1983 Grand National: Results, Runners & Fallers

Forty-one runners went to post for the 1983 Grand National, this was the last time we would see a figure that high, as from 1984, the maximum limit for the race was set at 40. It was a slog, too, with the ground officially described as soft, though it was definitely on the heavy side of that, and conditions took their toll.

Corbiere was the horse to come out on top, at one point, it looked as though he would win with ease, but a late challenge saw him win by just three-quarters of a length. He won the race for trainer Jenny Pitman, being her first of two wins in the race as a trainer. Ben de Haan rode the horse to victory, his third attempt at the race, and what would be his only winner in it.

1982 Grand National winner, Grittar, was sent off as favourite for the race, looking to win back-to-back titles, but he could only finish 5th here.

Results

Result Horse Starting Price Age Handicap Prize Money Jockey Trainer
1 Corbiere 13/1 8 11-4 £39,483 Ben de Haan Jenny Pitman
2 Greasepaint 14/1 8 10-7 £13,656 Colin Magnier M Cunningham
3 Yer Man 80/1 8 10-00 £6,698 Val O’Connell A J McNamara
4 Hallo Dandy 60/1 9 10-1 £3,219 Neale Doughty Gordon W Richards
5 Grittar 6/1 10 11-12 - Paul Barton Frank H Gilman
6 Peaty Sandy 12/1 9 11-3 - Geordie Dun H B Hamilton
7 Political Pop 28/1 9 11-3 - Graham Bradley M W Dickinson
8 Venture to Cognac 28/1 10 11-12 - Oliver Sherwood Frederick Thomas Winter
9 Colonel Christy 66/1 8 10-00 - Philip Hobbs H O’Neil
10 Delmoss 50/1 13 10-3 - Bill Smith Fulke T Walwyn

Non Finishers

Horse Fence Reason Starting Price Age Handicap Jockey Trainer
Tower Moss 1 Fell 300/1 10 10-1 Richard Rowe A S Neaves
Midday Welcome 1 Fell 500/1 12 10-00 Mrs Geraldine Rees J S Wilson
Mid Day Gun 1 Fell 14/1 9 10-8 Graham McCourt J Webber
That's Rhythm 3 Unseated Rider 200/1 9 10-00 Gordon Holmes J A Gilbert
Mender 4 Fell 50/1 12 10-1 Anthony Webber Roddy C Armytage
Beech King 6 Unseated Rider 60/1 9 10-8 Peter Duggan P Woods
King Spruce 6 Unseated Rider 28/1 9 11-4 Joy Carrier M J P O’Brien
Three To One 6 Fell 25/1 12 10-2 Phil Tuck James Kenneth Murray Oliver 
Royal Mail (2) 6 Fell 50/1 13 11-4 Mr Tim Thomson-Jones Stan Mellor
Duncreggan 8 Fell 75/1 10 10-00 Gerry McGlinchley S A Kirk
Keengaddy 11 Fell 15/1 10 10-00 Steve Smith-Eccles Nick A Gaselee
Pilot Officer 15 Unseated Rider 22/1 8 10-7 Sam Morshead Mercy Rimell
Williamson 15 Brought Down 100/1 9 10-00 Charlie Mann M Easton
Arrigle Boy 15 Refused 100/1 11 10-1 Chris Pimlott D Eddy
Monty Python 15 Refused 150/1 11 10-2 P O’Brien Jenny Pitman
Sydney Quinn 15 Refused 300/1 11 10-00 Peter Double C C Trietline
O'er The Border 15 Refused 200/1 9 10-12 Mr Pat O’Connor P O’Connor
Oakprime 16 Pulled Up 66/1 8 10-5 Richard Linley David Nicholson
Canford Ginger 17 Pulled Up 33/1 8 10-00 James Davies David Raymond Cecil Elsworth
The Vintner 19 Refused 66/1 12 10-00 Chris Grant M P Naughton
Menford 19 Refused 100/1 8 10-00 Mark Perrett Kim Bailey
Artistic Prince 19 Refused 66/1 12 10-00 Colin Brown Jenny Pitman
Carrow Boy 19 Fell 33/1 11 10-12 Gerry Newman W Durkan
The Lady's Master 20 Ran Out 200/1 12 11-2 Mr Willie Mullins M C Duggan
Bonum Omen 20 Refused 15/2 9 10-9 Kevin Mooney Fulke T Walwyn
Beacon Time 20 Pulled Up 25/1 9 10-6 Jonjo O’Neill Donald ‘Ginger’ McCain
Tacroy 22 Pulled Up 33/1 9 11-9 Frank Berry Francis Flood
Spartan Missile 22 Unseated Rider 9/1 11 11-7 Hywel Davies Nicky Henderson
Fortina's Express 26 Pulled Up 20/1 9 10-3 Peter Scudamore William Arthur Stephenson
Never Tamper 27 Refused 500/1 8 10-00 John Williams J H Baker
Hot Tomato 30 Unknown 100/1 11 10-2 John Burke W Clay (2)

