Category: Grand National

Has a horse won the Grand National, Champion Hurdle, and Cheltenham Gold Cup?

Has a horse won the Grand National, Champion Hurdle, and Cheltenham Gold Cup? The history of the Grand National dates back to 1839, while the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle were inaugurated in 1924 and 1927, respectively. However, in the best part of a century since the three races have co-existed, no horse has ever won all three. In fact, in all that time, just two horses have won the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National and just one has won the Champion Hurdle and Cheltenham Gold Cup.

As far as the Cheltenham Gold Cup – Grand National double is concerned, the first horse to win both premier steeplechases was Golden Miller, who confirmed his ‘legendary’ status by winning both races in history in 1934; ‘The Miller’ remains the only horse to do so in the same season. In 1970 and 1971, L’Escargot recorded back-to-back victories in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and, four years later, as a 12-year-old, comfortably beat none other than Red Rum in the 1975 Grand National. The Champion Hurdle – Cheltenham Gold Cup double was completed by Dawn Run who, in 1984, became the second mare to win the Champion Hurdle and, two years later, entered racing folklore with a gutsy, rallying victory over Wayward Lad in the 1986 Cheltenham Gold Cup.

How many times did Richard Dunwoody win the Grand National?

Forced into retirement in December, 1999, after aggravating a neck injury, Richard Dunwoody won the Grand National twice. On his first attempt in the Grand National, in 1985, Dunwoody led over Becher’s Brook on joint-favourite West Tip, only for his mount to crumple on landing and fall. Nevertheless, the partnership made amends in 1986, with West Tip tackling the leader Young Driver halfway up the run-in, as Dunwoody glanced across at his toiling rival, and staying on well to win by two lengths. Indeed, West Tip proved a grand servant to connections, finishing fourth in the Grand National in 1987 and 1988 and second in 1989, all under Dunwoody.

Dunwoody subsequently succeeded Peter Scudamore as stable jockey to Martin Pipe and won the first of three consecutive jockeys’ titles in 1992/93. The following season, he won the Grand National again on Miinnehoma, trained by Pipe and owned by Liverpudlian comedian Freddie Starr. In an attritional renewal, run on heavy going, Miinnehoma was one of just six finishers, but could be called the winner some way from home, racing upsides the eventual second, Just So, from the third-last fence before cruising into the lead on the run-in to win by 1¼ lengths.

Which two Grand National fences are named after horses?

Of course, the five ‘named’ Grand National fences are, in the order in which they are jumped, ‘Becher’s Brook’, ‘Foinavon’, ‘The Canal Turn’, ‘Valentine’s Brook’ and ‘The Chair’. Of that famous quintet, the two that are named after horses are Valentine’s Brook and Foinavon.

Originally known as the Second Brook, Valentine’s Brook is a 5′ high fence, with a 5’6″ wide ditch on the landing side. It is jumped as the ninth and twenty-fifth fence in the Grand National and takes its name from Valentine, a horse who performed an extraordinary feat of aerial acrobatics at the obstacle in 1840. Ridden by Irish amateur Alan Power, Valentine tried to refuse, but somehow managed to clear the fence, reputedly landing hind legs first.

Ironically, Foinavon, which is jumped as the seventh and twenty-third fence during the Grand National, is one of the smallest fences on the National Course, at just 4’6″ high. Nevertheless, the fence was the scene of a famous pile-up in 1967, when the riderless Popham Down ran along the take-off side, bringing most of the field to a standstill. Foinavon, ridden by John Buckingham, emerged from the melee with a clear lead, which he maintained to the line for famous victory at 100/1. In 1984, the fence was officially renamed in his honour.

How many times has J.P. McManus won the Grand National?

How many times has J.P. McManus won the Grand National? Irish billionaire John Patrick ‘J.P.’ McManus is, far and away, foremost owner in National Hunt racing, with hundreds of horses in training on both sides of the Irish Sea. However, for all his pre-eminence, McManus has won the Grand National just twice, his two winners coming over a decade apart. Those winners were, of course, Don’t Push It in 2010 and Minella Times in 2021.

Both Grand National victories were emotional for McManus, but for different reasons. Don’t Push It, trained by Jonjo O’Neill and ridden by Sir Anthony McCoy, was a first winner of the celebrated steeplechase for owner, trainer and jockey after many previous attempts. Minella Times, trained by Henry De Bromhead and ridden by Rachael Blackmore, was, if anything, even more notable for the fact that, in 172 previous runnings of the Grand National, the highest placing achieved by a female jockey had been third. However, the victory was tinged with sadness, coming as it did shortly after the death of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and, more pertinently, in the wake of the sudden death of McManus’ 40-year-old daughter-in-law, Emma, on New Year’s Eve while on a family holiday in Barbados.

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