Known for its gruelling course and overall unpredictability, the Grand National has been home to some of the most thrilling finishes in the history of the sport. Due to it being one of the toughest tracks in the word, the Grand National has seen some of the most dramatic concussions at the Aintree Festival. From last second comebacks, all the way to heartbreaking losses, there have been countless moments of high drama provided by this race. However, there have been a handful which still stand out to this day, with these unforgettable finishes defining the status of this legendary race even further.
Red Rum’s Comeback
When discussing the most dramatic Grand National finishes in history, the conversation wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the incredible victory of Red Rum in 1973. The legendary horse, who claimed 3 iconic victories in this race over its career, found himself 15 lengths behind Australian runner Crisp as they approached the last fence. The leader at the time had dominated the race up to this point looking unbeatable despite the heavy weight it was carrying. However, the 4 mile Aintree racecourse took its toll on the frontrunner with Crisp beginning to tire unexpectedly. In response, Red Rum surged forward showcasing its incredible stamina, overtaking the Australian steeplechaser just before the finish line, claiming victory by just ¾ of a length.
Mysterious Collapse of Devon Loch
Not only did the 1956 Grand National feature a dramatic finish, but it was also rather bizarre in the manner in which it occurred. Throughout the race, Devon Loch, a horse owned by the Queen of England, led the race comfortably. However just 50 yards before the finish line, the horse leaped into the air unexpectedly before collapsing without any warning whatsoever. In turn, ESB who had been chasing Devon Loch the entire time stormed past and claimed the victory, with people still being unsure as to why the runner fell without reason to this day.
Aldanti’s Fairytale Win
Another of the most dramatic Grand National finishes occured in 1981, with this being one of the more emotional stories the event has seen. Aldanti, a horse who had recovered from a serious leg injury, partnered up with jockey Bob Champion who had recently overcome cancer. Despite the runner having a history of bad injuries, it powered through the grueling Aintree track, holding off the challenge of Spartan Missile in the closing stages Through pure determination though, Aldaniti won by four lengths, with the moment being made even more special as Bob Champion, who was in poor health for so many years prior, raised his arms in celebration, something which was then immortalised in a film by the name of ‘Champions’.
Closest Grand National Finish Ever
When it comes down to the 2012 Grand National, this delivered the closest finish in the history of this long standing race. In an electrifying battle in the final stretch, Neptune Colognes went head to head with Sunnyhillboy. As the two crossed the finish line, it was actually impossible for spectators and live casinos to determine the winner based on the naked eye alone. As a consequence of this, a photo finish was required. After a tense wait, Neptune Collonges was declared the victor by just a nose, with this being the smallest winning margin in the history of the Grand National. This remains one of the most nail biting conclusions ever witnessed at the Aintree Festival, with Paul Nichol’s horse asserting himself in the history books in the process.
Foinavon’s Shock Win
While it was not a dramatic last second battle like the race we have just discussed, the 1967 Grand National featured one of the most unbelieve finishes in the history of the race. At the 23rd fence at the AIntree racecourse, chaos erupted as a loose, unseated horse caused a massive pile up. This saw almost every contender be brought to a halt, with all jockeys scrambling to remount. That was all horses apart from Foinavon, a 100/1 outsider that had been trailing far enough behind to avoid all of this carnage. Thanks to John Buckingham guiding Foinavon past all this mayhem, this saw the runner claim an unchallenged lead, with him seeing out the rest of the race untouched to claim one of the biggest upsets ever in the Grand National.
Chaotic 1928 Finish
Another extremely chaotic and dramatic finish at the Grand National came in 1928. With this race actually only seeing two horses complete the race. As the weather worsened the conditions in the lead up to the race, the course was even more treacherous than it already was, with one horse after another falling as the race progressed. As the pack of contenders neared the final fences, only Billy Barton and Tipperary Tim reminded, however the former had actually unseated his rider. This left Tipperary TIm as the only horse to finish the race with a jockey on board, with this runner being yet another 100/1 outsider.