What Happened In The 1983 Grand National?

1983 Corbiere winner over a jumpOne of the biggest parts of the 1983 Grand National happened on the eve of the race, and the horse involved was not listed as a runner in the race. Ashley House was a long term antepost favourite for the race and fancied by many. However, due to the expected heavy ground, he was withdrawn from the contest at the final declaration stage and left Grittar as favourite on the day, who hadn’t been impressive really but was made favourite because of his win a year earlier.

Paul Barton took the ride on Grittar after John Francombe, who was originally booked, suffered an injury and was ruled out. Barton kept his mount towards the front of the race, and while he was doing well, there were errors along the way, and things weren’t going as well as 12 months before.

Eventually, as the race really got going, Grittar just couldn’t keep up with the pace, the front four went clear and left Grittar to finish a remote fifth place behind them, respectable but never really challenging.

Corbiere had plenty of supporters before the race, having a strong build-up before heading to Aintree. He started off by winning over a similar distance when coming home first in the Welsh National in December, four months before the Grand National. He then went on to win a nice staying handicap at Doncaster, further enhancing his credentials.

Before Aintree, he went to the Cheltenham Festival and finished second in a nice race, and he was all set to come here and run very well. From the very start, jockey Ben de Haan had him in front rank, away from trouble, and he stayed there throughout. Two flights out, Corbiere took a clear lead and looked as though he was going to keep going clear and win this race with ease, but on the run in, things became tight.

Greasepaint was the horse chasing them down, getting closer and from the elbow to the finish line, these two had a real battle for the win. It was Corbiere that managed to hang on, keeping clear, and while he wasn’t as impressive as he looked like he could be at one point, he still took the race.

The second placed Greasepaint ran a great race to run this close but ultimately couldn’t get involved. He was the big Irish hope for the race, priced up at 14/1 after winning the Kim Muir handicap chase at the Cheltenham Festival a month earlier. The run was almost timed to perfection, but things just fell short, and in the end, he was just unable to get up and win the race.

Corbiere would go on to run in the Grand National a total of five times, with this being his only win, although he would place in two further races in the future.

The Final 40+ Runner Field

The 1983 Grand National saw 41 runners go to post, a very healthy field despite the bad ground that this was ran on, enough for Ashley House, favourite for the race, to be withdrawn. However, this would be the last time that more than 40 runners would go to post for the race, with one of the early safety measures being implemented after this year.

A maximum field size was added to the race from 1984 onwards, which would only allow a maximum of 40 runners to take part in the race. This was in place to prevent issues such as fallers causing multiple other runners to come down and the general chaos that we have seen over the years within the race.

Safety was becoming something that was slowly starting to be talked about at this point. Of course, everyone knows the Grand National is a tough race and takes a lot of winning, but safety was at the centre of this decision.

Moments of Note

  • The 1983 Grand National was the last race where we saw more than 40 runners go to post. Forty-one ran in this race before the race introduced a maximum field limit of 40.
  • Ashley House, long time antepost favourite for the race, was scratched on the eve of the race due to the expected heavy ground, which he would not have been able to handle
  • Trainer Jenny Pitman and jockey Ben de Haan both won their first Grand National titles in 1983