1962 - Kilmore
The winner
Kilmore ran in two more Nationals finishing sixth in 1963 having survived being kicked by a faller at the water and at the age of fourteen he fell at the fence before Bechers second time on what was his final racecourse appearance. Prior to that he won two small chases in the winter of 1963 at Windsor and Fontwell. He was retired to Findon where he lived for a further seventeen years.
Leading Fancies
Thirty two runners lined up for the National which was to be run on very heavy going. Favourite was Aintree debutant FRENCHMAN`S COVE, a white faced chestnut, who, sporting a prominent sheepskin noseband would be easy to spot. He had won the Coventry Chase at Kempton last time out and also the Hermitage Chase at Newbury earlier in the season. The leading Irish challenger was the Toss Taaffe trained SOLFEN who was comparitively lightly raced compared to his rivals with just three starts this season but they had included an impressive win in the Haydock Park National Trial. Last years hero NICOLAUS SILVER had drifted in the market on the day but he was in excellent form having added the Grand Sefton Chase to his National triumph in the autumn and then won the Great Yorkshire Chase at Doncaster, a race that was then of far more significance than it is today. KERFORO, another Irish challenger was the form horse of the race winning five times in Ireland including the valuable Thyestes and Leopardstown Chases. He had flopped in the National Hunt Handicap Chase at the Festival last time and had also finished behind a little known horse called Arkle in a novice hurdle at Navan. SPRINGBOK had been running prominently in big handicaps but had only managed to get his head in front on one occasion when winning at Kelso in October. VIVANT a winner at Nottingham, Leicester and Stratford and SUPERFINE with wins at Wolverhampton and Leicester under his belt this season also came in for some support. There were two other National heroes in the field, both now in the veteran stage, MERRYMAN II ridden by his third rider in as many Nationals (Dave Dick took the honours this time) and MR WHAT who had not won now for five seasons.
THE GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE (77 entries) £20,238 to the winner, £2,235 for the second, £1,117 to the third & £558 to the fourth
1 20-0402 MERRYMAN II 11, 11-8 (N.Crump) - D.Dick
2 44-3121 FRENCHMAN'S COVE 7, 11-5 (H T Jones) - S.Mellor
3 00-0140 SOLFEN 10, 11-2 (W O'Grady - Ireland) - T.Taaffe
4 110-001 COLLEDGE MASTER 12, 10-13 (L.Morgan) - Mr L.Morgan
5 f0312f FREDDITH'S SON 11, 10-11 (P.Murphy - Ireland) - F.Shortt
6 23D021 TAXIDERMIST 10, 10-10 (F.Walwyn) - Mr J.Lawrence
7 2-41013 NICOLAUS SILVER 10, 10-10 (T F Rimell) - H.Beasley
8 0-40003 MR WHAT 12, 10-9 (R.Ward) - J.Lehane
9 -230140 WYNDBURGH 12, 10-9 (J.Oliver) - T A Barnes
10 -0203f4 CHAVARA 9, 10-7 (G R Owen) - M.Scudamore
11 04311b SUPERFINE 9, 10-6 (F.Cundell) - Sir W Piggott-Brown
12 00-1220 BLONDE WARRIOR 10, 10-6 (G.Flemming) - T W Biddlecombe
