1987 Grand National

English steeplechase horse race May 2014 May 2014 1987 Grand National Grand National File:Owner_Mr_H_J_Joel.svg Aintree Racecourse 4 April 1987 Wales Maori Venture 28/1 England Steve Knight England Andrew Turnell South Africa 1928 Jim Joel Good 1986 1988 right 275px Replay of the 1987 Grand National in full YouTube The 1987 Grand National (officially known as the Seagram Grand National for sponsorship reasons) was the 141st running of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 4 April 1987. The race was won in a time of 9 minutes, 19.3 seconds, and by a distance of five lengths by the 28/1 each way chance, Maori Venture who provided jockey Steve Knight with his second Grand National ride. The winner was trained in East Hendred, Oxfordshire by Andy Turnell and ran in the black jacket and scarlet cap of his nonagenarian owner, Jim Joel who collected a £64,000 prize.http://www.grand-national.me.uk/maoriventure.php Maori Venture 1987 Grand National Grand-national.me.uk 2010-03-13 2013-08-10http://www.bannedsystems.co.uk/theracingsite/grand-national.htm The Grand National, Aintree. The greatest jumps meeting Bannedsystems.co.uk 2013-08-10 The field was at full (maximum-allowed) capacity; of the forty runners that started the race, twenty-two completed the course. The well-favoured grey, Dark Ivy, was killed in a fall during the race. Leading contenders Eighty nine horses had entered the race with forty-three declared to run, but the maximum starter rule meant that three of the horses from outside the handicap, Doubleuagain, Hill of Slain and Leney Duel were balloted out of the race. Just eleven of the runners were considered of a high enough quality to run with a weight handicap. This was even after the late but expected withdrawal of the recent Cheltenham Gold Cup Champion, The Thinker. That left last year's winner, West Tip as the top weighted competitor of the eleven given a handicap mark, though the actual to weight of 12 stones was given to the American and Czech entries, Bewley's Hill and Valencio as they had not raced enough in the UK or Ireland to warrant a rating. The public installed him as ante post favourite at a very early stage, despite being burdened with 10 lbs more than in victory the previous year and had been impressive when finishing fourth behind The Thinker at Cheltenham.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tst2QSoQtkw The Thinker 1987 Cheltenham Gold Cup YouTube 2008-09-11 2013-08-10 At the off he was down to 5/1 and was partnered, as in his two previous Nationals by Richard Dunwoody.A Race Apart, Reg Green, 1987 The grey, Dark Ivy had come from Ireland to race in Britain this year with results, notching up six victories before being beaten second in the Tote Eider Chase at Newcastle. As one of the many on the minimum weight he stood out as the form horse and was already heavily backed before coming to the attention of the once a year punters on the day. described as the housewives choice, he was sent off at 11/2 in the charge of Phil Tuck. At 9/1 Classified was another who attracted public attention on the back of a good performance in the National, when third behind West Tip last year. However the pair would meet this time with Classified on the same weight as last year and in the company of the jointly most experienced rider in the race, Steve Smith Eccles, taking his eighth ride in the race. Corbiere was the veteran of the field but the 1983 winner was in as good forma fettle as for any of his four previous attempts at the race having finished fourth in the Welsh National four months earlier. Ben De Haan was partnering him for the fourth time for trainer, Jenny Pitman and was backed to 12/1. Her second string, the grey, Smith's Man was also very popular at 14/1 and had already proved himself over one circuit of the course when winning the 1985 Topham Chasehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRms6j_Num4 Horse Racing 1985 Topham Chase Aintree Smiths Man YouTube 2010-12-26 2013-08-10 Lean Ar Aghaidh was the best supported of the mounts of the sixteen debut riders, which included future winners, Brendan Powell and Marcus Armytage. The claimer, Guy Landau was on board the 14/1 shot.http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Where+Are+They+Now%3a+Guy+Landau+-+Precocious+rider+now+succeeding+as...