1901 Grand National

1901 Grand National

Grand National
Location	Aintree
Date	29 March 1901
Winning horse	Grudon
SP	9/1
Jockey	Arthur Nightingall
Trainer	Bernard Bletsoe
Owner	Bernard Bletsoe
Conditions	Very bad
← 1900 1902 →

The 1901 Grand National was the 63rd renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 29 March 1901. The race was run in a howling snowstorm and was won by the 9/1 chance, Grudon.

Leading Contenders

Grudon was among the leading contenders on the day but with the weather conditions being what they were, most of the trainers and jockeys knew that the race would be reduced to little more than a lottery. Trainer Bernard Bletsoe hit on the idea to pack Grudon's hooves with butter in the hope that this would prevent snow from clogging in them. ^[1] It is not recorded if any of the other trainers followed this example but it worked as Grudon, a horse who was not rated that highly by his rider, Arthur Nightingall set off without any difficulty while most of the other competitors struggled. Legend has it that Nightingall became so confident that he hacked around most of the second circuit alongside Algy Anthony on his struggling mount Covert Hack until leaving his rival behind with the words "Well I must be going now so ta ta" ^[2]

Finishing Order

Position	Name	Jockey	Age	Handicap (st-lb)	SP	Distance
01	Grudon	Arthur Nightingall	?	10-0	9/1
02	Drumcree	Mr Charles H Nugent	?	9-12	10/1
03	Buffalo Bill	Harry Taylor	?	9-7	33/1
04	Levanter	Frank Mason	?	9-13	5/1
05	Fanciful	Mr W P Cullen	?	11-6	100/8
06	Curagh Hill	C Hagan	?	9-9	25/1
07	Covert Hack	Algy Anthony	?	11-4	10/1
08	Prince Tuscan	Mr H Hunt	?	10-6	33/1	Last to complete

This list of sports fixtures or results is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Non-finishers

Fence	Name	Jockey	Age	Handicap (st-lb)	SP	Fate
?	Model	Mr William Pawson	?	11-4	40/1	?
?	Cushenden	Mr J G Davies	?	11-2	20/1	?
?	Sunny Shower	Mr Joe Widger	?	10-6	100/1	?
?	Coolgardie	A Waddington	?	10-6	40/1	?
?	The Sapper	William Halsey	?	10-5	100/8	?
?	Mayo's Pride	Mr James Phillips	?	10-5	20/1	?
?	Hompool	Ernest Acres	?	10-5	66/1	?
?	Greystone II	J H Stainton	?	10-1	100/1	?
?	True Blue	Percy Woodland	?	9-13	66/1	?
?	Barsac	Mr Harry Ripley	?	9-13	100/14	?
?	Chit Chat	C Clack	?	9-13	25/1	?
?	Crosset	Mr Frank Hartigan	?	9-13	20/1	?
?	Pawnbroker	J O'Brien	?	9-7	100/6	?
?	Zodiac	Albert Banner	?	9-7	100/1	?
?	Padishah	Arthur Birch	?	10-0	66/1	?
?	Gossip	J Polletti	?	9-7	100/1	?

^{[3] [4] [5]}

This list of sports fixtures or results is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Media Coverage and Aftermath

Arthur Nightingall gave credit to his victory to the genius of owner-trainer Bletsoe for having the foresight to prepare the horse with butter as he was convinced the horse would have come to grief without the preparation. Of the race he said, "My orders were to let Grudon run his own race and I found myself laid up with the leading division, never out of the first two or three. Indeed Archie [Algy] Anthony [Covert Hack] and I enjoyed a long and animated conversation for the most part of the journey. It was with a feeling of regret that at last I was obliged to say goodbye to him about a mile from home. "Ta ta old chap. I must push on a trifle faster or the cupboard will be bare when I get there, and wouldn't disappoint old mother Hubbard for the world." "The only mistake he made came 200 yards from the winning post when he jumped a footpath across the course and gave me a bit of a shock."^[6]

References

1. Sporting Life Souvenir Magazine, 4 April 1987, page 22
2. http://www.lavendonconnection.com/1901_Grand_National.htm
3. http://www.greyhoundderby.com/GN1901.htm
4. The Grand National 1839-1930 by David Hoadley Munroe
5. https://archive.org/details/heroesheroinesof00maso
6. My racing Adventures, Arthur Nightingall, Published by T. Werner Laurie, London, undated, early 20th Century