13 000304 TEAM SPIRIT 10, 10-6 (D.Moore - Ireland) - G W Robinson
14 3-f1033 SPRINGBOK 8, 10-6 (N.Crump) - P.Buckley
15 00-2f00 KILMORE 12, 10-4 (H.Price) - F.Winter
16 1f0000 CLIPADOR 11, 10-4 (A.Thomas) - P.Farrell*
17 p20040 CLOVER BUD 12, 10-4* (G.Llewllin) - D.Nicholson
18 113110 KERFORO 10, 10-3* (T.Dreaper - Ireland) - P.Taaffe
19 001420 CANNOBIE LEE 11, 10-1 (H.Nicholson) - E P Harty
20 0f111u DUPICATOR 9, 10-2* (R.Fairburn) - G.Milburn
21 210ufp DANDY TIM 9, 10-0 (J.Fawcus) - R.Carter
22 21213p DARK VENETIAN 7, 10-0 (R.Bassett) - P.Cowley
23 430200 FORTRON 9, 10-0 (J.Pickering) - R.Langley
24 -000334 CLEAR PROFIT 12, 10-0 (R.Newton) - T J Ryan
25 up-0201 VIVANT 9, 10-0 (W.Stephenson) - R.Hamey
26 00f000 GAY NAVAREE 10, 10-8 (R.Hoey - Ireland) - Mr A Cameron
27 -240240 SIRACUSA 9, 10-0 (R.Renton) - J.Gifford
28 30f-432 CARRAROE 10, 10-0 (A S O'Brien - Ireland) - Mr W McLernon
29 p0-p0p0 ERNEST 10, 10-0 IR,Renton) - A.Dufton
30 300040 MELLILA 8, 10-0 (J.Bowie) - G.Cramp
31 1200f0 POLITICS 10, 10-0 (R.Bassett) - D.Bassett
32 0p2p30 SEAS END 10, 10-5* (J.Kempton) - J.Kempton
* F.Carroll down to ride Clipador in racecar
S P : 7-1 Frenchman`s Cove, 9-1 Solfen, 100-9 Nicolaus Silver, Kerforo, 100-8 Springbok, 100-6 Superfine, Vivant, 20-1 Merryman II, Taxidermist, 22-1 Mr What,Team Spirit, 28-1 Duplicator, KILMORE, 33-1 Colledge Master, Siracusa, 40-1 Cannobie Lee, 45-1 Wyndburgh, 50-1 Chavara, Dandy Tim, 66-1 Blonde Warrior, Carraroe, Clear Profit, Clipador, Ernest, Fredith`s Son, 100-1 Clover Bud, Dark Venetian, Fortron, Gay Navaree, Melilla, Politics, Seas End
Aintree debutants (14)
Carraroe, Chavara, Dandy Tim, Dark Venetian, Fortron*, Fredith`s Son*, Frenchman`s Cove, Gay Navaree, Kerforo*, Politics, Seas End, Solfen*, Springbok, Superfine
Winners at Aintree
COLLEDGE MASTER - 1961 Foxhunters
CLEAR PROFIT - 1960 Becher Chase
ERNEST - 1960 Grand Sefton Chase
MERRYMAN II - 1959 Foxhunters, 1960 Grand National
MR WHAT - 1958 Grand National
NICOLAUS SILVER - 1960 Grand National, 1960 Grand Sefton Chase
WYNBURGH - 1957 Grand Sefton Chase
Result
1st KILMORE - Fred Winter
2nd WYNDBURGH - Tommy Barnes
3rd MR WHAT - Johnny Lehane
4th GAY NAVAREE - Mr A Cameron
5th FREDDITH`S SON - Frankie Shortt
6th DARK VENETIAN - P.Cowley
7th NICOLAUS SILVER - Bobby Beasley
8th CANNOBIE LEE - Eddie Harty
9th ERNEST - A.Dufton
10th CLOVER BUD - David Nicholson
11th BLONDE WARRIOR T.Biddlecombe
12th SOLFEN - Toss Taaffe
13th MERRYMAN II - Dave Dick
14th COLLEDGE MASTER Mr L. Morgan
15th FORTRON - Robin Langley
16th POLITICS - D.Bassett
17th CLEAR PROFIT - T J Ryan
Time : 9 minutes 50 seconds.
Distances :
Owned by N.Cohen.
Trained by Ryan Price at Findon, Sussex.
1963 - Ayala
The winner
Ayala injured a foot in his next race and was never the same horse again. His form figures after his Aintree triumph read a miserable FP0F-0PFP-P. He fell at the Chair in the 1964 National and was the sole first fence faller a year later. He last raced at Lingfield in 1966 and died later that year.
