The 1990 Grand National (officially known as the
Seagram
The Seagram Company Ltd. (which traded as Seagram's) was a Canadian multinational conglomerate formerly headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. Originally a distiller of Canadian whisky based in Waterloo, Ontario, it was once (in the 1990s) the lar ...
Grand National for sponsorship reasons) was the 144th renewal of the
Grand National
The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England. First run in 1839, it is a handicap ...
horse race that took place at
Aintree Racecourse
Aintree Racecourse is a horse racing, racecourse in Aintree, Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, Merseyside, England, bordering the city of Liverpool. The racecourse is the venue for the Grand National steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase, whi ...
near
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...
, England, on 7 April 1990. The off time was 3.20pm.
Mr. Frisk won the race in a time of eight minutes and 47.80 seconds, breaking
Red Rum
Red Rum (3 May 1965 – 18 October 1995) was a champion Thoroughbred steeplechaser. He achieved an unmatched historic treble when he won the Grand National in 1973, 1974 and 1977, and also came second in the two intervening years, 1975 ...
's 1973 record by 14.10 seconds. He was ridden by amateur jockey
Marcus Armytage
Marcus Armytage orn is a journalist and former National Hunt jockey who won the Grand National as an amateur in 1990, riding Mr Frisk. He was educated at Eton College.
Armytage's win in the 1990 Grand National on Mr Frisk came in a record time ...
.
[ This record still stands, even though the race has been shorter since 2013.
Second was Durham Edition, and third Rinus. The 7/1 favourite Brown Windsor finished fourth. In fifth was Lastofthebrownies, ridden by Charlie Swan, and ]Richard Dunwoody
Thomas Richard Dunwoody MBE (born 18 January 1964 in Belfast, Northern Ireland) is a retired British jockey in National Hunt racing. He was a three-time Champion Jockey.
Racing career
Dunwoody's race victories include the King George VI Chase ...
rode Bigsun home in sixth place.[
There were two equine fatalities during the race. Roll-A-Joint fell at the first ]Canal Turn
The Canal Turn is a fence on Aintree Racecourse's National Course and thus is jumped during the Grand National Steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase which is held annually at the racecourse, located near Liverpool, England. Named for the Leeds ...
, breaking his neck and dying almost instantly, while Hungary Hur incurred a leg fracture while running towards the 19th fence, pulled up and was euthanised.[
]
Leading contenders
Brown Windsor was made 7/1 favourite after a year which had seen him win the Whitbread Gold Cup
Whitbread plc is a multinational British hotel and restaurant company headquartered in Houghton Regis, England.
The business was founded as a brewery in 1742, and had become the largest brewery in the world by the 1780s.
Its largest division ...
and finish narrowly beaten in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury. Under the guidance of John White he had every chance jumping the Canal Turn second time in fourth place but was unable to make any further impression on the leader along the Canal side and by the time they turned for the penultimate fence he was beaten, maintaining his fourth place to the finish. Brown Windsor did not race again until 1992 with a series of prep races before a second tilt at the National when he was againm among the leading contenders only to fall at Becher's first time. He never again attempted the National but did return three times for the Fox Hunters Chase, being beaten second in both 1994 and 1995 before being brought down in what proved his final race in 1996. Brown Windsor was retired to the hunting field and died at the age of twenty-four in 2006.
Durham Edition was backed down to 9/1 having won both the Charlie Hall Memorial Pattern Chase at Wetherby
Wetherby () is a market town and civil parish in the City of Leeds district, West Yorkshire, England, close to West Yorkshire county's border with North Yorkshire, and lies approximately from Leeds City Centre, from York and from Harrogat ...
in November and the Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase
The Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase is a Premier Handicap National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Wetherby over a distance of about 3 miles ( ...
at the same course in December, having previously proven himself in the National, finishing second in 1988 and fifth in 1989. Once again partnered by Chris Grant, he tracked the first circuit in mid division, moving up to eighth jumping the Chair before creeping into closer contention on the second circuit. By the time the Canal Turn was reached he was fifth and crossing the Melling Road moved into second to issue a challenge to the eventual winner at the final fence. The horse gave his backers every chance on the run in but was unable to close down a length disadvantage and ended beaten second for the second time in three Nationals. Durham Edition returned for a fourth and final attempt at the National in 1991, finishing sixth.
