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
1952 Grand National 1952 Grand National The 1952 Grand National was the 106th renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 5 April 1952. The race went off ten minutes late, after the field breached the starting tape, prompting a false start. It was won by Teal, a 100/7 shot ridden by jockey Arthur Thompson and trained by Neville Crump. Thompson and Crump were victorious in the steeplechase in 1948 also, with Sheila's Cottage, at odds of 50/1. In second place was Legal Joy, third was Wot No Son, and Uncle Barney finished fourth.