Who amongst us is averse to having the occasional flutter? Not I. And with the Aintree Grand National just around the corner, I can’t be the only one wondering which horse is going to win 2020 Grand National. There are serious contenders such as short priced (5-1) favourite Tiger Roll (going for his third consecutive win), as well as Burrows Saint at 12-1 and Any Second Now at 16-1. The factors involved in making a selection can be numerous. Trainer, Owner, form, what the going is, handicap weights, it’s all relevant. And certainly one key factor that cannot be understated in that of the jockey on board. If I was to give an example of one who had the determination to get the job done, I think I’d have to go with none other than Richard Dunwoody.
Dunwoody requires little introduction. Before being forced to retire by a neck injury in 1999, at the age of 35, he rode an incredible 1,699 winners in Britain and became National Hunt Champion Jockey in three consecutive seasons between 1992/93 and 1994/95. He was also inducted into the Grand National Hall of Fame in 2011 by virtue of having ridden in the race 14 years running and been placed eight times. This isn’t a man who would ever need to pad out his racing CV.
Dunwoody rode 24 winners as an amateur before making the decision to turn professional in 1984 and he rode his first Grand National winner, West Tip, two years later at the tender age of 22. West Tip, ridden by Dunwoody, had started favourite for the National the previous year, but fell, when in the lead, at Becher’s Brook on the second circuit. However, on their return to Aintree in 1986, Dunwoody and West Tip led approaching the Elbow and the nine-year-old stayed on well to beat Young Driver by 2 lengths.
Years later, Dunwoody admitted, “I was very young when West Tip won at Aintree and didn’t fully realise the enormity of it.” Nevertheless, the partnership returned to Aintree three more times, finishing fourth in 1987 and 1988, behind Maori Venture and Rhyme ‘N’ Reason, respectively, and second in 1989, behind Little Polveir.
In 1993, on the retirement of Peter Scudamore, Richard Dunwoody moved to Martin Pipe and rode his second Grand National winner, Miinnehoma, for the Wellington trainer the following April. Owned by none other than comedian Freddie Starr, Miinnehoma had previously finished a respectable seventh of 15, beaten 19 lengths, behind The Fellow in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Dunwoody later commented, “Miinnehoma provided me with one of my greatest highlights, because his success was so unexpected. It came at a stage in my career when I was better able to appreciate it.” On heavy going, Miinnehoma ran on well under pressure in the closing stages to beat confirmed mudlark Just So by 1¼ lengths. I expect this uplifting story will have kept the usual ‘Freddie Starr ate my hamster’ headlines at bay for a week or two.