The BBC Grand National 1985 - Last Suspect

....despite misgivings about running him the temperamental Last Suspect ridden by Hywel Davies and owned by Anne Duchess of Westminster comes with a late surge to defeat Mr Snugfit... the '83 winner Corbiere finished third but the '84 victor Hallo Dandy was an early casualty......

[@alisonlee3314]

Bloody fantastic finish!!!

[@PaulSmith-ui1ey]

I had backed Mr Snugfit at fancy odds weeks before and carried on backing him.Feel like crying watching this again.Still can't believe it he was such a great stayer.

[@philrobinson981]

Hello...I had £2 win on Mr Snugfit, after the last he looked all over the winner until Last Suspect caught him on the run-in, was really downhearted the rest of the weekend

[@leehope9411]

I backed Mr snugfit he got beat on the line very close nearly won it didn't he phil

[@johnwilks8545]

The Pilgarlic and Greasepaint were two unlucky stayers, both horses were solid bets in the National. I think both were placed in four Nationals each in the late seventies and early eighties. Lovely memories of two great horses in their own right.

[@ftorres93]

West tip and Corbiere both proper national horses.

[@SJHUE]

Yes indeed two great national horses! Shame West Tip fell he would have completed six national`s otherwise.

[@olwenbennett4850]

Still watching met my wife night before what a weekend what a race the grand national and just watched foinavon the commentators were brilliant and black and white pictures so atmospheric

[@f.marshall8268]

What a ride !! The 50/1 rank outsider Last Suspect under strong handling pulled it off.

[@markbrown6375]

Last suspect never gave in! 3 fences out made a horrendous error and lost 10 lengths, even in the run in was 20 lengths down at one point and would not be denied!! What a win against the odds ❤

[@davidmcmahon5234]

Hwell Davis on the winner top jockey that fella was very underrated 😊

[@markbrown6375]

@@davidmcmahon5234 his son James is a quality jockey now. Wins on horses at big odds. Just giving you the heads up there aswel ha 🤣👍

[@davidmcmahon5234]

Thanks mark didn't know that if can be anything like his dad 😉 young man will go far will watch out for him does he ride point to point in Wales yeah 👍

[@davidmcmahon5234]

Is that the James Davis that's rides in England mark around Ludlow and market Rasen and other meetings yeah if it's him he rides big price horses to win 🤣 didn't know that 😳😱 omg

[@markbrown6375]

@@davidmcmahon5234 yep that's the man. Keep a close eye on him. He's good like!! 💯👍

[@patrickgreen9920]

I adored Last Suspect. A moody talented genius. Look how he swished his tail on the run in. Not the best horse in the race but by far the cleverest.

[@chatham43]

..often wonder what HD said to Last Suspect after passing the winning post......LS seemed to resent jumping any fence....a real equine character bless him....

[@teenoso4069]

These quirky types seem to hail from Capt Forsters yard in 1985. Drumadowney was another and placed in March's Gold Cup

[@shaunspadah5790]

West tip and corbierre the 2 grand national greats of the 80s both deserved a 2nd national since all the modifications you cant judge horses today because there not being tested anymore

[@teenoso4069]

Today is just as hard to win dual nationals but for very different reasons. Its more like winning two Cesarewitchs or Cambridgeshires. Totally agree on West Tip and Corbiere.

[@immaculatetechnique7306]

Has to go down as the greatest ride in a National that. Looked dead and buried 3 out!

[@stephenborgonon1559]

Will always remember the 1985 National . Was watching it with my brother , who stood to win about £300 pounds through multiple bets , he 'd backed Mr Snugfit , and I had put 50 pence on Last Suspect . I can see him standing up as Mr Snugfit jumped the last ; we were both shouting , " come on , come on ! " then my horse , which looked to be in a hopeless position , suddenly sprouted wings and won at 50-1 I would have preferred my brother to have won . I felt guilty, when I went to pick up my £25 . C'est la vie .

[@cahillgreg]

I was watching in Dublin with £4 to win on Last Suspect & I too remember standing up in the living room and roaring the horse across the line. Great memories.

[@adambryant1293]

Last Suspect was virtually the form horse in the National having finished in front of all of the fancied runners previously and being pounds better off this time. How ironic that he sometimes lived up to his name and had a "suspect" character even refusing to start on a couple of occasions. However on a "going" day he was always in with a chance being the best handicapped horse in the race....50/1...thanks very much mr bookmaker.

