The BBC Grand National 1989 - Little Polveir

....the Grand National of 1989....and Little Polveir ridden by Jimmy Frost is victorious....the race is marred by the deaths of Seeandem and Brown Trix at Bechers first time......leading to fundamental changes to the fence.

[@ElizabethCoral]

Little Polveir was such a great horse, very under-rated. He loved a marathon trip o heavy ground. He won the 1987 Scottish National as well.

[@staygoldponyboy8881]

My first ever winner, back when the national was a family occasion my dad put 50p e.w on for me. I was 10 at the time and have loved the horses ever since.

[@Eurovisionmad]

I always feel happy when a horse that has been in there a couple times then in fact wins. Well done little Polvier :)

[@tadhgcomhaltas]

I loved Little Polveir he was amazing

[@danbit5]

the week before he came 3rd (smaller race)i had a bet on him:)didnt do him on the national,i never forget because if hadnt been 3rd in that race week before id been on him:)

[@jamesmenzies7986]

The year before he was leading before parting company with Tom Morgan 5 out and I think he would have gone close to winning and that was the reason I backed him in 1989 and got 40/1.

[@anthonyhughes2402]

Me too, ha won me a few quid back in the day!

[@shaunspadah5790]

the last grand national where they are jumping the most famous fence in the world

[@darrenattew540]

Little Polveir....my favourite horse... had a price of 50/1 for this....great horse, winner of the Scottish National as well.

[@mizofan]

Well done Little Polveir- a good payday that was! And the loose horse was up for the contest, pushed him off line a bit.

[@BasVegas1]

What a brave ride taking the race on so early. Rode the finish out of the others!!

[@stancudd5611]

What a good field in this race

[@judyfarrar7987]

How can this be 33 years ago! Had a good win on little polvier , great horse and rider

[@michaelmanning7765]

I know only seems like yesterday 🤣 I back him In 1988 when he unseated his rider and again when he won in 1989 he was the smallest 🐎 in the race good things in small parcels

[@ftorres93]

Yes by end of the 1980s the race had to change or face extinction even thou I prefer not to have so many modifications to the fences. That's not to say that some safety is not welcome. The widening at bechers was needed, that part of the course did narrow on landing side which resulted in my opinion to the death of dark ivy, as the field came bunched together . I also noticed how back then the spectators were so close to the action, makes for a better atmosphere and race. Nowadays its very diluted. On this particular race some old favourites, the mighty west tip, unlucky not to be a double winner, Durham edition another stalwart and not forgetting The Thinker , a gold cup winner.

[@andycross9840]

I think Dark Ivy's death was more the fault of the incompetent twat of a jockey on the inside who ran across slightly, boxing him in and leaving the poor horse no room - subsequently Dark Ivy hit Becher's head on and toppled over breaking it's neck. Horrible image and what made it worse is I backed Dark Ivy that 87 National.

[@tedmartin83]

Durham Edition 2nd twice and his brave Rider Chris Grant was 2nd 3 times in the national. One of the unsung heroes of Aintree history.

[@cameronw3159]

And Durham Edition’s finishing time in 1990 would have won on any other year (granted firm ground was the catalyst for that)

[@horseracingstuff]

He also finished second in the 1987 Cheltenham Gold Cup on Cybrandian.

[@ssuganda]

Interesting upload. Julian Wilson's original commentary as they approached Bechers on the second circuit was 'And they are being waved to the outside of the fence to avoid a dead horse' (Seeandem) . The main issue with the changes to Bechers after this race was the fall of Brown Trix. Ridden in a ridiculous manner by his 53 year old jockey, who should never been allowed to ride in such a race, Brown Trix was a decent horse. He fell into the ditch on the landing side of the fence, and there is a very graphic account from the RSPA officials of how they struggled to keep the horse from drowning. With only a matter of minutes before the field came to the fence a second time a decision was reached to drag the horse out of the ditch using ropes, it was during this that his shoulder was injured and the horse had to be destroyed. The brook was filled in for subsequent races.

[@sambda]

+ssuganda Where does Wilson make the comment? Wikipedia says about it too, but it is not here. Is this apocryphal?

