1971 - Specify
The winner
Specify never won another race although he ran well in 1972 and looked to be travelling like the winner on the run down to Bechers on the second circuit. He faded in the mud to eventually finish sixth. He ran in the one-off William Hill Grand National Trial at the Autumn meeting of 1972. Never travelling well he fell at the fence after Valentines. He never raced again.
Leading Fancies
The first three home from 1970 returned to the fray. GAY TRIP reunited with Terry Biddlecombe now in the saddle having missed victory twelve months earlier. He was without a win in five starts but had again been campaigned in the highest class finishing fifth in the Hennessy Gold Cup. VULTURE had managed one win in Ireland and MISS HUNTER was running consistently well without managing to get her nose in front. Another class horse in the field was the Jim Joel owned THE LAIRD, runner up in the 1968 Gold Cup. This year he had struck up a sequence of three wins in the run-up to Aintree including the Whitbread Trial at Ascot and the Cathcart Chase at the Festival. Other prolific winners that season included the Irish trained BLACK SECRET who had won six out of eight races including the valuable Troytown Chase at Navan and BEAU BOB, who had won three of his last four starts two of them at Lingfield. CHARTER FLIGHT had won an incident packed Topham Trophy in 1970 but had been lightly campaigned this term with just two races, a novice hurdle and a two horse contest at Kempton (where he had been beaten !) Other fancied runners were the Kerry National winner MONEY BOAT from Ireland, National Hunt Handcap Chase winner LORD JIM and last seasons favourite TWO SPRINGS who, after his early exit in 1970 had finished second in a Scottish National and then won the Midlands equivalent. This term he had beaten The Laird in the Great Yorkshire Chase. It was a good line up.
GRAND NATIONAL HANDICAP CHASE (95 entries) 4 1/2 miles, £15,500 to the winner, £4,700 to the second, £ 2,300 to the third & £1,100 to the fourth
1 F-F0204 GAY TRIP 9, 12-0 (T F Rimell) T W Biddlecombe
2 320111 THE LAIRD 10, 11-2 (R.Turnell) J.King
3 0112-02 CHARTER FLIGHT 9, 11-8 (R.Turnell) W.Rees *
4 311112 BLACK SECRET 7, 11-5 (T W Dreaper - IRE) Mr J Dreaper
5 233104 TWO SPRINGS 9, 11-4 (G R Owen) R.Edwards
6 0120-01 KING VULGAN 10, 11-0 (J P Costello - IRE) J.Crowley
7 B-202F0 SPECIFY 9, 10-13 (J E Sutcliffe) J.Cook
8 P-12P1B BRIAN`S BEST 11, 10-11 (G R Owen) R R Evans
9 31313F CNOC DUBH 8, 10-11 (D L Moore - IRE) T.Carberry
10 P-32P21 LORD JIM 10, 10-9 (F T Walwyn) S.Mellor
11 B30020 THE INVENTOR 10, 10-7 (E.Cousins) B.Fletcher
12 102413 MONEY BOAT 7, 10-7 (F.Flood - IRE) R.Coonan
13 11-FP1F SOLDO 10, 10-7 (P.Cazalet) D.Mould
14 101F2P BATTLEDORE 10, 10-6 (W A Stephenson) J.Enright
15 224224 REGIMENTAL 8, 10-6 (K.Cundell) Mr J Lawrence
16 310132 TWIGAIRY 8, 10-6 (R C Armytage) E P Harty
17 023341 BOWGEENO 11, 10-5 (T.Forster) G.Thorner
18 2F1211 BEAU BOB 8, 10-3 (P.Cazalet) R.Dennard
