"2012 Grand National The 2012 Grand National (known as the John Smith's Grand National for sponsorship reasons) was the 165th annual renewal of the Grand National horse race at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England. The showpiece steeplechase, which concluded a three-day meeting which is one of only four held at Aintree throughout the year, took place on 14 April 2012. The maximum permitted field of 40 runners ran the last-ever of Aintree's National Course featuring 30 fences, competing for record prize money of £975,000, making it the highest-valued National Hunt race in the United Kingdom. Aintree had made a number"
"to knock off. Some of the jumps carry names from the history of the race. All 16 are jumped on the first lap, but on the final lap the runners bear to the right onto the run-in for home, avoiding The Chair and the Water Jump. The following is a summary of all 16 fences on the course: Height: Often met at great speed, which can lead to several falls, the highest being 12 runners in 1951. The drop on the landing side was reduced after the 2011 Grand National. Height: Prior to 1888 the first two fences were located"
"Becher's Brook during the main Grand National race (excluding the other races held on the course during the three-day meeting), including those who unseated their riders or were brought down, but not including those that pulled up, were carried out, or refused at the fence. Becher's Brook Becher's Brook ( ) is a fence jumped during the Grand National, a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England. It is jumped twice during the race, as the sixth and 22nd fence, as well as on four other occasions during the year. It has always been a"
"Grand National The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England. First run in 1839, it is a handicap steeplechase over with horses jumping 30 fences over two laps. It is the most valuable jump race in Europe, with a prize fund of £1 million in 2017. An event that is prominent in British culture, the race is popular amongst many people who do not normally watch or bet on horse racing at other times of the year. The course over which the race is run features much larger fences than those"
"approximately halfway between the first to second and second to third jumps. The second became known as The Fan, after a mare who refused the obstacle three years in succession. The name fell out of favour with the relocation of the fences. Height: ; fronted by a ditch The first big test in the race as horses are still adapting to the obstacles. Height: A testing obstacle that often leads to falls and unseated riders. In 2011 the 20th became the first fence in Grand National history to be bypassed on the final lap, following an equine fatality. Height: A"
"Becher's Brook Becher's Brook ( ) is a fence jumped during the Grand National, a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England. It is jumped twice during the race, as the sixth and 22nd fence, as well as on four other occasions during the year. It has always been a notorious and controversial obstacle, because of the size and angle of the 6 ft 9in drop on the landing side. Some jockeys have compared it to ""jumping off the edge of the world."" After the deaths of Dark Ivy in the 1987 Grand National and"
"Seeandem and Brown Trix in the 1989 Grand National, all at Becher's Brook, Aintree bowed to pressure from animal rights groups and undertook extensive modifications to the fence. Further changes were made after two horses, Ornais and Dooneys Gate, died during the 2011 Grand National, the latter at Becher's. The incident involving Dooneys Gate resulted in the fence being jumped only once for the first time in the race's history; it was bypassed on the outside on the second circuit while veterinary staff attended to him. The fence took its name from Captain Martin Becher, who fell there from his"
"in their saddles and use their body weight as ballast to counter the steep drop. It takes its name from Captain Martin Becher who fell there in the first Grand National and took shelter in the small brook running along the landing side of the fence while the remainder of the field thundered over. It is said that Becher later reflected: ""Water tastes disgusting without the benefits of whisky."" It was bypassed in 2011 along with fence 20, after an equine casualty and again in 2018 after a jockey was attended by doctors, both occurring on the final lap.. Height:"
"ran in the race, the fewest since 1935 when 27 ran. The 1954 running saw four equine fatalities during the race; this remains the only Grand National renewal to have yielded four fatalities. Dominick's Bar dropped dead jumping the second fence; Paris New York incurred a cervical fracture at the fourth. Legal Joy, who finished second two years previously, broke a leg at the 13th and had to be euthanised, while Coneyburrow was injured at the 28th and also had to be put down. The two latter fatalities remain the only ones ever recorded at the 13th and 28th fences"
"1967 Grand National The 1967 Grand National was the 121st renewal of the world-famous Grand National steeplechase that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 8 April 1967. The race is best remembered for being won by rank outsider Foinavon at odds of 100/1, after being the only horse to avoid a mêlée at the 23rd fence and jump it at the first attempt. Much of the early stages of the race were inconsequential, with 28 of the 44 competitors having safely cleared the 22nd fence, Becher's Brook on the second circuit. One horse, Vulcano, had been injured"
"is run over a distance of more than 4 miles, there are up to 40 runners, the course at Aintree is essentially flat, and the horses are handicapped (the best horses carry the most weight). Perhaps the most fundamental difference is that the Grand National fences are far bigger than the fences at Cheltenham, and a number of fences incorporate significant drops. The most famous fence is Becher's Brook which is 5ft high, but has a 7ft drop on landing and is widely regarded as the biggest challenge on the course. Famous winners of the Grand National include Red Rum"
