Grand National Fence-to-Fence

Features / Timeform / 29 March 2010 / Leave a comment

Becher's Brook, rightly one of the most feared fences in all of steeplechasing

Timeform take a look at some of the famous fences on Aintree's Grand National course...

"Many a front runner has bowed out at Becher’s, including Andy Pandy (1977), West Tip (1985), Strands of Gold (1988) and Bewley’s Berry (2007)"

It's rising forty-three years since Foinavon safely negotiated the fence now named in his honour in the 1967 running of the Grand National en route to one of the most remarkable victories in the race's illustrious history. The incident at the twenty-third fence that day was at odds with the obstacle's status as one of the easiest on the demanding course, as the loose Popham Downs veered right across in front of the leaders and, in his wake, left a trail of carnage akin to the aftermath of a cavalry charge, with stricken (but, remarkably, not seriously hurt) horses and riders strewn on the ground.

The Foinavon melee is rarely far from anyone's lips when the Aintree spectacle is under discussion, though that's by no means the only obstacle that brings with it a story on a course where the fences are often more widely-known to the general public than many of the horses jumping them.

Take Becher's Brook for example, particularly on the second circuit as horses are beginning to show the signs of fatigue. Many a front runner has bowed out at Becher's, including Andy Pandy (1977), West Tip (1985), Strands of Gold (1988) and Bewley's Berry (2007), though the drop to the landing side of the fence is no longer as steep as it used to be.

And getting over the first is hard enough. In fact, it's the hardest of the lot, having claimed more departees in the post-war era than any other fence on the track. Unlike Becher's, the size of the obstacle isn't to blame, more that the runners get up a head of steam on the long approach and often overjump. A dozen, no less, got no further than the first in Nickel Coin's National in 1982, while ten came to grief in both 1952 and 1982 and nine in 2002. In addition, Aldaniti and Hallo Dandy, the winners of the 1981 and the 1984 renewals respectively, both came down at the first in their follow-up bid the following year.

In terms of height, none can match up to the Chair, a fence that played its part in the drama none more so than in 1979, when a melee that led to the departure of Ben Nevis (who was subsequently remounted) and eight others paved the way for Rubstic to become the first Scottish-trained winner in the race's history. In a twist only Aintree could produce, the roles were reversed the following year when the Chair claimed Rubstic, while Ben Nevis strode to victory as only four finished in gruelling conditions.

And just when all the obstacles are out of the way and it seems the job is done, there's always the punishing long run-in, scene of so many famous demises, most notably Devon Loch's and Crisp's, the former jumping a shadow close home and latter collared agonisingly by Red Rum after racing clear for so long.

Hopefully, this season's renewal will be less eventful, but don't bank on it. Anyway, it just wouldn't be the same if there wasn't a hard-luck tale for somebody to recount until next year, would it?