1983 Grand National

1983 Grand National

Grand National
Location	Aintree Racecourse
Date	9 April 1983
Winning horse	Corbiere
Starting price	13/1
Jockey	Ben de Haan
Trainer	Jenny Pitman
Owner	Mr Bryan Burrough
Conditions	Soft
←  1982 1984  →

External video
1983 Grand National in full BBC Sport/YouTube
1983 Grand National in full BBC Sport/YouTube
Replay of the latter stages of the 1983 Grand National BBC Sport

And it's Corbiere with a furlong to run in the National, being pressed by Greasepaint. Corbiere from Greasepaint, Greasepaint putting in a tremendous run for Ireland ridden by Mr Colin Magnier. It's Greasepaint on the nearside beginning to get up as they race towards the line. It's Corbiere from Greasepaint and Corbiere's won it!

BBC Commentator Peter O'Sullevan describes the climax of the 1983 National

The 1983 Grand National (officially known as the 1983 The Sun Grand National for sponsorship reasons) was the 137th renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 9 April 1983.

The race was won by Corbiere, the first Grand National winner to have been trained by a female trainer in Jenny Pitman. His jockey was Ben de Haan. ^[1]

The favourite of the 41-strong field was last year's winner Grittar, at odds of 7/1. Going over Valentine's, the 23rd fence, Corbiere held a four-length advantage over his nearest challenger, Greasepaint. At the finishing post, Corbiere pipped Greasepaint to victory by three-quarters-of-a-length. Yer Man was third. ^[1]

Corbiere went on to finish third in the next two Grand Nationals, he fell in his fourth consecutive National and finished 12th in his fifth and final entry in 1987. ^[1]

Race Card

Many long time ante post bets had already been beaten on the eve of the race when top weight, and ante post favourite, Ashley House was withdrawn due to the expected heavy ground. Last year's winner, Grittar was now installed both as joint top weight and 6/1 favourite, despite a disrupted preparation, which saw him race just twice all season without distinction. ^[2] Champion jockey John Francome was booked but he was then ruled out through injury, the ride going instead to Paul Barton, with his partner in victory, Dick Saunders having retired. ^[2] Barton kept the favourite in the front rank throughout the race, surviving a jumping error at the fence before Becher's Brook second time to remain in contention, never more than a few lengths behind the leader. An injection of pace going towards the penultimate flight saw the four horses in front of him kick on and Grittar was unable to stay with them, fading to finish a remote fifth. ^[3]

Bonum Omen took much of the support of those considered to be knowledgeable in the National. Weighted at under eleven stones and with good form over long distances over the winter, the only question mark appeared to be over his jumping. ^[2] Kevin Mooney took the ride but was never able to get his mount into the race and they were well adrift by the time other horses stopped in front of him and caused them to refuse at the twentieth fence. ^[3]

Spartan Missile had broken down badly after finishing second in the 1981 Grand National but impressed his backers when winning at Newbury earlier in the year. His former partner, John Thorne had died in a riding accident in 1982 so Hywel Davies took the ride. ^[2] They were middle to rear throughout the race but still in a position capable of mounting a challenge when falling at Becher's second time.

Peaty Sandy was a former Welsh National winner, although beaten third in the race the previous Christmas ^[4] but his quality ensured he went off at 12/1 as the best backed horse ever trained by a woman. ^[2] The ride on Helen Hamilton's horse was given to T.G. Dun. He was never in contention during the race however, jumping Becher's Brook last of the fourteen to take the fence on the second circuit. He picked his way through tired horses in the latter stages of the race to finish a remote sixth. ^[3]

Corbiere had narrowly won the Welsh National in December. ^[4] A further win at Doncaster and another decent performance when finishing second at the Cheltenham Festival gave justification to his 13/1 starting price. ^[2] Jenny Pitman's horse was ridden by Ben De Haan who took his mount into the front rank from the start and disputed the lead with Hallo Dandy from the twentieth to twenty-eighth fences before kicking on. Taking a clear lead from the penultimate flight, Corbiere looked to have the race won at the elbow before having to fend off a late challenge from Greasepaint to ensure his victory. ^[5]

The narrowly beaten Greasepaint had been the best supported Irish entry at 14/1 after winning the Kim Muir Chase at the recent Cheltenham meeting. Amateur, Colin Magnier was among thirteen riders making their National debut ^[6] and almost timed his run to perfection, just falling short to finish second. ^[2] Mid Day Gun was also sent off at 14/1 with another debut rider, Graham McCourt after two excellent prep races. Their experience proved very different, ending at the first fence. ^[3] Keengaddy had finished second in the previous year's Topham Chase and was also considered to be in great form to be sent off at 15/1. He was jumping freely and moved towards the head of the field when carried out at the Canal Turn. He battled on in rear for another three fences before falling. ^[2] The majority of the remainder of public money went on the Peter Scudamore ridden Fortina's Express, Welsh National runner up, Pilot Officer, Topham winner, Beacon Time and previous National third and Scottish National runner up, Three To One.

