The biggest underdogs to ever win the Grand National

As one of the most high-profile races in the world, the Grand National is never short on drama. And there’s always plenty of excitement, especially when a massive underdog causes an upset to win the race.

Throughout the years the race has lived up its reputation with shocks and surprises, with five horses winning at odds of 100/1. These are the biggest-priced winners in the race’s long and rich history, each one having a fascinating story that will mark them as part of racing history.

Let’s find out more about each of the five 100/1 winners of the Grand National.

1. Tipperary Tim – 100/1

One of the top underdogs in the history of the Grand National can also claim one of the best stories in the history of the race, thanks to some prophetic words of encouragement prior to the start of the race. Just before the start of the 1928 Grand National, Tipperary Tim’s non-professional jockey heard a friend yell out to him that he could win the race if every other horse fell down. As it turns out, that is exactly what happened.

In a 42 horse field, 41 horses took a spill over the entirety of the race. Of those 41 horses to fall, 40 of them were unable to finish the race. And while one of the horses to take a fall during the course of the 1928 Grand National was able to finish the race, they were unable to catch up to Tipperary Tim. This was the first time in the history of the Grand National that a horse was able to defy the Grand National odds and win as a 100/1 long shot.

The 1928 Grand National set a record for the fewest horses to finish a Grand National race. It has also set the record for the biggest underdog to come out victorious in the race, a record that other horses have been able to equal in the decades to follow.

2. Gregalach – 100/1

Believe it or not, there were two straight 100/1 underdogs who managed to win the Grand National. In 1929, Gregalach managed to follow up on the unlikely performance of Tipperary Tim to claim the race as a huge underdog. It is entirely possible that there will never be another back-to-back run of Grand National winners at such long odds again.

One of the most impressive things about the unlikely victory for Gregalach was the fact that this Grand National featured the most horses at the start of any race in the history of the event. There were a jaw-dropping 66 horses who were entered into the race and took part in its start, which should have made it extremely difficult for a horse that wasn’t at the top of the odds list to come out on top.

The race featured an astounding 57 horses that did not finish the course, while the nine horses that did manage to complete the race were mostly huge underdogs. Only two of the horses to finish the race were at odds of 20/1 or better, with several horses at 200/1 odds finding a way to outperform horses that were projected to leave them in the dust before the Grand National started.

3. Caughoo – 100/1

It’s one thing for a longshot to win a race like the Grand National, shocking the world in the process. But it is another thing for that longshot to dominate the race in the fashion that Caughoo did in the 1947 Grand National.

Herbert McDowell’s runner producing one of the most astounding results in horse racing history by winning by 20 lengths ahead of the second Lough Conn. From the 57 runners that started the race, none were able to match the quality of Caughoo.

4. Foinavon – 100/1

Two decades after Caughoo put together one of the most dominant performances in the history of the Grand National, another 100/1 long shot managed to make the ultimate impression on the race. This time it was Foinavon defying the horse racing odds en route to a win that yielded massive payouts for those courageous enough to back him.

To say that Foinavon was not a horse that many wanted to ride in this race would be an understatement. It has been said that three jockeys turned down the opportunity to ride him in the event before John Buckingham accepted the chance to take part in the race. With the historic performance that Buckingham and Foinavon turned in, it should go without saying that the jockey does not regret the decision to take a chance on a horse that nobody else wanted to ride.

5. Mon Mome – 100/1

The last horse to win at a three-figure price was Mon Mome in 2009. Despite his starting price, the French-bred nine-year-old leaped to a 12-length victory, beating 2008 winner Comply Or Die and My Will.

It was just the second time in the race’s history that a female trainer had won the race with Venetia Williams following in the footsteps of Jenny Pitman, who sent out Corbiere in 1983. And since then, Sue Smith has joined them with Auroras Encore (2013).

After these five horses have managed to take Aintree by storm, the question is which horse will be the next longshot to win the Grand National? The only thing that we know is that this is a race that can throw up any sort of result.

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