Fr 29 Mar 1935 (3.16) 4m 4f Good to Firm 9.20.20 27 £6,545 Major N. Furlong
| 1 | Reynoldstown | 8 | 11-04 | Maj N. Furlong | F. Furlong | 22/1 | Initially held up in rear. Slightly hampered 1st by risen faller (Southern Hue). Gradually moved into mid-division, jumping well. 12th VB 1C. Soon more prominent and 5th WJ (where 13 remained). Further headway to dispute lead by 19th where slightly hampered by Thomond. Ahead alone by BB 2C, 2nd CT. Regained lead after 27th, 1L in front next. Joined again by 29th. Still vied for lead last. Ran on strongly to establish clear advantage before Elbow. Pushed out after to maintain. | ||
| 2 | Blue Prince | 7 | 10-07 | Master of Gray | B. Parvin | 40/1 | 3 | Held up in mid-division, 10th BB 1C. Progress to be 6th VB 1C and a close 2nd by 12th. Had dropped back a little to be a still well in touch 7th WJ. Moved into 3rd before BB 2C. Same position CT, 26th (where 3L down) & 28th (5L off lead). Still going well and challenging, 1L behind front pair, when saddle slipped 29th. 4L down at last. Ran on well, took 2nd with about 100yds to go. | |
| 34 | 3 | Thomond(1) | 9 | 11-13 | J. Anthony | B. Speck | 9/2 | 8 | Away well & very prominent, left disputing lead 1st. Led outright 2nd, headed 3rd. Remained very handy, 2nd BB 1C. Very bad mistake next (7th) & almost unshipped jockey. 7th VB 1C, however, gradually recovered (despite rider being thrown up horse's neck by mistake at 11th), 5th ABC 1C, 3rd WJ. Further headway to dispute lead by 19th where jumped violently right. 2nd BB 2C but regained lead by CT. Headed after 27th, 1L down at 28th. Renewed effort to vie for lead again 29th & 30th. No extra & 4L adrift by Elbow. Lost 2nd soon after, eased final 50yds or so. |
| 4 | Lazy Boots | 9 | 10-07 | Sir G. Congreve | G. Owen | 100/1 | DIST | Prominent when overjumped 1st and dropped to mid-division. Moved to race on outer for remainder of 1C and a slightly detached 14th VB but soon rejoined main group and was 10th WJ. Left 8th BB 2C and left 7th CT 2C. 4th, about 10L off lead, at 28th. No further progress and beaten by 29th. Graually faded thereafter. | |
| 34 | 5 | Uncle Batt | 9 | 10-07 | W. James | T. Isaac | 40/1 | Chased leaders, very badly hampered by Southern Hue 1st, rear of mid-division 2nd. Recovered to be 8th BB 1C, a midfield 9th VB 1C. Further headway after ABC 1C, 2nd from 13th to Chair, led WJ. Paid for effort and gradually faded 2C, 7th BB, left 6th CT & about 14L off lead in 5th at 28th. Well beaten by 29th and finished tailed off. | |
| 6 | Bachelor Prince | 8 | 10-10 | M. Lark | W. O'Grady | 25/1 | Mid to rear 1C, 11th VB and 9th WJ. Faded 2C, left 9th again at BB and left 9th & last CT. Hampered (by loose Alexena in ditch) at 27th where still last but inherited 6th. Well tailed off. | ||
| R | Alexena | 9 | 10-07 | T. Rimell | P. Payne-Gallwey | 28/1 | 27TH (OD) | Soon very prominent, 4th at 2nd, 3rd BB 1C, 2nd VB 1C. 3rd again at 14th, had dropped to 6th by WJ. Same position BB 2C, 5th CT. Began to fade CS and a tired 6th when refused 27th, horse and jockey falling separately into ditch. | |
| U | Emancipator | 7 | 10-07 | H. Whiteman | P. Cazalet | 66/1 | 27TH (OD) | A mid-division 9th BB 1C. Headway to be 4th VB 1C but had dropped back to be 11th WJ. Left 10th & last BB 2C and left a last but one 8th at CT. Tailed off in 7th when hampered by the loose Alexena in ditch at 27th, landed on top of fence & UR. | |
| U | Royal Ransom | 8 | 11-08 | J. Anthony | T. Hamey | 28/1 | 25TH (VB) | Away well and left disputing lead 1st. 2nd at 2nd. 3rd at 3rd. 5th by BB 1C, 8th VB 1C, 7th next (10th), 3rd at 13th, 4th WJ. Continued in similar vein 2C, going well just behind leaders. 5th again BB and 4th once more CT. Same position when mistake & UR VB. | |
| U | Castle Irwell | 7 | 10-10 | I. Anthony | P. Bostwick | 100/7 | 24TH (CT) | Away well & very prominent, 3rd at 2nd. Took lead 3rd. Remained just in front until established narrow but definite advantage BB 1C. Not headed until just before Chair, 2nd WJ. Still handy in 4th BB 2C. 5th when slight mistake, stumbled on landing & UR CT 2C. | |
