1959 Grand National

Last updated

1959 Grand National
Grand National
Location Aintree Racecourse
Date21 March 1959
Winning horse Flag of England.svg Oxo
Starting price 8/1
Jockey Flag of England.svg Michael Scudamore
Trainer Willie Stephenson
OwnerJohn E. Bigg
Conditions Good
  1958
1960  
External videos
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg Highlights of the 1959 Grand National (British Pathé)
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg British Movietone

The 1959 Grand National was the 113th renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, on 21 March 1959.

Contents

The race was won by the 8/1 second-favourite Oxo, ridden by Michael Scudamore and trained by Willie Stephenson. Thirty-four horses ran, including the previous year's winner Mr. What, who finished third. Wyndburgh was second and Tiberetta was the only other finisher, each finishing in the places for the third consecutive year. [1]

There was one equine fatality during the race: Henry Purcell, who was one of fourteen horses to fall or be brought down at Becher's Brook. [1] Additionally, Slippery Serpent broke a bone in his leg in falling at the thirteenth fence and was euthanised during the week after the race. [2] A debate was held in parliament [3] and the Home Secretary, Rab Butler, met the National Hunt Committee in response to safety concerns raised by the League Against Cruel Sports. [4]

Finishing order

PositionName Jockey AgeHandicap (st-lb) SP Distance
01 Oxo Michael Scudamore 810-138/1
02Wyndburgh Tim Brookshaw 910-1210/1
03 Mr. What Tosse Taaffe911-96/1
04TiberettaAlan Oughton1110-920/1Last to Complete

Non-finishers

FenceName Jockey AgeHandicap (st-lb) SP Fate
01Nic AtkinsFrancis Shortt810-120/1Fell
01Stop ListTommy Shone1010-166/1Fell
02SoutherntownPatrick Cowley1310-0100/1Fell
04Oscar WildeTaffy Jenkins910-428/1Fell
06Done Up Fred Winter 910-3100/7Brought Down
06EternalPeter Major810-450/1Fell
06Glorious TwelfthGeorge Slack1010-733/1Brought Down
06Henry PurcellAnthony Keen1210-0100/1Fell
06Mr GayDerek Ancil1210-928/1Brought Down
06Sundawn IIIJimmy Power1010-0100/1Brought Down
06The Crofter Stan Mellor 1110-0100/1Fell
06Valiant SparkJohnny Lehane1010-340/1Fell
11Belsize IIMr G Rooney1010-028/1Fell
12DondrosaMr CB Taylor710-1166/1Refused
13Slippery Serpent Pat Taaffe 810-119/1Fell
14RichardstownFrancis Carroll1110-166/1Pulled Up
17Royal TournamentBert Morrow810-0100/1Refused
22Irish CoffeeCathal Finnegan910-533/1Fell
22Kerstin Stan Hayhurst 912-025/1Fell
22KilballyownE McKenzie1210-233/1Brought Down
22MainstownMichael Batchelor910-1040/1Fell
22SoltownWilliam Brennan710-325/1Fell
22Surprise PacketGerry Scott1010-5100/1Fell
24Cannobie Lee David Nicholson 810-1045/1Fell
24Green DrillGeorge Milburn910-622/1Fell
24VigorBill Rees1110-566/1Fell
24TurmoilJohn Hudson910-120/1Pulled Up
24PintailJumbo Wilkinson1010-4100/1Pulled Up
26John JacquesJohnny East1011-033/1Fell
28Eagle LodgeJohnny Bullock1010-045/1Refused

[5] [6] [7]

First to be filmed in colour?

The Cinema series 'Look at Life' followed Oxo to Aintree and filmed the National in colour, claiming to be the first time the race was screened in such a way. [8]

Post race controversy

The debate regarding the safety of the race rolled into June when Mirabel Topham issued a rebuke of a claim that twenty-four horses had been injured during the race. Mrs Topham reported that every horse was checked by three stable lads after the race who reported that Mr What had an abrasion, Tiberetta a scratch and Eternal a cut lip. [9]


References

  1. 1 2 "The Grand National". The Times. London. 23 March 1959. p. 4.
  2. "The Grand National". The Times. London. 26 March 1959. p. 16.
  3. "The Grand National". The Times. London. 10 April 1959. p. 16.
  4. "The Grand National". The Times. London. 12 May 1959. p. 7.
  5. The Grand National : the history of the Aintree spectacular, by Stewart Peters & Bernard Parkin, ISBN   0-7524-3547-7
  6. "1959 - The Grand National & Aintree 1946-1959". fiftiesnationals.webs.com. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  7. "Past Winners of The Grand National". grand-national.net. Archived from the original on 4 November 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  8. "The First Ever Grand National to be Shown in Colour | Look at Life | Our History". YouTube . 9 April 2022.
  9. Daily Mirror, Page 5, Column 2, Article 'Horses like the Grand National. Says Mrs T.'