....you used to run a whole gamut of emotions with these Nationals....the expectation first thing in the morning ..tension building up early afternoon.....the preliminaries start....the milling around in the 2 circles..then the parade...the lining up at the start....and then they're off.....and the flat feeling when its finally over...and there won't be another National for another year....no other sporting event had that effect....
chatham43 that was my feelings also from the start of the day,they have ruined the course with all of the trappings taken away.It was an highlight of my year but it is not the same for me that is for sure! Once they started to change they took the heart and soul from the course. A 'save the Grand National' was put in place around this time when the race was in doubt through 'The Sun' newspaper,I just wonder how much contributions would of been gained if those that contributed knew what would happen to the course in the forthcoming years. Once the course got in the hands of the Jockey Club it was only going to head in one direction,it wouldn't of happened under the Topham family that is for sure!
all the excitement and build up that was their in the 80s has all gone, also liked the 3 regular commentators they were all different, commentators today all sound the same, the fences have all been changed and social media means you can watch any of the old races any time u want, remember watching the 83 race, didnt have a video then think i had to wait 25 years to watch the race again
Ha ha... you mean, aren't we treated to the sight of panicking stablelads and lasses running onto the course with buckets of water, and then Balding's "Ladies and gentlemen..." as the winner is led under the tunnel flanked by two beer cans (classy John Smith's touch to the new stand there).
The days when you dare not stop looking or miss it "forever". No breasting the fences. When Peter O'Sullivan says the softest part of the course, he didn't mean the holes in the fences but the ground. Proper race.
It's just another handicap chase now...Such a shame!! Loved Corbiere one of the National greats back when the fences took some jumping and had to be respected.
That voice David Coleman is in my blood I feel privileged to have been alive at this time. i was on Spartan Missile. Mum was a bookie the place was filled with acrid chem trails of blue baccy smoke, sweat and tweeds it was easy to forget for a day how poor you were, that and the FA Cup final prior to all the f*** abouts..gimme them days back any day what a leap near side of that third fence
Did you work there jenny I remember reading that was what corbieres name at the yard?also found out Graham Thorner rode him as well before he finished when he was starting his career
Good post. Do you have the interviews that followed afterwards? I remember David Coleman interviewing a very emotional history making trainer, Jenny Pitman.
Pretty cool. These easy and weaker jumps make it less demanding than todays race and the overall atmosphere isn’t quite there but still excellent for its time
Hallo dandy at 60 to 1 odd price some getting sent of at 500 to 1 Sydney Quinn 300 to 1 2nd in 81 foxhunters real mixed bag great chasers like grittar keengaddy corbierre Peaty Sandy and some who wud struggle to win a point to point thats what made the race great now it 40 normal chasers boring
Colonel Christy didnt run in another national till 1987 unusual to have such a gap Jerry won in 1840 then returned and ran in 1847 one gap that won't be beaten thats if it really was the same horse
I dont think its the same Jerry as the ages work out about 4 years difference. Its a good brain teaser. I know of 3 year gaps. If you include gaps between runs over the national fences then I know of 5 and a 6-year gaps If memory serves Colonel Christy (half brother to Captain Christy) was entered in 1984 (allotted 9-9) but sometime between the weights published (31st Jan) and the next jump season he was injured as he missed the entire 84/85 season. I dont recall him in the 1985/86 season either. He was entered in 1989, near the bottom of the weights as he was balloted out
@@teenoso4069 noone was balloted out in 1989....Mr Chris was last in the handicap and got a run....Colonel Christy was entered in 1988 but sadly died before the race aged 14
@@nationalcolours1124 Mr Chris was the last horse that made it into the 40. At the 5 day stage there were more than 40 horses with riders. Colonel Christy and Sicilian Answer were both declared but outside the safety limit. Colonel Christy was 8 in 1983 and this 14 in 1989 not 1988. I have the full list of weighted entries
@@teenoso4069 not in 1989....I have all the original weights too for every year since 1836....Mr Chris was last weighted in 1989 and last to get in...Sicilain Answer wasn't even entered until 1990
O sullevan makes lots of errors in his middle commentary and only lists the 2 fallers at the chair about 6 mostly tailenders were stopped at the chair no mention
....you used to run a whole gamut of emotions with these Nationals....the expectation first thing in the morning ..tension building up early afternoon.....the preliminaries start....the milling around in the 2 circles..then the parade...the lining up at the start....and then they're off.....and the flat feeling when its finally over...and there won't be another National for another year....no other sporting event had that effect....
You sum it up nicely
chatham43 that was my feelings also from the start of the day,they have ruined the course with all of the trappings taken away.It was an highlight of my year but it is not the same for me that is for sure!
Once they started to change they took the heart and soul from the course.
A 'save the Grand National' was put in place around this time when the race was in doubt through 'The Sun' newspaper,I just wonder how much contributions would of been gained if those that contributed knew what would happen to the course in the forthcoming years.
Once the course got in the hands of the Jockey Club it was only going to head in one direction,it wouldn't of happened under the Topham family that is for sure!
