AUNTIE DOT (1981) b m Hallodri (AUT) - Drea Isle (Jupiter Isle) - Won 2 hurdles & 9 chases between 1985 & 1992. Ultra consistent mare who loved Uttoxeter winning six times at the Staffordshire track. She also ran in three successive Festivals in competitive handicap chases between 1990 & 1992. Had a very inauspicious start to her Aintree career finishing a never dangerous sixteenth in a huge field in the 1990 Topham. Prior to that ran twice in Ireland finishing third in the 1990 Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park. Ran the race of her life to finish third in the 1991 National being up with the pace throughout. Didn't run so well in what was her final start the following year weakening to finish a distant sixteenth of twenty two finishers. Was retired to the paddocks thereafter and gave birth to three foals. She died in 2001.

BONANZA BOY (1981) b g Sir Lark - Vulmid (Vulgan) - Won 5 hurdles and 10 chases between 1986 & 1994. Was originally going to be called Crow Point and after being hunted in his younger days he burst onto the scene in 1986-87 when trained by Philip Hobbs winning four of his first five hurdles including the valuable Persian War Novices Hurdle at Chepstow. Started joint favourite for the Ballymore Novices Hurdle at the Festival but could only finish ninth. The following season he won his first three chases but was re-routed to the Stayers Hurdle after some lacklustre efforts (he finished unplaced). The following season he was sent to Martin Pipe and won his first Welsh National beating Run and Skip and also won the Racing Post Chase at Kempton. Dropped out by Peter Scudamore in the early stages he quietly made up ground and just prevailed. In Scudamores record breaking season this was widely regarded as his finest riding performance. At his best  on soft/heavy ground he seemed an ideal old Cup type on the back of his Kempton win but he never got into the race finishing a tailed off fourth of five finishers on ground that really looked made for him. In the National itself he could't get nearer than eighth which when considering the ground conditions was again disappointing. The following season he was lightly raced but won a second Welsh National before finishing eighth in the Gold Cup and on fast ground that he hated was not surprisingly down the field in the National. His best performance in the National came in 1991 after he had won the first Midlands National to be run the weekend after the Festival. He finished sixth. Didn't show much thereafter, he unseated when behind in 1992 and in the void race he refused at Valentines second time when tailed off. He won a hunter chase in a large field for trainers son David at Ludlow in March 1994 and last raced at Exeter later that month.

BROWN WINDSOR (1982) b g Kinglet - Cauldron (Kabale) - Won 4 hurdles and 8 chases between 1986 & 1995. Won his three out of his first five hurdle events but was a better chaser. Won on his debut over fences at Newbury and also won at Nottingham before he finished third in the RSA. That in itself would have been a pretty satisfactory novice campaign but he ended his with a last gasp victory in the Whitbread Gold Cup, powering up the Sandown hill to snatch the race in the dying stages from the long time leader Sam Da Vinci. The following year he won the Cathcart at the Festival by a short head and on the back of that victory and his liking for fast ground he started favourite for the National. In the end he was placed but in reality he had been never dangerous behind Mr Frisk. He then suffered leg problems, was fired and was off the course for a year. He showed he retained ability by picking up a small race at Sandown and was again fancied for the National but this time he was unlucky. Up with the leaders early he collided mid-air with a rival at first Bechers and came down. That was pretty much the end of his career in the professional ranks. He was sent to be trained by Caroline Bailey and became a useful hunter chase/pointer winning two hunter chases and four time between the flags. He twice finished runner up in the Aintree Foxhunters in 1994 and 1995 and in what was his final appearance under rules was brought down in the 1996 renewal

CLONEY GRANGE (1979) br g Bargello - Pampas Wind (Copernicus) - Won 2 NHF, 3 hurdles and 4 chases between 1984 & 1994. Won listed handicap chase at Punchestown in February 1990. Fairly useful in Ireland  but flopped on his rare visits to the UK (unplaced in both 1991 Festival and Welsh National later that year). Perhaps put up his best performance when finishing fourth at odds of 100-1 behind Desert Orchid in 1990 Irish Grand National (he pulled up in both the 1991 & 1992 renewals). Was still in contention when he fell at second Bechers in 1992. Later ran in a handful of points in the UK in 1993 & 1994 and was last seen in a hunter chase at Towcester in March 1994.

