1999 Grand National
Encyclopedia
The 1999 Grand National was the 152nd official renewal of the world-famous Grand National
steeplechase
that took place at Aintree
near Liverpool
, England
, on 10 April 1999.
The race was won in a time of nine minutes and 14.1 seconds and by a distance of ten lengths by 10/1 shot Bobbyjo
, ridden by jockey Paul Carberry
. The winner was trained by Tommy Carberry
in Ratoath
, Ireland
, and ran in the colours of London-based Irish businessman Bobby Bourke. 32 runners took part and 18 completed the course without mishap, but Eudipe suffered a fatal fall at Becher's Brook
.
A ruling was also introduced banning the practice of running a horse in the Grand National and any other race in the three-day meeting. This brought to an end the practice of horses running over the National course on the Thursday or Friday before running in the National on Saturday, although by 1999 such instances had become very rare.
the previous November and followed that by finishing second in the Welsh National
, Singer & Friedlander Grand National Trial and Greenalls Grand National Trial in the build-up to the National itself. The horse was partnered by 1996
winning rider Mick Fitzgerald
, and moved into the leading half-dozen as the field approached the racecourse for the end of the first circuit. They remained prominent until falling at Becher's Brook on the second circuit when lying seventh.
Call It A Day had won the Whitbread Gold Cup at Sandown the previous April and prepared for the National by finishing second in the Midlands Grand National three weeks before Aintree. Richard Dunwoody
took the ride and as the most experienced rider in the race the two-time former winner joined a group of eleven men to have weighed out for fourteen Nationals. Call It A day was sent off at 7/1 and moved into contention on the second circuit to form part of a group of eight with a chance turning for home and took the final flight half a length down in second place. Within strides he had been passed by the eventual winner and although he rallied on the run-in he finished ten lengths and a neck down in third place. 1999 was Dunwoody's last National as he later retired on medical grounds when advised he stood an increasing risk of serious neck injury if he suffered many more riding falls.
Double Thriller was a hunter chaser who had run impressively to finish fourth in the previous month's Cheltenham Gold Cup
, being installed as favourite for the National in the process. His restrictive odds on raceday led most in attendance on course on race day to oppose him with the result he drifted to 7/1 joint-second favourite at the off. Joe Tizzard took the ride but their partnership came to an end at the first fence. When the racecourse commentator called the horse's exit it was unusually met with a huge cheer from the crowd who had backed against him.
Addington Boy had been one place behind Double Thriller in the Gold Cup, having earlier finished third in the Irish Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown
in February. Adrian Maguire
took the ride on the 10/1 shot who was among the leading eight turning for home but was unable to quicken into the last fence, finishing over 17 lengths behind the winner in fourth.
Bobbyjo
had won the 1998 Irish Grand National
and was the believed to be the best contender to halt a 24 year drought for Irish-trained runners in the National. The horse was unusually prepped in a minor hurdles race and remained freely available at odds as long as 40/1 until race day when his priced was slashed down to 10/1 at the off. Paul Carberry
took the ride and steered the horse wide of his rivals at the final flight to lead up the run-in and score by 10 lengths.
Eudipe had finished second in the 1998 Scottish Grand National
and fourth in the Welsh National but it was her win in the Anthony Mildmay and Peter Cazelet Memorial Chase at Sandown in January that attracted the attention of punters. Her 10/1 starting price also had a lot to do with her being partnered by champion jockey Tony McCoy
, which countered the three negatives of the horse being a seven-year-old, French-trained, and a mare (no horse of her age, sex or nationality had won the race for over 40 years). She was travelling well, at the rear of a leading group of 12 runners when she fell heavily and fatally at Becher's Brook on the second circuit.
Other popular fancies in the market were 1998 Scottish National winner Baronet, 1997 and 1998 Grand National runner-up Suny Bay, 1996Sun Alliance Chase winner Nahthen Lad, 1998 Grand National
winner Earth Summit, and the Peter Marsh Chase
winner General Wolfe.
The six riders making their debut in the race all predictably found themselves as outsiders. Brian Harding fared best, finishing fifth, while Barry Fenton, Garrett Cotter and Steve Wynne, the latter in his only attempt at the National, also completed the course. Robert Widger failed to get round as he attempted to emulate his great-uncle who rode the winner in 1895, while Adie Smith also failed to complete.
