1953 - Early Mist
The winner
EARLY MIST won at his second attempt but injury ruled him out the following year after he had won a chase at Leopardstown's Christmas meetng. He finished a never dangerous ninth in the 1955 National but fell at the first in 1956 (becoming the second post war National winner to twice fall at the first). He did win again, a small race at Windsor in November 1956 and finished second to Devon Loch in a match at Sandown. He last raced at Sandown in May 1957.
Leading Fancies
Following the public relations disaster of the previous year, normal service was resumed and the BBC returned to Aintree to broadcast the Grand National. Whilst the British public could look forward to a decent commentary this year they were still denied the mouthwatering prospect of live pictures. Televising the National was still not on the negotiating table as far as Mrs Topham was concerned. More on her mind this year was her latest ambitious plans for the racecourse. Racegoers attending the 1953 National got a first glimpse in the racecard of the plans for a motor racing circuit to be constructed on the inside of the National course. Not the best kept secret, the plans had been leaked in a motor magazine the previous autumn. If any die hard race fans were concerned about the prospect of formula one cars screaching around the hallowed Aintree turf their concerns remained unanswered although Mrs Topham did seek to reassure patrons that there would be no racing on a Sunday !
Ante-post favourite for the National, the defending champion Teal sadly was absent having succumbed to serious injuries picked up in the previous months Cheltenham Gold Cup. With no previous winner in the field the betting public made a National debutant (albeit one with winning form over the fences), the politically incorrectly named LITTLE YID favourite. He had won the Molyneux Chase and Topham Trophy and this year having won two small races at Doncaster had finished third in the Great Yorkshire Chase. Last time out he had finished second in the Mildmay of Flete at the Festival. WHISPERING STEEL, who had departed spectacularly twelve months ago was next best at 9-1, a winner at Cheltenham and Worcester early in the season he had beaten last years runner up Legal Joy and rival Headcrest in the Mildmay Memorial at Sandown. Leading Irish challenger was the Vincent O`Brien trained LUCKY DOME who had finished second in the Galway Plate and then won his last three starts including the prestigious Leopardstown Chase. GLEN FIRE was popular at 10-1 which was something of a surprise as he had not seemed to have enjoyed his previous two runs in the National. He had won at Birmingham and finished second in the Kim Muir and was clearly expected to fare much better as was CARDINAL ERROR, an early faller last year who was in good form this season having won twice in the Autumn at Hexham and Kelso. He had subsequently been running consistently faring much better over the Aintree fences when finishing second in the Molyneux Chase at the Autumn meeting. The class horse in the race was the Fulke Walwyn trained MONT TREMBLANT who had won seven of his last eleven starts. He was the best chaser of 1951-52 winning five out of six chases including the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Whilst not so prolific this year he had still finished second in the King George VI Chase at Kempton before finishing fourth in the Gold Cup. He had won twice at Sandown (finishing ahead of Little Yid) and it was something of a surprise to see him start at 18-1. A combination of the fact that he was making his debut of over the unique fences and was being asked to carry a massive weight of 12 stone 5 were clearly putting people off. Staring at 20-1 was Vincent O`Briens second string, EARLY MIST. He was was considered to be inferior to his stable companion Royal Tan who was absent through injury. He had been a first fence faller in 1952 and not showed too much form this season (apart from winning a race at Naas in March which he subsequently lost in the stewards room). He had been sold following the death of his owner J V Rank and was now running in the colours of Joe O`Connell who had also bought Royal Tan. Two other interesting runners were IRISH LIZARD being offered at a ridiculous price of 33-1 considering he had just won the Topham Trophy three days earlier and BAIRE who was having his sixteenth race of a very busy season.
Note : All four winners of the steeplechases at the Autumn meeting ran in the National this year.
