1924 Grand National: Results, Runners & Fallers

The 1924 Grand National was contested by 30 runners, with the going described as good, good to firm in places on the day.

Just eight of the 30 runners managed to complete the course, and they were led home by the winner, Master Robert, who took the race by four lengths.

Trained by Aubrey Hastings, a trainer who was no stranger to success in the Grand National, this was the fourth win as a trainer and one of those he was also the jockey on board.

The jockey for this occasion was Robert Trudgill, who would land his one and only Grand National success here. From seven attempts at the race, this would be the only time he completed the course.

The race was definitely a case of what might have been for one of the runners, Winnal. He was 20 lengths clear when going around the Canal Turn on the second circuit, building up what may have been a lead too far for anyone to peg him back.

However, disaster struck, he was hampered by a loose horse at the turn, which left Winnal refusing to jump the fence, and he was out of the race when it was all going so well.

Aubrey Hastings Lands Fourth Grand National Win

The name Aubrey Hastings will not mean too much to many racing fans, but he has to go down as being one of the Grand National greats, with Master Robert making him a four-time Grand National winner.

His first Grand National win came in 1906 when Ascetic’s Silver won the race.

This was one where he was also the jockey on board, as well as being the trainer, a remarkable feat in a race of this nature.

Then, he would land further wins on Ally Sloper in 1915 and Ballymacad in 1917 to make it three before his fourth and final win on Master Robert in 1924.

Hastings would also manage to have seven runners placed in the race during his time as a trainer.

This gives him an excellent record and could have made him the leading trainer of all time in the race with a bit more luck.

False Start Brings Forward New Race Start Procedure

Finally, what happened just before the off in 1924 would go on to change the Grand National forever, introducing a new way to start the race, the same as we use today.

Back then, it was called a gate start, but now it’s called a tape start, and it’s essentially the same procedure.

The 1924 race would suffer an eight-minute delay due to a false start, the time it took to gather the horses back in and get them going again.

Given the blame was the actual start procedure, which, at the time, saw jockeys ride their mounts gently to the starter before he let them go in a line. This was deemed tricky with the size of the field, and is why the tape start was invented, to keep things under control just before the start.

Results

Non Finishers