Wild Man From Borneo

The winner of the 1895 Grand National was Wild Man from Borneo, perhaps one of the strangest named runners in the history of the race.

He was named after a circus attraction, popular in the 19^th century, which was called “The Wild Man from Borneo”. He was a sideshow performer with an exotic image to go alongside that.

It certainly added some mystery and intrigue to the racecard, especially the first time he showed up at Aintree, which was in 1894.

He ran a great race to finish third that year and would use the experience of that run to come back to Aintree a year later, and win his first, and only, Grand National title.

Thanks to the run in 1894, plus plenty more strong efforts in staying chase races, he went into the 1895 Grand National as one of the more fancied runners. Carrying just under 11st on his back, it was a cold afternoon in March, but he came out on top in good style.

Staying on powerfully in the closing stages, and getting home better than his rivals, he would run out a three-length winner of the race.

The horse would aim to defend his Aintree crown, returning for attempts in 1896 and 1897, but both would end in failure. He would fall in 1896, when trying to carry 12st on his back and win again, while a year after that, in his final Grand National race, the horse would pull up and not complete the course.

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