19 130P12 SANDY SPRITE 7, 10-3 (J A C Edwards) R.Barry
20 121213 SMOOTH DEALER 9, 10-3 (D L Moore - IRE) A L T Moore
21 0-21P12 THE OTTER 10, 10-1 (R H Dening) T M Jones
22 112P23 ASTBURY 8, 10-0 (J P Bissill) J.Bourke
23 0-00432 COPPERLESS 10, 10-1* (A S Neaves) M.Gibson
24 0-FU321 COUNTRY WEDDING 9, 10-0 (G B Balding) R.Champion
25 220002 COMMON ENTRANCE 10, 10-0 (A J Maxwell - IRE) Mr M Morris
26 /0334 CRAIGBROOK 12, 10-1* (J K M Oliver) P.Ennis
27 334PP0 FINAL MOVE 11, 10-0 (I D Jordan) T.Stack
28 2101P2 FLOSUEBARB 11, 10-1* (J K Hooton) J.Guest
29 122243 GAY BUCCANEER 10, 10-0 (J.Cox - IRE) P.Black
30 2P-43P0 HIGHWORTH 12, 10-5* (R H Woodhouse) Mr R H Woodhouse
31 04-2304 INDAMELIA 8, 10-5* (M J Thorne) Mr P Hobbs
33 322330 KELLSBORO WOOD 11, 10-0 (D.Ancil) A.Turnell
34 043142 LIMEBURNER 10, 10-0 (R.Turnell) J.Buckingham*
35 232334 MISS HUNTER 10, 10-0 (D.Auld - IRE) Mr J Fowler
36 0230F3 PRIDE OF KENTUCKY 9, 10-0 (E R Courage) A.Mawson
37 0-32030 VICHYSOISE 9, 10-3* (C.Bewicke) P.Blacker
38 02-331P VULTURE 9, 10-0 (T W Dreaper - IRE) S.Barker
39 2243P4 ZARA`S GROVE 8, 10-0 (E E Collingwood) G.Holmes
* J.Haine down to ride Charter Flight in the racecard
* W.Rees down to ride Limeburner in the racecard
S P : 8-1 Gay Trip, 9-1 Lord Jim, 12-1 The Laird & The Otter, 13-1 Two Springs, 16-1 King Vulgan, Money Boat & Vulture, 20-1 Black Secret, Cnoc Dubh & The Inventor, 25-1 Charter Flight & Twigairy, 28-1 SPECIFY, 33-1 Astbury, Brians Best, Flosuebarb, Miss Hunter, Sandy Sprite & Smooth Dealer, 40-1 Beau Bob, 45-1 Battledore, 50-1 Country Wedding & Pride of Kentucky, 66-1 Bowgeeno, Final Move, Gay Buccaneer, Regimental, Soldo & Zaras Grove, 80-1 Craigbrook, 100-1 Common Entrance, Copperless, Highworth, Indamelia, Kellsboro Wood & Limeburner
Aintree debutants (19)
Astbury, Black Secret, Cnoc Dubh*, Common Entrance*, Craigbrook*, Country Wedding, Copperless*, Final Move*, Gay Bucaneer, Highworth*, Indamelia*, King Vulgan*, Lord Jim*, Regimental, Sandy Sprite*, Soldo*, Smooth Dealer*, The Laird*, Twigairy
Winners at Aintree
Charter Flight - Topham Trophy (1970)
Gay Trip - Grand National (1970)
Result
1st SPECIFY - Johnny Cook
2nd BLACK SECRET - Mr J.Dreaper
3rd ASTBURY - Jimmy Bourke
4th BOWGEENO - G.Thorner
5th SANDY SPRITE - Ron Barry
6th TWO SPRINGS - Roy Edwards
7th VICHYSOISE - Philip Blacker
8th KING VULGAN - J.Crowley
9th REGIMENTAL - Mr J Lawrence
10th GAY BUCCANEER - P.Black
11th FINAL MOVE - Tommy Stack
12th LIMEBURNER (rem) - J.Buckingham
13th COMMON ENTRANCE (rem) - Mr Michael "Mouse" Morris
Time : 9 minutes, 34 1/5 secs
Distances : nk-2 1/2-1 1/2-nk-7
Owned by Fred Pontin
Trained by John Sutclliffe at Epsom in Surrey
1972 - Well To Do
The winner
Whilst he stayed in training until the end of the 1974-75 season and raced in both a Scottish and Midlands National a return trip to Aintree was firmly off the agenda. In January 1973 he won the race named in his honour at Towcester and he also won his final start at Devon & Exeter in March 1975. He died in 1985
