1997 Grand National

The famous Monday Grand National run on 7 April 1997. Won by the Steve Brookshaw trained Lord Gyllene and ridden by Tony Dobbin.

[@ebojfmdboojoh4023]

wow, this is most comprehensive winner of the grand national ever, never once looked like he was gonna lose

[@bcgrote]

That horse was having a blast the entire race! Ears perked and forward, steady and honest. Great horse.

[@davidkent8606]

The most emphatic National Winner I've seen, never made a single error, and was never challenged for the lead.

[@mervyncharter717]

+David Kent The Most Emphatic Winner of the National IMO has to be the Dual Gold Cup L`Escargot in 1975. Tommy Carberry gave him a wonderful ride, and it is amazing to see him still taking a pull after the third last Cantering all over Red Rum, The Dikler, Spanish Steps and Money Market. He was only pushed out after the Last and in a few strides put 15 lengths between himself and the greatest horse of Aintree who was tasting his first defeat in the National for three years.

[@davidkent8606]

Mervyn Charter Yes, another easy winner, but what I particularly liked about Lord Gyllene's win was how he bowled along in front 4+ miles and still won with ease. Many had tried before him, but never quite pulled it off. Crisp and Sebastian nearly did it, but not quite. And his jumping was flawless.

[@mervyncharter717]

+David Kent Probably The reason others did not pull it off was the weight they were carrying. Lord Gyllene was carrying bottom weight of 10.0 st while Crisp of course was top weight of 12 st.giving 23lbs to Red Rum.

[@Tam10101999]

Nope ...Red Rum was

[@Eleventhearlofmars]

@@mervyncharter717Red Rums best win in the national imo was the last one where he carted 12st around and won.

[@chrism1827]

The most magical National. Felt odd on the Monday evening with no preceding Races. However Tony Dobbin with such an enterprising ride on a great equine athlete lit the Liverpool sky that night. Commentary of a stella cast, voices some long gone. Also gone are the Aintree fences, built to be jumped. Wonderful in every regard.

[@TheMeepUsesTheDefiniteArticle]

Peter O'Sullevan's last and my first ever National! I distinctly remember being at my friend's 5th Birthday party (at McDonalds of all places!) and my Dad recording this on the old VHS tapes for me. I was into horse racing from a young age (I found it funny when the jockys fell off, so you can imagine why he thought I might like this!) but this is what really got me hooked for life. Ironically, relatively speaking this was a fairly event free running of the race. Very few fallers compared to some years and not much of a contest on the line. Of course the bomb scare on the Saturday would of been huge news at the time but to my 5 year old self it didn't really "mean anything" (as a kid you have no idea what's going on in the world, blissful times...). After I watched it I made him rewind the tape and let me watch it again...and again...and again :D I watched that race at least 7 times that night and for that Lord Gyllene will always hold a special place for me.

[@haunter4708]

I know I'm replying to an old comment here but this was my first National too, and I was 6 years old! What's more is that I picked Suny Bay. Weirdly, I have no recollection of the bomb scare either but I definitely remember watching this race live. The thing I recall the most is that while I stayed loyal to Suny Bay in my first two years ('97 and '98) and saw him finish 2nd twice, I vividly remember that my dad had backed the winner of the previous year to this (Rough Quest, '96) and the latter year (Earth Summit '98). I just wish I knew what he'd had on this one... he loved his horse racing and in the 20 years since this race, I've never improved on 2nd place. Black Appalachi has been my most noble warrior to date and reminded me a lot of my old grey hero.

[@ebojfmdboojoh4023]

+Haunter I've backed 4 winners. Party politics, Earth Summit, Bindaree and Many clouds. I've also come close with Cause of causes last year and just so in 1994 both finishing second. I've also had a third place finish with My will in 2009

[@ThunderJuice]

OMG!! That's exactly why I liked it as a kid. We were sadists lol!

