Freebooter

Horses | Last ran in 1952
Dam - Proud Fury
Sire - Steel-Point
Dam's Sire - Free From Pride
Born - 1941

Freebooter Grand National Wins

  • 1950 - ridden by Jimmy Power trained by Robert Renton
1950 Grand National Freebooter
Freebooter

While the Grand National always puts on a show, there are certain editions of the race which stand out as being bigger than the rest. Freebooter would run in the National three times, winning his first attempt, and the race he won was definitely one of those that turned into a bigger event than normal.

The race he won was the 1950 edition of the race, before failing to complete in 1951 and 1952. The 1950 race saw a huge attendance at Aintree racecourse due to the ending of the Second World War.

Coming at a time when people were really beginning to get out and back on their feet, it was the second race run after the Grand National, but one of the biggest sporting events to happen when people were back out.

It is reported that just under 500,000 people were in attendance at Aintree for the 1950 Grand National, a huge figure given the state of the country just a couple of years earlier. It was also a big moment for the Royal Family, who were also out enjoying life again.

King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, and Princess Elizabeth were among the many members of the royal family who were in attendance on this particular day, further adding to the size of the event.

Freebooter was trained by Bobby Renton and ridden by Jimmy Power, both of them having their one Grand National success here. He was well fancied, and from the 49 runners who went to post, he would go off as the 10/1 favourite on the day.

Perhaps known for the occasion, rather than the actual winner of the race in 1950, but that particular Grand National was the Freebooter Grand National, the one he would win from his three starts.

Freebooter’s Big Race Wins

Freebooter had success elsewhere, as well as winning the Grand National, but all of his big race wins would actually come over the Grand National fences at Aintree.

He was also a course and fence specialist, and he loved the challenges they brought to racing.

The Grand National would be one of five races that he won over the National fences, and let’s not forget, during the time he was running, the fences were not very forgiving and offered a far greater test than we see in the modern day.

He won the 1949 Champion Chase, the Grand Sefton in 1950 and 1952, and the Becher Chase in 1953.

Struggling at other big tracks, such as Cheltenham, but Aintree definitely was his love during his racing career. Freebooter was a well-liked horse at the time, and when you consider his record at Aintree over the toughest fences of them all, it’s easy to see why.

Full Results

Year Result Prize Money Handicap Jockey Trainer
1952 Fence 24 - Fell - 12-7 Bryan Marshall Robert Renton
1951 Fence 2 - Brought Down - 12-7 Jimmy Power Robert Renton
1950 1 £9239 11-11 Jimmy Power Robert Renton