Leading Fancies
Although the first three from the previous years thrilling encounter all lined up again it looked as if the exertions of that race has taken its toll as neither SPECIFY, BLACK SECRET nor ASTBURY had managed to win a race between them this season. SPECIFY had been limited to just three races and he was easy to back at generous odds of 22-1. GAY TRIP was back to redeem himself after his unfortunate early exit in 1971 and had this season won his second Mackeson Gold Cup, finished fourth in the Massey Ferguson Gold Cup and finished eighth in the Gold Cup. He disputed second favouritism with CARDINAL ERROR who had won four chases this year including the Fairlawne Chase at Windsor. He was to be partnered by a young John Francome having his first ride in the race. Favourite was the 1970 & 1971 Gold Cup winner L`ESCARGOT who was to be the first Gold Cup winner since Mont Tremblant in 1953 to run in the race. Apart from his dual Gold Cup success he had won in America and had finished sixth in the Hennessy Gold Cup and fourth in both the King George VI Chase and the Gold Cup. Of the other fancies FAIR VULGAN had won the Eider Chase at Newcastle and had not been out of the first two this year, GYLEBURN had recent wins at Teesside Park and Haydock to his credit and CLOUDSMERE victorious in his last three starts at Kempton and Folkestone.
GRAND NATIONAL HANDICAP CHASE (sponsored by BP) (98 entries) £25,785.50 to the winner, £7,824 to the second, £3,837 to the third and £1,843.50 to the fourth
1 3-F0424 L`ESCARGOT 9, 12-0 (D L Moore - IRE) T.Carberry
2 143U40 GAY TRIP 10, 11-9 (T F Rimell) T W Biddlecombe
3 23442F BLACK SECRET 8, 11-2 (J T R Dreaper - IRE) S.Barker
4 1F0000 ALASKA FORT 7, 10-13 (M A O`Toole - IRE) H R Beasley
5 F01-P03 SPECIFY 10, 10-11 (J E Sutcliffe) B.Brogan
6 101P4-0 RIGTON PRINCE 11, 10-9 (W A Stephenson) J.Enright
7 11F120 TWIGAIRY 9, 10-9 (R C Armytage) T G Davies
8 222220 FORTINA`S PALACE 9, 10-7 (M J Scudamore) J.King
9 10-0004 THE PATHEON 9, 10-4 (T F Rimell) K B White
10 1-114P0 PEARL OF MONTREAL 9, 10-4 (P.Sleator - IRE) R.Coonan
11 0-40033 MONEY BOAT 8, 10-3 (F.Flood - IRE) F.Berry
12 042120 SWAN-SHOT 9, 10-3 (F.Carr) P.McCarron
13 122211 GYLEBURN 9, 10-4* (G W Richards) R.Barry
14 210230 THE INVENTOR 11, 10-2 (E.Cousins) W.Shoemark
17 22212-F BRIGHT WILLOW 11, 10-1 (G.Cure) W.Smith
18 101011 CARDINAL ERROR 8, 10-4* (F T Winter) J.Francome
19 134042 SAGGART`S CHOICE 9, 10-1 (A R Kemp) T.Stack
20 3-21332 WELL TO DO 9, 10-1 (T A Forster) G.Thorner
21 231-034 DEBLINS GREEN 9, 10-0 (G H Yardley) D.Cartwright
22 33213U NEPHIN BEG 10, 10-0 (Lord Mostyn) P.Morris
23 P00111 CLOUDSMERE 8, 10-4* (P.Cazalet) D.Mould
24 F3-0124 KELLSBORO` WOOD 12, 10-0 (D.Ancil) A.Turnell
25 004001 GENERAL SYMONS 9, 10-0 (J.Tormey - IRE) P.Kiely
26 340231 PERMIT 9, 10-0 (P.Milner) R R Evans
27 3-24403 ASTBURY 9, 10-0 (J P Bissill) J.Bourke
