Jenny Pitman now a prolific writer of novels, principally with a racing spin. A survivor of thyroid cancer, she is a patron of the British Thyroid Foundation. Glorious Uncertainty (1984) On the Edge (2002) Double Deal (2002) The Dilemma (2003) The Vendetta (2004) The Inheritance (2005) Jenny Pitman Jennifer Susan Pitman OBE ("née" Harvey, born 11 June 1946), known as Jenny Pitman, is a former British racehorse trainer and author. She became the first woman to train a Grand National winner, when Corbiere won the race in 1983. She went on to win a second Grand National with Royal Athlete in 1995.
1882 Grand National an extraordinary wager. In late 1881, the 3rd Baron Manners bet a large sum of money that he could buy, train and ride the winner of the 1882 Grand National. With just four months in which to prepare, he managed to procure Seaman, a six-year-old gelding, for £1,900. The vendor, an Irishman called Henry Linde, expressed his concerns over the sickly Seaman and didn't believe the horse was capable of such a feat, even if there had been sufficient time in which to train him. It was widely held that Manners lacked the riding ability and experience necessary to win