Leading Fancies
A massive field of forty seven lined up for the second sponsored National which the racecard noted was being run for the"Vaux Gold Tankard". Despite his first fence departure last year SPRINGBOK started favourite on the back of his victory in a large feld in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury the previous November. He had been lightly campained and had been beaten by Holm Star at Manchester on his last start. Next best was the 1962 hero KILMORE who had not achieved much in three starts and had been unplaced in the National Hunt Handicap Chase at The Festival last time but as a former winner he would be respected. TEAM SPIRIT had won that race at Cheltenham and this probably was the best form in the race as he had had several of his National rivals behind him. He had also finished fourth behind Mill House at Sandown but had not shown in the Hennessy which is probably why Springbok ws preferred. DAGMAR GITTELL came in for considerable support although he had trailed in last of nine in the Grand Sefton Chase beind ETERNAL in the autumn and there appeared to be stamina doubts about him. The grey LOVING RECORD was the best of the Irish. A winner twice at Navan but he had fallen when in contention for the Leopardstown Chase. That race had been won by another Irish grey, OWENS SEDGE who was owned by Hollywoood actor Gregory Peck who was at Aintree to watch his horse. Last years favourite FRENCHMANS COVE who was brought down last year had won twice this season at Haydock and Market Rasen but had unseated early in the Becher Chase so maybe Aintree was not for him. Two runners staring at 33- 1 caught the eye, DARK VENETIAN an eight year old mare with four wins under her belt including the Coventry Chase at Kempton and the Irish CARRAROE victorious four times in the summer incuding the Galway Plate.
THE GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE (for the Vaux Gold Tankard) (73 entries) £18,945 to the winner, £2,634 to the second, £1,317 to the third & £658 to the fourth
1 1-10100 FRENCHMAN`S COVE 8, 12-0 (H T Jones) D V Dick
2 1-03331 OWEN`S SEDGE 10, 11-6 (T.Dreaper - IRE) P.Taaffe
3 /004-2 O`MALLEY POINT 12, 11-1 (D.Ancil) M.Scudamore
4 0-000f2 NICOLAUS SILVER 11, 11-0 (T F Rimell) H R Beasley
5 0f1-400 KILMORE 13, 11-0 (H.Price) F T Winter
6 f3-1313 SPRINGBOK 9, 10-12 (N.Crump) G.Scott
7 f-100f1 LOVING RECORD 9, 10-12 (T.Taaffe - IRE) T.Taaffe
8 04-2134 ETERNAL 12 10-10 (R F Palmer) T.Brookshaw
9 101020 MR JONES 8, 10-10 (W A Stephenson) P A Farrell
10 2-32340 BLONDE WARRIOR 11, 10-9 (F T Walwyn) B.Lawrence
11 0334-03 MR WHAT 13, 10-8 (J.Dowdeswell) T.Carberry
12 0-42200 FORTY SECRETS 9, 10-7 (Earl Jones) C.Chapman
13 111212 OUT AND ABOUT 8, 10-7 (H.Price) J.Gifford
14 0/1b0-f3 GOOD GRACIOUS 9, 10-7 (Earl Jones) C.Connors
15 420f-00 LOYAL TAN 8, 10-5 (A.Thomas) T W Biddlecombe
16 b-00414 DAGMAR GITTELL 8, 10-5 (R.Renton) H J East
17 32000-0 JONJO 13, 10-6 (France) Duke of Alberquerque
18 230-420 PEACETOWN 9, 10-4 (G R Owen) R.Langley
19 2-2433f CARRICKBEG 7, 10-3 (D.Butchers) Mr J Lawrence
20 00-4041 TEAM SPIRIT 11, 10-3 (F T Walwyn) G W Robinson
21 04-21f2 MOYRATH 10, 10-2 (P.Sleator - IRE) F.Carroll
22 1112f1 DARK VENETIAN 8, 10-2 (R.Bassnett) D.Bassett