FOREST RANGER (1982) b g The Parson - Nora Grany (Menelek) - Won NHF race, hurdle and 4 chases between 1985 & 1995. His flat success came in Ireland and after a sole hurdles success in his novice campaign and four unsuccessful attempts over fences he was rather ambitiously entered in the RSA Chase at the Festival where he did to be fair complete the course at odds of 100-1. He did land a couple of novice events in the spring of 1989 but his last success came in a small event at Windsor in March 1991. His finest moment probably came when he finished fourth in the National Hunt Handicap Chase at the Festival in 1991 and he ran credibly in two Nationals finishing both times without troubling the leaders. He later ran in points winning twice in 1993 and was unlucky on his return to Aintree. His saddle sipped when challenging for the lead in the 1993 Foxhunters and he was unseated but he finished amongst the leaders when riderless.  He was still running in points at the age of fifteen.

GHOFAR (1983) ch g Nicholas Bail - Royale Final (Henry the Seventh) - Won 2 hurdles & 8 chases between 1986 & 1994. Sported distinctive blinkers and definitely had his own ideas about the game as in his later career he was prone to refuse (he twice refused at the last fence at Sandown). He was a useful novice chaser winning three times and finished fourth in the 1989 RSA Chase when fancied. That autumn he landed his biggest success when he beat Brown Windsor and Mr Frisk in a small field on unseasonably firm conditions in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup. He later finished third in the Cathcart at the Festival before his first National attempt which did not go too well, hampered at the Chair he finished a never dangerous fourteenth. He fared better when he returned two years later finishing eleventh having been prominent for a long way. He flopped when tried over one circuit of the course n the 1993 Topham but enjoyed something of a renaissance in 1993-94 winning four of his twelve starts. He showed nothing in the autumn of 1994 and last ran under rules at Kempton on November 1994 but he ran without success in a few points in 1994.

GOLDEN FOX (1982) b g Tyrnavos - Red Spider (Red God (USA)) - Won a hurdle and 3 chases between 1987 & 1992. Won a novice chase at an Ascot evening meeting in May 1990 and was in fine form during the autumn of 1990 winning chases at Newbury and Exeter but was then off the course for fifteen months. Lined up at Aintree as a 200-1 outsider and ran like one. Tailed off pretty much from the start his rider persevered until the horse came to a tired stop at the twentieth fence. For whatever reason he ran jut one more time at Fontwell ten days later

GOLDEN MINSTREL (1979) ch g Tudor Music - Ethels Delight (Tiepolo) - Won a hurdle and 12 chases between 1983 & 1993. Wonderful servant to connections who ran eighty one times in a ten year career. A regular at the Cheltenham Festival he ran in the Kim Muir at the Festival an incredible five consecutive times winning in 1988 and finishing third twice (1987 & 1990) and runner up once (1991). He struggled in top company (unplaced in both 1987 Hennessy and 1988 Whitbread) and attempts at other Nationals failed (pulled up in Welsh National 1988 and Midlands National 1990). He did not run at Aintree until he was eleven finishing third in the 1990 Topham and he equipped himself very well to finish in both his Nationals. In 1992 he led over the first eight fences and was still contention five out before fading. A year later at the age of fourteen he maintained his 100% completion rate over the big fences when he finished seventh in the Foxhunters on what was his final start.

HONEYBEER MEAD (1982) b g Le Bavard (FR) - Midnight Oil (IRE) (Menelek) - Won a chase between 1986 & 1994. Useless over hurdles and only a very average chaser who only ever won once in his career (small race at Wincanton in January 1991) . The highlight of his career was finishing second at odds of 100-1 in the old four mile chase at Cheltenhams New Years Day meeting in 1992. Last seen at Wincanton in March 1994.

HUNTWORTH (1980) ch g Funny Man-Tamorina (Quayside) - Won 11 chases between 1989 & 1992. Very useful pointer in the west country winning eight times in 1988 & 1989. His handicap debut ended inauspiciously when he ran out when leading at Ascot in October 1989 but he did win three races under rules before his first assault on the National which ended when he unseated at the Chair. He hit a rich vein of form again in the autumn of 1990 winning four times including twice at Ascot. Ran in the next two Nationals but pulled up both times never getting into the race. Continued to pick up small races and last raced in October 1992.

