1982 Grand National

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1982 Grand National
Grand National
Location Aintree Racecourse
Date3 April 1982
Winning horse Grittar
Starting price 7/1 F
Jockey Mr. Dick Saunders
Trainer Frank H Gilman
OwnerFrank H Gilman
Conditions Good
  1981
1983  
External videos
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg 1982 Grand National in full BBC Sport/YouTube
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg 1982 Grand National in full BBC Sport/YouTube

And it's 48 year old Dick Saunders on Grittar from Hard Outlook. Grittar strides into the final furlong and is already being acclaimed as the National Hero of 1982. Frank Gilman's Grittar strides up to the line to win it in fantastic style, ear's pricked, he's a fresh horse, Grittar wins the National!

Contents

BBC Commentator Peter O'Sullevan describes the climax of the 1982 National

The 1982 Grand National (officially known as The Sun Grand National for sponsorship reasons) was the 136th running of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 3 April 1982.

The race was won by 7/1 favourite Grittar, ridden by amateur Dick Saunders, who at the age of 48 became, and remains, the oldest jockey to have won the Grand National. [1]

Saunders retired after the race and became chairman of the Aintree stewards. Grittar finished fifth in the next year's National and 10th in 1984. The horse retired to his owner's Rutland base and died aged 25. [2]

The race was also notable for being the first in which a female jockey, Geraldine Rees, completed the course. She rode Cheers to be the eighth and last of the finishers. [3]

Leading contenders

Grittar was installed as a 7/1 favourite on the day of the race, due mostly to the Cheltenham and Liverpool Foxhunter Chase double in 1981 [4] The victory at Liverpool was enough for him to get the support of BBC Radio Two commentator, Peter Bromley [5] though several newspaper pundits expressed concern at the horse's being a hunter chaser. Forty-eight-year-old amateur rider Dick Saunders told trainer Frank Gilman to employ the services of a professional rider, Peter Scudamore for the big race, but Gilman insisted Saunders take the ride if fit. His age and amateur status did little to deter the betting public although leading professional gambler, Alex Bird exclaimed "I immediately pencilled him in for the '82 National, but I'm not happy about the jockey - I'll be keeping my money in my pocket." [6] In preparation for the National, he won at a canter at Leicester before finishing a creditable sixth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Finishing order

PositionName Jockey AgeWeight SP Distance
01 Grittar Mr Dick Saunders911-57/1 FFifteen lengths
02Hard OutlookAnthony Webber1110-150/1
03Loving WordsRichard Hoare910-1116/1
04DelmossBill Smith1210-350/1
05Current GoldNeale Doughty1110-825/1
06Tragus Peter Scudamore 1011-414/1
07Three Of DiamondsMr Pat O'Connor1010-7100/1
08CheersMrs Geraldine Rees1010-066/1Last to finish

Non-finishers

FenceName Jockey AgeWeight SP Fate
01 Aldaniti Bob Champion 1211-912/1Fell
01Artistic Prince Colin Brown 1110-050/1Fell
01Cold SpellSteve Jobar1010-040/1Brought Down
01Jimmy MiffMr Michael Williams1010-150/1Fell
01Man AliveAndy Turnell1111-033/1Fell
01Mullacurry Mr Tom Taaffe 1010-1216/1Fell
01Rambling JackGeordie Dun1111-116/1Fell
01RathlekMr John Carden1210-12100/1Fell
01Three To OneRidley Lamb1110-312/1Fell
01Deep GaleTommy Ryan911-222/1Fell
03Coolishall Ron Barry 1310-333/1Fell
03DeermountJP Byrne810-0100/1Fell
03MartinstownMiss Charlotte Brew1010-3100/1Unseated Rider
03Sun LionSteve Smith-Eccles1210-350/1Fell
06Choral FestivalMr Marcus Low1110-4100/1Unseated Rider
06Peter ScotPaul Barton1111-516/1Fell
06Royal MailBob Davies1211-1017/2Fell
06The VintnerMr Dermot Browne1110-750/1Unseated Rider
08Again The Same Jonjo O'Neill 911-816/1Pulled Up
08This WayClive Candy1110-2100/1Fell
11Old SocietyP Walsh810-833/1Fell
11Senator MaclacuryPat Kiely810-020/1Fell
17Good ProspectRichard Linley1310-1250/1Refused
19Royal StuartMr Dennis Gray1110-440/1Brought Down
22Gandy VINiall Madden1310-850/1Fell
22Rough And Tumble John Francome 1210-816/1Refused
22Monty PythonBen De Haan1010-066/1Refused
22Rolls RamblerMr Jim Wilson1110-1220/1Refused
22Tiepolino Hywel Davies 1010-450/1Refused
27Carrow BoyGerry Newman1011-740/1Fell
27Saint FillansPhil Tuck810-1133/1Fell

[7] [8]

Media coverage

BBC Grandstand covered the race with David Coleman fronting the coverage live from Aintree.

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References

  1. "Grand National 2014". Grandnational.org.uk. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  2. "Grittar 1982 Grand National". Grand-national.me.uk. 11 March 2010. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  3. "History of Dick Saunders and Gritter". carlinebaileyracing.co.uk. Archived from the original on 11 September 2011.
  4. "Grittar 1982 Grand National". 11 March 2010.
  5. Belfast Telegraph, April 2nd 1982, page 26, "Catch the post with Royal Mail. {Grittar is a big danger}"
  6. Liverpool Echo, April 2nd 1982, Page 3, "Grittar gets the bird for big one."
  7. The Grand National : the history of the Aintree spectacular, by Stewart Peters & Bernard Parkin, ISBN   0-7524-3547-7
  8. "Grand National Anorak |". Archived from the original on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 2013-06-16.