Bigsun came into popular support and shared favouritism until minutes before the race, going off at 15/2. He arrived at Aintree as the winner of the Ritz Club Chase at the Cheltenham Festival three weeks earlier and in addition had been given the minimum 10 stone to carry by jockey Richard Dunwoody
Thomas Richard Dunwoody MBE (born 18 January 1964 in Belfast, Northern Ireland) is a retired British jockey in National Hunt racing. He was a three-time Champion Jockey.
Racing career
Dunwoody's race victories include the King George VI Chase ...
, albeit the Ulsterman weighed out 2 lbs overweight. In the race itself Bigsun turned for the second circuit in the main pack but was always trailing the leaders without ever getting into a challenging position. His finishing position of sixth was as close as he was at any point of the race.
Rinus came to Aintree having won the Greenall Whitley Gold Cup
The Greenall Whitley Gold Cup was a National Hunt Listed handicap chase in England. It was run at Haydock Park over a distance of 3 miles (4,828 metres), and it was scheduled to take place each year in February or early March.
The event was est ...
at Haydock Park
Haydock Park Racecourse is a racecourse in Merseyside, North West England. Within the boundaries of the historic county of Lancashire, the racecourse is set in an area of parkland bounded by the towns of Haydock to the west, Ashton-in-Makerfield ...
in February under Richard Dunwoody but with the Ulsterman opting to ride Bigsun, the mount went to Neale Doughty who had previously won the race and never failed to complete the course. Sent off at 13/1 they moved into the leading half dozen as the runners came to the Canal Turn for the first time and stayed in touch with the leader throughout. Rinus moved up into a distant second place at the fourth fence from home but was never able to close a ten length advantage built up by the winner and was passed going to the second last flight by the eventual second before staying on, one paced to finish third.
Call Collect had won the previous years Topham Chase over one circuit of the course. Questions over his stamina were answered when he won the Cheltenham Foxhunter Chase
Foxhunter (1940–1959) was a champion show jumping horse ridden by Harry Llewellyn, best known for their part in securing Great Britain at the 1952 Summer Olympics, Great Britain's only gold medal at the 1952 Summer Olympics (in the Equestrian at ...
three weeks before coming to Aintree. Public confidence in his chances began to fade in the hours before the race as it was thought the ground conditions might not be in his favour. In partnership with his amateur rider, Mr Ray Martin, the pair went off at 14/1 but were well to the rear throughout the race before making ground through the tiring field to finish seventh, getting their only mention from the television commentator as they passed the post.
Ghofar and Brendan Powell came to Aintree having won the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury the previous year, having beaten Brown Windsor in the process. They set off at 14/1 but were another who never got into contention before finishing a remote fourteenth.
Next in the market came three 16/1 shots, which included Mr Frisk
Mr Frisk (c.1979 – September 2000) was a Thoroughbred racehorse, famous for his victory in the 1990 Grand National. He completed the course in record time of 8 minutes and 47.80 seconds, ridden by Marcus Armytage; this still stands, even ...
, the winner of the Ascot Punch Bowl Amateur Chase the previous November. The firm ground on the day made him a very popular each-way chance on the day in company with his amateur rider, Racing Post correspondent, Marcus Armytage
Marcus Armytage orn is a journalist and former National Hunt jockey who won the Grand National as an amateur in 1990, riding Mr Frisk. He was educated at Eton College.
Armytage's win in the 1990 Grand National on Mr Frisk came in a record time ...
. They were up among the leaders throughout the race, being left fifteen lengths clear when co-leader, Uncle Merlin - another 16/1 shot - unseated at Becher's Brook on the second circuit. Although challenged on the run in by Durham Edition, they remained in front to win in a record time of 8 minutes 47.80 seconds, which still stands despite the race distance being reduced since 2013.
The other 16/1 shot was Bonanza Boy who won both the 1988 and 1989 Welsh Grand National
The Coral Welsh Grand National is a Premier Handicap National Hunt racing, National Hunt Steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to Horse racing, horses aged four years ...
's. But finished well back in 16th and was entered for the next
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Grand National's - including the race that never was.
Course changes
In the aftermath of two equine fatalities at Becher's Brook in the previous years National (Brown Trix and Seeandem), it was decided to make modifications to the fence. The ditch into which Captain Becher himself had fallen one hundred and fifty-one years earlier was filled in. The bend away from the fence was also softened.
