1954 Grand National

1954 Grand National
Grand National
LocationAintree Racecourse
Date27 March 1954
Winning horseRepublic of Ireland Royal Tan
Starting price8/1
JockeyRepublic of Ireland Bryan Marshall
TrainerRepublic of Ireland Vincent O'Brien
OwnerRepublic of Ireland Joe H. Griffin
ConditionsGood
← 1953
1955 →
External videos
video icon Highlights of the 1954 Grand National (British Pathé)

The 1954 Grand National was the 108th annual renewal of the Grand National steeplechase that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 10 April 1954.

The race was won by ten-year-old gelding Royal Tan, an 8/1 shot trained by Vincent O'Brien. O'Brien had also trained the previous year's winner, Early Mist, and would secure a third consecutive win the following year with Quare Times.[1] Royal Tan was ridden by jockey Bryan Marshall, who also won his second consecutive Grand National. Tudor Line was second and the 15/2 favourite Irish Lizard finished third.[2]

Only 29 horses ran in the race, the fewest since 1935 when 27 ran.[2] The 1954 running saw four equine fatalities during the race; this remains the only Grand National renewal to have yielded four fatalities. Dominick's Bar dropped dead jumping the second fence; Paris New York incurred a cervical fracture at the fourth. Legal Joy, who finished second two years previously, broke a leg at the 13th and was euthanised, while Coneyburrow was injured at the 28th and was also put down. The two latter fatalities remain the only ones ever recorded at the 13th and 28th fences in the Grand National.[3]

Finishing order

[edit]
Position Name Jockey Age Handicap (st-lb) SP Distance
01 Royal Tan Bryan Marshall 10 11-7 8/1 A Neck[4]
02 Tudor Line George Slack 9 10-7 10/1
03 Irish Lizard Michael Scudamore 11 10-5 15/2
04 Churchtown Tos Taaffe 9 10-3 10/1
05 Sanperion Derek Leslie 9 10-2 20/1
06 Martinique Mr E Greenaway 8 10-1 66/1
07 Uncle Barney Leo McMorrow 11 10-1 50/1
08 Southern Coup Arthur Thompson 12 10-10 40/1
09 Ontray Bobby Brewis 6 10-8 66/1 Last to complete

Non-finishers

[edit]
Fence Name Jockey Age Handicap (st-lb) SP Fate
01 Alberoni Mr E Cousins 11 10-12 66/1 Fell
01 Gentle Moya John Straker 8 10-0 100/6 Fell
01 Swinton Hero Mr C Harty 10 10-6 66/1 Fell
01 Whispering Steel Bert Morrow 9 10-12 40/1 Fell
02 Dominick's Bar Tim Molony 10 10-7 33/1 Fell
02 Minmax Capt M MacEwan 10 10-0 66/1 Refused
03 Baire John Foster 8 10-0 66/1 Fell
04 Paris New York Mick Roberts 7 10-0 66/1 Fell
05 Gay Monarch II Tim Brookshaw 8 10-4 50/1 Fell
08 Statesman Eddie Newman 8 10-0 50/1 Fell
12 Border Luck Tommy Shone 9 10-0 66/1 Fell
13 Legal Joy David Dick 11 11-3 33/1 Fell
15 Triple Torch Derek Ancil 8 10-0 66/1 Unseated Rider
15 Hiebra Rex Hamey 9 10-0 66/1 Fell
19 Icy Calm Dick Francis 11 10-5 40/1 Pulled Up
23 Ordnance Jack Dowdeswell 8 10-1 18/1 Fell
23 Prince of Aragon J Gorey 13 10-2 66/1 Fell
28 Coneyburrow Pat Taaffe 8 10-11 8/1 Fell
28 Punchestown Star Sam McComb 10 10-0 66/1 Refused
28 Royal Stuart Jimmy Power 11 10-0 66/1 Refused

[5] [6] [7]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "BBC News | GRAND NATIONAL | The Grand National 1839-1955". BBC News. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  2. ^ a b "The Aintree Grand National 2006 – History". aintreegrandnational.co.uk. Archived from the original on 28 June 2014. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  3. ^ "GRAND NATIONAL (CRUELTY)". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 29 April 1954. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  4. ^ "1954".
  5. ^ The Grand National : the history of the Aintree spectacular, by Stewart Peters & Bernard Parkin, ISBN 0-7524-3547-7
  6. ^ "1954 – The Grand National & Aintree 1946-1959". fiftiesnationals.webs.com. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  7. ^ "Past Winners of The Grand National". grand-national.net. Archived from the original on 4 November 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2014.