[@ssuganda]

+sambda No it was on the original broadcast. A copy of which I have. Wilson's commentary was then edited so those words were omitted. An interesting follow up to this was in 1990 when Roll-a-Joint fell fatally at the Canal Turn, once again as the field came to the fence a second time, the body of Roll-a-Joint was still on the landing side of the fence. You can hear Wilson check his commentary so not to repeat what he said the previous year.

[@sambda]

+ssuganda Yes, but where is the gap/overdub on the footage here (and where did this version come from - evening repeat?)? It all sounds fine to me without any obvious changes. If he had dubbed it later, it would sound different at that point, wouldn't it? His comments must have been around 6:36 (in the footage here) and at that point he's giving a rundown of the positions. There's no sign of tampering; it would be good if you could post your version.

[@dj_grim]

+ssuganda Yes he definitely made that comment I remember hearing it at the time and then it having been edited out later.

[@horseracingstuff]

sambda On the repeat of the race later that night they dropped the volume of his comment. A bizarre response as it was still clear what he said but it was just quiet

[@gazowen7310]

Great run from the thinker

[@davidkent8606]

Went to an open day somewhere in Newbury, I think it was an injured jockey fund-raising event and many of the great old chasers were on parade. Burrough Hill Lad, Party Politics, Desert Orchid et al. Desert Orchid got nearly all the attention. Really had to stretch my arm up to pat B H Lad on the nose, But standing to one side there was Little Polveir, being almost totally ignored. What struck me was how really little he was, patted him on the nose without having to stretch my arm up. How such a little fellow managed to negotiate those Aintree fences and win I'll never know. Reading the comments below complaining about the fences being modified, it has been done to save horses from the same fate as Brown Trix and Dark Ivy et al. Okay, horses will still be injured or suffer fatal falls, that's unavoidable sometimes, but let's think of these brave animals and stop moaning about the modifications. They are still the biggest jumps in the UK, Mark199 referring to them as hurdles is an idiotic remark, perhaps they don't satisfy his blood lust.

[@Eleventhearlofmars]

David Kent they go faster now because of the smalller fences so more casualties possible, should of left it as it was maybe apart from the landing side of bechers.

[@MsVanorak]

I was there in 2010 (2011 maybe but anyway) in the crowd. That was the year that all of the horses got to the Canal Turn unscathed and the cheer from the crowd in the stands can be heard on the mics at the Canal Turn. But the man stood next to me shouted with a tremor of dismay in his voice, "they've made it too safe". So it seems there are those who have a blood lust. Never forgotten it.

[@shaunspadah5790]

aintree grand national 1839 to 1989 rip

[@hullthebull]

ssuganda you are spot on with what you have posted . this is the race that changed the national !! i walked the course on the sunday before the race and have a photo of my daughter standing on the inside with Beecher's in the background , but for two days before the race it rained buckets that's why all the runners came out wide even thou you wouldn't know with the ground !! and the brooks which run through the course where bursting , hence when BT fell he rolled back in the ditch and was drowning , i have seen photos of ground staff trying to keep his head above the water , it is really shocking ,

[@mdluk199]

It looks like they left 2 horses dead on the course after falling at Beecher's first time around. Am I right or are my eyes tricking me? Thanks for the upload and a real shame that the Grand National no longer takes place. And before anyone says anything I don't regard the glorified hurdles race that takes place at Aintree in April to have any real connection to the true great Grand National.

[@mdluk199]

+waqar khan Thought so. Kinda shocking to see though.

[@chatham43]

+mark199 ....from about '63 till '89 the fences were tough but fair....since then they have been totally emasculated with all the changes.....the saying "...throwing the baby out with the bathwater.." springs to mind...for me it used to be the sporting highlight of the year....now I dont even bother....

[@mdluk199]

+chatham43 Totally understand where you're coming from. The race has lost the magic ingredients that made it the world's greatest steeplechase.

[@mdluk199]

+mark199 Thanks for your great videos by the way.

[@jamesmenzies7986]

Brown Trix was the 1989 Grand National. when it was killed at Bechers.

[@TheLilbobz]

Incredible how different Bechers is nowadays. I think if it hadn't have been altered so much then the National would no longer be in existence

[@cameronfraser9782]

For what it's worth...I had dreamt on the Wednesday before the race that Little Polveir would win....stuck a pound on at 50/1.....that was a weeks wage for me at the time.