KARAKTER REFERENCE (1982) br g Reformed Charater - Windtown Beauty (Lazer Light) - Won 9 chases between 1987 & 1993. Having shown nothing in two hurdles he was a revelation between the flags winning seven points in the north of England in 1988. Acted on good to firm/firm so was particularly effective in the summer/autumn months which is when he won eight of his nine chases. Back to back wins at Kempton in the autumn of 1991 and a hat-trick of victories during 1992 being the highlights. Was up with the leaders until fading on the approach to second Bechers in 1992 and he was eventually pulled up. He next ran in Belgiums premier steeplechase the Grand Steeplechase de Flanders but refused at one of the big hedges. Last seen under rules at Taunton in November 1993 but later returned to the pointing field but this time without success.

KITTINGER (1981) b g Crash Course - Mandaloch (Mandamus) - Won NHF, hurdle & 8 chases between 1985 & 1996. Won three times at Leicester. Fancied for the 1990 Topham on the back of a successful campaign that had seen him win a hurdle and three chases but he never got into the race and finished sixth in a big field. In the 1992 National he was tailed off when he was hampered by two loose hoses and he refused/unseated at the second Canal. He later won a chase at Taunton and although he did have some lengthy spells on the sidelines thereafter he stayed in training until the age of fifteen. Last seen at Folkestone in January 1996

NEW HALEN (1981) br g Dikuna - MIss Pear (Breakspeare II) - Won 10 races between 1985 & 1995. Showed nothing in NHF races in Ireland and fell on only start over hurdles. Very tough individual when he came to the UK where he was campaigned over fences. Didn't win in eleven starts in 1987-88 and the following year he again did not enter the winners enclosure although he was placed in thirteen of his sixteen starts. His best year came in 1989-90 where he won five times including a 66-1 surprise when lifting the Mildmay of Flete Challenge Cup at the Festival. In the 1990 Topham he led the field at Bechers and became the first horse to jump the modified fence. He was still going well when he unseated four out. A year later in the 1991 National he was still prominent and with a big piece of spruce hanging from his breast girth he unseated at the twenty third and in 1992 he shot his jockey over the nineteenth. In 1994 he finally completed the course over the National fences albeit in his own time when tailed off in the Topham. He last ran in Worcester in May 1995.

OLD APPLEJACK (1980) ch g Hot Brandy - Windfall (Master Owen) - Won 14 chases between 1986 & 1993. Started his career between the flags winning 3 points in 1986. Then raced under rules in hunter chases and was very lightly raced until he was nine. Then he changed hands and became a very useful handicap chaser. The highlight was probably beating future Melling Chase winner Blazing Walker at Wetherby in 1990 (after his first appearance at Aintree where he finished ninth in the 1990 Topham). He ran in two Nationals and equipped himself well both times finishing eighth and seventh respectively. Was particularly effective at Newcastle where he won eight times but it was at his favourite course that he met his end when pulling  up very lame in a chase there in March 1993.

OMERTA (1980) ch g Quayside - Cherry Princess (Prince Hansel) - Won 2NHF, hurdle & 6 chases between 1985 & 1992. Enjoyed an amazing and varied first season in 1985-86 running in bumpers, points, hurdles and chases winning the National Hunt Chase at the Festival and finishing a distant second in the Irish Grand National on very heavy ground. Was never so prolific again and thereafter he became somewhat difficult to train and was often on the sidelines. He did still manage victories in a couple of Irish points in 1989 before finishing fourth in the Cheltenham Foxhunters. Having been of the course for almost a year and now in the care of Martin Pipe in an incredible month in 1991 he won the Kim Muir at the Festival and the Irish Grand National which put a young Adrian Maguire firmly on the map. He then finished second in the Scottish National and he also ran in the Whitbread. Another lengthy spell on the sidelines followed and he ran in the 1992 National without a prep race. He was behind when he pulled up lame before the seventh fence and he was retired.

