The Grand National 1959 (1959)

Titles read: "THE GRAND NATIONAL".
Aintree, Liverpool in Merseyside.
General view of horses parading around the paddock. Crowds milling about. M/Ss of horses labelled 'Mr What' and 'Tiberetta' being led past camera. General view of bookmakers and punters. Bookie Morry Peter takes bets at his stand. Horses including 'Oxo' ridden by Michael Scudamore and 'Wyndburgh' ridden by Tim Brookshaw make their way to the starting line. Good shots of people making last minute bets; ferret-faced man thrusts his money into bookie's hand.
Horses gather at starting point. The tapes go up and they're off! Various shots of the horses running around the course. 'Nic Atkins' and 'Stop List' fall at the first jump. People in the crowd watch through binoculars. Great tracking shot of the action. 'Surprise Packet' (ridden by G Scott) is in the lead with Tiberetta (ridden by Alan Oughton) almost level.
View from Becher's Brook (remote control camera) as the horses take the jump. Slow motion footage of the horses coming over Becher's; several horses fall at this jump. One poor horse comes down right on his neck. Surprise Packet and Tiberetta still in the lead. No casualties at the Canal Turn. Surprise Packet takes Valentine's Brook and is leading by about five lengths. Oxo is coming up from behind. L/S of the horses taking water jump.
On the second circuit Surprise Packet leads, but then falls at Becher's! We see several horses falling here (but not Surprise Packet). Oxo takes the lead, along with Wyndburgh (jockey Tim Brookshore has lost stirrup) and both clear the Canal Turn. Several horses fall or refuse to jump here. With all jumps cleared, Oxo gallops to the finish, winning by a length and a half from Wyndburgh with Mr What another 8 lengths behind. Crowds surround Oxo on his way to winner's enclosure including owner Jack Bigg, (a Bedfordshire farmer), trainer Willie Stephenson and probably Mrs Bigg and daughter too.
FILM ID:1553.15
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