Seagram’s Surprise: The 1991 Grand National Victory No One Saw Coming

Most horses who are getting on in years tend to be retired after a win as big as the Grand National. Not so with Seagram, who, despite winning the 1991 Grand National, was still racing at 14 years old.

This isn't necessarily a good thing as by that stage he was hardly even finishing his runs. With a plummeting official rating and three races within three weeks in October 1994, he finished 6th from six, and pulled-up twice more before connections finally called it a day.

It was the least he deserved, having already won what is arguably the biggest race in the world when he was eleven. So, I'm not sure what more was expected of him.

That said, mine is not to reason why. I'm simply here to write up the life and legacy of a great champion and to hopefully give you a little more insight into how he won the race of his life on 6 April 1991.

Seagram's Background

Most people will remember this race for one stand-out feature. The fact that not only was it sponsored by Seagram – a Canadian Distillers, but it was also won by Seagram.

It was pure coincidence that the horse owned by Sir Eric Parker, trained by David Barons and ridden by Nigel Hawke would win the last race sponsored by the drinks company.

That said, it's also why so many fans remember the win so clearly!

Seagram was a chestnut gelding born in 1980. Though not bred with the same illustrious lineage as some of his competitors, his career highlighted the unpredictability of racing.

Sired by Balak out of Dam Llanah in New Zealand, despite his relatively quiet start, Seagram's potential was noticed by trainer David Barons.

Barons, known for training stayers, played a crucial role in shaping Seagram into a competitive long-distance runner.

The gelding's ability to handle the long distances and the challenging jumps became evident in 1988 when all but one of his ten seasonal races were run over at least three miles.

It was a relatively successful approach that led to four wins and two second place finishes and it put him on track for another couple of solid wins at Kempton and Ascot in 1989.

However, his consistent form soon deserted him, and another win wasn't on the cards until January 1991 when he won a four-miler in the A. S. W. Handicap Chase at Cheltenham.

It was great preparation for the upcoming Grand National particularly as he followed it up with another Cheltenham win in the Ritz Club National Hunt Handicap Chase in March, just three weeks before his trip to Aintree.

The National Win

The 1991 Grand National saw a field of 40 horses competing on the famous Aintree course, with its challenging fences like Becher’s Brook and The Chair.

On the day, the favourite was Garrison Savannah, the 1991 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner. Many believed Garrison Savannah had the speed and strength to dominate the field, and he performed well, staying in the mix throughout the race.

However, the story of the day would belong to Seagram who went off on odds of 12/1. Nigel Hawke gave the horse a patient ride, ensuring he stayed out of trouble in the early stages.

By the time the race reached its critical stages, Seagram had steadily advanced into a strong position.

Garrison Savannah led for much of the final stretch, but as the famous Aintree run-in approached, Seagram found another gear.

In a thrilling finish, Seagram overtook Garrison Savannah to win by five lengths, securing his place in Grand National history.

It was a victory that surprised many, not least because the win denied the Jenny Pitman trained, Garrison Savannah, the Gold Cup Grand National double.

Jockey Hawke, has since said of his Grand National ride “I was just in the right place at the right time, we jumped the last behind Garrison Savannah and I'd settled for second”.

The Aftermath

Not every Grand National winner goes on to have a sparkling career. Often, the win is the pinnacle of their achievements, and that is also true of Seagram.

He returned to tackle the Aintree fences in 1992 but pulled up at the 27th fence, having been burdened by a weight increase of 12lbs. That race was ultimately won by Party Politics for trainer Nick Gaselee and jockey Carl Llewellyn.

Seagram continued his racing career but with little success and not much enthusiasm, he was retired in 1993, aged thirteen. He was later brought out of retirement and put back into training with Josh Gifford.

Despite racing a further 16 times after the 1991 Grand National, he never won another race. The horse, once described as easily bored, was eventually retired to the hunting field until his death in 1997, aged 17.