OVER THE ROAD (1981) ch g Over the River (FR) - Legal Fortune (Cash and Courage) - Won 5 chases between 1987 & 1991. Won three out of four points in Ireland in 1987 and unseated in the National Hunt Chase on his UK debut. A year later he landed the Festival marathon in a campaign that netted three wins and he also finished third in the Scottish National. Initially trained by Terry Casey he moved to John Upsons yard and won two more chases in 1991. He made his Aintree debut that year and put up an excellent display to finish fourth. He ended the season with a second third place in the Scottish National. No wins the following year but he again completed the course in he National. Sadly he suffered pelvic injuries on his next start when finishing runner up to Vanton in the Irish Grand National and he had to be destroyed.

RAWHIDE (1984) ch g Buckskin (FR) - Shuil Eile (Deep Run) - Won 3 hurdles and 4 chases between 1989 & 1994. Irish chaser who was a useful long distance hurdler in 1989-90 picking up three races including at the Leopardstown Christmas meeting. Flopped though when fancied for the Pertemps Final at the Festival later that year. Was arguably a better chaser picking up a second success at the Christmas meeting, a listed novices chase in 1990. Ran better at the Festival too finishing fourth in the RSA Chase. Ran well for a novice in that years Irish Grand National and was still prominent when he fell two from home. Started the following season well winning the Munster National at Limerick but then lost his way and unseated at the very first fence at Aintree (jumping the fence in last place). Showed nothing thereafter and being sent to the UK to be trained didn't do much for him either. Last seen at Chepstow in May 1994.

ROWLANDSONS JEWELS (1981) br g Avocat - Coolavene (David Jack) - Won NH flat race, 4 hurdles & 10 chases between 1986 & 1993. Won on his debut in a NH Flat race and also won on is debut over timber (won at Fontwell in September 1987 and then won three more on the bounce) and won on his debut over fences at Worcester in September 1988. Particularly effective at Sandown where he won three times. He ran credibly in numerous long distance chases most notably when third in the 1990 Welsh National and fourth in the 1992 Whitbread. At Aintree he blundered his rider out of the saddle at the Chair in 1992 after the horse had hit the fence and he completed a circuit in the shambles of the void race a year later. A month after that second Aintree adventure he broke down in a veterans chase at Warwick and was not seen out again.

ROYAL BATTERY (NZ) (1983) br g Norfolk Air - All At Sea (NZ) (Manthe Rail) - Won 4 chases between 1988 & 1993. Showed nothing over hurdles and didn't win until his nineteenth start but he did pick up two small novice chases in 1991. Put up his best performance when runner up in the National Hunt Chase at the 1990 Festival and completed the course in both a Welsh and Midlands National. Outclassed and outpaced in the National itself he was pulled up and was lightly raced thereafter. He was last seen pulling up at Exeter in December 1993

RUBIKA (FR) (1983) ch g Saumon (FR) - Eureka III (FR) (Vieux Chateau) - Won 7 chases between 1988 & 1992. Took a while to lose his maiden tag winning at the fourteenth attempt at Wolverhampton in February 1990 and then like London buses there were two more victories, He never got competitive in the Topham finishing fifteenth. His most famous moment came in a bizarre incident in a novice hurdle at Leicester in January 1991 - a typical "What Happened Next" moment - in a clear lead and with the race at his mercy he inexplicably stumbled yards from the winning line and fell in a heap (it is featured on the 1990-91 Race Vision Review of the Year). He showed some pretty good form thereafter finishing runner up in the Midlands National and he won the Cheltenham Four Mile Chase on New Years Day in 1992. He completed the course in the National but was a never dangerous fourteenth and later finished unplaced for the second year running in the Scottish Grand National. That was it under rules but he surprisingly reappeared four years later in points winning one race between the flags at the age of fourteen. INTERESTING FACT - Rubika was Trevor Hemmings' first National runner