THE GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE 4 1/2 miles (73 entries), £9,255.10s to the winner
1 1-12124 MONT TREMBLANT 7, 12-5 (F T Walwyn) D V Dick
5 -112224 CARDINAL ERROR 9, 11-5 (J.Wright) R.Curran
6 3F23PF CLONCARRIG 13, 11-5 (F T Walwyn) Mr R.McCreery
7 01F-00D EARLY MIST 8, 11-2 (M V O`Brien - IRE) B.Marshall
10 12B212 WHISPERING STEEL 8, 10-13 (A.Kilpatrick) R.Morrow
11 -023044 LAND FORT 9, 10-13* (T F Rimell) Mr H.Oliver Jnr
12 -0F0FF0 SENLAC HILL 8, 10-10 (G.Beeby) R.Francis
13 140032 QUITE NATURALLY 9, 10-8 (W T O`Grady - IRE) T.Molony*
14 400124 GLEN FIRE 10, 10-8 (S.Mercer) M.Lynn*
15 123121 KNUCKLEDUSTER 9, 11-0* (P.Payne-Gallwey) Mr P B Browne
16 401414 WITTY 8, 10-5 (W.Hall) G.Slack*
17 -0U2233 PARASOL II 8, 10-8 (A.Walton) Mr A Oughton
18 400431 OVERSHADOW 13, 10-4* (C.Magnier - IRE) P.Taaffe*
19 3F0013 ORDNANCE 7, 10-3 (T F Rimell) M.Scudamore
20 012000 LARRY FINN 9, 10-11* (N.Crump) A P Thompson
21 011432 LITTLE YID 11, 10-1 (R.Renton) J.Power
22 123301 IRISH LIZARD 10, 10-6* (H.Nicholson) R.Turnell
27 121430 WAIT AND SEE 8, 10-4* (G.Archibald) A.Freeman
28 F04404 ARMOURED KNIGHT 9, 10-1 (G.Wilson) T.Mabbutt
29 030030 PEARLY PRINCE 10, 10-0 (E.Wright) R E Jenkins
30 433223 BAIRE 7, 10-0 (J B Powell) J.Foster
31 210033 CREAM OF THE BORDER 8, 10-0 (A.Paton) B.Wilkinson
32 12U340 HEAD CREST 7, 10-0 (G.Wilson) S.Barnes
33 020111 LUCKY DOME 7, 10-0 (M V O`Brien - IRE) P J Doyle
34 210303 UNCLE BARNEY 10, 10-4* (H.Clarkson) J.Boddy
36 403302 GRAND TRUCE 9, 10-0 (G R Owen) D.Leslie
37 030404 STEEL LOCK 9, 10-0 (E.Maggs) Mr E Maggs
38 /10-300 DESIRE 12, 10-0 (McMullen) T.Cullen
39 34010U HIERBA 8, 10-0 (T.Hanbury) A.Mullins
42 c-33210P HAPPY DAYS 13, 10-0 (E.Gifford) A.Benson
43 200022 PUNCHESTOWN STAR 9, 10-0 (J.Lea) S.McComb
* C.Grassick down to ride Quite Naturally in the racecard
* T.Cusack down to ride Glen Fire in the racecard
* P A Farrell down to ride Witty in the racecard
* M.Mahler down to ride Overshadow in the racecard
The following horses were featured in racecard but were withdrawn after four day declaration stage : -
2 STORMHEAD, 3 WOT NO SUN, 4 SHOCK TACTICS, 8 CUSHENDEN (P.Chisman), 9 SOLO II, 23 JUST JOE (J.Connolly), 24 BROWN JACK III (R.Emery), 25 ROMAN FIRE (E.Reavey), 26 DOG WATCH (T.Brookshaw), 35 OLD KENTUCKY, 40 CAESARS WIFE (Mr G B Rogers), 41 PARSONSHILL (J.Seely)
S.P : 7-1 Little Yid, 9-1 Whispering Steel, 10-1 Glen Fire & Lucky Dome, 100-7 Cardinal Error, 18-1 Mont Tremblant & Quite Naturally, 20-1 EARLY MIST, 22-1 Witty, 25-1 Parosol II, Knuckleduster & Ordnance, 33-1 Irish Lizard & Overshadow, 40-1 Larry Finn, Uncle Barney, Baire & Headcrest, 50-1 Wait and See, Hierba & Land Fort , 66-1 Cloncarrig, Senlac Hill, Armoured Knight, Pearly Prince, Cream of the Border, Steel Lock, Desire, Happy Days & Punchestown Star
Aintree debutants
Grand Truce*, Happy Days*, Lucky Dome*, Mont Tremblant*, Ordnance, Parosol II*, Quite Naturally*, Senlac Hill*, Wait and See*, Witty
Winners at Aintree
Cloncarrig - Molyneux Chase (1947 & 1949), Becher Chase (1950)
Irish Lizard - Molyneux Chase (1948), Topham Trophy (1953)