"are jumped twice. Horses completing the race cover a distance of , the longest of any National Hunt race in Britain. As part of a review of safety following the 2012 running of the event, from 2013 to 2015 the start was moved forward away from the crowds and grandstands, reducing the race distance by from the historical . The course has one of the longest run-ins from the final fence of any steeplechase, at . The Grand National was designed as a cross-country steeplechase when it was first officially run in 1839. The runners started at a lane on"
"Canal Turn The Canal Turn is a fence on Aintree Racecourse's National Course and thus is jumped during the Grand National steeplechase which is held annually at the racecourse, located near Liverpool, England. Named for the Leeds & Liverpool Canal which passes alongside the racecourse at this point, it is jumped twice during the race, as the eighth and 24th fences. The fence is notable for the sharp left turn that the runners have to take as soon as they have negotiated the fence. The turn is almost 90 degrees and it is not uncommon for jockeys to become unbalanced"
"those who were pulled up, carried out or refused at the fence: Canal Turn The Canal Turn is a fence on Aintree Racecourse's National Course and thus is jumped during the Grand National steeplechase which is held annually at the racecourse, located near Liverpool, England. Named for the Leeds & Liverpool Canal which passes alongside the racecourse at this point, it is jumped twice during the race, as the eighth and 24th fences. The fence is notable for the sharp left turn that the runners have to take as soon as they have negotiated the fence. The turn is almost"
"including Amberleigh House, who went on to win the National in 2004. On the final lap Paddy's Return again ran across the fence, but this time Red Marauder, the eventual winner, and Smarty, who eventually took second, avoided the loose horse. The 2015 Grand National saw the fence bypassed for the first time on the final lap as vets treated Balthazar King, who was injured in a fall on the first lap. This table documents the number of runners which fell in recent Grand Nationals at the Canal Turn, including those who unseated riders or were brought down, but not"
"riders or were brought down, but not those who were pulled up, carried out or refused at the fence: The Chair (Aintree Racecourse) The Chair is a fence on Aintree Racecourse's National Course and thus is one of 30 that are jumped during the Grand National steeplechase which is held annually at the racecourse near Liverpool, England. It is the 15th fence that the runners jump and is one of only two (the other being the 16th, the Water Jump) in the race to be negotiated only once. Positioned in front of the grandstand, it is the tallest fence on"
"jumped once: Height: , preceded by a 6 ft (1.83 m) wide ditch This fence is the site of the accident that claimed the only human life in the National's history: in 1862, Joe Wynne fell here and died from his injuries, although a coroner's inquest revealed that the rider was in a gravely weakened condition through consumption. This brought about the ditch on the take-off side of the fence in an effort to slow the horses on approach. The fence was the location where a distance judge sat in the earliest days of the race. On the second circuit"
"Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret. Several fences had been reduced in severity following an outcry over four equine fatalities in the previous year's National. The heavy going meant the 16th fence (the Water Jump) was omitted — the first time in Grand National history that not all 30 fences were jumped. 1955 Grand National The 1955 Grand National was the 109th renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 26 March 1955. Thirty horses ran in the race, which was won by 100/9 shot Quare Times, who was ridden by"
"finalised in the 1880s that only 28 fences were jumped. The Grand National has the status of being an event of significant national interest within the United Kingdom and thus is listed on the Ofcom Code on Sports and Other Listed and Designated Events. The race therefore must be covered live on free-to-air terrestrial television in the UK. The BBC aired the race on radio for the 80th consecutive year and on television for the 52nd year. Clare Balding presented the BBC's television coverage, supported by Rishi Persad and retired jockey Richard Pitman, which was broadcast on BBC One and,"
"Midlands Grand National The Midlands Grand National is a Listed National Hunt race in Great Britain. It is a handicap steeplechase and is run at Uttoxeter Racecourse in March, over a distance of about 4 miles and 1½ furlongs . During the race there are 24 fences to be jumped. The first race was run on 3 May 1969. The race was initially run over 4m2f and was increased up to 4m4f in 1977. During this period it would have been, assuming accurate measurements, by 24 yards or approximately the length of a cricket pitch, the longest race in the"
"& Annie Sweeney in association with Francis Hyland ; photographs by Caroline Norris ... [et al.]. Irish Grand National The Irish Grand National is a National Hunt steeplechase in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Fairyhouse over a distance of about 3 miles and 5 furlongs (5,834 metres), and during its running there are twenty-four fences to be jumped. It is a handicap race, and it is scheduled to take place each year on Easter Monday. It is the Irish equivalent of the Grand National, and it is held during Fairyhouse's"
"the Grand National, a famous steeplechase in England. It was originally a handicap race, and it was open to horses aged four or older. The inaugural running was contested over 6,400 metres, and this was cut to 6,000 metres in its second year. The race was given its present title, the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris, in 1876. Its distance was extended to 6,500 metres in 1889. The race ceased to be a handicap in 1890, when a fixed ""weight-for-age"" system was introduced. Four-year-old horses were required to carry 62½ kg, five-year-olds 70 kg and older horses 72½ kg. A penalty"