28 301021 LIME STREET 8, 10-1* (F T Winter) R.Pitman
29 004440 JUST A GAMBLE 10, 10-1 (P J Upton) P.Buckley
30 140411 ROUGH SILK 9, 10-6* (F.Cundell) D.Nicholson
31 F03004 LISNAREE 9, 10-0 (G.Wells - IRE) Mr F Turner
32 422221 NOM DE GUERRE 10, 10-0 (D.Nicholson) J.Haine
33 114200 GAY BUCCANEER 11, 10-0 (E J O`Grady - IRE) T.Hyde
34 F201FP MISS HUNTER 11, 10-0 (D.Auld - IRE) A L T Moore
35 03030P VICHYSOISE 10, 10-3 (C.Bewick) P.Blacker
36 F0-3320 THE OTTER 11, 10-0 (H R Dening) T M Jones
37 102213 BULLOCK`S HORN 9, 10-0 (A R Turnell) Mr R Smith
38 1-44110 THE POOKA 10, 10-5* (W.Ross - IRE) Mr C Ross
39 212212 FAIR VULGAN 8, 10-0 (J C Gifford) M C Gifford
40 04-3104 BEAU PARC 9, 11-2* (D.Ancil) Mr A Nicholson
41 03P-024 EVEN DELIGHT 7, 10-2* (T F Rimell) R.Dennard
42 420-000 LIMEBURNER 11, 10-0 (A R Turnell) W.Rees
43 033403 VULTURE 10, 10-2 (P N Chesmore) P.Brogan *
44 43FU30 COUNTRY WEDDING 10, 10-4* (G B Balding) R.Champion
* Ron Atkins down to ride Vulture in the racecard
S.P : 17-2 L`Escargot, 12-1 Cardinal Error & Gay Trip, 14-1 Black Secret, Fair Vulgan & WELL TO DO, 16-1 Fortina`s Palace & Money Boat, 18-1 Cloudesmere, 20-1 Gyleburn, 22-1 Specify, 25-1 Astbury, Lime Street, Rigton Prince ,Rough Silk & The Otter, 28-1 Bright Willow, Bullocks Horn, Saggarts Choice & Twigairy, 33-1 Alaska Fort, Deblins Green, Gay Buccaneer, Nom de Guerre, Swan-Shot, The Inventor & The Pantheon, 40-1 Even Delight & General Symons, 50-1 Beau Parc, Country Wedding, MIss Hunter & The Pooka, 55-1 Pearl of Montreal, 100-1 Just A Gamble, Kellsboro Wood, Limeburner, Lisnaree, Nephin Beg, Vichysoise & Vulture
Aintree debutants
Alaska Fort*, Beau Parc, Cardinal Error*, Cloudsmere, Deblins Green, Even Delight*, Fair Vulgan, Fortinas Palace*, General Symons, Gyleburn, Just A Gamble, LIme Street*, Lisnaree*, Nephin Beg*, Nom de Guerre*, Pearl Of Montreal, Rough Silk, Saggarts Choice*, Swan-Shot, The Patheon*, The Pooka, Well to Do*
Winners at Aintree
Bright Willow - Foxhunters Chase (1971)
Gay Trip - Grand National (1970)
Rigton Prince - Topham Trophy(1971)
Specify - Grand National (1971)
Result
1st WELL TO DO - G.Thorner
2nd GAY TRIP - T W Biddlecombe
3rd BLACK SECRET - Sean Barker
3rd GENERAL SYMONS - Pat Kiely
5th ASTBURY - JImmy Bourke
6th SPECIFY - Barry Brogan
7th BRIGHT WILLOW - Bill Smith
8th MONEY BOAT - Frank Berry
9th ROUGH SILK - D.Nicholson
Time : 10 minutes, 8 seconds
Distances : 2-3-dead heat-2-15
Owned & trained by Tim Forster in Letcombe Bassett in Berkshire
1973 - Red Rum & Crisp
Leading Fancies
The race seemed to be between two horses making their debut in the National and both would start joint-favourite. The ex-Australian chaser CRISP came to England in 1971 having won everything there was to win down under. Trained by Fred Winter the initial target was the Two Mile Champion Chase at the Festival which he won easily in 1971. Then he turned his attentions to the Gold Cup but disappointed when he could only finish fifth behind Glencarraig Lady