Scottish Grand National
Premier Handicap race | |
Location | Ayr Racecourse Ayrshire, Scotland |
---|---|
Inaugurated | 1867 |
Race type | Chase |
Sponsor | Coral |
Website | Ayr |
Race information | |
Distance | 4m (6,538 metres) |
Surface | Turf |
Track | Left-handed |
Qualification | Five-years-old and up |
Weight | Handicap |
Purse | £150,000 (2021) 1st: £84,405 |
2024 | ||
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Macdermott | Surrey Quest | Git Maker |
Previous years | ||
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2023 | ||
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Kitty's Light | Cooper's Cross | Flash De Touzaine |
2022 | ||
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Win My Wings | Kitty's Light | Major Dundee |
2021 | ||
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Mighty Thunder | Dingo Dollar | Mister Fogpatches |
1990–1988 | ||
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1990 | ||
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Four Trix | Tartan Takeover | Birling Jack |
1989 | ||
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Roll-A-Joint | Charter Hardware | Four Trix |
1988 | ||
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Mighty Mark | Cheeny's Brig | Over The Road |
The Scottish Grand National is a Premier Handicap National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Ayr, Scotland, over a distance of about 4 miles (3 miles 7 furlongs and 176 yards, or 6,397 metres) and during its running there are 27 fences to be jumped. It is a handicap race, and takes place each year in April. It is Scotland's equivalent of the Grand National, and is held during Ayr's two-day Scottish Grand National Festival meeting.
History
[edit]The race, then known as the "West of Scotland Grand National", was first run at a course near Houston, Renfrewshire in 1858.[1] It consisted of 32 jumps, mainly stone walls.[1]
In 1867, after objections by the leader of the Free Kirk in Houston,[1] the race moved to Bogside Racecourse, near Irvine. The inaugural winner at Bogside, The Elk, was owned by the Duke of Hamilton. During the early part of its history the race's distance was about 3 miles (4.8 km). It was later extended to 3+7⁄8 mi (6.2 km), and became known by its present title in 1880, when it was won by Peacock.[1]
Bogside Racecourse closed in 1965, and the Scottish Grand National was transferred to Ayr the following year. At this point the race was increased to its present length. Several winners of the Scottish Grand National have also won its English counterpart at Aintree. The first to complete the double was Music Hall, the winner of the 1922 Grand National. The feat has been achieved more recently by Little Polveir and Earth Summit, but the only horse to win both races in the same year was Red Rum in 1974.
In 2021, the race was moved to a Sunday due to the funeral of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, taking place on Saturday [2]
Prize money
[edit]The winning horse in 1867 won £100, increasing to £440 by 1906, £1030 in 1950, £5,436 in 1963 and £122,433 in 2019.[1]
Television coverage
[edit]The first television coverage of the Scottish National was in 1953 on the BBC. It was also shown the following year, but then wasn't screened again until 1969 on ITV and has been shown live ever since. Coverage moved to Channel 4 in 1986 and back to ITV in 2017.[1]
Records
[edit]Most successful horse (3 wins):
- Couvrefeu II – 1911, 1912, 1913
- Southern Hero – 1934, 1936, 1939
- Queen's Taste – 1953, 1954, 1956
Leading jockey
- All-time (4 wins)
- Charlie Cunningham – Bellman (1881), Wild Meadow (1885), Orcadian (1887), Deloraine (1889)[1]
- At Ayr (3 wins)
- Mark Dwyer – Androma (1984, 1985), Moorcroft Boy (1996)
Leading trainer
- All-time (5 wins)
- Neville Crump – Wot No Sun (1949), Merryman II (1959), Arcturus (1968), Salkeld (1980), Canton (1983)
- Ken Oliver – Pappageno's Cottage (1963), The Spaniard (1970), Young Ash Leaf (1971), Fighting Fit (1979), Cockle Strand (1982)
