1967 Grand National began running in the wrong direction, back the way they had come. The undistinguished Foinavon, whose owner had such little faith in him that he had travelled to Worcester on race day instead, had been lagging so far behind that his jockey, John Buckingham, had sufficient time to steer his mount wide of the mêlée and find a small gap in the fence to jump cleanly on the outside. Being on the only horse over the 23rd at the first attempt, Buckingham found himself with a surprise lead of 30 lengths. Although 17 jockeys remounted to give chase and some
Foinavon fence, but Foinavon was able to maintain this lead over the run-in. Red Alligator, who went on to win in 1968, was a distant third. The incident is frequently replayed on Grand National day. The commentary of Michael O'Hehir has also been widely reported on. After the race, O'Hehir suggested that with obstacles like Becher's Brook and Valentine's Brook, the 23rd might one day be named after Foinavon. In 1984, the Aintree executive officially named the 7th/23rd fence (the smallest on the course at 4 ft 6 in) the "Foinavon fence". Irish commentator O'Hehir was primarily a Gaelic football commentator