1989 Grand National extended footage

[@carina914]

Sir Peter was a legend, really made the occasion special

[@moyajanko6642]

@daniel anderson - What's that got to do with the Grand National??? DIsrespect of PO'S is not allowed, ever, anywhere.

[@chatham43]

...thank goodness you had a video recorder back then Eddie.....and took the trouble to record....otherwise left to the Beeb we would never have seen any of this footage.....thanks again....

[@michaelroberts2261]

Hi Guys I have every National from 1988 Full coverage on VHS

[@tjc89]

Can you upload them?

[@chrisvarney85]

Great upload with the original commentary. My first Grand National i have any recollection of was Party Politics in 1992 aged 6. Was fascinated by all the different colours and jumps. Would go on to love horse racing, predominantly national hunt from then on. I quite liked the old National team of Sir Peter O'Sullevan, John Hanmer and Julian Wilson - that would end in 1992 with Wilson making way for Jim McGrath.

[@chrisnorbury1907]

Shambolic riding by David Pitcher poor Brown Trix looked too knackered to jump Becher's I believe David Pitcher went into motor racing after this also I think Pitcher managed 1 win which was a 4 runner Hunter Chase at Cheltenham on a horse called Sunlit River would love to be able to see that someday he was a terrible rider Peter Scudamore in his book was spot on well nearly Pitcher shouldnt of been allowed into horse racing let alone Aintree there was nothing wrong with Brown Trix he was a decent hurdler in his younger days when trained by Fred Winter

[@markbrown6375]

Chris Norbury, Brown Trix like dark ivy 2 years earlier was the stand out horse lookswise in the race and both horses would lose there life at this fence! However Brown Trix ploughed through the fence and actually fell into the Brook suffering a fatal injury, but he did not die instantly and pitcher helped the frightened horse out of the brook to make his last moments more comfortable and dignified! So while he might not have been the best jockey he has to be commended for what he did! Also In 1987 the year dark ivy died at the same fence, Brown Trix also fell, but got back up and must have loved the place because he galloped round the whole way and actually finished the race with the winner!! Useless info I know but think although horses sadly fall and can die in this race they actually love competing in it and would do it time and time again if they had the chance! Also a mention to seeyandem who also lost its life at same fence in that race!! These horses and all the other ones that lose there lives doing what they love are all heavenly connected! ❤️

[@thewiseman80]

was my first winner little polvier, i was 8 years old and went to hilsborough with my dad the weekend after! unreal to think of these events the ups and downs affecting liverpool. I tipped up tiger roll last year and expect it to run well again, look out for Bryony Frost on Present Man, whos Father Jimmy won this race! fairly tails defo on the cards!

[@theartfuldodger6500]

Gotta feel for Rambo Chris Grant and the legend that was WAStephenson so close with Durham Edition year after year.

[@MEECHIO]

Great runs from West Tip and The Thinker under big weights. Little Polvier could of been called the winner a long way out, jumping and travelling well as he had done the previous year until unseating his rider 5 out I think. I remember asking my Dad to put a bet on Lastofthebrownies for me as I was only 13, finished 4th so picked up an each way return...Great upload, many thanks....:-)

[@alexpaley4158]

You can understand the criticisms levelled against the amateur jockey on Brown Trix. Look at how hard and undisciplined his riding style is even before the second fence. What happened was unforseeable, but the partnership was likely to come to grief at some stage in the race.

[@chrisnorbury1907]

The going was heavy that day & David Pitcher is treating the start of the race as if it were a 5 furlong sprint looks to me Brown Trix was knackard when they got to Bechers hardly jumped it

[@Snifffski]

He was giving the horse so many mixed messages with all that unnecessary kicking and pushing he didn't know what to do. He looked like a confused horse who didn't know when he was supposed to jump. Pitcher should never have been allowed in this or any other race. Contrast with Rosemary Henderson three years later who had a good seat and a quiet, contained riding style, plus the form in big races with Fiddlers Pike to back it up.

[@chrisnorbury1907]

@@Snifffski 1987 Grand National after unseating Pitcher at the 3rd fence Brown Trix went round jumping perfectly on his own led the winner of the race Maori Venture past the post as riderless David Pitcher was too pushy with his own horses Malya Mal Perfect Approach & doing it in the National with a horse was only going to end in disaster I remember the front of the Daily Mirror the next day with Brown Trix being dragged from the ditch took about 30 people with a police officer at the front it was that which caused his shoulder to be broken and the poor horse was put down

[@lesleyhart6295]

The way Pitcher slams poor Brown Trix into Bechers.Gets into it way too close.Belts it not much more than half way up creating a pivot point just below the horses centre of gravity making it topple hard down the face of the landing side into the brook.Bechers looked like a brick wall covered in green carpet.Hardly a twig got knocked off it.If a horse hit it like that now it'd still likely fall but would put a big hole in it.How he didn't unseat at the 3rd and 4th I don't know.What's scary is the majority of the field funnels over to his side on the approach.If he wasn't tight to the outside rail when he fell he could have brought quite a few down.