- At Ayr (4 wins)
- Ken Oliver – The Spaniard (1970), Young Ash Leaf (1971), Fighting Fit (1979), Cockle Strand (1982)
Winners at Ayr
[edit]Year |
Winner |
Age |
Weight |
Jockey |
Trainer |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1966 | African Patrol | 7 | 10-07 | Johnny Leech | Robert Fairbairn |
1967 | The Fossa | 10 | 09-12 | Andrew Turnell | Fred Rimell |
1968 | Arcturus | 7 | 10-04 | Pat Buckley | Neville Crump |
1969 | Playlord | 8 | 12-00 | Ron Barry | Gordon W. Richards |
1970 | The Spaniard | 8 | 10-00 | Barry Brogan | Ken Oliver |
1971 | Young Ash Leaf | 7 | 10-02 | Peter Ennis | Ken Oliver |
1972 | Quick Reply | 7 | 09-09 | Maurice Barnes | Harry Bell |
1973 | Esban | 9 | 09-11 | Jimmy Bourke | Robert Clay |
1974 | Red Rum | 9 | 11–13 | Brian Fletcher | Ginger McCain |
1975 | Barona | 9 | 10-00 | Paul Kelleway | Roddy Armytage |
1976 | Barona | 10 | 10-02 | Paul Kelleway | Roddy Armytage |
1977 | Sebastian V | 9 | 10-02 | Ridley Lamb | Harry Bell |
1978 | King Con | 9 | 09-13 | Peter Craggs[a] | Graham Renilson |
1979 | Fighting Fit | 7 | 10–10 | Colin Hawkins | Ken Oliver |
1980 | Salkeld | 8 | 10-00 | Denis Atkins | Neville Crump |
1981 | Astral Charmer | 8 | 09-10 | John Goulding | Harry Bell |
1982 | Cockle Strand | 9 | 09-11 | David Dutton | Ken Oliver |
1983 | Canton | 9 | 10-02 | Kevin Whyte | Neville Crump |
1984 | Androma | 7 | 10-00 | Mark Dwyer | Jimmy FitzGerald |
1985 | Androma | 8 | 10-00 | Mark Dwyer | Jimmy FitzGerald |
1986 | Hardy Lad | 9 | 10-00 | Micky Hammond | Jumbo Wilkinson |
1987 | Little Polveir | 10 | 10-00 | Peter Scudamore | John Edwards |
1988 | Mighty Mark | 9 | 10-05 | Brian Storey | Frank Walton |
1989 | Roll-a-Joint | 11 | 10-00 | Brendan Powell | Chris Popham |
1990 | Four Trix | 9 | 10-00 | Derek Byrne | Gordon W. Richards |
1991 | Killone Abbey | 8 | 10-00 | Chris Grant | Arthur Stephenson |
1992 | Captain Dibble | 7 | 11-00 | Peter Scudamore | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
1993 | Run for Free | 9 | 11–10 | Mark Perrett | Martin Pipe |
1994 | Earth Summit | 6 | 10-00 | David Bridgwater | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
1995 | Willsford | 12 | 10–12 | Rodney Farrant | Jenny Pitman |
1996 | Moorcroft Boy | 11 | 10-02 | Mark Dwyer | David Nicholson |
1997 | Belmont King | 9 | 11–10 | Tony McCoy | Paul Nicholls |
1998 | Baronet | 8 | 10-00 | Adrian Maguire | David Nicholson |
1999 | Young Kenny | 8 | 11–10 | Brendan Powell | Peter Beaumont |
2000 | Paris Pike | 8 | 11-00 | Adrian Maguire | Ferdy Murphy |
2001 | Gingembre | 7 | 11-02 | Andrew Thornton | Lavinia Taylor |
2002 | Take Control | 8 | 10-06 | Ruby Walsh | Martin Pipe |
2003 | Ryalux | 10 | 10-05 | Richard McGrath | Andy Crook |
2004 | Grey Abbey | 10 | 11–12 | Graham Lee | Howard Johnson |
2005 | Joes Edge | 8 | 09-11 | Keith Mercer | Ferdy Murphy |
2006 | Run for Paddy | 10 | 10-02 | Carl Llewellyn | Carl Llewellyn |
2007 | Hot Weld | 8 | 09-09 | P. J. McDonald | Ferdy Murphy |
2008 | Iris de Balme | 8 | 09-07 | Charlie Huxley[a] | Sean Curran |
2009 | Hello Bud | 11 | 10-09 | Paddy Brennan | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
2010 | Merigo | 9 | 10-00 | Timmy Murphy | Andrew Parker |
2011 | Beshabar | 9 | 10-04 | Richard Johnson | Tim Vaughan |
2012 | Merigo | 11 | 10-02 | Timmy Murphy | Andrew Parker |
2013 | Godsmejudge | 7 | 11-03 | Wayne Hutchinson | Alan King |
2014 | Al Co | 9 | 10-02 | Jamie Moore | Peter Bowen |
2015 | Wayward Prince | 11 | 10-07 | Robbie Dunne | Hilary Parrott |
2016 | Vicente | 7 | 11-03 | Sam Twiston-Davies | Paul Nicholls |
2017 | Vicente | 8 | 11–10 | Sam Twiston-Davies | Paul Nicholls |
2018 | Joe Farrell | 9 | 10-06 | Adam Wedge | Rebecca Curtis |
2019 | Takingrisks | 10 | 10-01 | Sean Quinlan | Nicky Richards |
no race 2020 [b] | |||||
2021 | Mighty Thunder | 8 | 11-01 | Tom Scudamore | Lucinda Russell |
2022 | Win My Wings | 9 | 10-12 | Rob James | Christian Williams |