-a070686900 Where Are They Now: Guy Landau - Precocious rider now succeeding as show trainer; Grand National 'nearly man' who tasted early success in the saddle enjoying life in another equine sphere. - Free Online Library Thefreelibrary.com 2013-08-10 Other runners popular with the public were 1986 Whitbread Gold Cup Plundering and Peter Scudamore, despite having failed to complete the course the previous year. The Ellier was the mount of Fran Berry, who was having his eighth and final ride in the National, Monanore and The Tsarevich were both also considered to have excellent chances. Those looking for better value each way bets looked towards the young 25/1 shot, Attitude Adjuster and the 1984 Mandarin Chase winner, Maori Venture, who at 28/1 offered punters concerns about his jumping ability. Steve Knight's mount was featured before the race on Television as a potential fairy tale winner for his owner, ninety-two-year-old Jim Joel, who had been trying to see his colours carried to National victory for thirty years.http://www.grand-national.me.uk/2028/maori-venture/ Maori Venture 1987 Grand National Grand-national.me.uk 2010-03-13 2013-08-10 Trainer, Andy Turnell was hoping to improve on his record in the race as a rider, having finished no better than third in twelve attempts. In the race all the leading contenders, with the exception of Dark Ivy reached the Canal turn on the second circuit. The grey was blocked off by other horses going into Becher's Brook on the first circuit and took a fatal somersault over the fence.http://www.sportingintelligence.com/2010/04/09/a-mistake-at-bechers-proved-fatal-dark-ivy-came-down-perpendicular-and-broke-his-neck-090402/ 'A mistake at Becher's proved fatal. Dark Ivy came down perpendicular and broke his neck' « Sporting Intelligence Sportingintelligence.com 2010-04-09 2013-08-10 Of the others The Ellier seemed off the pace throughout, coming past tired horses in the closing stages to finish seventh while Corbiere was also beaten by the time they reached Becher's second time. Classified was in fourth place when Steve Smith Eccles' saddle slipped at The Canal Turn second time, the rider being unseated. Plundering and Smith's Man both held chances at that stage but weakened on the run back towards the racecourse while Lean Ar Aghaidh led the race almost throughout to that point. After jumping the final fence he was challenged from either side by Maori Venture and The Tsarevich while West Tip's challenge faded. The Tsarevich briefly looked the more likely but never headed Maori venture who gradually opened up a winning lead, The Tsarevich was second, Lean Ar Aghaidh third and West Tip fourth. Finishing order PositionHorseJockeyAgeHandicapSPDistance1stMaori VentureSteve Knight1110-1328/1Won by 5 lengths2ndThe TsarevichJohn White1110-0520/14 lengths3rdLean Ar AghaidhGuy Landau1010-0014/14thWest TipRichard Dunwoody1011-075/1 F5thYou're WelcomePeter Hobbs1110-0250/16thTracys SpecialSimon McNeill1010-0050/17thThe EllierFrank Berry1110-0018/18thAttitude AdjusterNiall Madden710-0625/19thNorthern BayReg Crank1110-0150/110thMonanoreTom Morgan1010-0320/111thSmith's ManMark Perrett910-0014/112thCorbiereBen de Haan1210-0012/113thBig Brown BearRobert Stronge1010-02200/114thCranlomeMark Richards910-00500/115thColonel ChristyStan Moore1210-00300/116thPlunderingPeter Scudamore1010-1116/117thPreben FurAndrew Stringer1010-0066/118thBright DreamRichard Rowe1110-0250/119thWhy ForgetChris Grant1110-0040/120thGala PrinceTim Jarvis1010-00500/121stBritAlan Jones810-01500/122ndInsureMr Charlie Brooks910-1045/1 Non-finishers FenceHorseJockeyAgeHandicapSPFate1Lucky RewCharlie Mann1210-00500/1Unseated rider1SmartsidePadge Gill1210-00100/1Unseated rider3Brown TrixMr David Pitcher910-08100/1Unseated rider3GlenrueBrendan Powell1010-0333/1Fell6 (Becher's Brook)Dark IvyPhil Tuck1110-0211/2Fell6 (Becher's Brook)Bewley's Hill (USA)Mr. William Dixon-Stroud, Jr.1012-00100/1Brought down12Spartan OrientLuke Harvey1110-00500/1Unseated rider13Run To MeMr. Norman Mitchell1210-02150/1Pulled up15 (The Chair)Eamon's OwenMs. Jacqui Oliver1010-00200/1Unseated rider15 (The Chair)Little PolveirColin Brown1010-0233/1Unseated rider17DaltmoreTony Mullins910-00100/1Pulled up17Le BambinoChris Warren1010-02500/1Pulled up19DrumlarganMr. Geoff Wragg1311-0266/1Refused19Hi HarryMickey Flynn910-00100/1Pulled up23 (Foinavon)Brown VeilMr. Marcus Armytage1210-01200/1Pulled up24 (Canal Turn)ClassifiedSteve Smith Eccles1110-039/1Unseated rider25 (Valentine's)Valencio (CZE)Roger Rowell1012-00500/1Fell27MarcoloPat Leech1010-0066/1Unseated rider Media coverage and aftermath For the first time since 1978, three time Champion, Red Rum did not lead the parade of runners. Owner, Ginger McCain explained that the 22-year-old horse had a problem with his off hind leg that could result in injury if the horse was risked on the course.Sporting Life Grand National Souvenir Magazine, 4 April 1987, page 4 1981 Grand National winner Aldaniti and his rider in victory Bob Champion instead galloped in front of the stands before the race.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiNrDeIS1qs GRAND NATIONAL1987 - MAORI VENTURE & jockey STEVE KNIGHT YouTube 2009-06-02 2013-08-10 The build up, parade and race were still covered, as for every year since 1960, live by the BBC as part of its regular Saturday afternoon Grandstand programme in a Grand National special. The commentary team for the sixteenth consecutive year was John Hanmer, Julian Wilson and lead commentator Peter O'Sullevan, who was calling his 42nd Grand National on radio or television.http://www.freewebs.com/grandnationalanorak/thebbc.htm Grand National Anorak | 27 July 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130524131022/http://www.freewebs.com/grandnationalanorak/thebbc.htm 24 May 2013 dead dmy-all The programme itself was presented by Des Lynam, who interviewed celebrity race goers and the connections of some of the competitors before the race, and then the winning connections after the race. Shortly after the connections of the winner were interviewed, the race was analysed in a slow motion re-run using camera shots not broadcast during the race itself. Former Grand National jockeys, Richard Pitman and Bill Smith. Both Pitman and Smith made heavy reference throughout toward the loose horse Lucky Rew, who continued riderless after a first fence fall for the duration of the race, by repeatedly stating that the horse would not do it if it did not like it.