1976 Grand National

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1976 Grand National
Grand National
Location Aintree
Date3 April 1976
Winning horse Rag Trade
Starting price 14/1
Jockey John Burke
Trainer Flag of England.svg Fred Rimell
Owner Flag of England.svg Pierre Raymond
Conditions Good
  1975
1977  
External videos
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg 1976 Grand National in full (BBC)

And it's Rag Trade, gonna win a 4th National for Fred Rimell, John Burke is gonna win the National. It's Rag Trade from Red Rum. Red Rum is fighting back but he can't get to him. Rag Trade is running to the line from Red Rum second and Eyecatcher third, that's how they're gonna finish in the National. Rag Trade is the winner!

Contents

Commentator Peter O'Sullevan describes the climax of the 1976 National

The 1976 Grand National (officially known as the News of the World Grand National for sponsorship reasons) was the 130th renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 3 April 1976. The race was won by Rag Trade, who was the fourth winner trained by Fred Rimell and the second winner owned by Pierre Raymond Bessone. Red Rum finished second for the second year in a row. Rimell's fourth winner gave him the outright record for training most National winners which he had previously shared with six other trainers. His record was equalled by Ginger McCain in 2004.

Finishing order

PositionName Jockey AgeHandicap (st-lb) SP Distance
1st Rag Trade John Burke1010-1214/1
2nd Red Rum Tommy Stack 1111-1010/1
3rdEyecatcher Brian Fletcher 1010-728/1
4thBaronaPaul Kelleway1010-67/1
5thCeol-Na-MaraJeremy Glover710-622/1
6thThe Dikler Ron Barry 1311-725/1
7thSandwilanRon Hyett810-0100/1
8thSpittin ImageAndy Turnell1010-066/1
9thSpanish StepsJeff King1310-222/1
10thBlack TudorGraham Thorner810-050/1
11thChurchtown BoyTaffy Salaman910-633/1
12thHighway ViewPat Black1110-1033/1
13thJolly's ClumpIan Watkinson1010-312/1
14thMoney Market Bob Champion 911-012/1
15thColondineBrian Forsey910-060/1
16thIndian Diva Nicky Henderson 910-3100/1Last to finish

Non-finishers

FenceName Jockey AgeHandicap (st-lb)Starting priceFate
01HuperadeJohn Carden1210-4100/1Fell
01Ormonde TudorKeith Barnfield710-0100/1Fell
03Merry MakerAnthony Mildmay-White1110-250/1Fell
04High Ken Michael Dickinson 1010-1233/1Fell
04ThomondJim Wilson1110-3100/1Brought Down
06Glanford BriggMartin Blackshaw1011-328/1Fell
06TregarronColin Tinkler910-112/1Fell
06Tudor ViewChris Read1010-0100/1Fell
13Meridian II Jonjo O'Neill 910-033/1Fell
13Nereo Duke of Alburquerque 1010-1100/1Fell
19Roman BarGerry Newman710-1033/1Fell
20PerpolKen White1010-666/1Pulled Up
22Ballybright Sam Morshead 910-080/1Fell
22Boom DockerJohn Williams910-050/1Brought Down
22Golden Rapper John Francome 1010-828/1Fell
22Prolan Mouse Morris 710-313/1Brought Down

[1] [2] [3]

Media coverage and aftermath

For the 17th consecutive year the BBC broadcast the Grand National in a Grandstand special, presented by David Coleman. In an interview eleven years after the race, Red Rum's trainer, Ginger McCain, expressed that he felt jockey Tommy Stack had made a tactical error in waiting until the penultimate flight before attempting to race to the finish as is, McCain noted, the textbook way to ride a National. He instead felt that if Stack had allowed Red Rum to "kick on from the fifth last flight he would have stretched his rivals and outpaced them". McCain was also quick to point out how much easier it is to ride the Grand National in your head from the stands and praised his rider for a "marvelous effort" The tactics described by McCain turned out to be those employed by Stack in 1977 when the horse won a record breaking third Grand National. [4]

References

  1. "1976 & 1977 - The Grand National & Aintree 1970-79". Seventiesnationals.webs.com. 18 October 1995. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
  2. The Grand National : the history of the Aintree spectacular, by Stewart Peters & Bernard Parkin, ISBN   0-7524-3547-7
  3. "Grand National Anorak |". freewebs.com. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  4. Sporting Life Souvenir Magazine, 4 April 1987, page 6

Sources