[@gazowen7310]

Another just so backer

[@TheMeepUsesTheDefiniteArticle]

@@haunter4708 Ha! I've had a bit more luck than that, I have to admit. Amberleigh House in 2004 was my first winner (no money on that though as I was still only a kid), with Pineau de Re (2014) and then Tiger Roll both years (2018 and 2019) also doing the business for me! Backed the Tiger antepost at 20/1 in his first year too, so very decent returns. Had a few seconds with Balthazar King, Oscar Time and Saint Are as well. And (if it counts) I even backed Potter's Corner in the Virtual National last year! It's a race that tends to do well for me!

[@goingbehind1093]

The most impressive winner ever in my opinion.

[@RedStar101]

R.I.P Peter O'Sullevan

[@jamesmenzies7986]

Great performance and I backed it. Though Sad to see a couple of horses losing their lives in this race.

[@ImortalMonster1]

What a fantastic performance. And i backed him :)

[@keithknight1686]

Won with his ears pricked. I had forgot he was such an easy winner.

[@cameronw3159]

Does anyone know why lord gyllene never attempted to defend his title?

[@Cloughjordan23]

It's not uncommon that a horse that has run well/won to almost have a mental block to anymore racing. LG looks like one of those if you look at his record after. Two runs, a lack lustre 4th to Sunybay and then pulled up next race. His weight in a 2nd national would have gone from the ten stone here to very nearly top weight pushing twelve stone. It would have been pulled up after one circuit if it had run. These days with more forgiving jumps the horses might keep their career going but if the race was hard don't expect them to return. That's why Tiger Roll was so special. I grew up with Red Rum so didn't realise at the time how amazing RR achievement had been. As the years went by there was hardly ever a winner that got close the next year. Corbiere had a good run. And there has been a few that got placed two of 3 times in a row. But to win it twice, it really does take a special national horse. Is it gonna be another 40 odd years to see someone do two in a row? I felt so robbed when Tiger Roll didn't go for his third, but he was looking weak the season of the 3rd and wouldn't have done it. If covid hadn't caused us to wait a year for the possible 3rd then maybe it would have happened.

[@markorollo.]

My Dad said he would put a bet on for me, decided on £10 to win. Lord Gylene, he didn't put the bet on.....

[@hadleigh55]

I had a bet of £1000 at 9/1 to win on the saturday when race was voided I got my money back..on the monday for some obscure reason LG had drifted to 14/1..I had that same £1k on..this time there was no void race...very easy winner...I met Tony Dobbin at sedgefield races in 2018..I told him of my bet..he said I won more than he got for winning the race !!..true story friend

[@markorollo.]

@@hadleigh55 nice to know someone did well out of it :)

[@shelleymoore5740]

What a fantastic round of jumping, Lord Gyllene ! Never put a foot wrong. Race only marred by horror fall of Smith's Band 🥀

[@drinky1075]

And straight talk

[@carina914]

Suny Bay what a horse. Smith's Band :(

[@Aquarius3277]

I told an old lady to back the winner fully 6 months before the race at 20/1 and she listened to me - I was 19 when I told her and now I'm 40 and I've had 2 more winners since!

[@elizabethgalligan1805]

What a great winner. Lord Gyllene looked fresh as a daisy at the end. He could have kept on running. Credit to the trainer and the jockey. Great win☺️

[@gazowenowen250]

Loved SUNY bay

[@stephenholmes1036]

He couldn't do Seven towers in the midland national. Good but not as good as Seven Towers

[@MEECHIO]

Great run from Master Oats under top weight. The National winner is usually blessed with a bit of luck in running and that was very much the case in point ref Lord Gyllene. He could easily of been carried out by the loose horse at the water jump in front of the stands, a number of years later Clan Royal was not so lucky when leading the field heading down to Bechers on the second circuit.

[@bernardthegwp71020]

Quite probsbly one of the greatest GN perfomances of all time.

[@davidattwell2574]

⛅ SUNY bay came 2nd 1n 1997 1998📖📖📺😃📖📖🤓😁🎶

[@philipcarthy2977]

Brilliant win from pillar to post,I'm remember backing him after he won at uttoxeter, superb jumping, stamina, and of course Tony dobbin

[@alexpaley4158]

Ears pricked the whole run. Loved every inch of it.

