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 2 furlongs (4 miles, 2 furlongs and 8 yards, or 6,847 metres). During the race there are 24 fences to be jumped.

Midlands Grand National
Listed race
LocationUttoxeter Racecourse,
Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, England
Inaugurated1969
Race typeSteeplechase
SponsorMarston's Brewery
Websiteuttoxeter-racecourse.co.uk
Race information
Distance4m 2f 8y (6,847 metres)
SurfaceTurf
QualificationFive-years-old and up
WeightHandicap
Maximum: 11 st 12 lb
Purse£150,000 (2020)
1st: £84,405
Midlands Grand National
2020
Truckers Lodge Captain Drake Joe Farrell

History

The first race was run on 3 May 1969.[1] 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 NH calendar. In 1991 the distance was dropped to 4m, before being upped to 4m2f in 1993. It has been run at its present distance of about 4m 1½f since 2004.[2]

The 1977 winner Watafella finished third in the race but was promoted to first place after the first and second, No Scotch and Evander were disqualified after it was realised they failed to meet the conditions of the race, along with three other runners.[3]

The race was not covered on television in its early years but was shown by Channel 4 during the 1980s and up until 1998. The BBC took over coverage between 1998 and 2005 before the race returned to Channel 4, who continued to show it until their coverage of British racing ended in 2016. It is now broadcast on ITV Racing.

Records

Most successful horse:

  • no horse has won the race more than once

Leading jockey (2 wins):

  • Ken White – Happy Spring (1969), Rip’s Lyric (1973)
  • Derek Morris – Midnight Madness (1987), Mister Ed (1993)
  • Brendan Powell – Another Excuse (1996), Young Kenny (1999)
  • Norman Williamson – Lucky Lane (1995), The Bunny Boiler (2002)

Leading trainer (4 wins):

  • David Pipe – Minella Four Star (2011), Master Overseer (2012), Big Occasion (2013), Goulanes (2014)
  • Widest winning margin – Another Excuse (1996) – distance
  • Narrowest winning margin – Fighting Chance (1974), Knock Hill (1988) – head
  • Most runners – 22, in 1978, 1979 and 1981
  • Fewest runners – 6, in 2000

Winners
Year
 Winner
 Age
 Weight
 Jockey
 Trainer
1969Happy Spring1309–11Ken WhiteJ Wright
1970Two Springs810-06R EdwardsG Owen
1971Grey Sombrero709-07Graham ThornerDavid Gandolfo
1972Proud Percy910-00G FaulknerArthur Stephenson
1973Rip's Lyric810-06Ken WhiteW Whiston
1974Fighting Chance609-08Bill ShoemarkGay Kindersley
1975Rag Trade910-10John BurkeArthur Pitt
1976Burrator710-01J Decker[lower-alpha 1]A Jarvis
1977Watifella709-11Bryan SmartJenny Pitman
1978Kick On1110-08R HyettK Lewis
1979Jimmy Miff709-10S KembleI Wardle
1980Pacify1010-00Steve JobarStan Mellor
1981 Master Brutus 9 10-02 John Goulding Caroline Mason
1982 Bridge Ash 9 10–13 Keith Johnson J I Johnson
1983 no race 1983[lower-alpha 2]
1984 Mr Mole 9 10-00 A Webb John Webber
1985 Northern Bay 9 11-10 Philip Hobbs Tom Bill
1986 The Thinker 8 11-06 Ridley Lamb Arthur Stephenson
1987 Midnight Madness 9 09-13 Derek Morris Dai Bloomfield
1988 Knock Hill 12 11-07 George Mernagh John Webber
1989 Gallic Prince 10 10-01 Peter Hobbs Philip Hobbs
1990 Willsford 7 11-00 Mark Pitman Jenny Pitman
1991 Bonanza Boy 10 11-10 Peter Scudamore Martin Pipe
1992 Laura's Beau 8 10-08 Conor O'Dwyer Francis Berry
1993 Mister Ed 10 10-03 Derek Morris Roger Curtis
1994 Glenbrook d'Or 10 10-00 Brian Clifford Jim Wilson
1995 Lucky Lane 11 10-00 Norman Williamson Philip Hobbs
1996 Another Excuse 8 10-00 Brendan Powell, snr Eugene O'Sullivan
1997 Seven Towers 8 11-04 Peter Niven Mary Reveley
1998 Miss Orchestra 7 09-09 Barry Geraghty Jessica Harrington
1999 Young Kenny 8 11-06 Brendan Powell, snr Peter Beaumont
2000 Ackzo 7 10-00 Adrian Maguire Ferdy Murphy
2001 no race 2001[lower-alpha 3]
2002 The Bunny Boiler 8 10-00 Norman Williamson Noel Meade
2003 Intelligent 7 10-10 Robbie Power Jessica Harrington
2004 no race 2004[lower-alpha 4]
2005 Philson Run 9 10-02 Paul Carberry Nick Williams
2006 G V A Ireland 8 10-03 Ruby Walsh Francis Flood
2007 Baron Windrush 9 10-09 Jason Maguire Nigel Twiston-Davies
2008 Himalayan Trail 9 10–00 Tjade Collier Sue Smith
2009 Russian Trigger 7 10–12 Jack Doyle Victor Dartnall
2010 Synchronised 7 11-05 Tony McCoy Jonjo O'Neill
2011 Minella Four Star 8 10-00 Conor O'Farrell David Pipe
2012 Master Overseer 9 10-03 Tom Scudamore David Pipe
2013 Big Occasion 6 09-07 Mikey Ennis[lower-alpha 1] David Pipe
2014 Goulanes 8 10-03 Richard Johnson David Pipe
2015 Goonyella 8 10–12 Jonnny Burke Jim Dreaper
2016 Firebird Flyer 9 11-05 Adam Wedge Evan Williams
2017 Chase The Spud 9 10–12 Paddy Brennan Fergal O'Brien
2018 Regal Flow 11 10-12 Sean Houlihan Bob Buckler
2019 Potters Corner 9 10-07 James Bowen Christian Williams
2020 Truckers Lodge 8 10-07 Lorcan Williams Paul Nicholls
  1. amateur jockey
  2. The 1983 running was cancelled due to a waterlogged track
  3. The 2001 running was cancelled due to a foot-and-mouth crisis
  4. The 2004 running was cancelled due to high winds

See also
  • Race Recordings 1991–2007

References
  1. "Stoke & Staffordshire – Radio Stoke – The Midlands Grand National". BBC. 16 March 2009. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  2. "Midlands Grand National" (PDF). 18 March 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 December 2006. Retrieved 20 October 2012.
  3. "Big Race History: Midlands National". Betting.betfair.com. 13 March 2009. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
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