Editing Grand National (section)

==Jockeys==
When the concept of the Grand National was first envisaged it was designed as a race for gentlemen riders,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tbheritage.com/TurfHallmarks/racecharts/Steeplechase/GrandNationalEarly.html|title=Grand National History|website=Tbheritage.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100412193356/http://www.tbheritage.com/TurfHallmarks/racecharts/Steeplechase/GrandNationalEarly.html|archive-date=12 April 2010|access-date=15 June 2009}}</ref> meaning men who were not paid to compete, and while this was written into the conditions of the early races many of the riders who weighed out for the [[1839 Grand National|1839 race]] were professionals for hire. Throughout the [[Victorian era]] the line between the amateur and professional sportsman existed only in terms of the rider's status, and the engagement of an amateur to ride in the race was rarely considered a handicap to a contender's chances of winning. Many gentleman riders won the race before the First World War.<ref>[https://archive.today/20120805064025/http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all~content=a762417002 Captains Courageous: Gentlemen Riders in British Horse Racing, 1866–1914]</ref>

Although the number of amateurs remained high between the wars their ability to match their professional counterparts gradually receded. After the Second World War, it became rare for any more than four or five amateurs to take part in any given year. The last amateur rider to win the Grand National was Mr [[Patrick Mullins]] in 2025 aboard [[Nick Rockett]]. The penultimate amateur to win the race was [[Sam Waley-Cohen]] in 2022 when riding [[Noble Yeats]]. By the 21st century, however, openings for amateur riders had become very rare with some years passing with no amateur riders at all taking part. Those that do in the modern era are most usually talented young riders who are often close to turning professional. In the past, such amateur riders would have been joined by army officers, such as [[David Campbell (British Army officer)|David Campbell]] who won in 1896, and sporting aristocrats, farmers or local huntsmen and point to point riders, who usually opted to ride their own mounts. But all these genres of rider have faded out in the last quarter of a century with no riders of military rank or aristocratic title having taken a mount since 1982.

The [[Sex Discrimination Act 1975]] made it possible for female jockeys to enter the race. The first female jockey to enter the race was [[Charlotte Brew]] on the 200/1 outsider Barony Fort in the [[1977 Grand National|1977]] race.<ref>{{cite web|title=GRAND NATIONAL WOMEN|url=http://m.grand-national-guide.co.uk/history_grand_national_women.html|publisher=Grand National Guide|access-date=23 February 2017}}</ref> The first female jockey to complete the race was Geraldine Rees on Cheers in [[1982 Grand National|1982]]. The 21st century has not seen a significant increase in female riders but it has seen them gain rides on mounts considered to have a genuine chance of winning. In [[2005 Grand National|2005]], Carrie Ford finished fifth on the 8/1 second-favourite Forest Gunner. In 2012, [[Katie Walsh (jockey)|Katie Walsh]] achieved what was at the time the best result yet for a female jockey, finishing third on the 8/1 joint-favourite Seabass. In [[2015 Grand National|2015]], [[Nina Carberry]] became the first female jockey to take a fifth ride in the Grand National, her best placing being seventh in [[2010 Grand National|2010]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.grand-national.com/grand-national/grand-national-lady-jockey-female-jockey-women/ |title=grand-national-lady-jockey-female-jockey-women |access-date=23 June 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110918192339/http://www.grand-national.com/grand-national/grand-national-lady-jockey-female-jockey-women/ |archive-date=18 September 2011 }}</ref> [[Rachael Blackmore]] became the first female jockey to win the Grand National aboard [[Minella Times]] in [[2021 Grand National|2021]].

Professionals now hold dominance in the Grand National and better training, dietary habits and protective clothing have ensured that riders' careers last much longer and offer more opportunities to ride in the race. Of the 37 riders who have enjoyed 13 or more rides in the race, 19 had their first ride in the 20th century and 11 had careers that continued into or started in the 21st century.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}} Despite that, a long-standing record of 19 rides in the race was set by [[Tom Olliver]] back in 1859 and was not equalled until 2014 by [[A. P. McCoy]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=White|first1=Jim|title=AP McCoy denied perfect Grand National farewell on his final trip round Aintree|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/horseracing/grand-national/11530443/AP-McCoy-denied-perfect-Grand-National-farewell-on-his-final-trip-round-Aintree.html|access-date=24 March 2018|date=11 April 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180325063847/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/horseracing/grand-national/11530443/AP-McCoy-denied-perfect-Grand-National-farewell-on-his-final-trip-round-Aintree.html|archive-date=25 March 2018}}</ref> This has since been topped by [[Richard Johnson (jockey)|Richard Johnson]]. Longevity is no guarantee of success, however, as 13 of the 34 never tasted the glory of winning the race. McCoy is the only rider to successfully remove himself from the list after winning at the 15th attempt in 2010. Richard Johnson set a new record of 21 failed attempts to win the race from 1997 to 2019, having finished second twice. The other 16 riders who never won or have not as yet won, having had more than 12 rides in the race are:

