The Grand National can boast of a number of great jockeys who have performed extraordinary feats in its history. Since the Grand National started in 1839, many riders have immortalized their names through extraordinary performances. The Grand National is considered as the ultimate test of riders, therefore the jockeys who perform brilliantly in this race are surely great jockeys of the world.
Almost over £150 million are betted every year on the mega race. And this year’s coming Grand National in April seem to be no different. Punters are already debating about their favourite horses while bookmakers are coming up with their best offers. Non Runner No Bet is the special offer by many bookmakers and so is the Best Odds Guaranteed offer.
Paddy Power is giving £20 Risk Free Bet while Betfair’s bonus could go up to £100. Coral is giving the Bet £5 Get £20 while William Hill is giving the Bet £10 Get £30. Dafabet’s £30 Free Bet offer is appealing and so is Bet £10 Get £30 of 888Sport. However, all these offers come with terms and conditions and so you better give a close reading to their terms and conditions.
For all your Grand National betting needs, you will not find any place better than freebets. Enjoy all the updates, odds and predictions along with the best tips to help you get the best out of your bucks.
1- George Stevens
George Stevens is the most successful jockey in the Grand National history who has got five victories in the big race. Stevens was born in 1833 and began his riding career when he was 16 or 17 years of age.
He managed to win the Grand Annual Steeple Chase in 1851 on Hardwick. From the period of 1848 to 1870, George Stevens won 76 races.
He rode Freetrader to win the 1856 Grand National, Emblem to win the 1863 Grand National, Emblematic to win the 1864 Grand National and The Colonel to win the Grand Nationals of 1869 and 1870. He died in 1871 due to a skull fracture which occured when his horse threw him while he was riding home.
2- Thomas Olliver
Thomas Olliver was the great steeplechase jockey who managed to claim 3 Grand Nationals during the 1840s and 50s. At just the age of 6, Olliver began riding. When the first official Grand National was run in 1839, he was also among the participating jockeys and finished second aboard Seventy Four.
His record of riding in 19 Grand Nationals remained standing until Tony McCoy rode his 20th Grand National in 2015. He won his first Grand National on Gaylad in 1842, second the following year on Vanguard and the third on Peter Simple in 1853.
He remained in grave financial difficulties because of his extravagances. He was generous and loved parties a great deal. He was also famous for being a ladies’ man.
3- AP McCoy
AP McCoy is one of the most renowned Irish horse racing jockies who is based in Ireland and the UK. He has an outstanding record of riding 4,358 winners. He is most famous for being a Champion Jockey a record 20 consecutive times.
AP McCoy rode his first winner in 1992 when he was just 17 years of age. Besides winning the Grand National, he also has managed victories in the Cheltenham festival such as the Gold Cup, RSA Chase and Queen Mother Champion Chase among many others. He was the BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2010 and RTE Sports Person of the Year in 2013.
4- Bob Champion
Bob Champion became most famous for riding Aldaniti to victory in the 1981 Grand National. The great jockey was suffering from testicular cancer at that time. For this amazing win, he won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Team Award. In 1983, he established the Bob Champion Cancer Trust to help other cancer patients and managed to raise millions.
His victory in the 1981 Grand National was later made into a film named Champions in which John Hurt portrayed Champion.
