E.S.B. | |
---|---|
Sire | Bidar |
Grandsire | Blenheim |
Dam | English Summer |
Damsire | Blue Ensign |
Sex | Gelding |
Foaled | 1946 |
Country | Ireland |
Colour | Dark bay or brown |
Breeder | Sheila Bourke |
Owner | Mrs Leonard Carver |
Trainer | Fred Rimell |
Record | 92:24-?-? |
Major wins | |
Grand National (1956) |
E.S.B. was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse best known for his victory in the 1956 Grand National. [1]
E.S.B. was a dark bay gelding bred in County Kildare by Sheila Bourke. Trained by Fred Rimell, E.S.B. was ridden by jockey Dave Dick in the 1956 running of the famous steeplechase at Aintree Racecourse. He started at odds of 100/7 in a field of twenty-nine runners. The race seemed certain to be won by Devon Loch, who held a five-length lead on the run-in. However, forty yards from the finishing post, Devon Loch suddenly, and inexplicably, half-jumped into the air and collapsed in a bellyflop on the turf. E.S.B. overtook and sealed an unlikely victory, completing the course in 9 minutes 21.4 seconds, [1] one second off the record completion time. [2]
E.S.B.'s win was the first of four for trainer Rimell, who went on to train winners Nicolaus Silver (1961), Gay Trip (1970) and Rag Trade (1976). [3]
The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Aintree, Merseyside, England. First run in 1839, it is a handicap steeplechase over an official distance of about 4 miles and 2½ furlongs, with horses jumping 30 fences over two laps. It is the most valuable jump race in Europe, with a prize fund of £1 million in 2017. An event that is prominent in British culture, the race is popular amongst many people who do not normally watch or bet on horse racing at other times of the year.
Red Rum was an Irish champion Thoroughbred steeplechaser. He achieved an unmatched historic treble when he won the Grand National in 1973, 1974 and 1977, and also came second in the two intervening years, 1975 and 1976. The Grand National is a notoriously difficult race that has been described as "the ultimate test of a horse’s courage". He was also renowned for his jumping ability, having not fallen in 100 races.
Donald "Ginger" McCain was an English horse trainer who led the champion steeplechaser Red Rum to three Grand National victories in the 1970s. A former national serviceman in the Royal Air Force as a motorcycle dispatch rider, he was also a member of the RAF scrambling team.
Devon Loch (1946–1963) was a racehorse, which fell on the final straight while leading the 1956 Grand National.
The Aintree Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Aintree over a distance of about 2 miles and 4 furlongs, and during its running there are eleven hurdles to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year in early April.
Corbiere (1975–1988) was the racehorse which won the Grand National in 1983. In training Corbiere was also known as Corky.
The 1997 Grand National was the 150th official running of the Grand National steeplechase held at Aintree near Liverpool. The race was scheduled to be run on Saturday 5 April 1997, but was postponed by two days to Monday 7 April after a Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) bomb threat forced the evacuation of the course.
The 1956 Grand National was the 110th renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 24 March 1956.
Patrick Taaffe was an Irish National Hunt jockey who is best remembered as the jockey of Arkle. The pair dominated National Hunt racing in the mid-sixties, winning the Irish Grand National, the King George VI Chase, two Hennessy Gold Cups, three Cheltenham Gold Cups and the Whitbread Cup.
The 1976 Grand National 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.
The 1965 Grand National was the 119th running of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 27 March 1965.
The 1961 Grand National was the 115th renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 25 March 1961.
The 1957 Grand National was the 111th renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 29 March 1957.
The 1938 Grand National was the 97th renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 25 March 1938.
The 1932 Grand National was the 91st renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 18 March 1932.
The 1917 Grand National was cancelled because Aintree Racecourse was taken over by the War Office. However, a substitute race known as the War Steeplechase was held at Gatwick Racecourse. The Gatwick races from 1916 to 1918 are typically omitted from the true Grand National records.
Thomas Frederic Rimell, better known as Fred Rimell, was a British champion National Hunt racing jockey and horse trainer. He was champion jockey three times and leading trainer five times. Rimell was the first jumping trainer to earn £1 million in prize money for his owners.
Nicolaus Silver was a racehorse noted for winning the 1961 Grand National.
Gay Trip was a racehorse noted for winning the 1970 Grand National.
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