Larry Finn - Becher Chase (1952)
Little Yid - Molyneux Chase (1952)
Uncle Barney - Valentine Chase (1952)
Wot No Sun - Grand Sefton Chase (1952)
Result
1st EARLY MIST - B.Marshall
2nd MONT TREMBLANT - D V Dick
3rd IRISH LIZARD - R.Turnell
4th OVERSHADOW - P.Taaffe
5th SENLAC HILL - R.Francis
Time : 9 minutes 22 4/5 seconds
Distances : 20-4-20-dist
Owned by Joe Griffin
Trained by Vincent O`Brien in Ireland
1954 - Royal Tan
The winner
Already a veteran of three Nationals and aged ten ROYAL TAN proved just how tough they were in the good old days as he stayed in training until he was thirteen and ran in three more Nationals for good measure. Running in Prince Aly Khans colours in 1955 he got round in his own time but a year later having won a small race at Limerick he stayed on in the closing stages to finish third in ESBs sensational National of 1956. He showed nothing in his three starts before the 1957 National which was to was to be his final racecourse appearance. His career ended on a quiet note as he was carried out early in the race.
Leading Fancies
Just twenty seven runners this year and a very strong Irish challenge with three of the top six in the betting coming from the other side of the Irish sea. The giant CONNEYBURROW looked an ideal National sort and had run like one when taking the Grand Sefton Chase at the autumn meeting. He had finished second in the valuable Leopardstown Chase and had chased home CHURCHTOWN on his last start at Naas. ROYAL TAN was running in his third National, second in 1951 and a last fence faller when still in contention in 1952. Injury had kept him out last year and he had not shown much since his return until he had finished second in the National Hunt Handicap Chase at the Festival. Another bold show was expected. Of the Brits it was last years third IRISH LIZARD who started favourite - he had come closest than any other to winning both the Topham and Grand National in the same year having won over the shorter distance three days earlier. This year he had won twice at Newbury and the four miler at the Cheltenham on New Years Day. He jumped - he stayed - he was a worthy favourite in the absence of the two horses that had beaten him last year. TUDOR LINE was unbeaten in three starts at Ayr, Sandown and the Mildmay of Flete at the Festival. GENTLE MOYA was another for whom stamina would not be an issue - he had won the four mile Eider Chase at Newcatle, his second win at the course this season. ORDANANCE was doing his best to run away with this last year blazing the trail until he crashed out at the twentieth fence. Other interesting runners included an ex-French chaser, ICY CALM having his first run for new connections (ambitious) and some runners were being kept very busy this season - BAIRE was having his fourteenth race of the season as was PUNCHESTOWN STAR but Irish challenger STATESMAN was runnng for an incredible twenty sixth time. He had been busy since the previous June, run twice at the Festival and had fallen in the Topham two days earlier. It was a small field but very select.
GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE (57 entries), 4 1/2 miles, £8,571 10s to the winner
2 000f02 ROYAL TAN 10, 11-7 (M V O`Brien - Ireland) B.Marshall
3 340f04 LEGAL JOY 11, 11-3 (F T Walwyn) D V Dick*
4 u-f4pfp WHISPERING STEEL 9, 10-12 A.Kilpatrick R.Morrow
5 20-10p0 ALBERONI 11, 10-12 (M V O`Brien - Ireland) Mr E Cousins*
6 -101422 CONEYBURROW 8, 10-11 (J W Osborne - Ireland) P.Taaffe
7 13u4p3 SOUTHERN COUP 12, 10-10* (N.Crump) A P Thompson*
8 /000-p30 DOMINICK`S BAR 10, 10-7 (T.Hyde - Ireland) T.Molony*
9 0p-111 TUDOR LINE 9, 10-7 (R.Renton) G.Slack
10 3-32111 IRISH LIZARD 11, 10-5 (H.Nicholson) M.Scudamore
12 020321 CHURCHTOWN 9, 10-3 (M V O`Brien - Ireland) T.Taaffe
14 011-f20 SWINTON HERO 10, 10-6* (D.Machin) Mr C.Harty
15 221323 PRINCE OF ARRAGON 13, 10-2 (J J O`Donnell - Ire) J.Gorey
16 ICY CALM 10, 10-5* (G.Archibald) R.Francis
17 123331 SANPERION 9, 10-2 (L.Elwell) D.Leslie
18 14040f GAY MONARCH II 8, 10-4* (T F Rimell) T.Brookshaw
20 22003p MARTINIQUE 8, 10-1 (G R Owen) Mr E Greenway
21 412233 ORDNANCE 8,10-1 (T F Rimell) J.Dowdeswell
22 f020u1 ONTRAY 6, 10-8* (L S Briggs) Mr R Brewis
23 fp4244 BAIRE 8, 10-0 (M L Marsh) J.Foster
24 24-02uf HIERBA 9, 10-0 (J.Hamey) R J Hamey
25 130004 BORDER LUCK 9, 10-0 (J R Bower) T.Shone
26 002004 PARIS NEW YORK 7, 10-0 (J B Powell) M.Roberts
27 20402f STATESMAN 8, 10-0 (C.Magnier - Ireland) E.Newman
28 -312231 GENTLE MOYA 8, 10-0 (C.Bewicke) Mr J Straker
29 0032r2 UNCLE BARNEY 11, 10-0 (H.Clarkson) L.McMorrow
30 /0-00p0 ROYAL STUART 11, 10-0 (G R Owen) J.Power
31 01pu30 TRIPLE TORCH 8, 10-0 (J.Hartigan) D.Ancil
32 0p00-f3 MINIMAX 10, 10-0 (A.Sellar) Capt M MacEwan
33 303144 PUNCHESTOWN STAR 10, 10-0 (J.Lea) S.McComb
* R.Emery down to ride Legal Joy in the racecard
* B.Cooper down to ride Alberoni in the racecard
* P.Chisman down to ride Southern Coup in the racecard
* E L Mckenzie down to ride Domincks Bar in the racecard
Non Runners : 1 MONT TREMBLANT (D V Dick), 11 QUITE NATURALLY (B O`Neill), 13 QUEEN`S TASTE (R.Curran), 19 TRAVELLERS PRIDE (Mr H F Craig Harvey)
S.P : 15-2 Irish Lizard, 8-1 Coneyburrow & ROYAL TAN, 10-1 Churchtown & Tudor Line, 100-6 Gentle Moya, 18-1 Ordnance, 20-1 Sanperion, 33-1 Dominick`s Bar & Legal Joy, 40-1 Icy Calm, Southern Coup & Whispering Steel, 50-1 Gay Monarch II, Statesman & Uncle Barney, 66-1 Alberoni, Baire, Hierba, Martinique, Minimax, Ontray, Paris New York, Prince Of Arragon, Punchestown Star, Royal Stuart, Statesman, Swinton Hero & Triple Torch
Aintree Debutants
Alberoni*, Churchtown*, Martinique, Minimax, Ontray, Paris New York*, Prince of Arragon*, Sanperion*, Southern Coup*, Swinton Hero*, Triple Torch
Winners at Aintree
Border Luck - Valentines Chase (1951)
Irish Lizard - Molyneux Chase (1948), Topham Trophy (1953)
Uncle Barney - Valentine Chase (1952)
Result
1st ROYAL TAN - B.Marshall
2nd TUDOR LINE - G.Slack
3rd IRISH LIZARD - M.Scudamore
4th CHURCHTOWN - T.Taaffe
5th SANPERION - D.Leslie
6th MARTINIQUE - Mr E.Greenway
7th UNCLE BARNEY - L.McMorrow
8th SOUTHERN COUP - A P Thompson
9th ONTRAY - Mr R Brewis
Time : 9 minutes 32 4/5 seconds.