[@jasonemre8058]

£50 a week in 1989 sorry mate I was earning £200 pound a week what job was you doing for £50 a week

[@Getyabootsoffskinny]

I remember pickin Little Polvier out of the runners the week leading up to the race. Night before a mate of mine said put your money on Attitude Adjuster. Day of the race i said to my Mam im puttin my money on Attitude Adjuster. She said No !!!! Dont change your mind. I sat there watchin , Nooooo !!!! Cmon fall !!! But there went Little Polvier , should of listened to my Mam 🙄

[@mizofan]

Should have gone with the heavy going that suited him- the odds were very good

[@jtyt1123]

What a great horse he was

[@dalecollins2085]

This upload should be renamed "Last Of The Nationals" the race nowadays is just a ordinary handicap hyped up by the media...

[@robertevans8010]

Especially the fixed National of Tiger Roll doing it twice it was like a hurdle race.

[@davidkelly6700]

West tip was a beast he loved these fences

[@County-ej8vj]

Such a shame they were forced to change Bechers. The fatalities mostly occurred from horses out of the handicap and long odds. Brown Trix here was 300-1 with an amateur jockey!!

[@chrisnorbury1907]

If only David Pitcher didnt ride Brown Trix

[@CRyan71]

What changes were made?

[@NeptuneCollonges]

@@chrisnorbury1907David Pitcher should have never been allowed to sit on a horse again. He killed poor Brown Trix with his ego and absolutely abysmal horsemanship.

[@chrisnorbury1907]

Does any1 know where I can find the Novice Hurdle that Trapper John & Morley Street were in??????

[@SteveMullington]

RIP Toby Balding

[@ianbolan3488]

Whether you like it or not the BBC should still be covering the Grand National and other major racing meets.

[@Eleventhearlofmars]

Definitely

[@shaunspadah5790]

what a decade the 80s were proper grand nationals, f a cup that was worth winning, pop charts where gettin to number 1 actually meant something, now we are just a bunch of fairys livin in cyber world

[@horseracingstuff]

Jive Bunny had three number ones in 1989 to what the pop charts were like in reality.

[@MsVanorak]

i'm not a fairy but I get what your saying. :)

[@gazowen7310]

The 80s also when it was snooker and darts players and even golf had characters none of that nowadays give me the 80s sports stars than these today

[@jasonemre8058]

Says the person who commented on KZbin lol

[@Dead-Ball-Situation]

What was the name of the riderless horse, running next to Little Polveir at the end? It nearly put him off.

[@chrisnorbury1907]

Was there any interview with David Pitcher after the race??????

[@richardb1092]

john francome has suggested the restoration of the ditch at Bechers. I assume he means on the landing side without the old drop as over rotation was the problem for horses. I would agree with the ditch bigger on the inside to give an option.

[@MsVanorak]

in this race Brown Trix fell and slithered back into the brook head first. his jockey had to hold his head above the water to qrevent him from drowning. the modification was to cover the ditch over with boards for following years. I think francombe and others want to brook uncovered again because the chances of it haqqening like that again are slight. it is called bechers brook because jockey, john becher was unseated and took refuge in the brook as the other horses jumqed over him. swigging on a hiq flask of whiskey he made a comment to the sqectators along the lines of why not get wet on the inside too!

[@jasoncumberland7032]

this was the last grand national as it had always been. the crashing fall of dark ivy at beechers made front pages of many papers. this was the start of the modifications. aided and abetited by julian wilsons original commentary stearsbys horror fall at the 10th or 11 didnt help either i love these uploads as this for me is the best exhibition of man and beast working in harmony, but i regret the death of any horse in the race but it has become a bit soft and less of a spectacle

[@jasoncumberland7032]

i believe dark ivy's jockey, phil tuck never rode again after this race such was the effect on him

[@elsoss180]

Dark ivy's fall was in 1987 mate...

[@jasoncumberland7032]

@@elsoss180 aye it was. dunno why i mentioned him in this post

[@garethmurtagh]

I think Dark Ivy’s death had a bigger impact because he was such a handsome horse and was so heavily backed in that race. I often think if he’d been brown in colour then his death wouldn’t have been so noticeable on the TV, but because he was grey he stood out against the background and you could see it all 😕 Until that race I’d never heard of a horse dying in the National and it was shocking to think that it could happen.