"and the 1976 winner Rag Trade were both part-owned by celebrity hairdresser Raymond Bessone. 1994 winner Miinnehoma was owned by comedian Freddie Starr. What A Friend ran in 2011 and 2013 when part-owned by Alex Ferguson, the former manager of Manchester United. Notes Sources Grand National The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England. First run in 1839, it is a handicap steeplechase over with horses jumping 30 fences over two laps. It is the most valuable jump race in Europe, with a prize fund of £1 million in 2017. An"
"the fences were up to 1.60 meters. The best eight teams of the eleven which participated were allowed to start in the second round. The competition was endowed with €80,000. France won its 11th Nations Cup in Gijón. The Gijón Grand Prix, the Show jumping Grand Prix of the 2017 CSIO Gijón, was the major show jumping competition at this event. The sponsor of this competition was Funeraria Gijonesa. It was held on Monday 4 August 2017. The competition was a show jumping competition over two rounds, the height of the fences were up to 1.60 meters. It was endowed"
"was not the first time a horse had seemed to jump some form of ghost fence on the run in of the National. In 1901, Arthur Nightingall's race was well won on board Grudon when his mount also made to jump a fence that wasn't there. On that occasion the pair recovered and had sufficient time to continue and win the race. 1956 Grand National The 1956 Grand National was the 110th renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 24 March 1956. It is probably best remembered for Devon"
"of the fence and a green tarpaulin covering Seeandem's body at the other end of the fence. Following an outcry, Aintree made several changes to the fence: After an eight-horse pile up on the first circuit of the 2004 Grand National where some horses rolled back towards the mostly filled-in brook, the brook was completely rebuilt in 2005. It was built deeper and included running water for the first time since 1989 but was covered over with rubber matting in an effort to make the jump less hazardous for horses that had fallen. In 2009, the Grand National course was"
"6,300 metres in 1969, but it returned to 6,500 metres in 1971. The present format, 5,800 metres with twenty-three fences, was introduced in 1981. The three most successful horses in the race's history are Hyeres III, Katko and Mid Dancer, who have all recorded three victories. A further seven have won the event twice, most recently Princesse d'Anjou in 2006 and 2008. Two winners, Jerry M and Troytown, also achieved victory in the Grand National. Twelve foreign-trained horses have won, the latest of which was Mandarin in 1962, trained in England by Fulke Walwyn. The most recent foreign contender to"
"hours later, never having regained consciousness. Former winning jockey George Ede, who rode under the name Mr. Edwards, also lost his life in a fall at the fence in 1872, albeit not in a Grand National. In the 1964 Grand National, rider Paddy Farrell fractured his spine in a fall at The Chair. His plight highlighted the lack of support for jockeys who are badly injured in racing, leading to the creation of the injured jockeys' fund. The fence has caught out numerous Grand National winners over the years, including Russian Hero (1951), Ayala (1964), Rubstic (1980) and Silver Birch"
"The Chair (Aintree Racecourse) The Chair is a fence on Aintree Racecourse's National Course and thus is one of 30 that are jumped during the Grand National steeplechase which is held annually at the racecourse near Liverpool, England. It is the 15th fence that the runners jump and is one of only two (the other being the 16th, the Water Jump) in the race to be negotiated only once. Positioned in front of the grandstand, it is the tallest fence on the course, at , preceded by a open ditch on the takeoff side. The Chair is also comfortably the"
"Irish Grand National The Irish Grand National is a National Hunt steeplechase in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Fairyhouse over a distance of about 3 miles and 5 furlongs (5,834 metres), and during its running there are twenty-four fences to be jumped. It is a handicap race, and it is scheduled to take place each year on Easter Monday. It is the Irish equivalent of the Grand National, and it is held during Fairyhouse's Easter Festival meeting. The event was established in 1870, and the inaugural running was won by"
"that loose horses reluctant to negotiate the obstacle were able to bypass it rather than jump over it. There has been no equine fatality in the Grand National at The Chair since 1979, and only three at the fence since the race was founded in 1839. The Chair has also claimed the life of the only human fatality in a Grand National when Joseph Wynne, the son of former winning jockey Denny Wynne, was badly injured in a fall at the fence during the 1862 running. Although taken alive from the course to the nearby Sefton Arms pub, he died"
"Parts of the course were widened in 2009 to allow runners to bypass fences if required. This was utilised for the first time during the 2011 race as casualties at fences 4 and 6 (Becher's Brook) resulted in marshals diverting the remaining contenders around those fences on the final lap. Welfare groups have suggested a reduction in the size of the field (currently limited to a maximum of 40 horses) should be implemented. Opponents point to previous unhappy experience with smaller fields such as only 29 runners at the 1954 Grand National, only 31 runners in 1975, and a fatality"
"1925 Grand National The 1925 Grand National was the 84th renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 27 March 1925. The race was won by Double Chance, a 100/9 shot ridden by jockey Major John Wilson and trained by Fred Archer, Jr. for owner David Goold. Old Tay Bridge finished in second place, Fly Mask was third and future winner Sprig completed the course in fourth position. Thirty-three horses ran and all returned safely to the stables. One jockey was injured at the water-jump (16th fence) as his horse"