The History of the Grand National Telegraph Edition

CHAOS GRIPS AINTREE, horses falling one after another, the field thinned dramatically as the race unfolded. Against all odds, Tipperary Tim kept going … and at 100/1, he came home the winner. Only two horses completed the course. ‘Fiction cannot compete with the cold facts of this latest celebration of burlesque steeplechasing’. An extraordinary 1928 Grand National —unbelievable, unforgettable.

Follow the story of the Grand National through a book of authentic Telegraph newspaper reports, curated from original coverage spanning nearly a century. This edition traces the race exactly as it was reported at the time, from its most chaotic renewals to its most celebrated champions. 

Featuring:

– The astonishing 1928 victory of 100/1 outsider Tipperary Tim, who survived one of the most chaotic races in history
– Foinavon’s famous 1967 win at the same remarkable odds after a dramatic pile-up at the 23rd fence
– Red Rum’s legendary dominance, including his record three Grand National victories in the 1970s
– Human and equine drama across the decades, from Bob Champion’s emotional 1981 triumph with Aldaniti to Devon Loch’s heartbreaking collapse just yards from victory in 1956
– Modern history-making moments, including Rachael Blackmore becoming the first female jockey to win the race in 2021, and recent champions Tiger Roll and I Am Maximus 

Choose from a range of book covers and personalise your copy with a name and message to create a unique keepsake. Whether for a horse racing enthusiast, a sports historian, or someone who remembers it first-hand, this book is more than a gift — it is a historical record of the Grand National, told through the words that first reported it.

Archivist insight: We reproduce these newspaper articles from the Daily Telegraph scan archive. In some cases, there’ll be blemishes and the reproduction quality might not be as clear or precise as it was in the original paper.