[@pandapopchart4950]

Stearsby didn't fall, he refused, sending his jockey through/over the fence. You can see Stearsby stood on the take-off side shortly after when it cuts to a wide shot.

[@roylittler7666]

I was there that day

[@shaunspadah5790]

One thing u will never see again in sport excitement atmosphere risk taking all gone one good thing about the virus we were spared the 2020 race

[@ssuganda]

Richard Pitman was also taken to task on this, The 'Where Did They Fall' replay used a fence side camera on the landing side of Bechers, clearly showing Brown Trix lying on the floor. Richard P said that he got up and trotted away fine. Obviously fed incorrect information. The perils of being a commentator

[@chrisnorbury1907]

I remember they did show that Brown Trix had got up but dragging the poor horse out of the ditch using ropes had caused its shoulder to be broken and the horse was put down which was a shame because it looked like he was going to be ok the front of the Daily Mirror had a picture of Brown Trix being dragged out of the ditch with a police officer at the front and the headline was National disgrace and it said moments before Brown Trix was destroyed

[@MegaBagera]

My tip Smart Tar romped home...without a jockey :(

[@radlettblue]

+Steven Wilkins could have won if Carl Llewellyn hadn't fallen off him in rather embarrassing fashion.

[@dawnkeir549]

I done smart tar as well

[@MsVanorak]

I always used to like to watch the loose horses too until Edvardo, running loose at Wincanton a couqle of seasons ago, steqqed on his reins and did a comqlete somersault and broke his back killing him instantly. it being a smaller circuit they hadn't got the green screens fully around him by the time the field came round again. Now my stomach is in knots if I see a horse running loose with his reins dangling in front.

[@shaunspadah5790]

rather than rip the race to pieces they should have left the race as it was just maybe fillin a little on the inside at bechers, what they should have done is stop these glory seekin amateurs from riding, they can ride in the foxhunters where u havent got 10 million eyes on you, no gallopin granpas sportin solicitors, dukes lords etc just top jockeys

[@TCDL11]

by the early 90s the galloping grandpas, solicitors, majors and others such as The Duke of Alberquerque were no longer allowed to ride in the National in favour of jockeys who had won at least 15 races over fences thus the number of amateur riders were reduced to three or four. And Bechers along with the 15 other fences were modified in 1990......well sort of.

[@gazowenowen250]

@@TCDL11 Rosemary Henderson 1994 was 51 on fiddlers pike

[@horseracingstuff]

You mean like Sam Waley-Cohen who along with Ruby Walsh has the best recent record over the fences. There's no point on banning people like Jamie Cobb or the recently retired Katie Walsh or Nina Carberry or he late JT McNamara as they were capable. As I've written elsewhere you know need to have ridden 15 winners under rules in rider to ride in the race. That's leaving off John Throne.

[@horseracingstuff]

@@gazowenowen250 I was thinking of mentioning here. She finished a decent fifth out of the six finishers.

[@garethmurtagh]

Given how people are referring to Dark Ivy’s death in 87, it’s ironic that Attitude Adjuster, who baulked Dark Ivy causing his fatal fall, falls at Becher’s...

[@andycook7244]

Attitude Adjuster didn't actually fall at Bechers but crumpled enough to come to a stand still. Got going again and did complete but that arguably put a dent to his chances.

[@shaunspadah5790]

sport isnt what it used to be, grand national not the same , test match cricket dying out, f a cup dying out, snooker, formula one and boxing all had better days

[@gazowenowen250]

Darts as well no characters anymore

[@nigelkendrick7469]

Little pol vier was my bet

[@drizzle952]

👍👍👍

[@shaunspadah5790]

david pitcher might have been an ok amateur rider but he lost his head in this race hes riding brown trix like its a 7 furlong sprint then completely cocks up fence 3 and by the time they fall there mid position, they should have looked at the riders who rode in the race rather than ripping the race to pieces, if francome or McCoy were riding brown trix this would not have happened

[@andrewshaw6812]

I agree with every word of this but would add that 50% of the horses should not have been in the race also. 2 Years after this we had the Bland national where Mr Frisk won 10 seconds inside the time of Red Rum's previous record. That was enough for me I never attended the race live again. Yes we want to look after the horses but the race needs to retain its spectacle.!