23 p0-0002 CHAVARA 10, 10-2 (J.Peacock) R.Edwards
24 1p-2330 SHAM FIGHT 11, 10-1 (T.Robson) J.Fitzgerald
25 013f00 GAY NAVARREE 11, 10-1 (F.Carr) P.Cowley
26 102300 SEAS END 11, 10-3 (J H Kempton) J H Kempton
27 11222-0 COLLEGE DON 11, 10-0 (W C Watts) B.Wilkinson
28 111104 CARRAROE 11, 10-1 (A S O`Brien - IRE) Mr W McLernon
29 00-2000 WINGLESS 8, 10-1 (E.Champneys) A.Biddlecombe
30 1f31-21 FRENCH LAWYER 9, 10-0 (R.Newton) T.Ryan
31 4/4-0f0 AVENUE NEUILLY 8, 10-4* (W.Stephenson) D.Nicholson
33 p301-20 REPRIEVED 10, 10-1* (J.Sutcliffe) P.Pickford
34 1422-p1 HAWA`S SONG 10, 10-0 (W A Stephenson) P.Broderick
35 01p40-2 VIVANT 10, 10-0 (W.Stephenson) R J Hamey
36 00-fff3 DANDY TIM 10, 10-0 (J.Fawcus) L.Major
37 400100 CONNIE II 11, 10-0 (P.Hicks) J.Guest
38 101422 HOLM STAR 9, 10-0 (Earl Jones) E F Kelly
39 12414p WARTOWN 12, 10-1* (E.Cousins) J.Gamble
40 4/04-0f1 AYALA 9, 10-0 (K.Piggott) P.Buckley
41 020040 WOODBROWN 9, 10-0 (E.Cousins) J.Kenneally
42 3310 LOOK HAPPY 10, 10-0 (R.Turnell) J.Haine*
43 002f00 MERGANSER 10, 10-4 (D.Ancil) Mr J Mansfield
44 00-p144 CAPRICORN 10, 10-0 (N.Dent) A.Major*
45 fp-3020 SIRACUSA 10, 10-0 (R.Renton) D.Mould
46 044430 MAGIC TRICKS 9, 10-0 (J.Boyes) O.McNally
47 2-20420 MELILLA 9, 10-0 (T.Gates) G.Cramp
48 13f400 SOLONACE 12, 10-0 (J.Yeomans) K B White
* J.King down to ride Look Happy in racecard
* J.Haine down to ride Capricorn in the racecard
S P : 10-1 Springbok, 100-8 Kilmore, 13-1 Team Spirit, 100-7 Dagmar Gittell, Loving Record, 100-6 Frenchman`s Cove, 20-1 Carrickbeg, Owen`s Sedge, 25-1 Eternal, Out and About, 28-1 Hawa`s Song, Mr Jones, Nicolaus Silver, 33-1 Carraroe, Dark Venetian, Moyrath, O`Malley Point, Siracusa, 40-1 Chavara, Look Happy, Vivant, 50-1 Connie II, Dandy Tim, Forty Secrets, French Lawyer, Gay Navaree, Peacetown, Reprieved, Sham Fight, 66-1 Avenue Neuilly, AYALA, Blonde Warrior, Capricorn, College Don, Good Gracious, Holm Star, Jonjo, Loyal Tan, Magic Tricks, Melilla, Merganser, Mr What, Seas End, Solonace, Wartown, Wingless, Woodbrown
Aintree debutants (18)
Avenue Neuilly*, Ayala, Carrickbeg*, Connie II*, Forty Secrets*, French Lawyer*, Good Gracious*, Look Happy*, Loving Record, Magic Tricks*, Merganser, Moyrath, Out and About, Reprieved, Sham Fight*, Solonace, Wartown*, Wingless*
Winners at Aintree
JONJO - 1960 Molyneux Chase
KILMORE - 1962 Grand National
MR JONES - 1962 Becher Chase
MR WHAT - 1958 Grand National
NICOLAUS SILVER - 1961 Grand National, 1961 Grand Sefton Chase
Result
1st AYALA - Pat Buckley
2nd CARRICKBEG - Mr John Lawrence
3rd HAWA`S SONG - Paddy Brodercik
4th TEAM SPIRIT - Willie Robinson
5th SPRINGBOK - Gerry Scott
6th KILMORE - Fred Winter
7th OWEN`S SEDGE - Pat Taaffe
8th FRENCH LAWYER - T.Ryan
9th DARK VENETIAN - D.Bassett
10th NICOLAUS SILVER - H R Beasley
11th ETERNAL - Tim Brookshaw
12th CHAVARA - Roy Edwards
13th CARRAROE - Mr W McLernon
14th SIRACUSA - David Mould
15th SHAM FIGHT - Jimmy Fitzgerald
16th BLONDE WARRIOR B.Lawrence
17th LOYAL TAN - Terry Biddlecombe
18th WOODBROWN Johnny Kenneally
19th O`MALLEY POINT - M Scudamore
20th FRENCHMAN`S COVE -Dave Dick
21st FORTY SECRETS -Clive Chapman
22nd DANDY TIM - L.Major
*A RECORD NUMBER OF FINISHERS*
Time : 9 minutes, 35 4/5 seconds.
