The Aintree Grand National has always been popular.
In 1900, tens of thousands of racegoers headed to Aintree Racecourse. It was a major social and sporting event. A time that predated radio. TV was just a glint in John Logie Baird’s eye. Imagine your great grandfather sitting in his rocking chair reading the Daily Express, smoking a John Player Navy Cut, while looking through the racecard muttering to your Dad: ‘What’s going to win the Grand National?’
Unless you were Sir Thomas Lipton, a wealthy credit bettor and tea magnate, placing bets by telephone to the likes of bookmaker Charles Morton, who catered for elite clientele including aristocrats and high-stakes gamblers, it was illegal to gamble, although backstreet bookies were aplenty.
The Aintree betting ring was awash with 100 bookmakers. Punters made their selection and put their money down.
Remember this was pre-decimal.
A pound was a lot of money in those days. Bookmakers had chalk boards and the Tic Tac Man had washed his gloves the night before in Naptha soap flakes.
I still don’t understand the old money: £1 = 20 Shillings (240 pennies in a pound?)
1900 Grand National –
Ambush II won the National at odds of 4/1. In fact, it was a very royal occasion for the six-year-old gelding owned by the Prince of Wales (Edward VII) who was crowned King of the United Kingdom and British Dominions and Emperor of India in 1902. He succeeded his mother Queen Victoria.
The race took place on the 30th March 1900.
Ambush II was both ridden and trained by Irishman Algy Anthony.
To be fair, we know little about the race beyond Ambush II won by four lengths, and the ground was described as ‘good’. Eleven of the sixteen horses completed the course.
King Edward VII died in 1910.
It’s always interested me that Edward VII had a connection with Great Yarmouth. I’m sure it would please him to know that Shadingfield Lodge has since been turned into the Grosvenor Casino. A place we often frequent with friends and family.
As my cousin Danny said: ‘We’ve all sat on the same throne!’
Let’s take a look at the Grand National winners from 1900 – 1910.
1900 – Ambush II (Algy Anthony)
1901 – Grudon (Bernard Bletsoe)
1902 – Shannon Lass (James Hackett)
1903 – Drumcree (Sir Charles Nugent)
1904 – Moifaa (W. Hickey)
1905 – Kirkland (E. Thomas)
1906 – Ascetic’s Silver (Aubrey Hastings)
1907 – Eremon (Tom Coulthwaite)
1908 – Rubio (Fred Withington)
1909 – Lutteur II (Harry Escott)
1910 – Jenkinstown (Tom Coulthwaite)
For the most part, this decade of National winners saw a mixed bag of results. There were winners priced from 4/1 (Ambush II) to 66/1 shot (Rubio).
1904 – Moifaa
Interesting that this eight-year-old gelding was the first ever non-British/Irish winner, being bred in New Zealand. The 25/1 shot won by eight lengths on good-to-soft going. Ridden by Arthur Birch, trained by W. Hickey for owner Spencer Gollan who was a high-class sportsman himself in rowing and golf.
After King Edward VII’s win with Ambush II (1900) he purchased Moifaa, however, he fell at the twenty-first fence when a 4/1 shot in the 1905 Grand National.
1905 – Kirkland
Winning the 67th Grand National, he was the first Welsh horse to win this steeplechase. Trained by E. Thomas, ridden by Frank Mason who was champion jump jockey from 1901 – 1907. Owner, Frank Bibby, would see further success when Glenside won the big race in 1911.
1908 – Rubio
The 70th Grand National. If you were looking for a big-priced winner then this 66/1 shot would have made your year. This American-bred gelding, in the ownership of Major Frank Douglas-Pennent, ran out a 10-length winner.
Tom Coulthwaite won the Grand National twice in this decade: Eremon (1907) and Jenkinstown (1910) both for owner Stanley Howard.
Interestingly, Jenkinstown was the first National to have moving images.
The Pathe Brothers (Pathe Freres) expanded into film at the turn of the century (1900) making some of the earliest motion picture recordings. Film footage of horse racing would be captured by Pathe News, famous for their newsreel division.
In 1911, the first recording of the Grand National was taken by Pathe. The footage provided audiences a glimpse of the National which saw Glenside win, ridden by Jack Anthony. This would be shown in cinemas as the introduction of TV would be seen much later.
If racegoers didn’t enjoy a day at the Grand National, they would have to rely on newspapers to fill in the gaps.
Compared to this digital age, it was a very different time.
It’s worth remembering that in the 19th century carrier pigeons were used to quickly send race results from racecourses to newspapers and betting offices.