| F | Princess Mir | 10 | 10-07 | Maj B. Powell | Prof D. Jackson | 50/1 | 22ND (BB) | Soon very prominent although rider called a cab at most jumps. 6th BB 1C, 5th VB 1C. Not quite so close up after ABC 1C but still an in touch 8th WJ. Continued in similar vein 2C and in same position, going okay, when fell BB. | |
| U | Tapinois | 7 | 10-07 | F. Hurt | F. Gurney | 8/1 | 19TH (OD) | Rear early but soon latched onto back of main group. Began making mistakes CS 1C (including at VB where 13th). No progress from 13th fence and detached in last but two when clambered through Chair, droping to last but one. Tailed off disputing last around turn onto 2C. Rearmost but one when dived at 19th, plunged through fence & UR. | |
| 33 34 | R | Master Orange | 10 | 10-07 | D. Dale | A. Mildmay | 100/1 | 19TH (OD) | Always towards rear, dropped from main group by BB 1C.15th VB 1C but lost no more ground along CS. No progress from 13th and detached in last but one when pecked Chair (but improved a place upon landing). Tailed off disputing last around turn onto 2C and a definite last when refused 19th. |
| 33 | F | Ballybrack | 11 | 10-08 | J. Wight | R.R. Tweedie | 50/1 | 16TH (WJ) | Slowly away, severely outpaced and soon well behind. Well tailed off in 17th & last by CT 1C. Same story when fell WJ. |
| F | Brienz | 9 | 11-00 | G. Beeby | W. Kidney | 22/1 | 13TH | Initially rear of mid-division but had improved position to be 7th BB 1C. 10th VB 1C. Just off leading group in 12th place when fell 13th. | |
| 33 34 | U | Golden Miller | 8 | 12-07 | B. Briscoe | Gerry Wilson | 2/1F | 11TH (OD) | Away well & generally very prominent. 4th BB 1C, 3rd VB 1C. Close to leaders, racing on the inside in 5th, when tried to refuse, swerved in the air & UR 11th. |
| 33 34 | U | Trocadero | 11 | 10-08 | F. Hurt | T. Cullinan | 50/1 | 11TH (OD) | Soon towards rear. A last but one 16th VB 1C where mistake. Jumped markedly left 10th (following the example of a loose horse). Tailed off when ploughed through 11th & UR. |
| 31 32 33 | R | Theras | 10 | 10-07 | S. Harrison | T. Carey | 100/1 | 7TH | Away enthusiastically but not jump well and soon dropped into mid-division. Still midfield when suddenly put the brakes on & refused 7th. |
| 33 34 | F | Really True | 11 | 10-13 | Maj N. Furlong | D.J. Morgan | 18/1 | 6TH (BB) | Towards rear of mid-division on inner until ridden into BB 1C and promptly fell. |
| P | Red Park | 9 | 10-07 | J. Russell | P. Fitzgerald | 100/1 | 5TH | Left disputing lead 1st but hampered upon landing by the fallen Huic Holloa and dropped to fore of mid-division. Maintained similar position, despite pecking at 2nd, until 4th where tack problems on landing (and possible hampering by the fallen Southern Hero) caused jockey to try and PU, which he managed to do at the next after much swerving about. | |
| 33 34 | F | Southern Hero | 10 | 11-00 | G. Evans | J. Fawcus | 20/1 | 4TH | Prominent until crumpled on landing & fell 4th. |
| R | Fouquet | 8 | 10-07 | M. Blair | E. Brown | 100/1 | 4TH | Rear of mid-division until hampered coming away from 2nd by Slater and lost touch with main group. Further behind, in last but one when refused 4th. | |
| 33 34 | U | Slater | 10 | 10-07 | G. Whitelaw | F. Maxwell | 50/1 | 2ND | Mid-division when stumbled and pitched upon landing 2nd & UR. |
| 33 | F | Huic Holloa | 10 | 10-07 | W. Waddington | A. Marsh | 100/1 | 1ST | Vied for lead, carried too much speed into 1st & fell. |
| 34 | F | Southern Hue | 11 | 10-07 | S. Duffy | P. Powell | 100/1 | 1ST | Tubed. Disputed lead 1st where fell. |
| U | Jimmy James | 8 | 10-07 | R. Dick | F. Nicholson | 100/1 | 1ST | Rear of mid-division. Mistake & pitched on landing 1st, sending jockey briefly into orbit. | |
| U | Brave Cry | 13 | 10-07 | J. Pendarves | J. Windsor Lewis | 100/1 | 1ST | Towards rear. Slight mistake, nearly down & rider flew off over horse's head 1st. |
NATIONAL WON BY TWO FURLONGS!