SEAGRAM (NZ) (1980) ch g Balek - LLanah (Baly Royal) - Won 4 hurdles & 12 chases between 1983 & 1996. The 1991 National hero remembered for breaking the heart of yet another Pitman as he overhauled Garrison Savannah and Mark Pitman in the dying strides of the 1991 National. Just like his dad on Crisp. He had been a useful hurdler winning an amateur riders event on Grand National day in 1986. He was a better chaser notching up wins in handicaps but he was found wanting when tried in top company judging by his unplaced efforts in the 1989 & 1990 Whitbread Gold Cups and 1990 Hennessy. He did run Bigsun to a head in the 1990 National Hunt Handicap Chase, a race which he won a year later and was also successful beating Bonanza Boy in the Chetenham four mile chase on New Years Day 1991. Despite his size he seemed an ideal National sort and apart from a blunder at he twelfth fence he jumped soundly and was challenging Garrison Savannah three out but between the last two fences the Gold Cup winner looked to have seen him off and he was some way adrift in second place at the last fence. Garrison Savannah weakened at the Elbow and Seagram got his second wind and stole the race n the last one hundred yards. His ecstatic rider (who few had heard of) in his first National ride stood up in the stirrups saluting the crowd before the winning post. A worthy winner on the day he finished fourth in the Whitbread Gold Cup on his next start. Thereafter his form completely deserted him and he never won another race. He ran moderately over the next two seasons which yielded two unsuccessful returns to Aintree.  He was never a factor in the 1992 National and was pulled up in the closing stages and he sulked in rear in the inaugural Becher Chase, jumping poorly until he deposited his rider at the Chair. He pulled up at Sandown in January 1993 and was then off the course for nearly two years before reappearing in the autumn of 1994 aged fourteen. Now trained by Josh Gifford he ran three times without getting competitive and was retired. He died in 1997 aged seventeen.

SIRRAH JAY (1980) b g Tug of War - Dellasville (Trouville) - Won hurdle and 16 chases between 1986 & 1995. Didn't run under rules until he was six but he more than made up for it as he was an incredibly tough individual who ran consistently without injury over the next nine years. Won four times in Ireland before moving to the UK for the 1988-89 season. Fourteen runs yielded two wins. He ran mostly in small events in the south making his first trip to Aintree in 1992. He finished unplaced in the Topham before being turned out again two days later for the big one. He never got into the race and finished tailed off last of twenty two finishers. It was a successful season though, fifteen races and four wins (would have been six but he lost two on technicalities). 1992-93 was even busier, sixteen races and three wins and what a difference a year made. On his return to Aintree he sprung a surprise to win the Topham catching long time leader Southern Minstrel close home to prevail by a neck. 1993-94, fourteen runs, no wins but he was becoming something of an Aintree specialist finishing fourth in the Becher Chase and third in the Topham. He last graced the Aintree turf in 1995 finishing ninth in the Topham on his penultimate start. He last ran at Uttoxeter later that month. A wonderful servant for connections

STEARSBY (1979) br g Politico (USA) - Lucky Sprite (Galivanter) - Won a hurdle and 7 chases between 1982 & 1992. Took time to warm up over fences and ran in novice company for two seasons including twice in the RSA Chase. Won four times in his second novice season including the Mildmay Chase at Aintree in 1986. His purple patch came in December/January 1986-87 when he won the Welsh National and the Mildmay Memorial at Sandown and was for a short time second favourite behind his stable companion Burrough Hill Lad for the Gold Cup. In the event he was a last minute withdrawal through injury and he was never as good again. In fact an indication of how far his star had fallen was that when he did line up in the Gold Cup of 1988 he started at odds of 100-1 (he fell when out of contention). He did manage a win in a small race at Nottingham in 1989 and he held each way claims for the 1989 National and he was disputing the lead when he refused at the eleventh fence depositing his jockey over the other side of the fence. He went hunter chasing later in his career winning at Leicester and put up a fine performance to finish fourth in the 1991 Foxhunters, He then reverted to handicaps and pulled up on both his starts before the 1992 National where he started at 250-1. He was in rear when his rider survived a monumental blunder at Bechers and he was last and tailing off when he refused at Valentines. It was to be his final start. 

