1960 Grand National

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1960 Grand National
Grand National
Location Aintree Racecourse
Date26 March 1960
Winning horse Flag of Scotland.svg Merryman II
Starting price 13/2 F
Jockey Flag of England.svg Gerry Scott
Trainer Flag of England.svg Neville Crump
OwnerMiss. Winifred H. Wallace
Conditions Good
←  1959
1961  →
External videos
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg BBC coverage in full
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg Highlights of the 1960 Grand National (British Pathé)

The 1960 Grand National was the 114th renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 26 March 1960. The steeplechase was won by nine-year-old Merryman II, who, at odds of 13/2, became the first clear favourite to win for 33 years. His jockey, 22-year-old Gerry Scott, had been lucky to take part in the race, having broken his collarbone two weeks earlier. Merryman II became the first ever Scottish winner of the National.

Contents

The top weight was officially reduced to a maximum of 12 stone from 12 stone 7 lbs, though it had been over a decade since any horse had been asked to shoulder such a burden. [1]

This was the first Grand National to be televised.

Finishing order

PositionName Jockey AgeHandicap (st-lb) SP Distance
01 Merryman II Gerry Scott910-1213/2 F
02Badanloch Stan Mellor 910-9100/7
03Clear ProfitJumbo Wilkinson1010-120/1
04Tea FiendGerry Madden1110-033/1
05SabariaMick Roberts910-366/1
06Green DrillGeorge Milburn1010-333/1
07ArlesTony Moule810-445/1
08SkatealongRon Harrison1210-066/1

Non-finishers

FenceName Jockey AgeHandicap (st-lb) SP Fate
22 Mr. What Arthur Freeman1011-1118/1Fell
06Wyndburgh Michael Scudamore 1011-78/1Unseated Rider
08Dandy Scot Fred Winter 1011-710/1Fell
15Holly BankPeter Brookshaw1310-1250/1Fell
28ClanyonTaffy Jenkins1210-850/1Fell
06KnoxtownEddie Harty1010-545/1Fell
20Skipper JackDan O'Donovan810-466/1Fell
22Pendle LadyMaurice Towers1010-440/1Fell
09Jonjo Pat Taaffe 1010-450/1Fell
15Uncle WhiskersCathal Finnegan810-150/1Fell
15Belsize IIPaddy Shortt1110-066/1Refused
01LotorayMichael Batchelor1010-666/1Fell
22AliformAnthony Biddlecombe810-045/1Fell
18Irish CoffeeWilliam St George Burke1010-1166/1Pulled Up
08Clover BudToss Taaffe1010-120/1Pulled Up
29Eagle LodgeBill Rees1110-145/1Pulled Up
22Team Spirit Willie Robinson 810-129/1Unseated Rider
22Cannobie Lee David Nicholson 910-7100/9Refused

[2] [3] [4]

Media coverage and aftermath

This was the first year that the National was broadcast live on television. The presenter, Cliff Michelmore, who stepped in at the last minute for David Coleman, who was suffering from appendicitis, told viewers they were witnessing television history. The BBC deployed 16 cameras to Aintree, with Peter O'Sullevan (who had covered the race on radio since 1947) commentating on his first of 38 televised Grand Nationals. O'Sullevan later described his nervousness at commentating on the famous race for the first time on television, his nerves amplified by a restricted view and an unreliable monitor. [5]

Co-commentator Peter Bromley recalled, "They had built an enormous tower in the middle of the course so that we could see the majority of the action. It was so huge that the thing was swaying and I felt most unsafe. Conversely the view was excellent and having told a few chums of my position for the Foxhunters Chase two days before the National, I found the late Ryan Price's wife, Dorothy and Fred Winter's wife Di, as guests for the big race. Fred was riding Dandy Scot for Ryan and the ladies thought they would take advantage of the unique viewing position. I applauded them for even managing to climb the endless and precarious ladders up the side of the scaffolding. A further surprise almost made me drop my binoculars when Fred, who had fallen at the Canal Turn, joined us in the crows nest and the first I knew of his presence was when he tapped me on the shoulder while I was commentating and said 'Watcha Cock!" [6]

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References

  1. ↑ Sporting Life Souvenir Magazine, 4 April 1987, page 22
  2. ↑ The Grand National : the history of the Aintree spectacular, by Stewart Peters & Bernard Parkin, ISBN   0-7524-3547-7
  3. ↑ "1960/61 - The Grand National and Aintree 1960-1969". sixtiesnationals.webs.com. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  4. ↑ "Past Winners of The Grand National". grand-national.net. Archived from the original on 4 November 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  5. ↑ "BBC Sport - Grand National: Neptune Collonges seals dramatic victory". BBC. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  6. ↑ Sporting Life Souvenir Magazine, 4 April 1987, page 25


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