On April 8, 1967, an underdog accomplished the impossible through a legendary turn of events. Grand National winner Foinavon defied an outsider rank and 100-to-1 odds to take home the first-place prize.
With a tendency to fall and a history of lackluster jumping, Foinavon seemed like a hopeless choice from the very start. A notoriously laid back horse, he once partook of a grassy snack after an unsuccessful jump over a fence that resulted in a fall.
Foinavon already had been sold early in his career because of poor performance. Despite being trained in Ireland, the expected benefits didn’t pan out. Anne, Duchess of Westminster, owned both Foinavon and Arkle, who was already a legendary winner. Despite a few high-profile wins, Foinavon didn’t prove to be as worthwhile as Arkle to the duchess and he was sold.
Subsequent owner John Kempton took it upon himself to make sure Foinavon gained confidence. He took the horse hunting and made sure he was led on daily jumps over a series of training fences. This patience paid off. Despite all odds and doubts about entering Foinavon into the Grand National race, history soon took its course.
Aintree Racecourse is no cakewalk for the horses that enter this race. Infamous jumps and drops have knocked many talented horses and riders to loss and substantial injury. The race must be completed with agility and substantial speed. Foinavon had been compared to a plodding carthorse before, but managed to prove his doubters wrong this fateful day.
The 100-to-1 odds against Foinavon appeared in all terms to be terribly generous. Even his owner had not shown up at the racecourse that day, having sincerely dim expectations. At the last minute on the day of the race, the jockey slated to ride Foinavon couldn’t make the 10-stone weight. He went on to ride another horse, and jockey John Buckingham stepped in. Buckingham has since been widely known as the man who rode Foinavon to victory.
Many of the jockeys were off at full speed from the beginning. Foinavon started the race slowly, following Honey End, who was favored to win that day. Fellow longshot Popham Down had just lost his rider and was continuing the race without a jockey. There were several race leaders at this point, including Castle Falls, Rondetto, Kapeno and Rutherfords. The main players were heading for the fence just before Canal Turn.
At fence number 23 (or seven, depending on the circuit), a melee occurred that dramatically changed Grand National history. The fence itself is only four-and-a-half feet, one of the lowest jumps on the course, but Popham Down was tiring without his jockey. Suddenly, Popham Down veered to his right and slammed into Rutherfords. This started a domino effect, unseating riders and leaving the path strewn with downed jockeys and confused horses.
Despite the absolute calamity that lay ahead, Buckingham cleverly steered Foinavon around the right edge of the mess. Clearing the entire scene, Foinavon rode hard and steady to finish the race in first place. Honey End’s jockey, Josh Gifford, managed to jump again and gave Foinavon a run for his money, ultimately coming in second. Only 18 of the original 44 starters finished the race.
Foinavon gained worldwide recognition in one of the most legendary wins in the history of the Grand National. The fence on the racecourse is now named after Foinavon at the jump where he stole the race. To this day, the BBC plays footage of this event on Grand National Day.
Paul Edison invites you to learn more about famous Grand National Runners at www.grand-national.me.uk
Tags : Foinavon, Grand National, Winner, Horse Race, Aintree, Jump, National Hunt
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