Second-placed jockey Lorcan Wyer said: "Down at the start he [Blue Charm] was whipping round a bit, and I thought we might even fall at the first. He gave me a tremendous ride but didn't quite see it out at the end."
Tony McCoy suffered bruised ribs during the race but none of the riders required hospital treatment.
retained the rights to broadcast the entire meeting live on BBC One
for the 40th consecutive year, culminating with a Grandstand
Grand National special on the Saturday, hosted for the final time by Des Lynam
, who moved to rival broadcaster ITV
later that year.
The commentary team for the second consecutive year consisted of John Hanmer, Tony O'Hehir and lead commentator Jim McGrath
the latter of whom was calling home the winner for the second time.
Racing UK
broadcast the race into betting shops and sports social clubs across the country with commentary taken from the racecourse itself. Graham Goode called the winner home.
Television pictures were broadcast from fixed cameras situated at Becher's Brook, the Canal Turn
, Anchor Bridge crossing and the grandstand, as well as a tracking cam fixed to the roof of a car travelling alongside the runners. Additional cameras also covered the race from a helicopter, inside fences and from the perspective of the riders through cameras in the caps of Brian Harding and Stephen Wynne. These additional pictures were not used in the original broadcast of the race but were used during a detailed replay of the race where Richard Pitman
talked viewers through the race.
Grand National
The Grand National is a world-famous National Hunt horse race which is held annually at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, England. It is a handicap chase run over a distance of four miles and 856 yards , with horses jumping thirty fences over two circuits of Aintree's National Course...
steeplechase
Steeplechase
Steeplechase may refer to:* Steeplechase, an event in horse racing* SteepleChase, a Danish jazz label* Steeplechase , a 1975 arcade game released by Atari...
that took place at Aintree
Aintree Racecourse
Aintree Racecourse is a racecourse in Aintree, Merseyside, England.It was served by Aintree Racecourse railway station until the station closed in the 1960s....
near Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, on 10 April 1999.
The race was won in a time of nine minutes and 14.1 seconds and by a distance of ten lengths by 10/1 shot Bobbyjo
Bobbyjo
Bobbyjo was an Irish bred racehorse by Bustineto and Markup, best remembered as the winner of the 1999 Grand National steeplechase at Aintree....
, ridden by jockey Paul Carberry
Paul Carberry
Paul Carberry is an Irish National Hunt jockey.- Background :He was born on 9 February 1974. He hails from a racing family. He is the son of jockey Tommy Carberry, who was a famous National Hunt jockey in the 1960s and 1970s. His uncle is Arthur Moore, one of Ireland's leading National Hunt trainers...
. The winner was trained by Tommy Carberry
Tommy Carberry
Tommy Carberry is a retired National Hunt jockey who was twice overall champion Irish jockey and five times champion national hunt jockey. He rode in his first race in 1958, and was crowned champion apprentice in 1959...
in Ratoath
Ratoath
Ratoath is a town in the barony of the same name, County Meath in Ireland. The town is centered on the point where the R125 and R155 regional roads meet. In the 1996 census, the population was recorded as 1,061. In the 2006 census, it was 7,249...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and ran in the colours of London-based Irish businessman Bobby Bourke. 32 runners took part and 18 completed the course without mishap, but Eudipe suffered a fatal fall at Becher's Brook
Becher's Brook
Becher's Brook is a fence jumped during the Grand National, a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England. It is jumped twice during the race, as the sixth and 22nd fence, as well as on four other occasions during the year...
.
Rule changes
1999 saw the conditions of the race change with the introduction of new rules for the 48-hour declaration stage. This brought in a system where horses numbered 41-43 were made reserves for the race and allowed to get into the final 40 should any runner withdraw by noon on the eve of the race. The rule was not required this year as less than 40 declared to run.A ruling was also introduced banning the practice of running a horse in the Grand National and any other race in the three-day meeting. This brought to an end the practice of horses running over the National course on the Thursday or Friday before running in the National on Saturday, although by 1999 such instances had become very rare.