Distances :
Owned by Joe Griffin
Trained by Vincent O`Brien in Ireland
1955 - Quare Times
The winner
QUARE TIMES proved that his exertions at Aintree had not taken too much out of him as he ran twice more that season winning a hurdle race at Leopardstown and finishing unplaced in what was then the valuable end of the season chase, the Queen Elizabeth Chase at Hurst Park. Thereafter he became something of an enigma as he never raced at Aintree again. He was declared to run in the 1956 National having won at Leopardstown and chased home Sundew in the Haydock Park Grand National Trial but injury forced him to miss the race. He only raced four more times after that, winning a two runner race at Leopardstowns Christmas meeting in 1956 and he last raced in February 1958 at Naas when he finished unplaced behind a future National winner, Mr What.
Leading Fancies
Torrential rain not only kept the crowds away in 1955 but nearly led to the abandonment of the meeting. With surface water lying on the course an eleven am inspection deemed that the course and fences were safe but the turf surrounding the water jump was unraceable leading to the water jump being omitted for the first (and so far only) time in the Nationals history. Favourite was an Irish trained Aintree debutant. Starting at 7-1 COPP a former hunter chaser had won his last three races including two of Irelands premier chase, the Thyestes & Leopardstown Chase. The 1953 winner EARLY MIST now running for a new owner following the collapse of Joe Griffins business empire had just run twice this season with a spell over hurdles before he put up a superb performance to finish fourth in the Gold Cup. TUDOR LINE just denied twelve months ago was next best in the market having won the valuable Lancashire Chase at Manchester. Vincent O`Brien had trained the last two National winners and he had four runners this year, after Early Mist his next best challenger was Aintree debutant QUARE TIMES who had been denied by two lengths by Limber Hill in the National Hunt Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. He had won at Naas in January and proved he could stay when landing a four mile chase at Cheltenham the previous season. IRISH LIZARD had two first fence falls and two third places to his name in the National. At twelve his time had surely come and gone but he was in good heart having won the four mile Fred Withington Chase at Cheltenham in January and been a close third behind Quare Times at the Festival. There was a Royal runner this year with the unusually named M`AS-TU-VU who had won at Newbury in January.
GRAND NATIONAL HANDICAP CHASE, 4 1/2 miles, £8,934 to the winner
1 21-03f0 ROYAL TAN 11, 12-4 (M V O`Brien - IRE) D V Dick
2 10/01-24 EARLY MIST 10, 12-3 (M V O`Brien - IRE) B.Marshall
3 33-2234 MARINER`S LOG 8, 11-12 (Beeby) R.Francis
4 110311 MR LINNET 7, 11-5 (C A Rogers - IRE) Mr J R Cox