[@chrisnorbury1907]

David Pitcher in his dark blue light blue cross belt colors on Leney Dual near the back his riding is shocking

[@teenoso4069]

Watch the 1985 Foxhunters the day before this. He fell before his horse (Martinstown)

[@chrisnorbury1907]

@@teenoso4069 Yeah already seen that he fell at the first lol Malya Mal Perfect Approach Brown Trix were other horses he had ridden think he won once a 4 runner hunter chase on a horse called Sunlit River at Cheltenham god knows how it got round

[@teenoso4069]

@@chrisnorbury1907 Correct 24th October 1984 by 2L

[@chrisnorbury1907]

@@teenoso4069 Where did you see that some old newspaper or something???? Was he actually riding it????

[@chrisnorbury1907]

@@teenoso4069 I ask because I've seen so many races with David Pitcher and he was such a bad rider find it hard to believe he won would love to see the race

[@davidmcmahon5234]

I think 🤔 Dermot weld trained greasepaint if l am right was only young think my dad backed him each way for me long time ago now great days they were 😊

[@barnabywild2215]

This was the last time I backed a winner in the National! Stupid horses! :)

[@dakg8034]

I remember this race like it was yesterday. Gambled on Jenny Pitman trained Corbier and lost a ton of money ....lol

[@danieladdis6340]

My dad picked this horse what a good performance not to give in lovely price give my mother half legendd

[@alfriendo2008]

I bet Terry quietly watches this on occasion.

[@jtyt1123]

What a great race, great finish, shame aintree ruined it with the changes, it's now not even worth watching, yawn yawn yawn....

[@shaunspadah5790]

Dudies running is exactly the same as fresh winds in the 61 race outsiders trailblazing the 1st circuit then get caught up by the better horses at f17 then f19

[@shane-irish]

Came from a mile behind

[@danielhughes2014]

4:36 'In the lead by 4 lengths, literally about 18 lenghts

[@keithknight1686]

'Just keep remounting', was the instructions to the jockey from the trainer.

[@andycook7244]

I think that was his instructions to Ben Nevis's rider when that horse won in 1980.

[@keithknight1686]

You may be right, though as Tim Forster was a professional sceptic, I suspect he said something similar to Hywel Davies.@@andycook7244

[@gazowen7310]

West tip cantering

[@gazowenowen250]

My dad had cataldi to win the Lincoln then doubled it on west tip

[@michaeljohnson5365]

Hallo Dandy was the last horse to win the GN and fall at the first fence at the following year

[@johnjoyce341]

I think he fell at the second fence

[@teenoso4069]

@@johnjoyce341 1st. Northern Bay fell at the second. Commentator delay and similar colours

[@gazowenowen250]

Scott lane. I'm sure got placed in a gold cup

[@teenoso4069]

1984 at a big price. Drumlargan too in the same 84 renewal. Scot Lane won 2 x Ritz Hunt Cups at the Festival previously.

[@jontyarnold8522]

It’s funny but I still want Corbiere to win.....

[@bobmatthews151]

I backed last suspect, only cause he'd beaten Corbiere at Chepstow....

[@shaunspadah5790]

cab please bechers brooke .... be there in 10 minutes

[@levisjeans1901]

...and some vanish stain remover for the grass stains on my jockey pants!

[@shaunspadah5790]

John Francomes last ride his record round Aintree is pretty mixed a couple of places on rough and tumble his other rides arent worth mentioning

[@gary1961]

@@shaunspadah5790 I had £10 E/W on the well fancied Drumlargen. It didn't get a mention until Francome pulled him up before 2nd Becher's when he was virtually a fence behind.

[@olwenbennett4850]

Olwen is my daughter

[@seanmckeon4204]

1984

[@seanmckeon4204]

Grand n

[@seanmckeon4204]

1984 grand natignal

[@darafitzpatrick9095]

What are you talking about man?? 😄

[@bronwenhabberley5985]

Greasepaint yet again a high finisher should have a been a winner !!

[@mago23wright34]

I HAD BACKED Mr Snugfit e/w at all price`s from 50/1 down stopped when it went below 16/1 yes I still won but what could have been

[@TheJuzi]

terry ramsden had 500k e/w on it, imagine how he felt?

[@shaunspadah5790]

i think dudie was trained by ginger mccain

[@teenoso4069]

In 1985, he was Irish trained, but the Irish sold many of their horses in those days. McCain purchased and trained him for 1986.

[@shaunspadah5790]

@@teenoso4069 after red rum dont think McCain even had a place in the race till amberleigh house

[@nikthompson7472]

Trained by Ginger McCain, ridden by some prat who thought it was Charge of the Light Brigade.

[@dwadlad]

I know we are supposed to remember these races with a wonderfull nostalgic feel, but I have to say the commentary is terrible compared to today's.

[@teenoso4069]

Yes but small monitor (screen size of a modern mobile), binoculars and an assistant if they are lucky. Now multi-screens plus more.