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ov6-0yJ0eWQ 1987 Seagram Grand National - Post Race Analysis YouTube 2013-02-10 2013-08-10 This was viewed by elements in the press as an attempt to deflect attention from the fall of Dark Ivy, which received only scant mention during the rerun, pointing out that horses are, by nature, herd animals and that a loose horse has a natural inclination to follow a herd of other horses. The race was also broadcast live on BBC Radio 2 as part of Saturday Sport. Most major national daily newspapers in the United Kingdom and Ireland published Grand National special pull outs of various sizes, many with full colour guides. At the final fence and Lean Ar Aghaidh lands in the lead from Maori Venture, The Tsarevich in third, four is You're Welcome, five West Tip. They're racing towards the elbow and it's Lean Ar Aghaigh being challenged by Maori Venture towards the stand side, The Tsarevich towards the far side. The Tsarevich with his white face on the far side. Maori Venture taking it up now. It's Maori Venture on the near side by half a length from The Tsarevich as they race up towards the line. Maori Venture is gonna win the National. As they come to the line, Maori Venture has won it for 92 year old Jim Joel! Commentator Peter O'Sullevan describes the climax of the race 35% 1 right Owner Jim Joel was not at the course to see his colours carried to victory as he was mid-flight to the UK from South Africa. He was however able to attend the following day's victory celebrations, where he announced Maori Venture's immediate retirement from racing. The horse was later left to jockey, Steve Knight, in Jim Joel's will. The immediate press reaction however centred on the fatal fall of Dark Ivy with graphic images of his fall making the front pages of many of the tabloids on the Monday and causing an initial public outcry in favour of making the race safer or indeed banning it altogether.http://inpho.ie/media/04NLXzZg-4iuThKxCaxt3w..a Aintree Grand National 4/1987 Dark Ivy centre Gre - 20886 | Inpho Photography Inpho.ie 2013-08-10 There had often been brief public anguish towards fatalities in the National but the public outcry on this occasion was greater than the National had ever before faced due to a combination of the public having taken the horse to their hearts before the race and the graphic nature of both his fall and the tabloid coverage in the forty-eight hours after. Worse still was news, released later in the week that Dark Ivy's hide had been sold to a Tannery, albeit against the wishes of the horse's connections. Jockey Phil Tuck had been concussed in the fall but later stated that while everyone connected with the horse was heart broken, he, as a jockey had a job to do and had to get on with it. A small portion of supporters of the Grand National attempted to deflect blame away from the race itself and towards jockey Niall Madden, whose mount, Attitude Adjuster was felt to have taken Dark Ivy's racing line. Although questioned by stewards, it was agreed that Attitude Adjuster was a notoriously difficult ride and that no blame could be put on Madden for causing Dark Ivy's fall.judyflashspider http://featurepacked.com/2012/06/16/memory-makers-dark-ivy-1976-1987/ MEMORY MAKERS: DARK IVY (1976 – 1987) featurepacked 2012-06-16 2013-08-10 https://web.archive.org/web/20130904225730/http://featurepacked.com/2012/06/16/memory-makers-dark-ivy-1976-1987/ 4 September 2013 dead dmy-all Although the public outcry quickly died down, it has raised the issue of safety at the National to a level of scrutiny that forced Aintree to act after two further fatalities two years later. The remaining horses and riders returned safely, with the exception of American amateur, William Dixon Stroud who had suffered a broken nose when his mount, Bewley's Hill was brought down by the fatally injured Dark Ivy. Czech horse Valencio was also found to be so injured in the National that he was still unfit to race in the Velka Pardubicka six months later.http://www.freewebs.com/becher123/19841988.htm Velka Pardubicka Steeplechase - 27 July 2013 2 February 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20120202223409/http://www.freewebs.com/becher123/19841988.htm dead References 2 https://web.archive.org/web/20060116221716/http://www.grand-national-world.co.uk/gnw/the_race/past_winners_index.html 1987 1987 Grand National Grand National Grand National