Distances :
Owned by Pierre "Teasey-Weasey" Raymond. Trained by Keith Piggott at Lambourn
1964 - Team Spirit
The winner
Winning the National at his fifth attempt, the twelve year old Team Spirit had earned his honourable retirement which was spent in the United States with his owners.
Leading Fancies
It was the most open National for years with for the only time ever, four horses sharing co-favouritism with another five just a point behind. Of the co-favourites, the grey Irish trained FLYING WILD seemed the ideal National sort, a two and a half mile specialist victorious in the Stones Ginger Wine Chase at Sandown and second in the Massey Ferguson Gold Cup at Cheltenham. The Queen Mother sent her first National runner since Devon Loch eight years before and there were very high hopes for her Aintree debutant LAFFY who had twice won at Lingfield. PAPPAGENO`S COTTAGE had been an early faller in Mill House`s Hennessy but had won perhaps the most recognised National Trial at the time, the four mile Fred Withington Chase at Cheltenhams New Year meeting. TIME had finished third in another recognised National trial, the Mildmay Memorial and won the Forbra Gold Cup at Warwick. What did all the four co-favourites have in common ? They were all making their Aintree debut. Of the five on 100-6 1962 hero KILMORE had won two of his three starts this season at Fontwell and Windsor but at fourteen time was against him. PURPLE SILK had won at small races at Nottingham, Wetherby and Leicester. SPRINGBOK, favourite twelve months ago had won at Haydock (but fallen in the Eider Chase), BEAU NORMAND, who combined racing over hurdles and fences had won a hurdle at Cheltenham in January and two chases at Wincanton and Nottingham respectively whilst BORDER FLIGHT, sporting the famous Courage colours had won over the Mildmay fences in December. It was a very, very open renewal.
THE GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE (80 entries), £20,380 to the winner, £2,765 to the second, £1,295 to the third and £647 to the fourth
1 -3103 PAS SEUL 11, 12-0 (R.Turnell) D V Dick
2 -121f FLYING WILD 8, 11-3 (D L Moore - IRE) D.Mould
3 -0f010 PAPPAGENO`S COTTAGE 9, 11-0 (J.Oliver) P.Taaffe
4 -401f3 SPRINGBOK 10, 10-11 (N.Crump) G.Scott
5 123112 BEAU NORMAND 8, 10-0 (R.Turnell) J.King
6 -4121 LAFFY 8, 10-8 (P.Cazalet) W.Rees
9 -fp0 AYALA 10, 10-7 (K.Piggott) D.Nicholson
10 -112 KILMORE 14, 10-7 (L.Dale) F.Winter
11 -1304 L`EMPEREUR 10, 10-5 (P.Peraldi - FR) J.Daumas
12 -0f1 BORDER FLIGHT 9, 10-3 (E.Courage) P A Farrell
13 -214220 JOHN O`GROATS 10, 10-3 (L.Dale) P.Kellaway