6 22-f310 TUDOR LINE 10, 10-3 (R.Renton) G.Slack
7 1/0-2402 GIGOLO 10, 11-3 (Wight) R.Curran
8 0-f1112 SUNDEW 9, 11-3 (J.McLintock - IRE) P J Doyle
9 2120u0 ESB 9, 11-1 (L.Carver) T.Cusack
10 f1-3142 QUARE TIMES 9, 11-0 (M V O`Brien - IRE) P.Taaffe
11 1110f0 ORIENTAL WAY 7, 10-12 (M V O`Brien - IRE) F T Winter
12 301122 CAREY`S COTTAGE 8, 10-11 (T J Taaffe - IRE) T.Taaffe
13 133424 LITTLE YID 13, 10-10 (R.Renton) J R Emery
14 -302212 IRISH LIZARD 12, 10-09 (H.Nicholson) M.Scudamore
15 11-3111 COPP 11, 10-8 (P.Sleator - IRE) T.Molony
16 231301 M`AS-TU-VU 9, 10-7 (P.Cazalet) A.Freeman
19 3423-04 RED RUBE 8, 10-3 (A.Oughton) A.Oughton
20 03242f NO RESPONSE 9, 10-2 (R.Renton) D.Ancil
21 0-4P023 CLEARING 8, 10-2 (W.Stephenson) R J Hamey
23 /01p1- DARK STRANGER 10, 10-5* (Colville ) Mr J.Bosley
24 -221400 BLUE ENVOY 10, 10-1* (V.Smyth) Mr E.Greenway
25 211410 ANOTHER RAKE 10, 10-1* (F.Gilman) D.Leslie
26 203133 GENTLE MOYA 9, 10-0 (C.Bewicke) Mr J.Straker
27 243000 MOOGIE 12, 10-0 (H.Cousins) J.Neely
28 ff33p0 STEEL LOCK 11, 10-0 (K.Bailey) J A Bullock
29 40p24f WILD WISDOM 10, 10-0 (O`Donaghue) Lt Col W.Holman
31 33bp02 ONTRAY 7, 10-8* (Briggs) Mr R.Brewis
32 3/f-304 ROMAN FIRE 12, 10-0 (Bissill) J.Dowdeswell
33 3pff34 MUNSTER KING II 8, 10-0 (P.Cazalet) V.Speck
34 -030f00 SUN CLASP 7, 10-0 (Storey) J.Power
35 32r200- UNCLE BARNEY 12, 10-0 (Clarkson) L.McMorrow
Non Runners : - 5 GOOSANDER (A P Thompson, 17 MR CHIPPENDALE (-), 18 WHISPERING STEEL (R.Morrow), 22 PORTARLINGTON (R.Curson), 30 AIR WEDDING (-)
S.P: 7-1 Copp, 9-1 Early Mist, 10-1 Tudor Line, 100-9 QUARE TIMES, 12.5-1 Irish Lizard & Mariner`s Log, 100-6 Gigolo, 20-1 Careys Cottage & Mr Linnett, 22-1 M`as-tu-Vu, 28-1 Royal Tan & Sundew, 33-1 Oriental Way, 40-1 Dark Stranger, 45-1 Another Rake & No Response, 50-1 Clearing, Gentle Moya, Little Yid & Uncle Barney, 66-1 Blue Envoy, ESB, Moogie, Muster King II, Ontray, Red Rube, Roman Fire, Sun Clasp, Steel Lock & Wild Wisdom
Aintree debutants
Another Rake*, Blue Envoy*, Careys Cottage, Clearing, Copp*, ESB. Gigolo*, Mariners Log, M`As-tu-Vu, Oriental Way*, Quare Times*, Red Rube, Roman Fire, Sundew
Winners at Aintree
Early MIst - Grand National (1953)
Irish Lizard - Molyneux Chase (1948) & Topham Trophy (1953)
Little Yid - Molyneux Chase (1952, 1953 & 1954) & Topham Trophy (1954)
Mr Linnet - Becher Chase (1954)
Royal Tan - Grand National (1954)
Uncle Barney - Valentine Chase (1952)
Result
1st QUARE TIMES - Pat Taaffe
2nd TUDOR LINE - G.Slack
3rd CAREY`S COTTAGE - T.Taaffe
4th GIGOLO - R.Curran
5th ONTRAY - Mr R.Brewis
6th GENTLE MOYA - Mr J.Straker
7th CLEARING - R J Hamey
8th WILD WISDOM - Lt Col W.Holman
9th EARLY MIST - B.Marshall
10th RED RUBE - A.Oughton
11th IRISH LIZARD - M.Scudamore
12th ROYAL TAN - D V Dick
13th UNCLE BARNEY - L.McMorrow
Time : 10 mins 19 1/5 secs
Distances : 12-4-2-20-1
Owned by Mrs W.H.E Welman
Trained by Vincent O`Brien in Ireland