Timeform guru Phil Turner looks at the drama that has unfolded at individual fences throughout the rich history of the Randox Grand National.
FIRST – The traditional cavalry charge to the first has meant this fence claims more fallers than any other obstacle on the Grand National course, with speed the main contributing factor in several pile-ups there down the years. Indeed, even Grand National winners Gay Trip, Aldaniti, Hallo Dandy and Corach Rambler got no further than the first fence twelve months on from their biggest success. It has also been the scourge of former champion jockey Brian Hughes, who has no less than four first-fence falls on his National CV.
SECOND – Mick Fitzgerald provided one of the great sporting one-liners after winning on Rough Quest in 1996 but the race also had a darker side for him, a fall at the second from L’Ami in 2008 resulting in a neck fracture which ended the jockey’s career.
THIRD – The first big ditch regularly catches out a few, including 1977 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Davy Lad, who was one of four to exit the race there that year.
FOURTH – Corbiere was an Aintree specialist during the 1980s, winning the race in 1983 (with Jenny Pitman becoming the National’s first successful woman trainer) before finishing a fine third in the next two renewals. However, the popular chestnut got no further than the fourth in 1986 due to an extremely rare jumping lapse.
FIFTH – Ted Walsh has provided memorable National moments for both his son Ruby and daughter Katie, saddling the Ruby-ridden Papillon to victory and Seabass to a fine third under the latter in 2012. His own experience of the Aintree fences was less happy, however, with Castleruddery refusing at the fifth in 1975 on Walsh Senior’s only National ride.
FIRST BECHER’S – Although not quite the fearsome fence of old, particularly now that the drop on landing is much less severe, first Becher’s can still cause its share of problems – none more so than in 2004, when 2002 winner Bindaree was one of nine horses forced out of the race in a melee there. Before those modifications were made, many jockeys opted for a wide route where the drop was smallest – although that didn’t prevent Rhyme N’Reason from nearly falling there in 1988, finding himself in dead last after doing the splits on landing before working his way back into contention to register a remarkable success.