[@carnlong4164]

Backed 1st and 2nd in a reverse forcast when finishing work on Monday afternoon that day best bet ever in national 😊

[@johnshort5003]

Class performance by Lord Gyllene and Suny Bay a worthy second. Tragic for Smith's Band, one minute you're racing and then it's all over.

[@heaven-is-real]

"Go Ballistic"? and "Turning Tricks" where do they come up with these names? (wild)

[@accelerator956]

The way Dunwoody walks away from Smiths Band is sickening, not even a 2nd look, I'm no animal right activist I actually work in racing a couple years now and ride out every morning but that's a horror show, rip smiths band.

[@112sje]

I hated him as a jockey. Watching him using the whip the way he did used to turn my stomach. Reading his "Obsessed" book made me feel even worse ! The success of him (and Adrian Maguire) sent out too many wrong messages for me. Thank goodness we don't get much riding like that now.

[@paulthurgood7822]

He did go back towards the horse, and he knew there was nothing he could do, as the horse Broke its neck, and instantly died. It’s apart of racing, especially in the Grand National. Get over it!

[@accelerator956]

@@paulthurgood7822 cheer up Paul, don't get your knickers in a twist👍🏼

[@annabelladebonnay8320]

​@@paulthurgood7822 Cold hearted bastard.....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@Boris-dq3ub]

if you look at him as the race goes on, in the background he was stood in shock with his hands on his head. i do a agree though he’s a twat. i know the woman who rode him at home, absolute machine he was.

[@TheMeepUsesTheDefiniteArticle]

Really incredible run from Lord Gyllene here. Has a horse ever led pretty much the entire race and won? I can't imagine so

[@marklittlewood1633]

Lord gyllene one of the best winners ever of the greatest race magical day ❤️

[@sjc14031974]

Peter O'Sullevan's last Grand national

[@Hen71557]

Forgotten what a great win this was by Lord Gyllene, pretty much all the way from the front, he was a fantastic jumper of a fence, ears pricked & loving it...Sir Peter & Aussie Jim commentating was just class...

[@johnavery3918]

I took my whole team from KPMG out for this, got them all into horse racing (or was it an early end of day and free beers and wine) - who cares - great memories

[@cerinolancerinolan7148]

Lord Gyllene was running away with it.

[@ShyTallKnight1976]

Quality. Would arguably gain more publicity if it was run on mondays!

[@ILoveMusicfromthesonwards]

This race won me the largest ever amount of money I have ever betted on a horse race, I put the bet on ante post £100 win @ 28/1 and it finished as the 14/1 winner...

[@Cloughjordan23]

Big!

[@neilbridle7775]

Backed it on the Saturday, doubled the stake on the Monday.

[@brucerobbins6528]

Sun Bay ran a nive race, also. The gray finished second, far back, but was near the front the entire distance. Just couldn't catch the Lard in the final stretch!!

[@markkirby2282]

i think the only horse to ever make all and win

[@deansharman308]

Rip old fella

[@ikabodd1]

lord gylene won the race so easy, how come he never ran in another grand national?

[@TheLilbobz]

He had injury problems and only ran in another two races after winning the Grand National. He was retired in 2001 when they realised he wouldn't be up to running in that years National

[@uhegbu]

A much missed Grand National winner, almost twenty years ago.

[@JK-ln8zv]

1997 curse, look into it. Lord Gyllene won the National, ran twice after due to injuries. Martha’s Son, won the QM Champion Chase, won at Aintree and then ran once more retiring due to injury, Make A Stand, won the Champion Hurdle, and Tote Gold Trophy, ran twice more, due to injuries, Gold Cup Winner, Mr Mulligan ran twice more retiring due to injury not even to defend title, There’s plenty more too.

[@dawnkeir549]

Lord gyllene done so well

[@Eleventhearlofmars]

Smiths band horror fall

[@myfrobert]

Straight Talk suffered the same fate in the very same race.