2023 | Kitty's Light | 7 | 11-00 | Jack Tudor | Christian Williams |
2024 | Macdermott | 6 | 10-07 | Danny Mullins | Willie Mullins |
- ^ a b amateur jockey
- ^ The 2020 running was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom[3]
Winners at Bogside
[edit]Year |
Winner |
Age |
Weight |
Jockey |
Trainer |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1947 | Rowland Roy | 8 | 11-02 | Mr R Black | Fulke Walwyn |
1948 | Magnetic Fin | 9 | 10-05 | Lionel Vick | W Hall |
1949 | Wot No Sun | 7 | 11-05 | A Thompson | Neville Crump |
1950 | Sanvina | 10 | 12-02 | Ken Oliver | J Wight |
1951 | Court Painter | 11 | 9-07 | F Carroll | C Bewicke |
1952 | Flagrant Mac | 8 | 11–12 | J Power | Bobby Renton |
1953 | Queen's Taste | 7 | 10-02 | T Robson[a] | H Clarkson |
1954 | Queen's Taste | 8 | 10-09 | G Slack | H Clarkson |
1955 | Bar Point | 8 | 10-02 | D Ancil | Bobby Renton |
1956 | Queen's Taste | 10 | 11-00 | R Curran | H Clarkson |
1957 | Bremontier | 10 | 10–12 | A Rossio | P Taylor |
1958 | Game Field | 8 | 11–10 | J Boddy | J Fawcus |
1959 | Merryman II | 8 | 10–12 | Gerry Scott | Neville Crump |
1960 | Fincham | 8 | 10-00 | M Batchelor | J White |
1961 | Kinmont Wullie | 7 | 10-07 | C Stobbs | Arthur Stephenson |
1962 | Sham Fight | 10 | 10–10 | T Robson | T Robson |
1963 | Pappageno's Cottage | 8 | 10-09 | Tim Brookshaw | Ken Oliver |
1964 | Popham Down | 7 | 10–00 | Johnny Haine | Fulke Walwyn |
1965 | Brasher | 9 | 10-05 | Jimmy FitzGerald | T Robson |
- ^ amateur jockey
Earlier winners
[edit]- 1867 – The Elk
- 1868 – Greenland
- 1869 – Huntsman
- 1870 – Snowstorm
- 1871 – Keystone
- 1872 – Cinna
- 1873 – Hybla
- 1874 – Ouragon II
- 1875 – Solicitor
- 1876 – Earl Marshal
- 1877 – Solicitor
- 1878 – no race
- 1879 – Militant
- 1880 – Peacock
- 1881 – Bellman
- 1882 – Gunboat
- 1883 – Kerclaw
- 1884 – The Peer
- 1885 – Wild Meadow
- 1886 – Crossbow
- 1887 – Orcadian
- 1888 – Ireland
- 1889 – Deloraine
- 1890 – no race
- 1891 – see note below[a]
- 1892 – Lizzie
- 1893 – Lady Ellen II
- 1894 – Leybourne
- 1895 – Nepcote
- 1896 – Cadlaw Cairn
- 1897 – Modest Friar
- 1898 – Trade Mark
- 1899 – Tyrolean
- 1900 – Dorothy Vane
- 1901 – Big Busbie
- 1902 – Canter Home
- 1903 – Chit Chat
- 1904 – Innismacsaint
- 1905 – Theodocian
- 1906 – Creolin
- 1907 – Barney III
- 1908 – Atrato
- 1909 – Mount Prospect's Fortune
- 1910 – The Duffrey
- 1911 – Couvrefeu II
- 1912 – Couvrefeu II
- 1913 – Couvrefeu II
- 1914 – Scrabee
- 1915 – Templedowney
- 1916 – no race
- 1917 – no race
- 1918 – no race
- 1919 – The Turk
- 1920 – Music Hall
- 1921 – no race
- 1922 – Sergeant Murphy
- 1923 – Harrismith
- 1924 – Royal Chancellor
- 1925 – Gerald L.
- 1926 – Estuna
- 1927 – Estuna
- 1928 – Ardeen
- 1929 – Donzelon
- 1930 – Drintyre
- 1931 – Annandale
- 1932 – Clydesdale
- 1933 – Libourg
- 1934 – Southern Hero
- 1935 – Kellsboro' Jack
- 1936 – Southern Hero
- 1937 – Right'un
- 1938 – Young Mischief
- 1939 – Southern Hero
- 1940–46 – no race
- ^ There were only two runners in 1891 – neither could clear the second fence and there was no winner
See also
[edit]Sources
[edit]- Ladbrokes Pocket Companion 1990/91. Aesculus Press. 1990. p. 71. ISBN 1-871093-21-X.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g "Scottish Grand National Facts". Ayr Racecourse. 16 April 2011. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
- ^ "Scottish Grand National moved to Sunday as mark of respect to Duke of Edinburgh". Racing Post. 11 April 2021. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
- ^ "Coronavirus: Horse racing in Great Britain suspended until end of April". BBC Sport. 17 March 2020.
- Racing Post:
- Timeform Chasers & Hurdlers Statistical Companion 1992–93. Portway Press. 1993. pp. 172–173.
External links
[edit]- pedigreequery.com – Scottish Grand National Handicap Chase – Ayr.
- racenewsonline.co.uk – Racenews Archive (12 April 2002).
- tbheritage.com – Scottish Grand National.
- Race Recordings [1]