* [[Tom Scudamore]] (2001–2022): never in first three in 20 attempts
* [[Aidan Coleman]] (2008–2023): finished second once in 15 attempts
* [[Noel Fehily]] (2001–2017): never in first three in 15 attempts
* David Casey (1997–2015): finished third once in 15 attempts
* Jeff King (1964–1980): finished third once in 15 attempts<ref>{{cite news|last1=Wood|first1=Greg|title=Richard Johnson: I've just not had the right horse for Grand National|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/apr/12/richard-johnson-grand-national|access-date=23 March 2018|work=The Guardian|date=12 April 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324162336/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/apr/12/richard-johnson-grand-national|archive-date=24 March 2018}}</ref>
* Graham Bradley (1983–1999): finished second once in 14 attempts
* Bill Parvin (1926–1939): finished second once in 14 attempts
* [[Robert Thornton (jockey)|Robert Thornton]] (1997–2011): never in first three in 14 attempts
* [[Andrew Thornton]] (1996–2016): never in first three in 14 attempts
* Chris Grant (1980–1994): finished second thrice in 13 attempts
* [[Stan Mellor]] (1956–1971): finished second once in 13 attempts
* George Waddington (1861–1882): finished second once in 13 attempts
* Walter White (1854–1869): finished second once in 13 attempts
*[[Denis O'Regan (jockey)|Denis O'Regan]] (2007–2022): finished second once in 13 attempts
* [[David Nicholson (horse racing)|David Nicholson]] (1957–1973): never in first three in 13 attempts
* [[Sam Twiston-Davies]] (2010 – present): never in first three in 14 attempts

[[Peter Scudamore]] technically lined up for thirteen Grand Nationals without winning but the last of those was the void race of 1993, which meant that he officially competed in twelve Nationals.<ref>combined year by year Grand National returns from racingpost.co.uk</ref>

Many other well-known jockeys have failed to win the Grand National. These include champion jockeys such as [[Terry Biddlecombe]], [[John Francome]], [[Josh Gifford]], Stan Mellor, [[Jonjo O'Neill (jockey)|Jonjo O'Neill]] (who never finished the race) and [[Fred Rimell]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.grand-national-2011.info/2010/10/fred-rimell.html |title=fred-rimell |access-date=8 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101210201239/http://www.grand-national-2011.info/2010/10/fred-rimell.html |archive-date=10 December 2010 }}</ref> Three jockeys who led over the last fence in the National but lost the race on the run-in ended up as television commentators: [[John Lawrence, 2nd Baron Oaksey|Lord Oaksey]] (on Carrickbeg in 1963), [[Norman Williamson]] (on Mely Moss in 2000), and [[Richard Pitman]] (on [[Crisp (horse)|Crisp]] in [[1973 Grand National|1973]]). Dick Francis also never won the Grand National in 8 attempts although he did lead over the last fence on Devon Loch in the 1956 race, only for the horse to collapse under him when well in front only {{convert|40|yd}} from the winning post. Pitman's son Mark also led over the last fence, only to be pipped at the post when riding [[Garrison Savannah (horse)|Garrison Savannah]] in [[1991 Grand National|1991]]. [[Dave Dick (jockey)|David Dick]] won the 1956 Grand National on E.S.B. when Devon Loch collapsed. He also holds the record for the number of clear rounds – nine times, though this has been surpassed by Ruby Walsh (11). Since 1986, any jockey making five or more clear rounds has been awarded the Aintree Clear Rounds Award.<ref>, Antony Kamm, Claude Poulet. ''Britain And Her People'' 1990-0862837863 Page 39 "Jumping a clear round is such an achievement in itself that the Aintree Clear Rounds Award was instituted in 1986 for jockeys who have done this five times. The record is nine times, by David Dick."</ref>