Finishing order

Position	Name	Jockey	Age	Weight	SP	Distance
01	Corbiere	Ben De Haan	8	11-04	13/1	Won by ¾ length
02	Greasepaint	Colin Magnier	8	10-7	14/1
03	Yer Man	Val O'Connell	8	10-0	80/1
04	Hallo Dandy	Neale Doughty	9	10-1	60/1
05	Grittar	Paul Barton	10	11-12	6/1
06	Peaty Sandy	Geordie Dunn	9	11-3	12/1
07	Political Pop	Graham Bradley	9	11-3	28/1
08	Venture to Cognac	Oliver Sherwood	10	11-12	28/1
09	Colonel Christy	Philip Hobbs	8	10-0	66/1
10	Delmoss	Bill Smith	13	10-3	50/1	Last to finish

Non-finishers

Fence	Name	Jockey	Age	Weight	SP	Fate
01	Mid Day Gun	Graham McCourt	9	10-8	14/1	Fell
01	Midday Welcome	Geraldine Rees	12	10-0	500/1	Fell
01	Tower Moss	Richard Rowe	10	10-1	300/1	Fell
03 (open ditch)	That's It	Gordon Holmes	9	10-0	200/1	Unseated
04	Mender	Anthony Webber	12	10-1	50/1	Fell
06 (Becher's Brook)	Beech King	Mr P Duggan	9	10-8	60/1	Hampered & Unseated
06 (Becher's Brook)	King Spruce	Joy Carrier	9	11-4	28/1	Hampered & Unseated
06 (Becher's Brook)	Royal Mail	Tim Thomson-Jones	13	11-4	50/1	Fell
06 (Becher's Brook)	Three To One	Phil Tuck	12	10-2	25/1	Fell
08 (Canal Turn)	Duncreggan	Gerry McGlinchley	10	10-0	75/1	Fell fatally
11 (open ditch)	Keengaddy	Steve Smith-Eccles	10	10-0	15/1	Fell
15 (The Chair)	Arrigle Boy	Chris Pimlott	11	10-1	100/1	Refused
15 (The Chair)	Monty Python	P O'Brien	11	10-2	150/1	Refused
15 (The Chair)	O'er The Border	Pat O'Connor	9	10-12	200/1	Refused
15 (The Chair)	Pilot Officer	Sam Morshead	8	10-7	22/1	Unseated
15 (The Chair)	Sydney Quinn	Peter Double	11	10-0	300/1	Refused
15 (The Chair)	Williamson	Charlie Mann	9	10-0	100/1	Brought Down
16 (Water Jump)	Oakprime	Richard Linley	8	10-5	66/1	Pulled Up
17	Canford Ginger	James Davies	8	10-0	33/1	Brought Down {15} Remounted & Pulled Up
19 (open ditch)	Carrow Boy	Gerry Newman	11	10-12	33/1	Fell
19 (open ditch)	Menford	Mark Perret	8	10-0	100/1	Refused
19 (open ditch)	The Vintner	Chris Grant	12	10-0	66/1	Refused
19 (open ditch)	Artistic Prince	Colin Brown	12	10-0	66/1	Refused
20	Beacon Time	Jonjo O'Neill	9	10-6	25/1	Pulled Up
20	Bonum Omen	Kevin Mooney	9	10-9	15/2	Refused
20	The Lady's Master	Mr Willie Mullins	12	11-2	200/1	Ran Out
22 (Becher's Brook)	Spartan Missile	Hywel Davies	11	11-7	9/1	Unseated Rider
22 (Becher's Brook)	Tacroy	Frank Berry	9	11-9	33/1	Pulled Up
26	Fortina's Express	Peter Scudamore	9	10-3	20/1	Pulled Up
27 (open ditch)	Never Tamper	John Williams	8	10-0	500/1	Refused
30	Hot Tomato	John Burke	11	10-2	100/1	Fell

^{[7] [8]}

Media coverage and aftermath

The BBC broadcast the race live on Television for the twenty-fourth consecutive year, as part of its regular Saturday afternoon Grandstand programme. The programme was hosted by David Coleman, as he had done in all but two of the previous twenty-three National broadcasts. ^[9] For the twelfth consecutive year, the commentary team consisted of John Hanmer, Julian Wilson and lead commentator, Peter O'Sullevan who was calling his thirty-eighth Grand National on Radio or Television. The race was also broadcast live on BBC Radio for the fifty-third consecutive renewal as part of Radio Two's Sport on Two Saturday afternoon Sports programme. The BBC also screened a short late evening highlights programme on BBC1, presented by Julian Wilson. ^[10]

Although the race was sponsored by a National newspaper, The Sun, most other major National and regional daily newspapers still published their own race cards in their Friday evening or Saturday editions. For the major nationals this posed the dilemma of having to advertise a rival paper when having to describe the race as the Sun Grand National.

References

1. "Corbiere 1983 Grand National". grand-national.me.uk. 12 March 2010. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
2. "Corbiere & the 1983 Grand National (Racecard)". Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
3. "Corbiere & the 1983 Grand National (Result & Analysis)". Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
4. "1982 Coral Welsh National Handicap Chase". 14 October 2013. Retrieved 24 October 2014– via YouTube.
5. "Grand Nationals 1980 to 1989". 24 April 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2014– via YouTube.
6. "Corbiere & the 1983 Grand National (Jockeys, Owners and Trainers)". Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
7. The Grand National : the history of the Aintree spectacular, by Stewart Peters & Bernard Parkin, ISBN   0-7524-3547-7
8. "Grand National Anorak – Where they Fell 1969-89". freewebs.com. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
9. "Grand National Anorak – The BBC & Broadcasting the National 1960-2012". freewebs.com. 2007. Archived from the original on 24 May 2013. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
10. "Grand National 1983 Where did your money go". 4 May 2008. Retrieved 24 October 2014– via YouTube.

• "The Grand National". The Grand National. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
• "BBC SPORT | Other Sport | Horse Racing | Grand National 2003 | National finishes year-by-year". BBC News. 27 March 2003. Retrieved 27 August 2014.