TEAM CHALLENGE (1982) ch g Laurence O - Maid O' the Wood (Prince Hansel) - Won hurdle and 9 chases between 1986 & 1993. Won a hunter chase at the Punchestown Festival on only his third start under rules before moving to the UK. Won four times at Plumpton and finished third in a Midlands National in 1988. Became something of an Aintree stalwart running over the National fences five years in succession. Ran a blinder on his first visit in 1989 and was with the leaders until fading two out to finish a very credible eighth. Was outpaced on the fast ground in 1990 but in 1991 along with his stable companion Golden Freeze blazed the trail for a circuit before ploughing through the big ditch and throwing his unfortunate jockey over the fence. Opting for the slightly calmer waters of one circuit he finished ninth in the 1993 Topham and pulled up in the 1994 Foxhunters in what was his final start.

TWIN OAKS (1980) br g Raise you Ten - En Clair (Tarqogan) - Won hurdle and 12 chases (eight at Haydock) between 1985 & 1993). Looked to have a promising future over fences winning three times at Kempton (including the Feltham Novices Chase which to be fair was not the race it is today) in the autumn of 1987 for David Murray-Smith.Then it all started to go wrong. Forced to miss his intended Festival target in 1988 due to a setback he missed the 1988-89 season and was limited to just two lacklustre starts in 1989-90. Then he changed trainers and the move to Gordon Richards clearly did him the world of good as during 1990-91 he rattled off five victories in a row, four of which were at Haydock including the Greenalls Gold Cup. Promoted to 12-1 clear favourite for the National a decision was made to go for the Gold Cup first which turned out to be a mistake. He returned stiff from his Cheltenham exertions and the Aintree plan was shelved. The following season and two more wins at Haydock (including the Peter Marsh Chase) and finally he made it to Aintree. After a problem with his saddle (stitching in the girth gave way meaning that rider Neal Doughty had to weigh out twice) he never really could land a blow in the big one and although he did make some progress in the closing stages which suggested he may sneak a place he eventually faded to finish fifth.  In 1992-93 there were two more victories at Haydock but retirement beckoned after he pulled up lame in the Greenalls Gold Cup. 

WHAT`S THE CRACK (1983) - Won 2 chases between 1990 & 1995. Won an Irish point to point in 1989 and won on his debut over fences at Worcester in October 1990. Then ran up a sequence of four second places before finishing a close third in the RSA Chase at the Festival. In 1991-92 he ran consistently well in big handicaps, fourth in the Hennessy, pulled up in the Welsh National and fifth in the National Hunt Handicap Chase before his run at Aintree. Didn't show much thereafter running for the final time under rules at Stratford in June 1995. Later ran without success in point to points.

WHY SO HASTY (1981) b g Proverb - Well Caught (Golden Vision) - Won 3 chases between 1987 & 1993. All his wins came when trained in Ireland in 1987. By 1992 he was with Lincolnshire trainer Martin Chapman and was only very average pulling up four times (including in the Midlands National) in the run up to his sole run at Aintree where he again pulled up. Showed little thereafter last running at Nottingham in February 1993.

WILLSFORD (1983) b g Beau Charmeur (FR) - Wush Again (Three Wishes) - Won 4 hurdles & 12 chases between 1987 & 1995. An old favourite. Won his two novice hurdles in 1988 both in big fields at Lingfield and Windsor and finished sixth in the Mersey Novices Hurdle at that years National meeting. Went chasing the following season but after winning two novice events he reverted to hurdles and ran away with the 1989 County Hurdle at the Festival. Back to chasing he developed into a very smart performer the following season lifting the last Midlands National to be run at the end of April. Earlier he had been very unlucky when he fell at the last in the Greenalls God Cup at Haydock having gone into what looked like an unassailable lead. He missed the 1990-91 season and on his return went through his only winless campaign (although he did finish third in the Midlands National) which included his sole run in the National. He was prominent early and led from the Canal Turn to the twentieth fence before dropping back to finish amongst the backmarkers. He continued to be a stalwart in long distance chases although he never returned to Aintree. He ran in a total of four Scottish Nationals wining his third one in 1995 which was his finest season that also saw him take the Warwick National and the Eider Chase at Newcastle. He was a regular in the Midlands National and finished fourth in his sole Welsh National in 1993. Sadly he was denied the long retirement he so richly deserved as he collapsed and died during a small race at Cheltenham in November 1995 in what was billed as his final race.