastest winning time in the history of the Grand National.

Five years later, Nicolaus Silver, ridden by Bobby Beasley, won what was, at the time, the richest ever National, worth £20,000 to the winner. On good to firm going, the eight-year-old was left in the lead when Fresh Winds unseated his rider at the first open ditch on the second circuit and was one of seven horses who pulled clear approaching the home turn. He and Merryman II, the previous year’s winner, were stride for stride between the last two fences, but Nicolaus Silver led over the final fence and drew clear on the run-in to win by 5 lengths. In so doing, he became the first grey to win the Grand National since the Lamb in 1871.

In 1970, Gay Trip, ridden by Pat Taafe, was noted “running away” by commentator Julian Wilson as the much-reduced field approached Becher’s Brook on the second circuit and, from the home turn, had only Dozo, ridden by Eddie Harty, for company. It soon became clear that Gay Trip was going, by far, the better and he duly strode away for a facile, 20-length win.

In 1976, Rimmell won his fourth, and final, Grand National with Rag Trade, ridden by Jimmy Burke. Red Rum, making his second attempt at an unprecedented third Grand National win, led crossing the Melling Road for the final time, but was tackled on the run-in by Rag Trade who, in receipt of 12lb, stayed on to win by 4 lengths.

Manifesto

Manifesto Manifesto may no longer be a household name, but his exploits around the turn of the twentieth century earned him a place in the inaugural Grand National Hall of Fame at Aintree Racecourse. In a ten-year period, Manifesto ran in the world famous steeplechase a record eight times, winning twice, in 1897 and 1899, and finishing in the first four on four other occasions. In fact, his 1899 victory, which came under 12st 7lb, equalled the weight carrying record in the Grand National.

Manifesto made his debut in the Grand National, as a seven-year-old, in 1895, when finishing fourth to Wild Man Of Borneo. He returned the following year, but parted company with his owner, Harry Dyas, who’d replaced previous jockey Terry Kavanagh, after colliding with a rival at the first fence. Undeterred, Dyas, who was a notorious gambler, sent Manifesto to Curragh trainer Willie McAuliff. The following season Manifesto was back at Aintree where, reunited with Terry Kavanagh, he was sent of 6/1 favourite and duly obliged, winning by 20 lengths.

In 1898, Manifesto was sold to John Bulteel for £4,000 and transferred to Willie Moore. However, he missed the National after escaping from his box and injuring himself. He was back at Aintree in 1899, though, shouldering 12st 7lb to a five-length victory over Ford Of Fyne.

Manifesto never won the Grand National again, but put up some fine weight carrying performances in defeat. In fact, he finished third three times, under 12st 13lb in 1900, under 12st 8lb in 1902 and under 12st 3lb in 1903. It was only on his eighth, and final attempt, as a sixteen-year-old, in 1904 that he finished outside the first four after completing the course. On that occasion, he finished an honourable eighth behind Moifaa.