Yesterday, Mon Mome won the Aintree Grand National running at odds of 100 to 1. I wish I’d placed a bet. It would have been a great way to offset losses in the stock market!
Mon Mome was the first 100-1 shot to win since Foinavon in won the 1967 race after a pile up of epidemic proportions. In that race, two riderless horses halted in front of fence 23, effectively causing a blockade. Four jockeys were catapulted over the fence without their horses. It took some time for those racers caught in the pile up to resume.
Nothing like that happened in this race. The 9-year old stunned handicappers by winning by 12 lengths. Last year’s winner finished second. Yes, there were still falls but 19 year old jockey Liam Treadwell gave Mon Mome a tactful ride despite the fact it was Treadwell’s first trip in the Grand National.
Mon Mome is trained by Venetia Williams, a former Grand National jockey. She is only the second woman after Jenny Pitman (Corbiere in 1983 and Royal Athlete in 1995) to train a National winner.
Here is the video of the 2009 race:
Since the comparisons were drawn to 1967’s debacle, I had to watch that too. The incident at fence 23 is remarkable.
Read more about the Aintree Grand National:
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