The 1901 Grand National was the 63rd renewal of the famous steeplechase at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, England. It took place on Friday, 29 March 1901.

Here are the key details:

Winner: Grudon

Starting Price (odds): 9/1

Jockey: Arthur Nightingall

Trainer: James Gatland

Owner: Bernard Bletsoe

Conditions: The ground was reported as good.

Grudon was a French-bred horse, and his victory was notable since he was one of only a handful of French-bred winners of the National.

The race was run just a couple of months after the death of Queen Victoria (January 1901), so it was the first Grand National of the Edwardian era.

The 1901 renewal was considered fairly competitive, with Grudon winning comfortably by several lengths.

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Here’s the fascinating story of Grudon’s win in the 1901 Grand National

A tale of clever thinking, wild weather, and a cool-as-you-like jockey.

The Grand National on 29 March 1901 at Aintree was held amid a howling snowstorm—absolutely brutal conditions. As the sleet, rain, and snow descended, visibility plummeted, and many jockeys petitioned for the race to be postponed. Only after a 16-minute delay and a course inspection did the stewards declare the event would go ahead—without a pre-race parade.

One vivid eyewitness account captured the chaos: “Sleet came on, rain came on, snow came on... the wind blew straight into your face... course grew sloppier and sloppier… race‑glasses were next to no good…”

The Ingenious Butter Trick

Enter Bernard Bletsoe, owner and trainer of Grudon. Spotting that snow would clog the hooves of the runners, he dashed to a local dairy and packed Grudon’s hooves with butter—an ingenious hack meant to prevent snowballs from forming. No other horse enjoyed this “slippery advantage.”

That clever detail proved decisive: while many horses struggled, slipped, or even fell, Grudon remained steady and sure-footed in the blizzard.

A Cool Ride by Nightingall

Mounted by jockey Arthur Nightingall, Grudon "set off without any difficulty," racing consistently among the leaders despite the chaos

In fact, Nightingall was so confident he later recounted enjoying a leisurely conversation mid-race with jockey Algy Anthony (who rode Covert Hack), before pulling ahead near the end.

“Ta‑ta old chap, I must now push on a trifle faster, or the cupboard will be bare when I get there, and I wouldn’t disappoint old Mother Hubbard for the world.”

Victory Despite the Odds

Grudon maintained the lead all the way, only giving Nightingall a scare when he jumped a footpath across the course roughly 200 yards from the finish, giving the jockey a sudden jolt—but it didn’t derail them.

He won by four lengths, with Drumcree and Buffalo Bill following in second and third. Only eight horses finished the race; others were felled by snow or conditions so harsh that they couldn’t continue.

Nightingall later credited the win to Bletsoe’s foresight and ingenuity, emphasising that without the butter trick, Grudon “would have come to grief”.

In essence, Grudon’s 1901 Grand National victory was the product of a rare blend of innovative thinking, stubborn determination, and cool nerves under pressure—cementing its place as one of the most memorable and extraordinary tales in Aintree history.