Leading contenders
Fiddling The Facts was made the 6/1 favourite on the day of the race after a series of impressive, albeit not victorious, runs during the season. The mare had been third in the Hennessy Gold Cup at NewburyNewbury Racecourse
Newbury Racecourse is a racecourse in the civil parish of Greenham, adjoining the town of Newbury in Berkshire, England. It has courses for flat races and over jumps...
the previous November and followed that by finishing second in the Welsh National
Welsh National
The Welsh National is a Grade 3 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Chepstow, Wales, over a distance of about 3 miles and 5½ furlongs , and during its running there are twenty-two fences to be jumped...
, Singer & Friedlander Grand National Trial and Greenalls Grand National Trial in the build-up to the National itself. The horse was partnered by 1996
1996 Grand National
The 1996 Grand National was the 149th official renewal of the world-famous Grand National steeplechase that took place at Aintree on 30 March 1996....
winning rider Mick Fitzgerald
Mick Fitzgerald
Mick Fitzgerald is an Irish National Hunt jockey who rode mainly in Great Britain. He has ridden the winners of the Grand National, on Rough Quest in 1996, and the Cheltenham Gold Cup on See More Business in 1999. He was the stable jockey for Nicky Henderson and was leading jockey at the...
, and moved into the leading half-dozen as the field approached the racecourse for the end of the first circuit. They remained prominent until falling at Becher's Brook on the second circuit when lying seventh.
Call It A Day had won the Whitbread Gold Cup at Sandown the previous April and prepared for the National by finishing second in the Midlands Grand National three weeks before Aintree. Richard Dunwoody
Richard Dunwoody
Thomas Richard Dunwoody MBE is a retired British jockey in National Hunt racing. He was a three-time Champion Jockey, riding 1699 British winners in his career. His father was a leading Point to Point rider...
took the ride and as the most experienced rider in the race the two-time former winner joined a group of eleven men to have weighed out for fourteen Nationals. Call It A day was sent off at 7/1 and moved into contention on the second circuit to form part of a group of eight with a chance turning for home and took the final flight half a length down in second place. Within strides he had been passed by the eventual winner and although he rallied on the run-in he finished ten lengths and a neck down in third place. 1999 was Dunwoody's last National as he later retired on medical grounds when advised he stood an increasing risk of serious neck injury if he suffered many more riding falls.
Double Thriller was a hunter chaser who had run impressively to finish fourth in the previous month's Cheltenham Gold Cup
Cheltenham Gold Cup
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in the United Kingdom which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles and 2½ furlongs , and during its running there are twenty-two fences to be jumped...
, being installed as favourite for the National in the process. His restrictive odds on raceday led most in attendance on course on race day to oppose him with the result he drifted to 7/1 joint-second favourite at the off. Joe Tizzard took the ride but their partnership came to an end at the first fence. When the racecourse commentator called the horse's exit it was unusually met with a huge cheer from the crowd who had backed against him.
Addington Boy had been one place behind Double Thriller in the Gold Cup, having earlier finished third in the Irish Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown
Leopardstown Racecourse
Leopardstown Racecourse is an Irish horse-racing venue. Like the majority of Irish courses, it hosts both National Hunt and Flat racing. Located in Leopardstown, County Dublin, 8km south of the Dublin city centre. The course was built by Captain George Quin and modeled on Sandown Park Racecourse...
in February. Adrian Maguire
Adrian Maguire
Adrian Maguire, born 29 April 1971 in Kilmessan, County Meath, Ireland, is a racehorse trainer and former jockey.Maguire began his career in Irish pony racing at the age of nine, in which he rode more than 200 winners. In 1990 he rode his first winner under rules, at Sligo, before his first victory...
took the ride on the 10/1 shot who was among the leading eight turning for home but was unable to quicken into the last fence, finishing over 17 lengths behind the winner in fourth.
