1963 Grand National: Results, Runners & Fallers

Ayala Grand National 1963
Ayala

The 1963 Grand National was run on soft ground and featured a narrow winner, with a young jockey on board beginning to show his talents off to the world.

Ayala was the winner, and he won at a big price, too, 66/1, as he was pretty unfancied on the day, but he would prove many wrongs. Winner by three-quarters of a length from Carrickbeg, who finished in second place.

The trainer of Ayala was Keith Piggott, who was also one of his two owners, so it was a double success for him. Keith was the father of Lester Piggott, who would go on to become one of the greatest jockeys of all time.

The Piggott’s had already been involved with the Grand National before this, with Ernie, dad of Keith, rode the winners of the race in 1912 and 1919.

Jockey on the day was Pat Buckley, a 19-year-old who was given the chance to shine. This was his second Grand National ride, he fell at the first fence a year earlier, and it would turn out to be his only winner.

Piggott and Ayala would fail to gain any further success in the race either. Ayala fell in the race on both attempts in the following years, while Piggott’s only other runner would also fall, so the only time they made it around the course, they won.

Gregory Peck Attends Grand National as Owner

Gregory Peck in 1963
Gregory Peck (in costume, he wasn’t a Nazi)

One of the most famous screen stars of the era, American actor Gregory Peck, would attend the 1963 Aintree Grand National and do so as an owner.

He owned Owen’s Sedge, who came 7th in the race and ran really well, with Peck flying over to watch the race in person.

Straight after, he jetted back home to Los Angeles, where he would go to an awards ceremony and win an Academy Award for Best Actor that year, showing just how big of a name he was at the time of him having a runner in the race.

Only a few celebrity names, especially from outside of the UK, had runners in the race, Peck was one of the first.

He had a film, ‘Captain Newman M.D’ come out the same year.

Results

Result Horse Starting Price Age Handicap Prize Money Jockey Trainer
1 Ayala 66/1 9 10-00 £18945 3s Pat Buckley Keith Piggott
2 Carrickbeg 20/1 7 10-3 £2634 4s John Lawrence D Butchers
3 Hawa's Song 28/1 10 10-00 £1317 2s Paddy Broderick William Arthur Stephenson
4 Team Spirit 13/1 11 10-3 £658 11s Willie Robinson Fulke T Walwyn
5 Springbok (2) 10/1 9 10-12 - Gerry Scott Neville Franklin Crump
6 Kilmore 100/8 13 11-00 - Fred Winter Henry Ryan Price
7 Owen's Sedge 20/1 10 11-6 - Pat Taaffe Tom William Dreaper
8 French Lawyer 50/1 9 10-00 - Tim Ryan R Newton
9 Dark Venetian 33/1 8 10-2 - Dave Bassett Bob Bassett
10 Nicolaus Silver 28/1 11 11-00 - Bobby Beasley Thomas Frederic Rimell
11 Eternal 25/1 12 10-10 - Tim Brookshaw R F Palmer
12 Chavara 40/1 10 10-2 - Roy Edwards J Peacock
13 Carraroe 33/1 11 10-1 - William McLernon A S O’Brien
14 Siracusa 33/1 10 10-00 - David Mould Robert Renton
15 Sham Flight 50/1 11 10-1 - Jimmy Fitzgerald T Robson
16 Blonde Warrior 66/1 11 10-9 - Brian Lawrence Fulke T Walwyn
17 Loyal Tan 66/1 8 10-5 - Terry Biddlecombe A Thomas
18 Woodbrown 66/1 9 10-00 - John Kenneally E Cousins
19 O'Malley Point 33/1 12 11-1 - Michael Scudamore D Ancil
20 Frenchman's Cove 100/6 8 12-00 - David Dick H T Jones
21 Forty Secrets 50/1 9 10-7 - Clive Chapman Earl Jones
22 Dandy Tim 50/1 10 10-00 - Larry Major J Fawcus

Non Finishers

Horse Fence Reason Starting Price Age Handicap Jockey Trainer
Magic Tricks 1 Fell 66/1 9 10-00 Owen McNally J Boyes
Wartown 4 Refused 66/1 12 10-1 Johnny Gamble E Cousins
Wingless 6 Unknown 66/1 8 10-3 Anthony Biddlecombe E G Champneys
Merganser 6 Fell 66/1 10 10-4 John Mansfield D Ancil
Solonace 6 Fell 66/1 12 10-00 Ken White J Yeomans
Good Gracious 6 Fell 66/1 9 10-7 Paddy Connors Earl Jones
Vivant 9 Fell 40/1 10 10-00 Rex Hamey W Stephenson
Avenue Neuilly 10 Fell 66/1 8 10-4 David Nicholson W Stephenson
Connie II 10 Fell 50/1 11 10-00 Joe Guest P Hicks
Holm Star 11 Pulled Up 66/1 9 10-00 Gene Kelly Earl Jones
Melilla 11 Pulled Up 66/1 9 10-00 Gordon Cramp T Gates
Mr What 11 Refused 66/1 13 10-8 Tommy Carberry J Dowdeswell
Moyrath 12 Refused 33/1 10 10-2 Francis Carroll P Sleator
Mr Jones 16 Unseated Rider 28/1 8 10-00 Paddy Farrell William Arthur Stephenson
Look Happy 20 Refused 40/1 10 10-00 Johnny Haine Bob Turnell
Jonjo 20 Unseated Rider 66/1 13 10-6 Beltran Alfonso Osorio Unknown
College Don 22 Pulled Up 66/1 11 10-00 Jumbo Wilkinson W C Watts
Seas End 23 Pulled Up 66/1 11 10-3 John Henry Kempton John Henry Kempton
Loving Record 25 Pulled Up 100/7 9 10-12 Toss Taaffe Tom J Taaffe Snr
Out And About 27 Unseated Rider 25/1 8 10-7 Josh Gifford Henry Ryan Price
Peacetown 27 Fell 50/1 9 10-4 Robin Langley George R Owen
Capricorn 28 Pulled Up 66/1 10 10-00 Adrian Major N Dent
Reprieved 28 Pulled Up 50/1 10 10-1 Peter Pickford John E Sutcliffe
Gay Navaree 29 Fell 50/1 11 10-1 Patrick Michael Cowley F Carr
Dagmar Gittell 29 Pulled Up 100/7 8 10-5 Johnny East Robert Renton