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
1849 Grand National noted for a pile up at the third fence on the second circuit, which may have accounted for some of the six runners whose fate is not recorded. In addition a journalist, writing for the "London Illustrated News", reported that he walked the course some twenty minutes after the race and found three horses at the second, third and fourth fences, each lying dead where they fell, having been destroyed by the vet. Unquoted horses were those offered by bookmakers at any price they felt fair, usually 66 or 100/1. Bookmakers only issued a quoted price for a horse when