...when you compare it with what it is now it makes you weep....
all the excitement and build up that was their in the 80s has all gone, also liked the 3 regular commentators they were all different, commentators today all sound the same, the fences have all been changed and social media means you can watch any of the old races any time u want, remember watching the 83 race, didnt have a video then think i had to wait 25 years to watch the race again
Same with the Badminton 3 day event. These people couldnt ride the fences of yesterday.
...nice to see extended coverage of these Nationals....with not a Clare Balding in sight......
Ha ha... you mean, aren't we treated to the sight of panicking stablelads and lasses running onto the course with buckets of water, and then Balding's "Ladies and gentlemen..." as the winner is led under the tunnel flanked by two beer cans (classy John Smith's touch to the new stand there).
Great to have all this old footage.
Grittar was favourite 2 years running, Amazing!! What a horse he was, much underrated.. never fell over the big old fences!!
The days when you dare not stop looking or miss it "forever". No breasting the fences. When Peter O'Sullivan says the softest part of the course, he didn't mean the holes in the fences but the ground. Proper race.
It's just another handicap chase now...Such a shame!! Loved Corbiere one of the National greats back when the fences took some jumping and had to be respected.
Could have come close to three nationals without the aintree factor on his back back then
That voice David Coleman is in my blood I feel privileged to have been alive at this time. i was on Spartan Missile. Mum was a bookie the place was filled with acrid chem trails of blue baccy smoke, sweat and tweeds it was easy to forget for a day how poor you were, that and the FA Cup final prior to all the f*** abouts..gimme them days back any day what a leap near side of that third fence
Ahhh sweet little Corky what an amazing horse! Such happy memories :)
Did you work there jenny I remember reading that was what corbieres name at the yard?also found out Graham Thorner rode him as well before he finished when he was starting his career
It’s always good to remember the'old' horses.
Why?
@@petervankan1 Fond memories are a good thing! Remembering great horses like Arkle and Red Rum can never be a bad thing.
Thank you for this. I was 10 years old and had to miss the race as I was at a wedding. 1st time I've seen the pre race coverage.
....someone had a poor sense of timing....lol...
I know, how bloody thoughtless!!!!!. Don't people realise how important the Grand National is?????
dont you mean was
shaun spadah still is, but sadly not the race it was.
I dreamt the winner (Corbiere) the night before the race put 10 quid on (its all I had)..then watched a dream come true.
Good post. Do you have the interviews that followed afterwards? I remember David Coleman interviewing a very emotional history making trainer, Jenny Pitman.
Thanks Eddie
Pretty cool. These easy and weaker jumps make it less demanding than todays race and the overall atmosphere isn’t quite there but still excellent for its time
Amazing how according to the commentator Duncreggon was still running a good few minutes after he'd already dropped dead at the canal turn.
Great race when it was a proper test of horsemanship and class.
RIP 😢
The Grand National is the Ceserewitch for the Jumpers
Hallo dandy at 60 to 1 odd price some getting sent of at 500 to 1 Sydney Quinn 300 to 1 2nd in 81 foxhunters real mixed bag great chasers like grittar keengaddy corbierre Peaty Sandy and some who wud struggle to win a point to point thats what made the race great now it 40 normal chasers boring
i believe he was led up by Bryan Smart
its the same starting gate and tape they used for lotterys race
whos riding on the train when the grand nationals on
....people with VCR's....
Tower moss the grey
trying to spot my trainer in this
Colonel Christy didnt run in another national till 1987 unusual to have such a gap Jerry won in 1840 then returned and ran in 1847 one gap that won't be beaten thats if it really was the same horse
I dont think its the same Jerry as the ages work out about 4 years difference. Its a good brain teaser. I know of 3 year gaps. If you include gaps between runs over the national fences then I know of 5 and a 6-year gaps If memory serves Colonel Christy (half brother to Captain Christy) was entered in 1984 (allotted 9-9) but sometime between the weights published (31st Jan) and the next jump season he was injured as he missed the entire 84/85 season. I dont recall him in the 1985/86 season either. He was entered in 1989, near the bottom of the weights as he was balloted out
@@teenoso4069 noone was balloted out in 1989....Mr Chris was last in the handicap and got a run....Colonel Christy was entered in 1988 but sadly died before the race aged 14
@@nationalcolours1124 Mr Chris was the last horse that made it into the 40. At the 5 day stage there were more than 40 horses with riders. Colonel Christy and Sicilian Answer were both declared but outside the safety limit. Colonel Christy was 8 in 1983 and this 14 in 1989 not 1988. I have the full list of weighted entries
@@teenoso4069 sorry....can;t agree....Mr Chris was the final horse of those declared to run...no one was balloted out in 1989
@@teenoso4069 not in 1989....I have all the original weights too for every year since 1836....Mr Chris was last weighted in 1989 and last to get in...Sicilain Answer wasn't even entered until 1990
O sullevan makes lots of errors in his middle commentary and only lists the 2 fallers at the chair about 6 mostly tailenders were stopped at the chair no mention
The Chair in 1984 was just as bad and there were only 2 fallers then.
Why did it look like the Americans girl wearing spurs?
She probably was. They were allowed in a modified form in racing into the 1990s for sure.. Might still be.
Give that horse a drink ffs