Great Grand National Dynasties

Look at the history of the John Smith’s Grand National going back to the 1970’s and the same news keeps recurring - tales of Pitman, Carberry, Walsh, Pipe and McCain alone would be enough to write a bestseller, and that is without taking into account any of the great horses whose moment of triumph has been beamed around the world.

Ginger McCain, now assistant to his son Donald, will forever be known as ‘Mr Grand National’ thanks to the heroics of the legendary Red Rum, the most successful horse in Aintree history.

McCain had trained Red Rum for the race from his base in nearby Southport with the aid of the local beach. ‘Rummy’ had begun his career by dead-heating in a selling race down the straight course in the days when Aintree staged flat racing, but his triumph in the 1973 race was overshadowed by the heartbreak of the gallant Crisp, who lumping a huge weight found the 494 yard run-in from the final fence a challenge too far as Brian Fletcher went by in the shadow of the post.

A year later McCain, Fletcher and Red Rum were back and against 42 rivals they recorded back to back victories, seeing off dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner L’Escargot, Charles Dickens and the rest.

McCain was adamant that the great horse would win again, and he was to be proved right, but not until 1977. Twice the great horse was second, first to old rival L’Escargot and then to Rag Trade before lifting the roof off Aintree when, with Tommy Stack aboard, he coasted home to a glorious and unprecedented hat-trick in 1977.

Sir Peter O’Sullevan, for years the voice of racing, famously called him home; “Its hats off for a tremendous reception, you’ve never heard one like it at Aintree. Red Rum wins the National.”

McCain’s place in Aintree legend was assured - the fact that Red Rum had been trained in nearby Southport was just the icing on the cake for the thousands of Liverpudlians who have regarded this race as their own.

But McCain’s love affair with the Grand National was not over. In 2004, just as he had predicted for weeks, he landed a fourth National and his first from his new Cheshire base when Amberleigh House, ridden by Graham Lee stepped up on his third of the previous year, sparking headlines such as ‘Ginger brings the House down’.

Ginger’s son Donald found himself in the spotlight in 2008 when he saddled one of the leading fancies Idle Talk. But it was not to be.

The 2008 race did throw up a story straight from the Generation Game. It was won by Comply or Die, trained by David Pipe. It was only Pipe’s second season with a license since taking over from his record breaking father Martin, who stood proudly alongside his son at Aintree.

Pipe senior’s record in the Grand National was a formidable one, saddling Minnehoma to win in 1994, Encore un Peu to finish second two years later and Blowing Wind to finish third in 2001 and 2002 amongst the highlights.

Alongside them in the great Grand National dynasties sit the mother and son team of Jenny and Mark Pitman.

Jenny became the first woman to train the National winner when Corbiere ridden by Ben de Haan beat Greasepaint and Yer Man in 1983 and 12 years later she struck gold again when Royal Athlete, one of a handful of horses she ran in the race that year and by no means the best fancied, obliged at 40-1.

Her pre-race interview with BBC Television anchorman Des Lynam was one of the ‘must watch’ moments of Grand National day across the nation, and she came so close to even more Aintree success. It was one of her horses, Esha Ness, who was first across the line in the race declared void in 1993 while more memorably just weeks after winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1991 Garrison Savannah, ridden by her son Mark found only Seagram too good in the quest for the big double.

Mark also went close as a trainer, saddling Smarty to finish second in rain drenched conditions to Red Marauder in 2001.

For two Irish dynasties too, the Grand National has been a case of ‘Happy Families’. Tommy Carberry is one of the few men to have trained and ridden Grand National winners. He rode L’Escargot to glory in 1975 and 24 years later trained Bobbyjo to end a long Irish famine when ridden by his son Paul.

The only man still riding who has ridden two Grand National winners is Ruby Walsh. By 2005 when he steered the favorite, Hedgehunter, to victory, Ruby was a household name as a supreme horseman and magnificent ambassador for his profession.

Way back in 2000 though he was nothing like as well known, but as has happened with so many other jockeys his career got a huge lift with Grand National glory. His triumph was on board Papillon, trained by his father Ted - a great Corinthian in his own right and a top TV pundit in Ireland.

One wonders which name will be next off the conveyor belt on the Grand National’s great Generation Game.