grand national 2011 /

Glenside - A Classic Grand National Battler
29/03/11

Apparently, very few punters gave the 20-1 shot Glenside much of a chance of winning the 1911 Grand National.

In the race the year before, Glenside had come a cropper and the nine-year-old gelding was described as "broken-winded" and was blind in one eye! Those looking at the Grand National 2011 betting probably won't have to worry about such things.

But torrential rain on the day of the 1911 National caused many horses to fall and on the second circuit only a few were left standing - though Glenside remained well back in the field.

Then when leaders Rathnally and Caubeen collided into one other at the fence after Becher's second time round, Glenside was left clear.

He stayed up and went on to victory, eventually winning by a comfortable by 20 lengths from Rathnally, Shady Girl and Fool-Hardy, each of which had been remounted. As horse racing tips go, he was an unlikely victor.

Glenside was expertly ridden by young jockey, Welshman Jack Anthony. Just 20 years of age at the time of Glenside's victory, Jack was to become a legendary Grand National-winning jockey winning the great race three times.

Jack steered Ally Sloper to victory in 1915 (the horse was owned by Lady Nelson, the first woman to own a National winner) and Troytown in 1920, becoming the sixth jockey to win three Grand Nationals.

He was also was second on Old Tay Bridge in 1925 and 1926, and third the following year on Bright's Boy.

Jack came from a horse racing family. His brother Ivor was a successful jockey and his other brother Owen a trainer. Jack rode his first ever winner in 1906, but remained an amateur until 1921.

He became Britain's Champion Jockey on two occasions - in 1914 and again in 1928, after which he retired to become a trainer. His biggest success as a trainer was with Easter Hero, who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in both 1929 and 1930.