In 1935 another great horse emerged, Reynoldstown, although at the time he was naturally rather overshadowed by the demise of very short priced favourite Golden Miller and the consequent fall out. In an echo of the skulduggery that had plagued the Grand National intermittently during the Victorian era, Gerry Wilson, as straight as a die, reported he'd been offered £3,000 to stop the horse. Wilson also rode with an injury to his collar bone. Given that he had previously criticised Basil Briscoe's training of Golden Miller, Briscoe's anger and suspicion about Wilson's unseat at the 11th is understandable, however, visual evidence shows it was not the jockey's fault. Dorothy Paget insisted that the partnership tackle Aintree's Champion Chase the next day only for Wilson to come off again - at the first! Following a series of rows Briscoe ordered Paget to remove all her horses from his yard and after another unseat (at Newbury in February 1936) Paget and Wilson also parted ways. Golden Miller would go on to refuse at the 11th in the next two Nationals. In declining to complete a course he fervently disliked he showed more intelligence than the three humans combined.
The jet black Reynoldstown, temperamental in his early days, was chosen ahead of stable companion Really True (favourite in 1934) by Frank Furlong, a relative latecomer to riding who would be killed in the war. Frank's father, owner/trainer Noel, was an Irish exile in a mixed religion marriage. Blue Prince, representing Lady Lindsay and trained by her son, Major Lindsay Stuart Campbell MC aka The Master of Gray, was unlucky in that his saddle slipped two out. Thomond, owned by Dorothy Paget's cousin Jock Whitney, was again beaten by a better horse at the weights (time would prove he had an impossible task with Reynoldstown). A bad mistake at the 7th hindered Thomond far more than any effects of his recent epic Gold Cup duel with an undercooked Golden Miller or any perceived slight lack of stamina. Bachelor Prince was the first horse actually trained by a woman, Madeleine Lark, to run in the National, although women were not allowed licences in their own right until 1966. Lark, who would sell the horse in July 1935, was a pioneer among her sex alongside Florence Nagle and just a few years behind Norah Wilmot.
Strictly at the weights in the 1935 Grand National Reynoldstown came out 2 (pounds/lengths) better than Thomond (whom I rated -14 in 1934) and 14 superior to Blue Prince. As mentioned (see 1934) Reynoldstown set a new course record that would stand until 1973 but by only 1/5 of a second whilst carrying 12lb less than had Golden Miller (rated 0) the previous year and Reynoldstown won less easily on going in 1935 that was by all accounts quicker than that of 1934 being, if anything, on the Firm side of Good to Firm (as opposed to the Good side thereof twelve months earlier). The ground was also likely faster than that upon which Kellsboro' Jack (-19) triumphed in 1933, Reynoldstown carried 5lb less than Kellsboro' Jack but was 7.80s speedier. These time comparisons give us a rough idea of what rating to award Reynoldstown, however, as in 1934 they are less reliable than collateral form. Thomond lined up capable of achieving -14 again but I calculate (from visual evidence) that his very bad error at the 7th cost him circa 5 lengths while Billy Speck perceptibly eased him in the final 50+ yards, looking round to ensure third place was in safekeeping. Thomond was obviously tired whilst Blue Prince finished at full throttle, extending the distance between the two horses, therefore, I reckon that being eased cost the former about another 4 lengths for a total of 9 and a raw mark of -23 upon which I will allow Thomond 9 (for -14). As stated above, Reynoldstown emerged strictly 2 better than Thomond for a raw rating of -21, however, I will allow the winner 3 for comfort of victory, Reynoldstown picked up again when the runner-up got within 3 lengths of him, and a final figure of -18. Better was to come in 1936, he preferred softer ground. Blue Prince's raw mark is accordingly -35 but he clearly lost 3 lengths due to his saddle slipping at the 29th so I will award him -32. My Scroll Of Merit now reads: Golden Miller; -7 Troytown; -14 Lottery, The Lamb, Disturbance, Seaman, Come Away, Cloister, Jerry M, Easter Hero, Thomond(1); -17 Poethlyn; -18 Congress, The Liberator, Reynoldstown; -19 Why Not, Manifesto, Kellsboro' Jack; -20 Delaneige.