in 1972. Next on his "bucket list" was the National. Campaigned over lesser distances he had won the Geoffrey Gilbey Memorial Chase at Newbury and finished third in the Two Mile Champion Chase. Jumping would be no problem, but would he last home ? RED RUM was owned by octogenarian millionaire businessman Noel Le Mare and trained just up the road from Aintree by an unfashionable trainer called Donald "Ginger" McCain who had his stables behind a used car showroom. He had winning form at Aintree albeit on the flat as he had dead heated for first place in a seller on his racecourse debut on the eve of the 1967 National. He had changed hands several times since then and had even spent a short spell running in the colours of the 1950 National winner Freebooter. With McCain he had won his first five starts. He had finished second behind rival HIGHLAND SEAL in the Haydock Park Grand National Trial and fourth in the Greenall Whitley Breweries Chase at the same track. The two were offered at 9-1 but CRISP was giving his rival thirteen pounds. Running in Mr Le Mares first colours was GLENKILN who had won the first (and sadly only) running of the William Hill Grand National Trial in a one-off revival of the old Autumn meeting the previous October. There he had made most of the running and had won as he liked with several of his National rivals behind him. Another with winning form at Aintree was SUNNY LAD who had won the 1972 Topham. None of the previous three National winners were in the field but L`ESCARGOT, so unlucky when knocked out early in 1972 was third favourite having run his usual good race in the Gold Cup. The popular grey GREY SOMBRERO had had an excellent 1971-72 season winning the Midlands Grand National and Whitbread Gold Cup but he had not been seen out since November. Another to note was SPANISH STEPS who had won the 1969 Hennessy. He had beaten Gold Cup winner The Dikler in the Fairlawne Chase at Windsor and had also triumphed at Newbury at the start of the season.
GRAND NATIONAL HANDICAP CHASE (92 entries) 4 1/2 miles £25,486 to the winner, £7,738 to the second, £3,794 to the third & £1,822 to the fourth
1 10-4213 CRISP 10, 12-0 (F T Winter) R.Pitman
2 221204 L`ESCARGOT 10, 12-0 (D L Moore - IRE) T.Carberry
3 22F210 SPANISH STEPS 10, 11-13 (E R Courage) P.Blacker
4 44042P BLACK SECRET 9, 11-2 (R C Armytage) S.Barker
5 022403 PROUD TARQUIN 10, 10-11 (R C Armytage) Lord Oaksey
6 0112-24 GREY SOMBRERO 9, 10-9 (D R Gandolfo) W.Shoemark
7 413023 GLENKILN 10, 10-7 (D McCain) J J O`Neill
8 111324 RED RUM 8, 10-5 (D McCain) B.Fletcher
9 4F00B3 SUNNY LAD 9, 10-3 (T F Rimell) W.Smith
10 420010 BEGGAR`S WAY 9, 10-1 (P.Taaffe - IRE) T.Kinane
11 041B31 CANHARIS 8, 10-1 (N.Crump) P.Buckley
12 33P012 PROPHECY 10, 10-3* (D H Barons) B R Davies
13 211310 PETRUCHIO`S SON 10, 10-5* (Miss S O Morris) D.Mould
14 032400 THE POOKA 11, 10-0 (F T Walwyn) A L T Moore
15 003042 GENERAL SYMONS 10, 10-0 (J F Tormey - IRE) P.Kiely
