Canal Turn
Encyclopedia
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
.
It is jumped twice during the race, as the eighth fence and the twenty-fourth fence.
The fence is notable for the sharp left turn that the runners have to take as soon as they have negotiated the fence. The turn is almost 90 degrees and it is not uncommon for jockeys to become unbalanced as they change course; unseatings and falls are common. Four equine fatalities have been recorded at the Canal Turn since the Grand National's founding in 1839
. The most recent was The Last Fling in 2002
.
The Canal Turn has been the scene of a number of incidents that have had a major impact upon the outcome of the Grand National.
In the 1928 Grand National, the favourite and top weight Easter Hero refused at the ditch which at the time preceded the fence(this was filled in following the race). This refusal took out 20 horses. By the end of the first circuit only six horses remained in the field. By the final fence just two remained. Billy Barton fell at the last, leaving the 100/1 outsider Tipperary Tim to finish alone. Billy Barton was, however, remounted to pick up the second-place prize money.
In the 2001 Grand National
the riderless Paddy's Return ran in front of the field as they approached the fence. This caused a number of horses to be stopped in their tracks or brought down. In total nine horses in the field were taken out of the race at the Canal Turn, including Amberleigh House
, who went on to win the National in 2004
. On the second circuit Paddy's Return again ran across the fence, but this time Red Marauder
, the eventual winner, and Smarty, who eventually took second, avoided the loose horse.
*Race void
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....
's National Course and thus is jumped during the Grand National
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...
which is held annually at the racecourse 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...
.
It is jumped twice during the race, as the eighth fence and the twenty-fourth fence.
The fence is notable for the sharp left turn that the runners have to take as soon as they have negotiated the fence. The turn is almost 90 degrees and it is not uncommon for jockeys to become unbalanced as they change course; unseatings and falls are common. Four equine fatalities have been recorded at the Canal Turn since the Grand National's founding in 1839
1839 Grand National
The 1839 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase was the first official annual running of a steeplechase which later became known as the Grand National.It was held at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 26 February 1839 and attracted a field of seventeen runners.Although recorded by the press at...
. The most recent was The Last Fling in 2002
2002 Grand National
The 2002 Grand National was the 155th official renewal of the world-famous Grand National steeplechase that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, at 3:45pm BST on 6 April 2002....
.
The Canal Turn has been the scene of a number of incidents that have had a major impact upon the outcome of the Grand National.
In the 1928 Grand National, the favourite and top weight Easter Hero refused at the ditch which at the time preceded the fence(this was filled in following the race). This refusal took out 20 horses. By the end of the first circuit only six horses remained in the field. By the final fence just two remained. Billy Barton fell at the last, leaving the 100/1 outsider Tipperary Tim to finish alone. Billy Barton was, however, remounted to pick up the second-place prize money.
In the 2001 Grand National
2001 Grand National
The 2001 Grand National was the 154th official renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 7 April 2001....
the riderless Paddy's Return ran in front of the field as they approached the fence. This caused a number of horses to be stopped in their tracks or brought down. In total nine horses in the field were taken out of the race at the Canal Turn, including Amberleigh House
Amberleigh House
Amberleigh House was the horse that won the 2004 Grand National. He is now retired and living at the National Stud in Newmarket.-Staff:Amberleigh House was trained by legend Ginger McCain, and was usually ridden by jockey Graham Lee, amongst others...
, who went on to win the National in 2004
2004 Grand National
The 2004 Grand National was the 157th official annual running of the world-famous Grand National steeplechase which took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 3 April 2004 and attracted the maximum permitted field of 40 competitors for total prize money of £600,000 including £348,000 to the...
. On the second circuit Paddy's Return again ran across the fence, but this time Red Marauder
Red Marauder
Red Marauder is a Thoroughbred race horse that won a dramatic 2001 renewal of the Grand National. Only four horses completed the race successfully - two of those having been remounted - due partly to the desperate conditions at Aintree and mainly thanks to the loose horse Paddy's Return causing...
, the eventual winner, and Smarty, who eventually took second, avoided the loose horse.
