The Grand National & Racing During The War Years
Eight months into World War I the Jockey Club took the decision to suspend race meetings for the duration. The Grand National went ahead ten days later, but only a small crowd turned up to watch, and it was at this race that Lady Nelson became the first woman to own a Grand National winner with Ally Sloper, and secured the £3,515 prize money.
Ally Sloper was the 9-2 favourite nine months later when the race was ‘taken’ to Gatwick, due to the fact that the Army had requisitioned the Aintree racecourse, making it unavailable for the next three years. This new race was called ‘The Racecourse Association Steeplechase’, and was run on March 24th, 1916, and had a prize of 500 sovereigns. The distance of the race was 4 miles 836 yards with the highest fence being just 4ft 10in, so it didn’t prove to be a major test of ability. Ally Sloper finished eighth with the race being won by Vermouth at 100-8.
The following year in 1917, the race was renamed ‘The War National Steeplechase’ in which there were 19 starters. At the second last fence there were still 11 in the race and three horses fought for the lead – Limerock, Ballymacad and Chang. Limerock looked like he was without a doubt going to win when he suddenly sank to the ground and rolled over. His collapse sent Ballymacad to the winning spot by eight lengths, and his owner Sir George Bullough announced that the £1000 winnings would be going to St Dunstans Home for Blinded Soldiers.
The Last Gatwick race included three future winners of the Grand National – Shaun Spadah, Sergeant Murphy and Poethlyn who was ridden by Ernie Piggott.
With the Second World War the Jockey Club cancelled the English Derby in January 1940, yet the Grand National went ahead on April 5th, albeit with a smaller than usual crowd, with the majority of attendees dressed in uniform. Once again Aintree was requisitioned by the Army, housing 16,000 troops. The racecourse lessees, Ronald and Mirabel Topham did their best to protect the racecourse, with their main concern being the turf on the actual Grand National circuit which they tried to prevent the armed forces from placing huge concrete blocks to prevent aircraft from landing. This was to no avail, and even worse was the fact that there was no substitute racecourse available at Gatwick as it was now being used as an airfield.
It wasn’t for another 6 years that the Grand National could be held again at Aintree, on April 5th 1946. Of course it wasn’t just the loss of years of races that was the most poignant aspect of the closure of Aintree for horseracing, it was the tragic amount of men that had lost their lives to the War – both spectators and competitors. Among them were four winning riders – Bob Everett, Mervyn Jones, Tommy Cullinan and Frank Furlong.
