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
2000 Grand National Durack, The Last Fling was always working hard to stay on the tail of the leading half-dozen before finishing seventh. Young Kenny was regarded as a perfect Grand National horse after winning the Midlands Grand National, Scottish Grand National and Singer & Friedlander Grand National trial but was also faced with the task of trying to be the first horse to carry the 12 stone top weight to victory for over 20 years. He started at 14/1 with Brendan Powell in the saddle but the pair came to grief at the tenth fence. The retirement of both Richard Dunwoody and