[@speakfreeley4473]

You could tell immediately that Smith's Band had been killed the moment he had fallen. With Straight Talk he did get up & initial footage showed nothing wrong. It was not long after the race that Straight Talk had been euthanased. Heard he'd suffered a broken back that couldn't be treated.

[@williamnightingale2285]

​@@speakfreeley4473Straight Talk broke a foreleg. You can tell immediately he gets up from the fall.

[@Boris-dq3ub]

@@speakfreeley4473i know the person who used to ride him at home, so sad. he was a little machine, was only about 14,2 is amazing what he did before he fell

[@メーメーマシン]

1:10

[@daveflick12]

still my only winner.

[@boshbash9137]

I was 13 and had camelot knight . that's the day that ruined my life.

[@timberge8076]

Craig Creevy I was on the winner

[@rohansrider]

Poor, poor Smith's Band, ran a wonderful race, jumped so well and took a terrible fall. Killed , quite horrid. Jenny Pitman would have been distraught . The National should not, repeat not, be a handicap, all horses should carry level weights. Had Lord Gyllene not suffered injuries later on, he could have easily won another GN.

[@MIWADI68]

Rosalind Mercer So scrap the national as a handicap, horses carrying level weights, what a stupid idea. Have every horse carrying 11st 10lb or 12st as now a championship race?

[@rohansrider]

+james vaughan So explain why it is silly. Defend handicapping to someone who knows nothing of horses or racing. I am sick of seeng great jumping, class horses done by weight. Arkle only ever gone beaten by stacking more and more on his back.

[@112sje]

+Rosalind Mercer Red Rum would have been proud of Lord Gyllene's performance. It was a wonderful attacking ride by Tony Dobbin, on a horse he knew could stay four miles plus.With the prize money now on offer, the Grand National no longer needs to be a handicap to attract forty runners, but there would have to be a qualifying system to only allow in horses that have proved themselves as staying chasers.

[@MIWADI68]

+Steve Edge. With all due respect, you are being naive. Turn the national into a level weights Championship Race, you will not get 20 runners never mind 40. WHY? The Gold Cup is only 3 weeks before. Trainers are unlikely to run in both and the Gold Cup would always be first choice. Also why would you run Rule the World for example against Don Cossack at levels when there are 24lbs between them? You need to remember the National is the major betting race for the public, change to a non handicap 1/5 odds 123 a place, you will kill betting turnover and interest. Before you reply, just to let you know, I am a trained odds compiler, so I know what i am talking about regarding bookmaking industry etc.

[@112sje]

+james vaughan Thanks for replying and, of course I respect your opinion. Part of the National's appeal is that it divides opinion, such as the modification of the fences.If Cue Card & Don Cossack ran in a level weights National instead of the Gold Cup they would not frighten away the opposition as they would not be guaranteed to stay the extra mile or complete the course, especially as both horses have fallen this season. Some bookmaking firms would offer better terms than 1/5 1,2,3 to attract punters. Some bookmakers at Cheltenham were offering 1/4 odds for the Grade 1 races at this year's festival and some even paid four places.Not many horses run in both races but Garrison Savannah, Rough Quest & Many Clouds have proved that it is possible.Back in the days when the weights were not compressed we used to get over 30 runners bunched up on 10st (some were more than 2st out of the handicap) but still 40 runners. Now the prize money is better and the race pays to the first 10 places.I can't ever see it happening though. Sir AP has a better chance of coming out of retirement !

[@CharlotteWeb100]

"Go Ballistic" is quite slowly away

[@gerryryan]

how could the bbc replace julian wilson with that pain in the arse aussie? John Hamner Peter O'Sullevan and Julian wilson were brilliant together

[@shaunspadah5790]

have to agree, julian wilson did his last national in 92, he had plenty more left in him, they shouldnt have changed the team until o sullevan retired

[@Formula1Madx]

But Julian Wilson could only say 'orf 🤔

[@davidkent8606]

@@Formula1Madx Are you saying he was an orful commentator?

[@gazowenowen250]

Wilson was awful

[@edmondscott7444]

Peter O'Sullevan misled Julian Wilson. He also stayed too long.