MERRYMAN WINS GRAND NATIONAL AT AINTREE

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29165, 28 March 1960, Page 4

MERRYMAN WINS GRAND NATIONAL AT AINTREE

(N.Z, Press Association—Copyright)

LIVERPOOL, March 26. Merryman, the 13/2 favourite, scored an easy win in the Grand National, the world’s toughest steeplechase, at Aintree, today. The Yorkshire-trained horse, owned by Miss Winifred Wallace, trained by Neville Crump, and ridden by Gerry Scott, won by 15 lengths from the 100/7 chance, Lord Leverhulme’s Bandanloch, with Bernard Sunley’s Clear Profit, a 20/1 chance, third of the 26 starters. It was a bad day for the bookmakers, who had already taken a big blow when the Yorkshiretrained Mustavon won the first leg of the spring double, the Lincolnshire Handicap. They were reckoned to lose something like £lm if the other York-shire-trained horse, Merryman, won today’s race, as he did, to become the first market choice to win the race since Sprig in 1927. He is a nine-year-old gelding by Carnival Boy out of Maid Marion. He was taking part in his first National, though he had won the Liverpool Foxhunters’ 'Chase over the course. The jockey, Gerry Scott, has been suffering from a badly-damaged shoulder and only just passed his medical test. Takes Lead Merryman was always prominent, but it was not until six fences out after crossing the canal turn on the second circuit that he took the lead from Tea Fiend, which had led from the start. He was then challenged by the locally-owned horse. Bandanloch. Stan Mellor, on Bandanloch. made a valiant attempt to hold the favourite. but he was going too well and, gradually increasing his lead, won comfortably. Miss Wallace said: "After four fences I was quite happy about his chance. I have hunted him and after two more seasons I shall be hunting him again.” Scott said: "I had some anxious momenta especially at Bechers each time round. The second time

I really thought he was going, bw he recovered well.”

Of the 26 starters only eight finished. Apart from the first three there were Tea Fiend (fourth), Sabaria. Green Drill, Arles and Skatealong. Of the other well-backed horses Wyndburgh was one of the first to fall. Dandy Scot went at Valentine’s, and Mr What, the 1958 winner, came to grief at Bechers the second time round when in touch with the leaders. Small Field The field was the smallest for 40 years. Only 17 w’ere still standing after they had completed the first circuit with its 16 jumps. The leaders were Tea Fiend, Green Drill, Jonjo, Merryman, Irish Coffee, and Mr What. A crowd of some 200.000 W’atched the race in cool, cloudy weather. The going was excellent. The Irish horse, Belsize, charged into the chair fence, the biggest on the course after he had unseated his jockey. He broke a leg and had to be destroyed. The Home Secretary (Mr Butler) w’atched the race from a box fitted with a television set in the rear to enable him and his party to have a close-up view. A Home Office spokesman quoted Mr Butler as saying it seemed to be a good race. Belsize's death brought to 13 the number of horses killed in the 15 nationals since the end of World War 11. Result:— GRAND NATIONAL, Of £15,609 10s; about four miles and 856 yards. MERRYMAN Miss W. H. S. Wallace's by Carnival Boy—Maid Marion 9yrs 10-12 ~ G. Scott 1 BANDALOCK Lord Leverhulme’s 9yrs 10-9 S. Mellor 2 CLEAR PROFIT B. ' Sunley’s lOyrs 10-1 .. B. Wilkinson 3 Fifteen lengths; 12 lengths. Tea Fiend was fourth. Time, 9min 26 l-ssec. Winner trained by N. Crump, Middleham, Yorkshire. Betting: 13/2 favourite; 100/7; 20/1.