1960 Grand National

English steeplechase horse race September 2020 June 2013 1960 Grand National Grand National Aintree Racecourse 26 March 1960 Scotland Merryman II 13/2 F England Gerry Scott England Neville Crump Miss. Winifred H. Wallace Good 1959 1961 right 275px BBC coverage in full Highlights of the 1960 Grand National (British Pathé) The 1960 Grand National was the 114th renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 26 March 1960. The steeplechase was won by nine-year-old Merryman II, who, at odds of 13/2, became the first clear favourite to win for 33 years. His jockey, 22-year-old Gerry Scott, had been lucky to take part in the race, having broken his collarbone two weeks earlier. Merryman II became the first ever Scottish winner of the National. The top weight was officially reduced to a maximum of 12 stone from 12 stone 7 lbs, though it had been over a decade since any horse had been asked to shoulder such a burden.Sporting Life Souvenir Magazine, 4 April 1987, page 22 This was the first Grand National to be televised. Finishing order PositionNameJockeyAgeHandicap (st-lb)SPDistance01Merryman IIGerry Scott910-1213/2 F02BadanlochStan Mellor910-9100/703Clear ProfitJumbo Wilkinson1010-120/104Tea FiendGerry Madden1110-033/105SabariaMick Roberts910-366/106Green DrillGeorge Milburn1010-333/107ArlesTony Moule810-445/108SkatealongRon Harrison1210-066/1 Non-finishers FenceNameJockeyAgeHandicap (st-lb)SPFate22Mr. WhatArthur Freeman1011-1118/1Fell06WyndburghMichael Scudamore1011-78/1Unseated Rider08Dandy ScotFred Winter1011-710/1Fell15Holly BankPeter Brookshaw1310-1250/1Fell28ClanyonTaffy Jenkins1210-850/1Fell06KnoxtownEddie Harty1010-545/1Fell20Skipper JackDan O'Donovan810-466/1Fell22Pendle LadyMaurice Towers1010-440/1Fell09JonjoPat Taaffe1010-450/1Fell15Uncle WhiskersCathal Finnegan810-150/1Fell15Belsize IIPaddy Shortt1110-066/1Refused01LotorayMichael Batchelor1010-666/1Fell22AliformAnthony Biddlecombe810-045/1Fell18Irish CoffeeWilliam St George Burke1010-1166/1Pulled Up08Clover BudToss Taaffe1010-120/1Pulled Up29Eagle LodgeBill Rees1110-145/1Pulled Up22Team SpiritWillie Robinson810-129/1Unseated Rider22Cannobie LeeDavid Nicholson910-7100/9Refused The Grand National : the history of the Aintree spectacular, by Stewart Peters & Bernard Parkin, 0-7524-3547-7 http://sixtiesnationals.webs.com/196061.htm 1960/61 - The Grand National and Aintree 1960-1969 sixtiesnationals.webs.com 2014-08-08 http://www.grand-national.net/past_winners.htm Past Winners of The Grand National grand-national.net 2014-08-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20111104085359/http://www.grand-national.net/past_winners.htm 4 November 2011 dead Media coverage and aftermath This was the first year that the National was broadcast live on television. The presenter, Cliff Michelmore, who stepped in at the last minute for David Coleman, who was suffering from appendicitis, told viewers they were witnessing television history. The BBC deployed 16 cameras to Aintree, with Peter O'Sullevan (who had covered the race on radio since 1947) commentating on his first of 38 televised Grand Nationals. O'Sullevan later described his nervousness at commentating on the famous race for the first time on television, his nerves amplified by a restricted view and an unreliable monitor.https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/horse-racing/17453652 BBC Sport - Grand National: Neptune Collonges seals dramatic victory BBC 2014-08-08 Co-commentator Peter Bromley recalled, "They had built an enormous tower in the middle of the course so that we could see the majority of the action. It was so huge that the thing was swaying and I felt most unsafe. Conversely the view was excellent and having told a few chums of my position for the Foxhunters Chase two days before the National, I found the late Ryan Price's wife, Dorothy and Fred Winter's wife Di, as guests for the big race. Fred was riding Dandy Scot for Ryan and the ladies thought they would take advantage of the unique viewing position. I applauded them for even managing to climb the endless and precarious ladders up the side of the scaffolding. A further surprise almost made me drop my binoculars when Fred, who had fallen at the Canal Turn, joined us in the crows nest and the first I knew of his presence was when he tapped me on the shoulder while I was commentating and said 'Watcha Cock!"Sporting Life Souvenir Magazine, 4 April 1987, page 25 References External links http://www.grand-national.net/past_winners.htm Past Winners of The Grand National grand-national.net 2014-08-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20111104085359/http://www.grand-national.net/past_winners.htm 4 November 2011 dead 1960 1960 Grand National Grand National Category:1960 in British television Category:March 1960 sports events in the United Kingdom