[@tommytip123]

One of the most underrated winners of the grand national. How many winners have won it from the front the whole way round??

[@waqarkhan25]

ok but the thing is Little poliver didn't win the race from the front he took front running from just before the 17th fence

[@waqarkhan25]

if you want to know who won the Grand National from the front watch 1997 The Grand National lord Gyllen won it from the front at the start of the race right up the finishing line

[@waqarkhan25]

however, I do agree with you this is the most underrated Grand national winner he won few National winners not to be remembered by anyone will except Brony Frost I am sure she saw this race a million times and thought she won the Grand National on Lttle Poliver

[@Househead1200]

Lots of prominent ones in fact, in and out of the lead. It's a front-runners' track is Aintree.

[@benellis9665]

"Jumping right to avoid a dead horse." I wonder if Julian Wilson ever regretted that call.

[@mayaescott6250]

O

[@Snifffski]

He was a dreadful old throwback even then. Not a politically correct bone in his body, for better or for worse.

[@mercuryvapoury]

When the race was replayed that evening, that particular comment had been omitted... we'll never know if JW ever regretted it, but the beeb clearly did.

[@tommycosgrove4769]

My first Grand National win - 50p ew at 28's. Had made my 1st ever trip to the course the day before.

[@MichaelWilliams-mo1vv]

This was also my first ever bet. Prior to that no interest in horse racing whatsoever. The office manager persuaded everyone to have a bet. I chose Little Polvier for a £1 win and been paying for that bet ever since!

[@PaulGibbons13]

Great race thank you.

[@mercuryvapoury]

I remember watching this live. There was a lot of contoversy on this race because of Julian Wilson's commentary and his "dead horse" remark at the 2nd Bechers. When the race was repeated later that evening, the commentary was edited to remove that. Also, always wondered who the idiots were who encroached on the track at 16:05.

[@darren2514fv]

mercuryvapoury I think Julian Wilson was later replaced with Jim McGrath (the Australian one) on the Grand National team because of this

[@Formula1Madx]

Darren Hayward Julian Wilson was the great grandfather of One Directions Harry Styles. Julian was always bitter about the attitude the BBC took to his 'dead horse' comment & never really forgave them, which explains Harry's difficult dealings that he had with the beeb. A shame really.

[@fedlad]

They look like a bunch of young kids. You can see the one wearing the hat watching the field go round at the same spot on the previous circuit. Dangerous and stupid thing to do.

[@richardjames712]

Darren Hayward more likely because he was a bit of a bellend rather than any specific incident. I'm sure Wilson was insufferable to work with.

[@leighmerlin]

Also the Re run later on, Richard Pitman said Brown Trix wasn't dead and got up.

[@leroyjoseph6896]

Has anyone got any races on the mildmay course, 1970-1974?

[@michaelroberts2261]

I have every race from 88 onwards recorded on VHS , the complete Grandstand show too.. I just ain't got a clue how to transfer them

[@EddieCr]

Not as easy to do as once was unless you still got VCR and dad recorder

[@jtyt1123]

The race is in no mans land now, alterations were needed at beechers I agree. But not to what it is now, aintree got it horribly wrong, I could miss it now and not bat an eyelid....

[@patrickcarney8808]

any more extended grand nationals eddie, would love to see the 1981 national. would make these depressing times a little easier. thanks

[@darren2514fv]

you could hear Peter Bromley, Tony O'Hehir and John Penney in the background

[@waqarkhan25]

in this Grand national about 29 jockeys were riding in this sadly half of these jockey retired because they could not do the minm weight after this

[@chrisnorbury1907]

Does any1 have the full days racing of this Grand National

[@PTS82]

Lovely sunny day on Merseyside, horrible to think the hillsborough tragedy happened the following Saturday

[@keithallen2979]

still is a test if you ask me completion rate is only slightly higher since 2014 compared to the late 80's. Agreed the 2013 edition was a joke but they seem to have got the balance right now

[@keithwellerlounge74]

The amount of finishers this year was ridiculous, and not just finishers, but the amount in contention with 2 fences left. The fences are so much smaller and weaker you do not have to be a good jumper to get round or even win. Bechers is barely bigger than any other fence anymore. The balance was right in the 1990s - 2007 but they kept panicking and making the course easier every year. 2012 was the last Grand National, it was just about an acceptable test then and still an exciting race, but 2 freak accidents that could have happened at any course changed everything.

