1970/71 Grand Nationals- A Top Class winner. An Ill-Fated Mare. The Non-Stayer Theory Exposed. When Fred Rimell’s classy 1969 Mackeson Gold Cup winner, Gay Trip, lined up for the 1970 Grand National, many experts gave him no chance- claiming a two-and a-half mile horse could never stay Aintree’s gruelling marathon. The reality was somewhat different. Pat Taaffe, deputising for the injured Terry Biddlecombe, simply avoided trouble by punting the horse round on the wide outside and, taking command at the second last, sauntered home under 11st 5lbs to win in a canter. Although he was to fall at the first the following year, Gay Trip ran a great race in 1972 when runner up under top weight to Tim Forster’s Well To Do. Undoubtedly he was one of the best National winners. And I often mused that, if Richard Pitman had adopted similar tactics to those employed by Pat Taaffe on Gay Trip in 1970, then Crisp would have been hailed as the greatest National winner of all- instead of Red Rum usurping his crown. The following year (1971), they said “lightning couldn’t strike twice.” Yet it did for another supposed non-stayer- and produced probably the most exciting finish in the Grand National’s great history. Five horses had a definite chance as they came to the elbow. In some ways, the race was typically ‘Grand National.’ A multitude of fallers; only nine finishers; favourite , top weight Gay Trip falls at the first; usual hard luck stories. Yet one of the cruellest of all hard luck stories concerned the mare, Sandy Sprite. Ridden by Ron Barry, she was attempting to become the first mare since Nickel Coin in 1951 to win the great race. Prominent throughout, she jumped the last in front and surged two to three lengths clear of Irish raider, Black Secret, ridden by Jim Dreaper. Alas, as she approached the elbow, she broke down, and the chasing pack reeled her in. First, Black Secret looked the likely winner. Then Astbury made his challenge. But the final winning surge came on the rails from Specify and John Cook, as he finished fast and late to deny Black Secret by a neck- with Astbury third and Bowgeeno pipping the ill-fated Sandy Sprite for fourth. It was a finish to stir the hearts of those only mildly interested in racing and, if fate conspired against Sandy Sprite, then it certainly smiled on Specify. In his younger days he rattled up a hat-trick over hurdles but was almost retired when he broke a head bone in the 1968 Schweppes Gold Trophy. Two years later he was sold to Grand National enthusiast, Fred Pontin, and, as they say, the rest is history.
Good read Tamerlo thanks for posting. Good clip too. Noticed that on the sidebar there was Hello Dandys 1984 GN win so watched that again too. Great memories: Corbiere, Greasepaint, Earthstopper and Grittar. That era and those warriors fuelled my passion for horse racing.
Good evening Tamerlo. A nice thread to remind us of a classy winner. You are right about Crisp. His was the greatest performance around Aintree I've ever seen. Wasn't Russian Hero a two miler (even if before my time)? I seem to remember reading that Dick Francis, who was George Owen's stable jockey then, chose not to ride him or something like that. I always had a soft spot for George. His horses seemed to jump like stags. He trained for some owner called the Duchess of Westminster, who didn't send a certain horse to him in the '60s.
Hi, Bustino. Russian Hero was a bit before my time-or when I was in nappies! I remember George Owen. I think Lord Leverhulme was his best owner, and didn't Stan Mellor start off with him and ride for him now and again? I think his Peacetown was placed in the National, and he had another placed horse- but I can't remember the name.
Great stuff Tam. I was just about born then but love the Nationals from the past compared to the embarrassment presented before us yesterday. Such a shame the BHA PR/Marketing branch are so ****ing insipid,impotent and inept that they are allowing the mass media to run the agenda which is then fed off by the "animal lovers" who drive it down the throat of the public. About time we started being proactive within the sport re educating the public and the uninitiated instead of caving in at every criticism. Wonder how Phil Smith is going to justify treating the event as "different" when calibrating the runners next year. It really is just another long distance 'chase. The Grand National is officially dead as a unique event.
Yes Tamerlo I think that's right about Stan and Roy Edwards was his jockey most of the time I was watching him. He also had Steve Davenport. I think Peacetown ran a few decent races in the National. His other good chaser was Two Springs who almost went off favourite in the '73 National but fell early on. Again Lord Leverhulme was his leading owner as I guess George trained so nearby. An Owen runner at Bangor was always to be feared.
Good read Tam Memories stirred, and although none of those carried my ackers, they were good times. My first interaction with the Grand National was 1962 - my friend had a newspaper round and I used to walk around with him just for something to do. While he was collecting his round, the newsagent said to me (quite why I have no idea!) who's going to win the Grand National today? Quick as a flash I said O'Malley Point - remembering something from the radio that morning talking about the previous years result where that horse was third. He came nowhere, and I didn't go back into that newsagents for weeks!
