The Midlands Grand National is a Premier Handicap National Hunt race in Great Britain. It is a handicap steeplechase and is run at Uttoxeter Racecourse in March, over a distance of about 4 miles and 2 furlongs (4 miles, 2 furlongs and 8 yards, or ). During the race there are 25 fences to be jumped. The race held Listed status until 2022 and was re-classified as a Premier Handicap from the 2023 running when Listed status was removed from handicap races.

History The first race was run on 3 May 1969. The race was initially run over 4m2f and was increased to 4m4f in 1977. During this period it would have been, assuming accurate measurements, by 24 yards or approximately the length of a cricket pitch, the longest race in the NH calendar. In 1991 the distance was dropped to 4m, before being upped to 4m2f in 1993. The distance of the race was then reduced to 4m1½f in 2004 before being returned to 4m2f in 2018. It is now the second-longest race in the British calendar, after the Grand National at Aintree.

The 1977 winner Watafella finished third in the race but was promoted to first place after the first and second, No Scotch and Evander were disqualified after it was realised they failed to meet the conditions of the race, along with three other runners.

In the early days it was run on the first Saturday in May, then in late April until 1990

The race was not covered on television in its early years but was shown by Channel 4 from 1991 until 1997. The BBC took over coverage between 1998 and 2005 having earlier televised the race 3 times in the 1970s 1971, 1972 and 1977 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfn5x2SD03q7wL7Hxm7QKrKvFUrerBKlr before the race returned to Channel 4, who continued to show it until their coverage of British racing ended in 2016. It is now broadcast on ITV Racing.

Records Most successful horse: no horse has won the race more than once

Leading jockey (2 wins): Ken White – Happy Spring (1969), Rip’s Lyric (1973) Derek Morris – Midnight Madness (1987), Mister Ed (1993) Brendan Powell – Another Excuse (1996), Young Kenny (1999) Norman Williamson – Lucky Lane (1995), The Bunny Boiler (2002)

Leading trainer (4 wins):

David Pipe – Minella Four Star (2011), Master Overseer (2012), Big Occasion (2013), Goulanes (2014) Widest winning margin – Another Excuse (1996) – distance Narrowest winning margin – Fighting Chance (1974), Knock Hill (1988) – head Most runners – 22, in 1978, 1979 and 1981 Fewest runners – 6, in 2000

Winners Year Winner Age Weight Jockey Trainer1969Happy Spring1309–11Ken WhiteJ Wright1970Two Springs810-06Roy EdwardsG Owen1971Grey Sombrero709-07Graham ThornerDavid Gandolfo1972Proud Percy910-00Gerald FaulknerArthur Stephenson1973Rip's Lyric810-06Ken WhiteW Whiston1974Fighting Chance609-08Bill ShoemarkGay Kindersley1975Rag Trade910-10John BurkeArthur Pitt1976Burrator710-01Mr John DockerAlan Jarvis1977Watafella709-11Bryan SmartJenny Pitman1978Kick On1110-08Ron HyettKeith Lewis1979Jimmy Miff709-10Stephen KembleIan Wardle1980Pacify1010-00Steve JobarStan Mellor 1981 Master Brutus 9 10-02 John Goulding Caroline Mason 1982 Bridge Ash 9 10–13 Keith Johnson Ivor Johnson 1983 no race 1983 1984 Mr Mole 9 10-00 Allen Webb John Webber 1985 Northern Bay 9 11-10 Philip Hobbs Tom Bill 1986 The Thinker 8 11-06 Ridley Lamb Arthur Stephenson 1987 Midnight Madness 9 09-13 Derek Morris Dai Bloomfield 1988 Knock Hill 12 11-07 George Mernagh John Webber 1989 Gallic Prince 10 10-01 Peter Hobbs Philip Hobbs 1990 Willsford 7 11-00 Mark Pitman Jenny Pitman 1991 Bonanza Boy 10 11-10 Peter Scudamore Martin Pipe 1992 Laura's Beau 8 10-08 Conor O'Dwyer Francis Berry 1993 Mister Ed 10 10-03 Derek Morris Roger Curtis 1994 Glenbrook d'Or 10 10-00 Brian Clifford Jim Wilson 1995 Lucky Lane 11 10-00 Norman Williamson Philip Hobbs 1996 Another Excuse 8 10-00 Brendan Powell, snr Eugene O'Sullivan 1997 Seven Towers 8 11-04 Peter Niven Mary Reveley 1998 Miss Orchestra 7 09-09 Barry Geraghty Jessica Harrington 1999 Young Kenny 8 11-06 Brendan Powell, snr Peter Beaumont 2000 Ackzo 7 10-00 Adrian Maguire Ferdy Murphy 2001 no race 2001 2002 The Bunny Boiler 8 10-00 Norman Williamson Noel Meade 2003 Intelligent 7 10-10 Robbie Power Jessica Harrington 2004 no race 2004 2005 Philson Run 9 10-02 Paul Carberry Nick Williams 2006 G V A Ireland 8 10-03 Ruby Walsh Francis Flood 2007 Baron Windrush 9 10-09 Jason Maguire Nigel Twiston-Davies 2008 Himalayan Trail 9 10–00 Tjade Collier Sue Smith 2009 Russian Trigger 7 10–12 Jack Doyle Victor Dartnall 2010 Synchronised 7 11-05 Tony McCoy Jonjo O'Neill 2011 Minella Four Star 8 10-00 Conor O'Farrell David Pipe 2012 Master Overseer 9 10-03 Tom Scudamore David Pipe 2013 Big Occasion 6 09-07 Mikey Ennis David Pipe 2014 Goulanes 8 10-03 Richard Johnson David Pipe 2015 Goonyella 8 10–12 Jonnny Burke Jim Dreaper 2016 Firebird Flyer 9 11-05 Adam Wedge Evan Williams 2017 Chase The Spud 9 10–12 Paddy Brennan Fergal O'Brien 2018 Regal Flow 11 10-12 Sean Houlihan Bob Buckler 2019 Potters Corner 9 10-07 James Bowen Christian Williams 2020 Truckers Lodge 8 10-07 Lorcan Williams Paul Nicholls 2021 Time To Get Up 8 10-10 Jonjo O'Neill Jnr Jonjo O'Neill 2022 Screaming Colours 11 10-06 Conor Orr William Durkan 2023 Major Dundee 8 10-02 Rex Dingle Alan King 2024 Beauport 8 11-04 Jordan Nailor Nigel Twiston-Davies 2025 Mr Vango 9 12-00 Jack Tudor Sara Bradstock 2026 Isaac Des Obeaux 8 11-08 Sam Twiston-Davies Paul Nicholls

See also Horse racing in Great Britain List of British National Hunt races

References

Midlands National – BBC Midlands Grand National – 2006 Media Information WalesOnline – Leading bloodstock agent dies from cancer Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

External links Race Recordings (1991–2007) youtube.com