[@barbaradyson6951]

keithwellerlounge74. NO THE FENCES ARE NOT SMALLER THEY ARE THE SAME HEIGHT YOU OBVIOUSLY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT JUMPING. THEY HAVE MADE THEM MORE ROUNDED, WHICH MAKES IT SAFER FOR THE HORSE TO JUMP DO YOU REALISE THAT IF THE FENCE IS 4FT TALL, THE HORSE TAKES OFF 4FT FROM THE FENCE AND LAND 4FT THE OTHER SIDE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU JUMP ONE OF THOSE SMALLER WEAKER FENCES. AS YOU CALL THEM,

[@keithwellerlounge74]

Barbara Dyson are you kidding? It is a fact that they are smaller. A statistical fact. Not only that, the inside is made of different material, making them more forgiving. And, possibly most annoying, a lot of the drops have been completely levelled out. ‘Rounder’ is gobbledygook.

[@keithwellerlounge74]

Barbara Dyson P.S. Writing the whole reply in capitals does not make your point stronger, it just makes you look less intelligent and short tempered.

[@barbaradyson6951]

keithweller rounder is to put it in simpleton terms and the fences still stand at 4ft6ins, except for beecherbrook the chair and the canal turn. I believe the chair still stands at 5ft, the size of the fences have not changed since the 30's. so go and read up about the fences at Aintree, in fact there used to be 32 fences, you obviously don't know anything about horses jumping, explain it's a fact that they are smaller, where does it say that or are you guessing. No it is not a statistical fact. the only drop fence is the chair and canal turn. Go and read about the building of the grand national.

[@louisedavison872]

Do you have extended 1982 grand national eddie

[@tjc89]

Do you have the post race interviews?

[@TheMeepUsesTheDefiniteArticle]

14:13 "and they're being forced to the right to avoid a dead horse"...jeez, slightly different tone levels back in '89 lol

[@patrickcarney8808]

hi do you have the 1987 extended footage.thanks.

[@patrickcarney8808]

great extended footage,do you have any more thanks.

[@purplepinto]

Imagine being the owner of the riderless horse that got the bob in at the finish haha

[@levisjeans1901]

Where is that jockey's horse at the 11th fence? What a spectacular fall by the jockey

[@rorym1967]

Little polvier absolutely pinged 4 out

[@albertthefish3683]

One of my favourite Grand Nationals, I was 14 years old when this was ran, most of my family backed Little Polveir , great memories, but i remember those Dickheads running right in front of the horses nearing the end of the race, there could of been an horrific accident, luckily all jockeys and horses avoided it. That area, and other areas like it, are now not accessible to the general public, just as well really, how security has changed from then to now.

[@cyclesmoking]

Yes, those idiots getting out on the track was ridiculous! I hope they got arrested.

[@メーメーマシン]

7:17

[@shaunspadah5790]

the last great national before they retired the most famous fence ever, where is the original bechers brook is it in a museum

[@KillerFreya]

Dead horses tend to be kind of bad for publicity.

[@cameronw3159]

Especially when they are left on the course

[@giptonwhite3011]

Won a weeks wages on little polvier that day 2quid at 28/1

[@leroyjoseph6896]

They all went to the outside of beaches brook first time round, some very nasty falls which I always hate to see! I blame the jockeys, I know the inside has a bigger drop, but it’s less congested, Dixon house and brown trix horrible falls

[@elta6241]

West Tip. Always there or there abouts and could have won again.

[@tazmanrehman]

I lived in Essex Colchester I had 1 pound 82p left too last me 6 days anyway I put 1pound at 50 to 1 Little Polvier happy days 🤠

[@ianbennett1491]

"They're been forced right to avoid a dead horse". Oh dear Julian. Not your best ever moment. 😡

[@roylittler7666]

I was there that day

[@rohansrider]

This was no great race. Two horses were killed (Brown Trix and SeeandEm) and were seen floundering in the ditch at Bechers There was nationwide uproar and after the debacle which involved many racing experts the adjustments were made at Bechers - a good thing too. That fence had claimed the lives of many decent horses, and although there have been other fatalities at Aintree since, Bechers is a safer fence now.

[@keithwellerlounge74]

Bechers is a rubbish fence now. Agree it was too dangerous in this era - but it was fine 15 years ago. Now it's a joke fence.

[@TheMeepUsesTheDefiniteArticle]

Something of an odd winner, I feel. 9th (1986), DNF (1987), DNF (1988), 1st (1989)...not your average National record! Not that many horses who even get 4 shots at it. Guess he needed the practice 😂

[@andycook1597]

To be fair, the horse departed five from home in 1988 when in the lead and had a decent chance of being placed at least.

[@メーメーマシン]

7:18