1969 Grand National Explained

Pagename:1969 Grand National
Horse Race:Grand National
Location:Aintree Racecourse
Date:29 March 1969
Winning Horse:Highland Wedding
Starting Price:100/9
Winning Jockey:Eddie P. Harty Sr.
Winning Trainer:Toby Balding
Winning Owner:Thomas H. McCoy Jr. & Charles Burns
Conditions:Firm
Previous:1968
Next:1970

The 1969 Grand National was the 123rd renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 29 March 1969. Twelve-year-old Highland Wedding, running in his third Grand National, was the winner by 12 lengths. He was ridden by jockey Eddie Harty Sr. for trainer Toby Balding. The favourite was Red Alligator who fell at the 19th fence (open ditch).

Finishing order

PositionNameJockeyAgeHandicap (st-lb)SPDistance
01Highland WeddingEddie Harty1210-4100/9
02Steel BridgeRichard Pitman1110-050/1
03RondettoJeff King1310-625/1
04The BeechesBill Rees910-1100/6
05BassnetJosh Gifford1010-12100/8
06ArcturusPat Buckley811-4100/6
07Fort SunJohn Crowley810-428/1
08Kellsboro' WoodAndy Turnell910-1066/1
09Furore IIMacer Gifford810-020/1
10Miss HunterFrank Shortt810-050/1
11The FossaAndrew Parker Bowles1210-933/1
12LimeburnerJohn Buckingham810-066/1
13Castle FallsStan Hayhurst1210-066/1
14LimetraPaddy Broderick1110-950/1Last to finish

Non-finishers

FenceNameJockeyAgeHandicap (st-lb)Starting priceFate
03Tudor FortJohn Haldane910-450/1Fell
04Fearless FredTerry Biddlecombe711-315/2Fell
06PeccardGeorge Sloan810-450/1Fell
10BallinabointraPaul Kelleway1010-1100/1Fell
10TerossianPaul Sloan911-350/1Refused
12Rosinver BayPat Taaffe910-550/1Refused
17JuanMr PJH Willis1310-9100/1Refused
19HoveDavid Nicholson810-9100/6Fell
19Red AlligatorBrian Fletcher1010-1313/2Fell
20FlosuebarbJoe Guest910-0100/1Fell
20Game PurstonStan Mellor1110-033/1Pulled Up
21Moidore's TokenBarry Brogan1210-9100/6Pulled Up
22KilburnTommy Carberry1110-922/1Fell
22Tam KissJeremy Hindley1010-1350/1Brought Down
27The InventorTim Hyde810-033/1Fell
30VillayDerek Scott1110-3100/1Pulled Up
[1] [2] [3]

Media coverage

David Coleman presented Grand National Grandstand: this would be the first National televised in colour. Peter O'Sullevan, Julian Wilson (first National commentary), Michael O'Hehir and Michael Seth-Smith provided the commentary. This would be the final television commentary on the National for both O'Hehir and Seth-Smith; however, both would continue as Grand National commentators for BBC radio until the mid-1980s. O'Hehir wrongly called Highland Wedding a faller at the second Becher's Brook (fence 22), this mistake cruelly cutting short his televised National commentaries.

Sources

Notes and References

  1. The Grand National : the history of the Aintree spectacular, by Stewart Peters & Bernard Parkin,
  2. Web site: Grand National Anorak |. freewebs.com. 2014-08-27.
  3. Web site: 1968/69 - The Grand National and Aintree 1960-1969 . Sixtiesnationals.webs.com . 2014-08-18.