Number of fallers
This table documents the number of runners which fell in recent Grand Nationals at the Canal Turn, including those who unseated riders or were brought down, but not those who were pulled up or refused at the fence:| Year | Falls | Equine fatalities |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 2011 Grand National The 2011 Grand National was the 164th renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race held at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England.... |
1 | 0 |
| 2010 2010 Grand National The 2010 Grand National was the 163rd renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race that took place at the Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 10 April 2010.... |
1 | 0 |
| 2009 2009 Grand National The 2009 Grand National was the 162nd renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 4 April 2009... |
0 | 0 |
| 2008 2008 Grand National The 2008 Grand National was the 161st official annual running of the world-famous Grand National steeplechase which took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 5 April 2008 and attracted the maximum allowed field of 40 competitors, for total prize money of £450,640.Joint-favourite... |
2 | 0 |
| 2007 2007 Grand National The 2007 Grand National was the 160th official annual running of the world-famous Grand National steeplechase which took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 14 April 2007 and attracted the maximum permitted field of forty competitors for a total prize money of £700,000... |
3 | 0 |
| 2006 2006 Grand National The 2006 Grand National was the 159th official annual running of the Grand National steeplechase which took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 8 April 2006 and attracted the maximum permitted field of forty competitors for total prize money of £689,360 including £399,140 to the... |
1 | 0 |
| 2005 2005 Grand National The 2005 Grand National was the 158th official annual running of the world-famous Grand National steeplechase which took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 9 April 2005 and attracted the maximum permitted field of forty competitors for total prize money of £700,000 including £406,000 to... |
0 | 0 |
| 2004 2004 Grand National The 2004 Grand National was the 157th official annual running of the world-famous Grand National steeplechase which took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 3 April 2004 and attracted the maximum permitted field of 40 competitors for total prize money of £600,000 including £348,000 to the... |
0 | 0 |
| 2003 2003 Grand National The 2003 Grand National was the 156th renewal of the world-famous Grand National steeplechase that took place at Aintree at 3:45pm BST, on 5 April 2003.... |
1 | 0 |
| 2002 2002 Grand National The 2002 Grand National was the 155th official renewal of the world-famous Grand National steeplechase that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, at 3:45pm BST on 6 April 2002.... |
1 | 1 |
| 2001 2001 Grand National The 2001 Grand National was the 154th official renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 7 April 2001.... |
6 | 0 |
| 2000 2000 Grand National The 2000 Grand National was the 153rd official renewal of the world-famous Grand National steeplechase that took place at Aintree on 8 April 2000.... |
1 | 0 |
| 1999 1999 Grand National 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.... |
0 | 0 |
| 1998 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.... |
1 | 0 |
| 1997 1997 Grand National The 1997 Grand National was the 150th official renewal of the world-famous Grand National steeplechase held at Aintree near Liverpool, England... |
0 | 0 |
| 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.... |
2 | 0 |
| 1995 1995 Grand National The 1995 Grand National was the 148th official renewal of the famous Grand National steeplechase that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 8 April 1995.... |
0 | 0 |
| 1994 1994 Grand National The 1994 Grand National was the 147th official renewal the world-famous Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 9 April 1994.... |
2 | 0 |
| 1993 1993 Grand National The 1993 Grand National was scheduled on 3 April 1993 to be the 147th official renewal of the Grand National horse race, held annually at Aintree near Liverpool, England.... * |
1 | 0 |
| 1992 1992 Grand National The 1992 Grand National was the 146th official renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 4 April 1992.... |
1 | 0 |
| 1991 1991 Grand National The 1991 Grand National was the 145th renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 6 April 1991.... |
0 | 0 |
| 1990 1990 Grand National The 1990 Grand National was the 144th renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 7 April 1990.... |
1 | 1 |
| 1989 1989 Grand National The 1989 Grand National was the 143rd renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 8 April 1989.... |
0 | 0 |
| 1988 1988 Grand National The 1988 Grand National was the 142nd renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 9 April 1988.... |
2 | 0 |
*Race void
See also
- List of equine fatalities in the Grand National
- Becher's BrookBecher's BrookBecher'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...
- FoinavonFoinavonFoinavon was a relatively undistinguished Irish racehorse, until he became famous for winning the Grand National in 1967 after the rest of the field fell, refused or were hampered or brought down in a mêlée at the 23rd fence. He was at one time owned by Anne, Duchess of Westminster, whose colours...
- The Chair