Grand National History 1949 - 1940
Aintree Grand National 1949
The 1949 Grand National began with forty-three horses which was the exact same number to start a year earlier with only eleven of those finishing the time as "Russian Hero" ridden by Leo McMorrow who began at 66-1 edged out "Roimond" and jockey Mr. R Francis as that particular pair finished second with odds of 22-1. The two were followed by "Royal Mount" in third and "Cromwell" in fourth who was again being ridden by Lord Mildmay as the pair dropped a place from the previous year.
Aintree Grand National 1948
"Sheila's Cottage" became the first mare to win a Grand National in 1948 since "Shannon Lass" won back in 1902. "Sheila's Cottage" ridden by Arthur Thompson was unfancied prior to the race and began at 50-1, a price which was half that of the other mare in the race, "Zahia". Regardless of the odds "Zahia" did appear to have been a certain winner as the horse approached the second to last fence, but failed to do so as the jockey took the wrong course leaving "Sheila's Cottage" clear.
"First Of The Dandies" with jockey Mr. J Brogan finished second with "Cromwell" in third and "Happy Home" fourth as forty-three ran with fourteen of those completing the course. "Sheila's Cottage" was owned by John Proctor and trained by Neville Crump and unfortunately enough for jockey Arthur Thompson the horse bit his thumb off two days after the Grand National.
Aintree Grand National 1947
"Prince Regent" and Tim Hyde returned again to race in the 1940 Grand National with the pair installed as favourite yet again, but the tag of being favourite this year was less relevant than in years past as a massive field of fifty-seven horses ran which, was the second most ever to compete in the Grand National since it began.
The fifty-seven starters played a huge part in allowing the 100-1 Irish-trained outsider "Caughoo" to win as the congestion caused by so many runners made it difficult for the favourites to be as dominant. Eddie Dempsey was the winning jockey, as the pair became the first to win a National from 100-1 since "Gregalach" did so in 1929. "Lough Conn" finished in second followed by "Kami" in third with pre race favourite "Prince Regent" fourth.
Aintree Grand National 1946
On Saturday April 5th 1946 the Grand National returned for the first time since 1940 as the Second World War was finally over. Thirty-four horses competed with many racing for the first time in a National with horses such as 3-1 favourite "Prince Regent" and winner "Lovely Cottage" as two of the most notable. Tim Hyde who won the 1939 Grand National rode the favourite, but he would this time drop two places to third behind "Lovely Cottage" ridden by Robert Petre and runner up "Jack Finlay" a 100-1 outsider.
"Bogskar" returned six years after winning in 1940 this time ridden by Mr. R Matthews, since former jockey Mervyn Jones had lost his life in a spitfire in 1941. The horse named "MacMoffat" also returned again ridden by Mr. I Alder as six of the starters completed the course with many of the new faces falling at the early fences. "Housewarmer", "Schubert" both who began at 100-1 finished fourth and fifth with "Limestone Edward" the last horse to complete the course in sixth.
The 1941 to 1945 Grand National
There was no Grand National from 1941 to 1945 as Aintree was used as an American Base during the Second World War.
Aintree Grand National 1940
Seventeen horses would finish the 1940 Grand National, the last Grand National before the Second World War caused the Grand National to be cancelled until 1946 was watched by a large amount of fans dressed in uniform some seven months after the war had started.
"Bogstar" won the race ridden by jockey and Flight Sergeant in the RAF, Mervyn Jones who had been given permission from his Air Commodore to take part. The pair began at 25-1 only a short while after Mervyn had passed his navigation exam and then told to "Go and navigate "Bogstar" around Aintree then, and if you don't, we'll put you through another navigation exam!" He did just that before leaving for the war and unfortunately falling victim to the war at age 22. Aintree paid tribute to many of those lost to the war and even hung the stars and stripes of America from the flagstaff for 16,000 troops from the United States.
"MacMoffat" finished second again being ridden by jockey Mr. I Alder with the pair losing any hope of improving on their performance, as the horse would be considered too old to be a contender in 1946. "Gold Arrow" would finish third with "Symaethis" in fourth followed by another thirteen horses that would complete the race from the thirty, which began it.
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