Finishing order
[
]
Non-finishers
[
]
Media coverage and aftermath
The BBC broadcast the race live on television for the thirty-first consecutive year as part of its regular Saturday afternoon Grandstand
A grandstand is a normally permanent structure for seating spectators. This includes both auto racing and horse racing. The grandstand is in essence like a single section of a stadium, but differs from a stadium in that it does not wrap a ...
programme, in a Grand National special. Des Lynam
Desmond Michael Lynam, (born 17 September 1942) is an Irish-born television and radio presenter. In a broadcasting career spanning more than forty years, he has hosted television coverage of many of the world's major sporting events, presentin ...
was the anchor presenter, interviewing the connections of the competitors and celebrity race goers before handing over to Richard Pitman
Richard Thomas Pitman (born 21 January 1943) is a retired British jump jockey who rode 427 winners in his career, including Lanzarote in the 1974 Champion Hurdle. He won the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park Racecourse twice, the Whitbread ...
and Bill Smith who gave a guide to the runners as they prepared for the race. The television commentary team was unchanged for the nineteenth consecutive year in John Hanmer, Julian Wilson and lead commentator, Peter O'Sullevan
Sir Peter O'Sullevan (3 March 1918 – 29 July 2015) was an Irish-British horse racing commentator for the BBC, and a correspondent for the Press Association, the ''Daily Express'', and ''Today''. He was the BBC's leading horse racing commen ...
who was calling his forty-fifth Grand National.
Richard Pitman
Richard Thomas Pitman (born 21 January 1943) is a retired British jump jockey who rode 427 winners in his career, including Lanzarote in the 1974 Champion Hurdle. He won the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park Racecourse twice, the Whitbread ...
and Bill Smith took Television viewers through a detailed rerun of the race using camera angles not used during the running of the race itself, including a camera from a helicopter and cameras inside the first fence and the chair.
There was criticism of Julian Wilson's commentary for the second consecutive year when he referred to the body of the horse Roll-A-Joint, which had suffered a fatal fall on the first circuit, as a "major obstruction" when the runners went to jump the Canal Turn second time. The horse's body had been moved a few feet away from the landing side of the fence and covered with a tarpaulin, made clearly visible to viewers in the slow-motion replay afterwards.
The race was also broadcast live on BBC Radio for the fifty-ninth time as part of its Saturday Sport programme and for the final time on Radio Two. The BBC moved the programme to the newly launched BBC Radio Five the following year.
All of the major National UK and Ireland daily newspapers carried extensive pre race coverage in their Saturday editions many included full colour race card style guides.
Among the fifteen riders making their debut in the race were Norman Williamson, Charlie Swan, Lorcan Wyer and Jamie Osborne, all of whom would later finish second in future Grand Nationals.
As a prominent racing journalist and author, Marcus Armytage
Marcus Armytage orn is a journalist and former National Hunt jockey who won the Grand National as an amateur in 1990, riding Mr Frisk. He was educated at Eton College.
Armytage's win in the 1990 Grand National on Mr Frisk came in a record time ...
has written extensively about the Grand National and his victory in it. In 2010 while writing for the Daily Telegraph he wrote "At Becher's second time everything changed. I was wondering if I'd ever be able to get past Uncle Merlin when he pecked. As I went past Hywel (Davies – jockey of Uncle Merlin) was half on, half off and I assumed he would rejoin me shortly. I was unaware gravity won the argument. (Davies had been unseated)" Armytage also explained to Channel Four how he nearly completely underestimated the runner up. "I was well clear t the second last fencebut then first heard the noise of other horses. If you look back at the footage, Chris rant
A diatribe (from the Greek ''διατριβή''), also known less formally as rant, is a lengthy oration, though often reduced to writing, made in criticism of someone or something, often employing humor, sarcasm, and appeals to emotion.
His ...
on Durham Edition and Neale Doughty, on Rinus have a chat and Neale was telling Chris 'You've got him'. I actually thought the horse behind was Team Challenge, which was one of the slowest finishers in the field so I wasn't worried. The blessing was that I didn't look back and see Chris."
Davies himself told the press that he was convinced Uncle Merlin would have won but for the fall at Bechers. A further claim that they would be back next year to win went unfulfilled.
References
External links
*
{{Grand National
1990
Grand National
The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England. First run in 1839, it is a handicap ...
Grand National
The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England. First run in 1839, it is a handicap ...
20th century in Merseyside
April 1990 sports events in the United Kingdom