16 00P013 HIGHLAND SEAL 10, 10-6* (H R Dening) D.Nicholson
17 /P-0344 MR VIMY 10, 10-2* (G B Balding) J.Haine
18 0-30320 ROUGE AUTUMN 9, 10-0 (T F Rimell) K B White
19 30-4300 ASTBURY 10, 10-2* (J P Bissill) J.Bourke
20 041001 SWAN-SHOT 10, 10-0 (F.Carr) M.Blackshaw
21 10PF-P4 BEAU PARC 10, 10-1* (D.Ancil) A.Turnell
22 312202 ASHVILLE 8, 10-4* (H Thomson-Jones) J.King
23 412-401 GREAT NOISE 9, 10-2 (J P Leigh) D.Cartwright *
24 /4P40-0 MILL DOOR 11, 10-5* (E P Birchall) P.Cullis
25 01F032 TARQUIN BID 9, 10-0 (P.McCreery - IRE) J.Bracken
26 1200P0 HURRICANE ROCK 9, 10-0 (D.Dartnall) R.Champion
27 344432 ROUGH SILK 10, 10-0 (F.Cundell) T.Norman
28 12212P RICHELEAU 9, 10-0 (S.Kernick) N.Kernick
30 Pc1-213 ENDLESS FOLLY 11, 10-0 (J K Hooton) J.Guest
31 4-1U131 PRINCESS CAMILLA 8, 10-4* (W.Wharton) R.Barry
32 104003 RAMPSMAN 9, 10-0 (S.Palmer) D.Munro
33 0412F3 FORTUNE BAY II 9, 10-3* (J.Gifford) Mr G Sloan
35 131P00 GREEN PLOVER 13, 10-0 (D H Barons) Mr M F Morris
36 1-P01P4 CHARLEY WINKING 8, 10-0 (L G Scott) Mr D Scott
37 212-300 PROUD PERCY 10, 10-0 (J.Berry) R R Evans
38 1B-4234 NEREO 7, 10-3* (F T Winter) Duke of Alberquerque
39 F11230 CULLA HILL 9, 10-7* (T.Taaffe - IRE) Mr N.Brookes
40 /0040 GO-PONTINENTAL 13, 10-4* (H O`Neill) J.McNaught
* J.James down to ride Great Noise in the racecard
S.P : 9-1 Crisp & RED RUM, 11-1 L`Escargot, 14-1 Ashville, Canharis, Princess Camilla & Spanish Steps, 20-1 Highland Seal & Prophecy, 22-1 Black Secret & Proud Tarquin, 25-1 Grey Sombrero & Sunny Lad, 33-1 Beggars Way, General Symons & Glenkiln, 40-1 Rouge Autumn, 50-1 Astbury, Great Noise, Petruchio`s Son & Richeleau, 66-1 Fortune Bay II, Nereo & Rough Silk, 100-1 Ashville, Beau Parc, Charley Winking, Culla Hill, Endless Folly, Go-Pontinental, Green Plover, Hurricane Rock, Mill Door, Mr Vimy, Proud Percy, Rampsman, Swan-Shot, Tarquin Bid & The Pooka
Aintree debutants
Ashville, Beggars Way, Canharis*, Charley Winking*, Crisp*, Culla Hill, Endless Folly*, Fortune Bay II*, Great Noise, Green Plover, Grey Sombrero*, Highland Seal*, Hurricane Rock, Mr Vimy*, Nereo, Petruchio`s Son*, Princess Camilla, Proud Percy*, Proud Tarquin*, Prophecy*, Red Rum, Richeleau*, Rouge Autumn, Spanish Steps, Tarquin BId*
Winners at Aintree
Glenkiln - William Hill Grand National Trial (1972)
Sunny Lad - Topham Trophy (1972)
Result
1st RED RUM - Brian Fletcher
2nd CRISP - Richard Pitman
3rd L`ESCARGOT - Tommy Carberry
4th SPANISH STEPS - Philip Blacker
5th ROUGE AUTUMN - Ken White
6th HURRICANE ROCK -R.Champion
7th PROUD TARQUIN - Lord Oaksey
8th PROPHECY - Bob Davies
9th ENDLESS FOLLY - Joe Guest
10th BLACK SECRET - Sean Barker
11th PETRUCHIO`S SON - D.Mould
12th THE POOKA - Arthur Moore
13th GREAT NOISE - D.Cartwright
14th GREEN PLOVER - Mr M F Morris
15th SUNNY LAD - Bill Smith
16th GO-PONTINENTAL - J.McNaught
17th MILL DOOR - Peter Cullis
Time : 9 minutes 1.9 seconds * COURSE RECORD *
Distances
Owned by Noel Le Mare
Trained by Ginger McCain in Southport , Lancashire