14 -231420 TEAM SPIRIT 12, 10-3 (F T Walwyn) G W Robinson
15 21fr11 PURPLE SILK 9, 10-4 (G.Vergette) J.Kenneally
16 -33 ETERNAL 13, 10-2 (R F Palmer) Mr S Davenport
17 4f3303 PEACETOWN 10, 10-1 (G R Owen) R.Edwards
18 -pp0210 OUT AND ABOUT 9, 10-1 (K.Cundell) B.Gregory
19 f101f4 RED THORN 8, 10-3 (T F Rimell) T W Biddlecombe
21 21f142 SUPERSWEET 7, 10-1* (W A Stephenson) P.Broderick
22 -fu23 SEA KNIGHT 9, 11-0* (W A Stephenson) Mr P Nicholson
23 -42 PONTIN-GO 12, 10-0 (W.Marshall) P.Jones
24 -141u31 LIZAWAKE 11, 10-4* (P.Moore) H R Beasley
25 144f01 DANCING RAIN 9, 10-0 (P.Upton) O.McNally
26 -32223 CENTRE CIRCLE 9, 10-0 (D.Ancil) J.Haine
27 202303 BAXIER 8, 10-0 (A S O`Brien - IRE) Mr W McLernon
28 331104 APRIL ROSE 9, 10-0 (A.Kilpatrick) E P Harty
29 -0401 CLAYMORE 11, 10-0 (C H Davies) Mr C Davies
30 -032230 REPRIEVED 11, 10-0 (P.Ransom) P.Harvey
31 443023 CROBEG 11, 10-4* (P R Stringer) Mr J Lawrence
33 -03u1 TIME 9, 10-4 (W.Stephenson) M.Scudamore
34 -210 REPRODUCTION 11, 10-0 (G R Owen) R.Langley
35 300440 MERGANSER 11, 10-0 (D.Ancil) J.Lehane
36 031342 GALE FORCE X 7, 10-0 (D L Moore - IRE) R.Coonan
37 440104 GROOMSMAN 9, 10-0 (D.Keating - IRE) F.Shortt
S P : 100-7 Flying Wild, Laffy, Pappageno`s Cottage, Time, 100-6 Beau Normand, Border Flight, Kilmore, Purple Silk, Springbok, 18-1 Lizawake, TEAM SPIRIT, 22-1 April Rose, John O`Groats, Pas Seul, 33-1 Ayaala, Out and About, Red Thorn, 40-1 Baxier, Centre Circle, L`Empereur, Peacetown, Supersweet, 50-1 Claymore, Crobeg, Gale Force X, 66-1 Dancing Rain, Eternal, Groomsman, Merganser, Reprieved, Reproduction, Pontin-Go, Sea Knight
Aintree debutants (17)
Baxier, Beau Normand*, Centre Circle*, Crobeg, Flying Wild, Gale Force X, Groomsman, John O`Groats*, Laffy*, L`Empereur, Pappageno`s Cottage*, Pas Seul*, Purple Silk, Red Thorn, Reproduction, Supersweet, Time.
Winners at Aintree
AYALA - 1965 Grand National
ETERNAL - 1962 Grand Sefton
KILMORE - 1962 Grand National
LIZAWAKE - 1963 Becher Chase
TEAM SPIRIT - 1963 Grand Sefton
Result
1st TEAM SPIRIT - G W Robinson
2nd PURPLE SILK - J.Kenneally
3rd PEACETOWN - R.Edwards
4th ETERNAL - Mr S Davenport
5th PONTIN - GO - P.Jones
6th SPRINGBOK - G.Scott
7th APRIL ROSE - E P Harty
8th BAXIER - Mr W McLernon
9th CROBEG - Mr J Lawrence
10th PAPPAGENO'S COTTAGE - P.Taaffe
11th JOHN O'GROATS -P.Kellaway
12th SUPERSWEET - P.Broderick
13th CLAYMORE - Mr C Davies
14th OUT AND ABOUT -B.Gregory
15th SEA KNIGHT - Mr PNicholson
Time : 9 mins, 46 4/5 secs
Distances :
Owned by Mr J K Goodman
Trained by Fulke Walwyn in Lambourn