Bobbyjo
Bobbyjo
Bobbyjo was an Irish bred racehorse by Bustineto and Markup, best remembered as the winner of the 1999 Grand National steeplechase at Aintree....
had won the 1998 Irish Grand National
Irish Grand National
The Irish Grand National is a National Hunt chase in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Fairyhouse over a distance of about 3 miles and 5 furlongs , and during its running there are twenty-four fences to be jumped...
and was the believed to be the best contender to halt a 24 year drought for Irish-trained runners in the National. The horse was unusually prepped in a minor hurdles race and remained freely available at odds as long as 40/1 until race day when his priced was slashed down to 10/1 at the off. Paul Carberry
Paul Carberry
Paul Carberry is an Irish National Hunt jockey.- Background :He was born on 9 February 1974. He hails from a racing family. He is the son of jockey Tommy Carberry, who was a famous National Hunt jockey in the 1960s and 1970s. His uncle is Arthur Moore, one of Ireland's leading National Hunt trainers...
took the ride and steered the horse wide of his rivals at the final flight to lead up the run-in and score by 10 lengths.
Eudipe had finished second in the 1998 Scottish Grand National
Scottish Grand National
The Scottish Grand National is a Grade 3 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Ayr, Scotland, over a distance of approximately 4 miles and 110 yards and 27 fences...
and fourth in the Welsh National but it was her win in the Anthony Mildmay and Peter Cazelet Memorial Chase at Sandown in January that attracted the attention of punters. Her 10/1 starting price also had a lot to do with her being partnered by champion jockey Tony McCoy
Tony McCoy
Anthony Peter McCoy OBE , commonly known as A. P. McCoy or Tony McCoy, is a Northern Irish horse racing jockey....
, which countered the three negatives of the horse being a seven-year-old, French-trained, and a mare (no horse of her age, sex or nationality had won the race for over 40 years). She was travelling well, at the rear of a leading group of 12 runners when she fell heavily and fatally at Becher's Brook on the second circuit.
Other popular fancies in the market were 1998 Scottish National winner Baronet, 1997 and 1998 Grand National runner-up Suny Bay, 1996Sun Alliance Chase winner Nahthen Lad, 1998 Grand National
1998 Grand National
The 1998 Grand National was the 151st official renewal of the world-famous Grand National steeplechase that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 4 April 1998....
winner Earth Summit, and the Peter Marsh Chase
Peter Marsh Chase
The Peter Marsh Chase is a Grade 2 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Haydock Park over a distance of about 3 miles , and during its running there are eighteen fences to be jumped. It is a limited handicap race, and it is scheduled to...
winner General Wolfe.
The six riders making their debut in the race all predictably found themselves as outsiders. Brian Harding fared best, finishing fifth, while Barry Fenton, Garrett Cotter and Steve Wynne, the latter in his only attempt at the National, also completed the course. Robert Widger failed to get round as he attempted to emulate his great-uncle who rode the winner in 1895, while Adie Smith also failed to complete.
Finishing order
| Position | Name | Jockey | Age | Weight (st, lb) | Starting price | Distance |
| 1st | Bobbyjo Bobbyjo Bobbyjo was an Irish bred racehorse by Bustineto and Markup, best remembered as the winner of the 1999 Grand National steeplechase at Aintree.... |
Paul Carberry Paul Carberry Paul Carberry is an Irish National Hunt jockey.- Background :He was born on 9 February 1974. He hails from a racing family. He is the son of jockey Tommy Carberry, who was a famous National Hunt jockey in the 1960s and 1970s. His uncle is Arthur Moore, one of Ireland's leading National Hunt trainers... |
9 | 10-00 | 10/1 | Won by 10 lengths |
| 2nd | Blue Charm | Lorcan Wyer | 9 | 10-00 | 25/1 | A neck |
| 3rd | Call It A Day | Richard Dunwoody Richard Dunwoody Thomas Richard Dunwoody MBE is a retired British jockey in National Hunt racing. He was a three-time Champion Jockey, riding 1699 British winners in his career. His father was a leading Point to Point rider... |
9 | 10-02 | 7/1 | 7 lengths |
