1989 Grand National had to be destroyed. West Tip was by now a people's champion after following up his 1986 Grand National victory with fourth-placed finishes in 1987 and 1988 after falling at his first attempt in 1985. As in all his previous Nationals he was partnered by Richard Dunwoody. West Tip went into the front rank right from the off and led the field over the Chair at the half way stage. They were headed by the eventual winner on the way down to Becher's Brook for the second time and looked to a beaten horse, dropping back to fifth as the
One Man (horse) which jockey Richard Dunwoody pulled up One Man after the horse burst a blood vessel in his nose. One Man's 1997-98 season started with a victory over his old rival Barton Bank in the Charlie Hall Chase (at Wetherby), and a win in the Peterborough Chase (at Huntingdon Racecourse). Attention then turned to Kempton and One Man's bid to win the King George VI Chase for a third straight time and emulate Desert Orchid (who won the race in 1986 and three successive times from 1988-1990). However, One Man finished fifth in the Boxing Day spectacular this time around, with