Sunday, April 5, 2009

Mon Mome Wins Grand National

A longshot wins the English classic. As I have no relevant reviews ready, here's a list of Grand National stories, fiction and non-fiction. My heart's always belonged, a little bit, to the first American horse to win the race, Man O'War's short (15.2) chestnut colt Battleship. Another American winner was Jay Trump, a flat racing reject who went on to win the Maryland Hunt Cup three times, and the Grand National in 1965. He was buried at the Kentucky Horse Park, at the finish line of the steeplechase course.

Fiction
National Velvet by Enid Bagnold
Free Rein by K.M. Peyton
Pilot, The Chaser by H.M. Peel

Nonfiction
The Sport Of Queens: The Autobiography of Dick Francis by Dick Francis
The Grand National: A History Of The Aintree Spectacular by Stewart Peters
An Aintree Dynasty: The Tophams And Their Grand National by John Pinfold
The Grand National: Aintree's Official Illustrated History by Reg Green
From Aintree To York: Racing Around Britain by Stephen Cartmell
Jenny Pitman: The Autobiography by Jenny Pitman
Twenty Gallant Horses by C.W. Anderson (includes Battleship, winner of the 1938 race)

Films
National Velvet
Champions
Grand National Night

Other
National Velvet television series
National Velvet Boardgame (based on series)




Links
Times Online
The Grand National
Aintree Racecourse
Youtube of the 2009 Race
Youtube of the 1965 Race
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame - Battleship
Thoroughbred Heritage - Battleship

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