| 4th | Addington Boy | Adrian Maguire Adrian Maguire Adrian Maguire, born 29 April 1971 in Kilmessan, County Meath, Ireland, is a racehorse trainer and former jockey.Maguire began his career in Irish pony racing at the age of nine, in which he rode more than 200 winners. In 1990 he rode his first winner under rules, at Sligo, before his first victory... |
11 | 10-07 | 10/1 | 5 lengths |
| 5th | Feels Like Gold | Brian Harding | 11 | 10-00 | 50/1 | 14 lengths |
| 6th | Brave Highlander (IRE Republic of Ireland Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,... ) |
Philip Hide | 11 | 10-01 | 50/1 | 18 lengths |
| 7th | Kendall Cavalier | Barry Fenton | 9 | 10-03 | 28/1 | A head |
| 8th | Earth Summit | Carl Llewellyn | 11 | 11-00 | 16/1 | Short head |
| 9th | St. Mellion Fairway (IRE Republic of Ireland Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,... ) |
Jimmy Frost | 10 | 10-02 | 200/1 | 14 lengths |
| 10th | Samlee (IRE Republic of Ireland Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,... ) |
Rod Farrant | 10 | 10-00 | 50/1 | 2 lengths |
| 11th | Nahthen Lad (IRE Republic of Ireland Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,... ) |
Andrew Thornton Andrew Thornton Andrew Thornton is a National Hunt jockey. He was born on October 28, 1972 in Cleveland and schooled at Barnard Castle School in County Durham. He rides mainly for Caroline Bailey,Seamus Mullins,Henrietta Knight,Ben Pollock and Richard Rowe.as well as for many other trainers. He is not related to... |
10 | 10-02 | 14/1 | A distance |
| 12th | General Wolfe | Norman Williamson Norman Williamson Norman Williamson is a professional jockey in the Irish National Hunt.- References :... |
10 | 11-01 | 18/1 | 1¼ lengths |
| 13th | Suny Bay (IRE Republic of Ireland Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,... ) |
Graham Bradley | 10 | 11-13 | 12/1 | 5 lengths |
| 14th | Back Bar | Dean Gallagher | 11 | 10-00 | 200/1 | 1¼ lengths |
| 15th | Strong Chairman | Robert Thornton Robert Thornton (jockey) Robert "Choc" Thornton is an English National Hunt jockey currently employed as stable jockey to Alan King.... |
8 | 10-00 | 50/1 | ¾ lengths |
| 16th | Merry People | Garrett Cotter | 11 | 10-00 | 200/1 | 4 lengths (remounted) |
| 17th | Avro Anson | Tony Dobbin Tony Dobbin Tony Dobbin is a retired Northern Irish National Hunt jockey who rode mainly in Great Britain. He rode the winner of the Grand National on Lord Gyllene in 1997 and won over 1,200 races during his career in the saddle. He was the regular stable jockey for Nicky Richards... |
11 | 10-00 | 40/1 | 24 lengths |
| 18th | Coome Hill | Stephen Wynne | 10 | 10-11 | 25/1 | Last to complete |
Non-finishers
| Fence | Name | Jockey | Age | Weight (st, lb) | Starting price | Fate |
| 1st | Double Thriller | Joe Tizzard | 9 | 10-08 | 7/1 | Fell |
| 4th | Baronet | Richard Johnson Richard Johnson (jockey) Richard Johnson is an English National Hunt jockey.-Background:Johnson comes from a racing family with his father being an amateur jockey and his mother, Sue Johnson, a successful trainer.-Jockey career:... |
9 | 12/1 | 10-02 | Fell |
| 6th (Becher's Brook Becher's Brook Becher's Brook is a fence jumped during the Grand National, a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England. It is jumped twice during the race, as the sixth and 22nd fence, as well as on four other occasions during the year... ) |
Mudahim | Brendan Powell | 13 | 10-00 | 100/1 | Unseated rider |
| Tamarindo | Timmy Murphy Timmy Murphy Timothy James Murphy , commonly known as Timmy Murphy, is a National Hunt jockey who overcame difficult personal problems to win the 2008 John Smith's Grand National at Aintree Racecourse on the horse Comply or Die. He recorded his 1,000th winner at Taunton on 21 January 2010.- References :... |
6 | 10-04 | 66/1 | Fell | |
| 15th (The Chair) | Cavelero | Sean Curran | 10 | 10-00 | 50/1 | Pulled up |
| 18th | Commercial Artist | Tom Jenks | 13 | 10-02 | 200/1 | Tailed off, pulled up |
| 19th | Cyborgo | Conor O'Dwyer | 9 | 10-11 | 50/1 | Tailed off, pulled up |
| 22nd (Becher's Brook) | Fiddling The Facts | Mick Fitzgerald Mick Fitzgerald Mick Fitzgerald is an Irish National Hunt jockey who rode mainly in Great Britain. He has ridden the winners of the Grand National, on Rough Quest in 1996, and the Cheltenham Gold Cup on See More Business in 1999. He was the stable jockey for Nicky Henderson and was leading jockey at the... |
