The 1901 Grand National took place on Friday 29 March at Aintree racecourse. It was the 63rd renewal of the event.
The 1901 Grand National is best remembered for having taken place in a snowstorm. As the intensity of the storm increased as post time approached, some of the jockeys went into the Clerk of the Course’s office to lodge a protest. Arthur Nightingall, ultimately the race winning rider, is on record as being one several jockeys that signed a petition aimed at achieving a postponement. After ten minutes, the stewards declared the race would go ahead and the jockeys were instructed to proceed. The pre-race parade was omitted and the start was delayed by sixteen minutes.
This extract from a first-hand account that was published in The Referee provides some insight into just how severe conditions were on the day:
“Sleet came on, rain came on, snow came on, the cutting wind did not come on because it was there already, and it never went off. That wretched breeze blew straight into your face as you looked out onto the course. Shelter! There was no shelter. No matter where you dodged to, the wind found you out, and brought snow with it. Long before the time set for the big steeplechase all idea of pleasure had departed, and most of us were thinking more of getting home alive than of attending to sport. The course grew sloppier and sloppier. You gradually saw less and less of the plain before you, and were lucky to see anything, because if you opened your eyes for that purpose the snow went for you and made you blink. Race-glasses were next to no good, because “blobs” insisted on settling on them.
And all the while things went from bad – very bad – to worse. But for that wicked old woman the permanent clerkess of the weather we might have had a chance; but she was in her worst humour.
As we looked out on the plain of which Aintree makes part and saw the familiar objects in the landscape disappear – or could not find them because they were already gone out of view – the snow covered the land more thickly, and came faster and thicker, The question arose whether, after all, the going would be fit for jumping by 3.30, when the big steeplechase ought to be started.
Making his first National start was Drumcree. He would be the runner-up here and would go on to win in 1903. He was ridden on this occasion by Charles Hugh Nugent, son of trainer Sir Charles Nugent. He was later killed in a fall in a hurdle race at Ostend in 1903.
Grudon was making his third appearance in the race, having failed to place in his first two efforts. However, some considered him to have been unlucky when behind Ambush II last year and this probably contributed to him starting among the favourites, priced at 9/1.
Arthur Nightingall credited the success to the ingenuity of trainer Bernard Bletsoe who took the decision to pack Grudon’s hooves with butter to prevent snow clogging in them. The horse barely put a foot wrong and was always going well with the leaders. Arthur claimed to have enjoyed a long, animated conversation with another jockey for a significant part of the journey before pressing ahead.
“Ta-ta old chap, I must now push on a trifle faster, or the cupboard will be bare when I get there, and I wouldn’t disappoint old Mother Hubbard for the world.”
Arthur Nightingall
Grudon readily moved to the lead, jumped well and was never headed. He did however provide both jockey and supporters with a scare when jumping a path just 200 yards from the finish. He won by four lengths.
Full Race Result:
| 01 | Grudon | Arthur Nightingall | 11 | 10-0 | 9/1 | 4 lengths |
| 02 | Drumcree | Mr Charles H Nugent | 7 | 9-12 | 10/1 | 6 lengths |
| 03 | Buffalo Bill | Harry Taylor | 7 | 9-7 | 33/1 | |
| 04 | Levanter | Frank Mason | 12 | 9-10 | 5/1 | |
| 05 | Fanciful | Mr W P Cullen | 7 | 11-6 | 100/8 | |
| 06 | Coragh Hill | C Hagan | 8 | 9-9 | 25/1 | |
| 07 | Covert Hack | Algy Anthony | 7 | 11-4 | 10/1 | |
| 08 | Prince Tuscan | Mr H Hunt | 8 | 10-6 | 33/1 | |
| 09 | Barsac | Mr H M Ripley | 9 | 9-13 | 100/14 | Last to complete |
Also ran: Model, Cushenden, Sunny Shower, Coolgardie, The Sapper, Mayo’s Pride, Hornpool, Greystone II, True Blue, Chit Chat, Crosset, Pawnbroker, Zodiac, Padishah, Gossip.
Note: Ages of horses where not published at the time have been adjusted from previous or subsequent runs where the age was declared.
Post-race Report:
When the time came for the numbers to be hoisted, the course was covered with a thick mantel of snow, and as the flakes were descending thickly, the prospects of the race taking place, seemed somewhat doubtful. However, Chit Chat and Gossip were first to be mounted, and they made their way on to the course, but, after jumping the preliminary hurdle, they returned to the paddock, and, with some of the owners and jockeys deeming it unsafe to race, a protest was lodged with the stewards, who, after inspecting the course, decided it would be perfectly safe to race. Hornpool then came out of the paddock, and, after clearing the preliminary hurdle, his example was followed by Prosset, Coragh Hill, and True Blue, with Buffalo Bill next, Barsac, who did not take the hurdle, being the last to leave the paddock. The horses then made their way in a blinding snow storm to the post, and Mr. Coventry at once dispatched them on their journey. The first away was Grudon on the inside, followed by The Sapper, Covert Hack, and Coragh Hill, with Barsac, Buffalo Bill, and Coolgardie next. Then came Prosset, Drumcree, and Paddyshah, with Gossip last. So they disappeared from view, but on reappearing Grudon was still leading, and was followed over the water by Covert Hack, Levanter, Pawnbroker, Buffalo Bill, True Blue, Barsac, Paddyshah, Drumcree, Fanciful, and Prosset, with Zodiac last. In this order they went into the country the second time, and disappeared from view. At Beecher’s Brook, Grudon was passed by Covert Hack and Levanter, but soon afterwards he again assumed the command, and came into the line for home in front of Drumcree and Buffalo Bill, and having the last-named pair quite safe, Grudon won easily by four lengths; six lengths separated the second and third. Levanter was fourth, fanciful fifth, Coragh Hill sixth, Covert Hack seventh, Prince Tuscan next, and Barsac ninth, and last. Drumcree twisted a couple of plates. P Woodland broke his collar bone, and Banner hurt an old injury to his collar-bone. Time 9min. 47 4-5secs.
Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 31 March 1901.