[@andycook7244]

I remember reading a book of Peter Scudamore's, which addressed Pitcher's riding and that he had no race strategy other than to sprint down to Bechers like he was riding in the July Cup (paraphrasing somewhat).

[@shaunspadah5790]

Ariel shot at canal turn awful ok for the rerun not the actual race

[@chatham43]

...same with camera helmet shots...

[@leroyjoseph6896]

After 1989, beaches gets modified!

[@christaylor5668]

Safety is paramount, the national needed slight changes, they took it too far and as other comments say, spoilt the national. It was the greatest test but not anymore...and the people running the show, soul less....

[@gazowenowen250]

I agree safety is Paramount but you can make it too safe

[@MsVanorak]

it's all down to - ahem - climate change I think. if you look at this race through the decades, right uq to the early 1970's, the crowd are wearing coats, hats, furs etc and the going was more often heavy. a slower race, more falls, a test of skill and stamina but less fatalities.

[@sootymush1]

Smart Tar 😉

[@alexmccrorie4195]

I got on him a couple of times when I worked 4 Mr Edwards. I think just John Bryan and Peter Warner rode him out the most .he was nuts2 break being by cantab he smashed Wayne Knox leg up.long long time ago lol

[@csb7376]

Did Stearsby survive? He almost demolished the fence 2:38.

[@chatham43]

...he was OK...

[@csb7376]

chatham43 I remember Terry Ramsden owned him at one stage.

[@charleeboytruth8195]

I backed one of Terry Ramsden's horses on the flat at Chester. It was called: Are you Guilty ~ honest! It won at 20/1

[@andycook7244]

Stearsby slammed on the brakes at that fence. He finished 4th, I think in 91 Foxhunters and refused again in the 92 National, was a big outsider that day.

[@plechol]

For me, the winner is a horse without a rider at the finish.

[@andrewdavies4955]

I used to ride regularly that season at j Edwards yard then he other sold.oops!!!

[@jtyt1123]

Lost its magic now.....no one wants to see hoses die....but modifications have ruined the spectacle.....

[@martinwalsh2960]

Ur right it's like any jump race now

[@dawnkeir549]

so sad horses die

[@robertevans8010]

That is life if they were not being Trained they would be rotting in a field or being eaten in Belgium.

[@NeptuneCollonges]

David Pitcher who ride Brown Trix, what a horrible individual. From wikipedia: On viewing a playback of the race, champion jockey Peter Scudamore was scathing in his criticism when he stated "I like David Pitcher. He's a nice man and as a person I've got a lot of time for him. But, in my view, he had no right to ride in the Grand National.... He's a bad tactician and, as far as I could see, he had no race plans. He just rode like a maniac down over those first three or four fences and, to me, that's not fearless. It's brainless. He rides a horse like he's swinging from the heels against West Indian fast-bowling."[24] Pitcher did not help his cause by stating "What could the best jockey in the world do about his horse falling back into the ditch? In National Hunt racing, you learn to live with dead horses."

[@teenoso4069]

The changes have gone too far so the lost of the National now would be no great loss unless you are a grubby bookie

[@Eleventhearlofmars]

Now it’s just an ordinary handicap glorified by the media and bookies.

[@shaunspadah5790]

all these changes to the national started because of the riding of a 50 something amateur

[@jasoncumberland7032]

he was a proper knobhead, shunt have been anywhere near the course. made a mess of the 3rd and virtually forced the horse over the next 3, poor thing tripped over beechers, due to his shocking riding

[@roma6837]

The jockey of brown trix should have been banned for life! Absolutely flogged that horse to it's death. ☹️

[@chrisnorbury1907]

@@roma6837 After this race they changed the ruling for a rider to have at least 15 wins to his/her name in order to compete in the National David Pitcher I believe went into motor racing after this race I dont know what happened to the other horses he owned he had a few

[@chrisnorbury1907]

@@jasoncumberland7032 Apparently David Pitcher did manage 1 win a 4 runner Hunter Chase at Cheltenham on a horse called Sunlit River I'd love to see that race

[@jtyt1123]

Might as well scrap it now, it's fucking rubbish now, at least we got KZbin to watch when it was brilliant....what should have happened is the drops taken away, and the fences made bigger, couldn't care if I miss it now it's so boring.....and ITV is too pc to enjoy, rubbish