8 | 10-03 | 6/1 F | Fell |
| Eudipe | Tony McCoy Tony McCoy Anthony Peter McCoy OBE , commonly known as A. P. McCoy or Tony McCoy, is a Northern Irish horse racing jockey.... |
7 | 10-10 | 10/1 | Fell (fatally) | |
| Frazer Island | Richard Guest | 10 | 10-02 | 200/1 | Fell | |
| Camelot Knight | Chris Maude | 13 | 10-00 | 200/1 | Brought down | |
| Choisty (IRE Republic of Ireland Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,... ) |
Mr. Robert Widger | 9 | 10-00 | 200/1 | Hampered, unseated | |
| 25th | Castle Coin | Adie Smith | 7 | 10-00 | 200/1 | Tailed off, hampered, unseated |
| 27th | Bell's Life | Glenn Tormey | 10 | 10-00 | 66/1 | Tailed off, pulled up |
Aftermath
Winning jockey Paul Carberry said after the race: "I thought he had a good chance when the ground dried up. I got a good start and was handy the whole way. I was able to get a breather into him whenever I wanted. He jumped very well and I sat as long as I could. Going towards the second-last Adrian [Maguire, on Addington Boy] came in a bit, so I switched to the outside. I knew he would quicken and quicken. I got a great jump at the last, and from the elbow I didn't look back. I knew that he would keep going and nothing would get to him. It's a great feeling, but it'll take a while to sink in."Second-placed jockey Lorcan Wyer said: "Down at the start he [Blue Charm] was whipping round a bit, and I thought we might even fall at the first. He gave me a tremendous ride but didn't quite see it out at the end."
Tony McCoy suffered bruised ribs during the race but none of the riders required hospital treatment.
Coverage
The BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
retained the rights to broadcast the entire meeting live on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
for the 40th consecutive year, culminating with a Grandstand
Grandstand (BBC)
Grandstand was a British television sport programme. Broadcast between 1958 and 2007, it was one of the BBC's longest running sports shows, alongside BBC Sports Personality of the Year.Its first presenter was Peter Dimmock...
Grand National special on the Saturday, hosted for the final time by Des Lynam
Des Lynam
Desmond Michael "Des" Lynam, OBE is an Irish television and radio presenter based in the UK.He has hosted television coverage of high profile events for many years...
, who moved to rival broadcaster ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
later that year.
The commentary team for the second consecutive year consisted of John Hanmer, Tony O'Hehir and lead commentator Jim McGrath
Jim McGrath (Australian commentator)
Jim Aloysius McGrath is the BBC's senior horse racing commentator. He was previously deputy race commentator, and sometimes a paddock commentator.-Career:...
the latter of whom was calling home the winner for the second time.
Racing UK
Racing UK
Racing UK Limited was launched as a subscription channel in 2004 with 30 racecourses as shareholders. As Racing UK grew several other business units and joint ventures were developed....
broadcast the race into betting shops and sports social clubs across the country with commentary taken from the racecourse itself. Graham Goode called the winner home.
Television pictures were broadcast from fixed cameras situated at Becher's Brook, the Canal Turn
Canal Turn
The Canal Turn is a fence on Aintree Racecourse's National Course and thus is jumped during the Grand National steeplechase which is held annually at the racecourse near Liverpool, England....
, Anchor Bridge crossing and the grandstand, as well as a tracking cam fixed to the roof of a car travelling alongside the runners. Additional cameras also covered the race from a helicopter, inside fences and from the perspective of the riders through cameras in the caps of Brian Harding and Stephen Wynne. These additional pictures were not used in the original broadcast of the race but were used during a detailed replay of the race where Richard Pitman
Richard Pitman
Richard Pitman, is a retired jump jockey who rode 470 winners in his career including Lanzarote in the 1974 Champion Hurdle). He also won the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park Racecourse twice, the Whitbread Gold Cup once and the Hennessy Gold Cup once....
talked viewers through the race.