THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.

THE HONEY END NATIONAL — 1967

Copyright Valerie Martin 2003

As a jockey, Josh Gifford did not win a Grand National.  It was coming in second on Honey End in 1967 that was Josh's most sensational ride at Aintree.

Just about anyone can win the Grand National if luck is on their side.  The race's first winner in 1839 was named Lottery and it has been a lottery ever since.  Back in 1839 the horses had to jump a five-foot stone wall in front of the stands.  In 1967 this jump — known as the 23rd, was the smallest, most inconspicuous obstacle of them all and came straight after the biggest drop (at Becher's Brook).

Honey End was originally trained by Earl Jones.  His owner wanted Josh to ride and the only way this could come about was if the horse was moved to Findon to Josh's guv'nor, the formidable Captain Ryan Price.

1967 was the year of the horrific pile-up at the 23rd fence, now known as the Foinavon Fence (so named in honour of the horse who was a no-hoper at 100-1 and so far behind in the race that he avoided the mêlée and went on to win the Grand National).

The cause was not an uncommon one.   Loose horses.  Popham Down ridden by Josh's brother, Macver, had fallen at the first fence then galloped loose until refusing at the 23rd fence.   Team Spirit (who had won the National with Willy Robinson in the saddle three years earlier), had also fallen and was running loose across the same fence.

This resulted in the two leaders refusing to jump and to swerve.  The mounts coming up fast behind decided that there was something spooky at the fence.  Within seconds there were horses starting to slow down and not going fast enough to attempt to jump and either falling or pulling up quickly.   

Josh was in mid-division in the field of horses on Honey End the favourite.   He was getting well into the race after the leaders had set a crackling pace on the first time around.  When Honey End saw a dozen horses turning at the 23rd fence and cantering back whence they came, he just froze, totally bewildered.  He then became embroiled in the almighty pile-up of milling horses. Some horses were baulked and brought down in the carnage.  The 23rd fence disintegrated and gorse was strewn in every direction in clumps as big as Christmas trees.

Meanwhile along came Johnny Buckingham (this was his first ride in the Grand National), on the blinkered Foinavon.  They had been some way behind.    Some had described the mount as a "carthorse".  

Johnny was able to pull Foinavon wide and stagger through the debris — and steer clear of the pile-up and head for the jump.  Although going considerably slower than the speed needed, his mount just managed to nimbly hop over the fence at the first attempt — and side-stepping the mayhem all around, headed for home.

There were seven more fences to jump in lonely isolation. By now poor Foinavon was feeling tired and wished he had never been entered in the Grand National — and his jockey was shattered by what he had seen.  

Back at the 23rd fence, jockeys were turning their horses to get them to now jump the fence, but most of them simply refused again.  It took all of Josh's skill and three attempts to get Honey End over and gallop towards the canal turn.  Eventually seventeen of the grounded horses unscrambled themselves got going again.

Josh could see Foinavon away in front and as Honey End was still full of running, they set off in pursuit and gradually closed the gap with the leader.

Crossing over the Melling Road, Honey End and his rider were not far behind, but suddenly the steam run out of Honey End too.   He was at the end of his tether and all Josh could do was nurse him bravely over the last few fences and go for second place in the 1967 Grand National.

Back in the weighing room, jockeys were confused. Foinavon was a 100-1 chance ridden by a journeyman jockey and it was unbelievable that he had won.

Foinavon had started his life belonging to Anne, Duchess of Westminster (owner of Arkle) and he was named after a Scottish mountain. After racing in Ireland early in his career and winning three chases, it was decided that he had a tendency to fall and so was sold because his jumping was considered poor.

Foinavon was sent to John Kempton's yard, and was put out hunting to improve his confidence.   He was then schooled over small training fences.
 

On the big day in 1967, his trainer, who was also a jockey, could not make the 10-stone weight that the horse was due to carry and a replacement jockey was found — John Buckingham.

Foinavon ran in the 1968 Grand National but was brought down at the water jump.

Continue if you would like to read about The Drive to Doncaster.

THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created exclusively for documenting life in Findon.