1901 Grand National

English steeplechase horse race February 2023 June 2013 1901 Grand National Grand National File:Heroes and heroines of the Grand National BHL22091105.jpg Grudon (from Heroes and heroines of the Grand National) Aintree 29 March 1901 Grudon 9/1 Arthur Nightingall Bernard Bletsoe Bernard Bletsoe Very bad 1900 1902 The 1901 Grand National was the 63rd renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 29 March 1901. The race was run in a howling snowstorm and was won by the 9/1 chance, Grudon. Leading Contenders Grudon was among the leading contenders on the day but with the weather conditions being what they were, most of the trainers and jockeys knew that the race would be reduced to little more than a lottery. Trainer Bernard Bletsoe hit on the idea to pack Grudon's hooves with butter in the hope that this would prevent snow from clogging in them.Sporting Life Souvenir Magazine, 4 April 1987, page 22 It is not recorded if any of the other trainers followed this example but it worked as Grudon, a horse who was not rated that highly by his rider, Arthur Nightingall set off without any difficulty while most of the other competitors struggled. Legend has it that Nightingall became so confident that he hacked around most of the second circuit alongside Algy Anthony on his struggling mount Covert Hack until leaving his rival behind with the words "Well I must be going now so ta ta".http://www.lavendonconnection.com/1901_Grand_National.htm 1901 Grand National 21 July 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20141006092423/http://www.lavendonconnection.com/1901_Grand_National.htm 6 October 2014 dead Finishing Order PositionNameJockeyAgeHandicap (st-lb)SPDistance01GrudonArthur Nightingall1110-09 14 Lengthshttps://www.grandnationalultimatehistory.com/races-1901.html 190102DrumcreeMr Charles H Nugent?9-1210 103Buffalo BillHarry Taylor?9-733 104LevanterFrank Mason?9-135 105FancifulMr W P Cullen?11-6100 806Curagh HillC Hagan?9-925 107Covert HackAlgy Anthony?11-410 108Prince TuscanMr H Hunt?10-633 1Last to complete October 2021 Non-finishers FenceNameJockeyAgeHandicap (st-lb)SPFate?ModelMr William Pawson?11-440 1??CushendenMr J G Davies?11-220 1??Sunny ShowerMr Joe Widger?10-6100 1??CoolgardieA Waddington?10-640 1??The SapperWilliam Halsey?10-5100 8??Mayo's PrideMr James Phillips?10-520 1??HompoolErnest Acres?10-566 1??Greystone IIJ H Stainton?10-1100 1??True BluePercy Woodland?9-1366 1??BarsacMr Harry Ripley?9-13100 14??Chit ChatC Clack?9-1325 1??CrossetMr Frank Hartigan?9-1320 1??PawnbrokerJ O'Brien?9-7100 6??ZodiacAlbert Banner?9-7100 1??PadishahArthur Birch?10-066 1??GossipJ Polletti?9-7100 1? http://www.greyhoundderby.com/GN1901.htm Aintree 1901 Grand National The Grand National 1839-1930 by David Hoadley Munroe https://archive.org/details/heroesheroinesof00maso Heroes and heroines of the Grand National 1907 https://www.grandnationalultimatehistory.com/races-1901.html 1901 October 2021 Media coverage and aftermath Arthur Nightingall gave credit to his victory to the genius of owner-trainer Bletsoe for having the foresight to prepare the horse with butter as he was convinced the horse would have come to grief without the preparation. Of the race he said, "My orders were to let Grudon run his own race and I found myself laid up with the leading division, never out of the first two or three. Indeed Archie [Algy] Anthony [Covert Hack] and I enjoyed a long and animated conversation for the most part of the journey. It was with a feeling of regret that at last I was obliged to say goodbye to him about a mile from home. "Ta ta old chap. I must push on a trifle faster or the cupboard will be bare when I get there, and wouldn't disappoint old mother Hubbard for the world." "The only mistake he made came 200 yards from the winning post when he jumped a footpath across the course and gave me a bit of a shock." My racing Adventures, Arthur Nightingall, Published by T. Werner Laurie, London, undated, early 20th Century References 1901 1901 Grand National Grand National Category:March 1901 sports events in the United Kingdom