Optional Homework – The Grand National
The world’s most famous horse race, the Grand National ***, takes place
on Saturday 6th April at 4:15pm. It will be live on Channel 4 so you’ll be
able to watch it if you want to. Answer these questions about the race
and its history – a sticker for your card if you complete it.
1. What is the name of the racecourse in Liverpool where the Grand
National is held? ___________________
2. There are lots of famous fences on the course. One is Becher’s Brook.
A brook is another name for a stream but where does the Becher bit of
the name come from? ________________________________
_____________________________________________________
3. One fence requires the horse to jump then the jockey to turn the
horse through 90º, or a right angle. Which fence is this? ____________
4. All but two fences are jumped twice. Which are the two which are
jumped only once? ___________________ and __________________
5. The horses have to cross a road during the race. It is closed and the
tarmac covered with sawdust and sand. What is this road called?
________________________________
The Grand National happens once every year and each race has its own
stories. The questions below are about some of the more famous races.
6. A horse called Foinavon won the 1967 Grand National. What happened
at fence number 23 which resulted in this very unlikely winner?
_______________________________________________________
7a) The most famous horse to win the race won in 1973, 1974 and a third
time in 1977. No other horse has won three times. Which horse is this?
____________________________
7b) The same horse was also second in both 1975 and 1976. Which horse
won the race those two years?
1975 _____________________ 1976 _____________________
8. Betting is very popular in the Grand National. Many people like to pick a
grey horse because they are easier to spot during the race. What is the
name of the last grey horse to win and which year was it?
_______________________________________________________
9. One of the strangest races was in 1956. One horse was well in the lead
but slipped just before the winning post and was overtaken.
a) Which horse slipped? _______________________
b) Which horse won the race? ______ (short line, short name!)
c) Who was the owner of the horse that slipped? __________________
People still disagree about why this horse slipped. No-one will ever know
for sure.
10. In 1993 the race was declared ‘void’. This is because lots of horses
got tangled up in the starting tape. Many jockeys didn’t notice it was a
false start and that they had to try again. Some horses completed the
race and one finished first – the poor jockey actually thought he’d won
only to be told after crossing the line that he hadn’t! Which horse ‘won’
this void race? ___________________
11. A trainer gets the horses ready so they are fit in time for the race
and well prepared to run. Most winning trainers have been men but in
1983 the first female trainer won with a horse called Corbiere. She won
again in 1995 with Royal Athlete and also trained the horse which ‘won’
1993’s void race. What is this lady’s name? _______________________
If you’re interested (and if you’re honest…!) write the name of the horse
you think will win this year’s race on the line below. Make sure you do this
before 4.15 a week on Saturday for obvious reasons…!
___________________________________
*** No Phoenix and family – the Melbourne Cup is not more famous…!