Grand National first jump, suddenly veered across the leading group at the 23rd, causing them to either stop, refuse or unseat their riders. Racing journalist Lord Oaksey described the resulting pile-up by saying that Popham Down had "cut down the leaders like a row of thistles". Some horses even started running in the wrong direction, back the way they had come. Foinavon, whose owner had such little faith in him that he had travelled to Worcester that day instead, had been lagging some 100 yards behind the leading pack, giving his jockey, John Buckingham, time to steer his mount wide of the
Jim Cassidy (jockey) Jim Cassidy (jockey) Jim Cassidy (born 21 January 1963) is a retired New Zealand jockey who has been inducted in both the Australian Racing Hall of Fame and the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame. Cassidy rode Kiwi from last into the straight to win the 1983 Melbourne Cup. He won his second Melbourne Cup in 1997 aboard Might and Power whom he also rode to victory in the following year's Cox Plate. Cassidy has won the Australian Derby three times; in 1990, 1993 and in 2009. Cassidy is the third jockey to win 100 group one races. Cassidy's 100th