Abd-El-Kader was an Irish trained horse who although small in stature, flouted his build to negotiate the Grand National fences for the first time in 1850. Although he was unquoted in the betting before his 1850 triumph, the bookmakers only gave him the 7/1 joint favourite the following year. He was just 6lbs heavier than the previous year and became the first horse to win the Grand National twice!



Peter Simple was a bay gelding who won the Grand National on his first entry in 1849. He didn't finish the race in the following 3 years, but won again in 1853 at the grand old age of 15, a huge 2 years older than any other Grand National winner before or since.

The Colonel's jockey was George Stevens who had previously won the Grand National three times, and is thought to have been the reason behind the Colonel's initial victory (at odds of 100/7) in 1869. He secured Stevens his fifth Grand National win the following year, winning by half a length.

Only two greys have won the Grand National, and the first of them stood only 14 hands high, and was named The Lamb because of his tiny physique. He won the Grand National in 1868, was re-routed to Sefton Chase the following year, and was then out of action for two years due to a wasting disease. This all made it even more remarkable when he won the Grand National again in 1871.

Manifesto ran in the Grand National eight times, winning it twice, and became a firm Aintree favourite. He came third three times, came fourth and eighth once, and failed to complete once.

Reynoldstown became the hero of the 1935 Grand National when the horse expected to be the star - Golden Winner; winner of the 1934 Grand National and four consecutive Cheltenham Gold Cups; unseated his rider. Unfortunately for Golden Miller he was a faller in the 1936 race, leaving Reynoldstown to battle it out with Davy Jones. Davy Jones looked set to be the winner as Reynoldstown was taking jumps carelessly, but he ended up taking a twelve length victory when Davy Jones' reins came apart, and he ended up veering out-of-control leftwards.

Red Rum is without a doubt the latest and greatest Grand National horse of all time, and would be a hard act to imitate. Red Rum was bred to be a sprinter, and went on to become the only horse in the history of the race to win three times for owner Noel Le Mare; who made his fortune in civil engineering ? in 1973, 1974 and 1977. He also came second in 1975 and 1976.

Whether any of this year's contenders can be multiple winners remains to be seen!