Grand National History 1879 - 1870
Aintree Grand National 1879
The 1879 Grand National was won by "The Liberator" ridden by Garry Moore who was also the horse's owner with Mr. J Moore as the horse's trainer. The horse started at 25-1 and beat "Jackal" who was now co-owned between Lord Marcus Beresford and the Prince of Wales who had become hugely interested in the sport and the Grand National in particular. The 11 year-old horse "Jackal" started the race at 1000-65 wearing light blue and black and performed very well. It was however a disappointing race for Lord Marcus Beresford, even though the horse performed well he had seen many a high placed finished with "Chimney Sweep" the previous few years, but he didn't ever win the Grand National race.
Aintree Grand National 1878
Mr. J Jones finally won the Grand National after several years of high place finishes on "Chimney Sweep" who was unlucky not to have done a little better. This time around though he was riding "Shifnal" a highly fancied horse at 7-1 that was both owned by and trained by John Nightingall. Mr. J Jones fought a tough race leading "Shifnal" past "Martha" a 20-1 outsider and "Pride of Kildare" to a wonderful victory.
Aintree Grand National 1877
Sixteen runners began the 1877 Grand National, less again from the nineteen in 1877 on a trend that would continue over the next few years with as little as 10 starting later in 1883. "Austeritz" won ridden by Fred Hobson who also owned the horse beating "Congress" to a second second place finish in two years. "Austeritz" was trained by Robert I'Anson and started the race at 15-1 leaving. "Congress" was again ridden by Joe Cannon as the pair managed to hold off "The Liberator" and "Chimney Sweep" in fourth who again finished well.
Aintree Grand National 1876
Only 7 horses finished the 1876 Grand National with the first four to do so starting the race at 25-1, of these four it was "Regal" ridden by Joe Cannon who won beating "Congress" who finished second. "Shifnal" and "Chimney Sweep" were next to finish with "Chimney Sweep" finishing in the top four for a second time ridden by Mr. J Jones who himself rode the horse three times to a top four finish but never to victory. Captain James Machell made it three wins in four years as owner of the 1876 winner.
Aintree Grand National 1875
The 1875 Grand National was won by "Pathfinder" who started at 100-6 and was something of an unknown horse ridden by a complete opposite in the form of the jockey everyone at the time must have been aware of, Thomas Pickernell who always seemed to be in the thick of the action. Nineteen horses lined up on the day and seven finished the race, the nineteen starters comprised the lowest number to begin the Grand National for over a decade.
Two-time winner John Page started as favourite on 6-1 bet "La Veine" and again performed well finishing 3rd behind "Dainty" who had been beaten by half a length. The next horse past the post was "Jackal" who would later be co-owned by the Prince of Wales in the 1879 National.
Aintree Grand National 1874
Returning for his second victory in two years John Richardson won 1874 Grand National on a different horse in "Reugny" winning as both jockey and trainer yet again and marking his place further into the record books. The odds on "Reugny" were much shorter at 5-1 with horse beginning the race as favourite, something that "Disturbance" didn't have to burden a year earlier. "Chimney Sweep" owned by Lord Marcus Beresford finished second at 25-1 with 40-1 bet Merlin in third place.
Aintree Grand National 1873
With 28 runners, the highest amount since 30 started in 1866 the Grand National was again viewed a thrilling and fantastic spectacle one which had managed to claw it's way back from the poor interest in suffered a decade earlier. "Disturbance" won the race as a 20-1 outsider ridden by John Richardson who also trainer the horse. The jockey repeated the feat 12 months later, but was much more of a favourite the second time around. The horse which left the much more favoured horse "Ryshworth" trailing in second was owned by Captain James Machell who also returned in 1874 keeping the team fully intact.
Aintree Grand National 1872
In the midst of a seven-year period, which included 3 horses to win the big race at Aintree "Casse Tette" won his one and only Grand National. The horse, which was owned by Mr. E Brayley and trained by Mr. A Cowley was ridden on the day by John Page, who himself won two Nationals with this his second success at Aintree following victory in the 1867 race whilst riding "Cortolvin" to victory as a 16-1 outsider. "The Lamb" who won in 1871 finished fourth while last years second and third place horse swapping places and finishing in the reverse order.
Aintree Grand National 1871
"The Lamb" returned for his second Grand National in 1871 after battling through a wasting disease, which stopped him from taking part in 1870. The horse was also unfortunate to miss the 1969 National after a clerical error when his age was incorrectly supplied. All of this seemed to doom "The Lamb" to never compete again, but the small horse that was originally thought to be too small to jump over the fences again proved his doubters wrong by bravely winning for a second time.
Following on from the tragedy a year earlier, which saw George Stevens die in a riding accident, another winning jockey was to be killed in a steeplechasing fall when George Ede the jockey who had ridden "The Lamb" to victory in 1868 also passed away. His death meant that Tommy Pickernell, who had also seen much success at Aintree take over on "The Lamb" riding the horse to victory.
Aintree Grand National 1870
It was an interesting year for "The Colonel", not only had he not raced since the previous Grand National, he also changed ownership and even started as favourite. The jockey and trainer duo of George Stevens and Mr. R Roberts returned as George Stevens won his fifth National after starting at 7-2. After the success of 1869 when the horse hung around it's competitors until making a late surge George again used those same tactics winning despite a 19lb penalty hanging on to win by a neck.
George Stevens would sadly not return to make an attempt at a 6th victory though as he was tragically killed in a riding accident just three months later. He is however rightly remembered as the most prolific National winning jockey of all time.
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