1987 Grand National: The Incredible Story of Jim Joel, Andrew Turnell and Maori Venture’s Moment of Glory

Let’s take a trip back to April 4th, 1987. It’s Grand National day at Aintree, and the air is thick with anticipation, the sort that only 40 horses thundering toward the world’s most famous fences can conjure.

In the midst of this chaos, a horse named Maori Venture, an 11-year-old with a reputation for, let’s say, “creative” jumping, lined up at 28/1.

If you’d asked most punters, they’d have told you he was there to make up the numbers. But, as racing fans know, the Grand National doesn’t always read the script.

The Early Days of Maori Venture

Maori Venture’s story starts not in a grand stud, but in the heart of Wales.

He was bred by Dai “Maori” Morgan, a publican whose nickname came from his rugby-playing days in New Zealand, hence the horse’s name.

Sired by St Columbus out of Moon Venture, the gelding was a 50-1 winner of a Taunton bumper at five, already giving bookies headaches and punters hope.

His early career was a carousel of owners and trainers. After his first owner, Major Jack Rubin, passed away, Maori Venture was sold at the Ascot sales for 17,000 guineas.

The buyer? Trainer Andrew Turnell, acting for the legendary owner Jim Joel. It’s a bit like being picked for the school football team by the headmaster, suddenly, expectations get real.

The Owner: Jim Joel

Now, Jim Joel wasn’t your average racehorse owner. By 1987, he was 92 years old and had been trying to win the Grand National since 1957.

Thirteen times he’d sent a runner to Aintree, and thirteen times he’d gone home empty-handed. If persistence was an Olympic sport, Joel would have been a gold medalist.

He’d already tasted Classic glory, his colours had been carried to victory in the Derby and 2,000 Guineas by Royal Palace in 1967, and his breeding operation at Childwickbury Stud was legendary.

But the Grand National was his white whale. In 1986, his horse Door Latch fell at the first fence.

In 1987, perhaps fearing another heartbreak, Joel was on holiday in South Africa when the race was run. He had to be told by the captain of his flight that his horse had finally done it.

Andrew Turnell – From Jockey to National Hero

Andrew Turnell was a man who knew the Grand National inside out, literally. As a jockey, he’d ridden in the race 13 times, his best finish being third behind Red Rum in 1974.

As a trainer, he was known for his unconventional methods and fierce loyalty to his staff.

He’d won big races like the Queen Mother Champion Chase and the Hennessy Gold Cup, but the National had always eluded him, until Maori Venture came along.

Turnell wasn’t exactly brimming with confidence before the race. Maori Venture had a reputation as an “unsafe jumper,” and his form was patchy at best.

“It depended very much on how he jumped,” Turnell admitted. “He’s been known to miss. Sometimes the fences will make a horse concentrate”.

If that doesn’t sum up the National, I don’t know what does.

Steve Knight – The Man in the Saddle

Steve Knight, the man entrusted with steering Maori Venture through 30 of the world’s most daunting fences, was Turnell’s stable jockey.

He’d been second rider to Bob Turnell (Andrew’s father) and had stuck with the family operation. Knight was no household name, but he was about to ride his way into Grand National folklore.

1987 Grand National – A Tale of Grit and Glory

Let’s set the scene: 40 runners, “good” going, and a field packed with talent.

The betting was dominated by West Tip, last year’s winner, and Dark Ivy, the “housewives’ choice” who’d won six that season.

Maori Venture? He was twelfth in the betting at 28/1, and most thought he’d be lucky to get round.

The first circuit was, frankly, a bit hairy. At Becher’s Brook, Maori Venture nearly took a nosedive when his nose touched the turf, and you could almost hear the collective gasp from the crowd.

But he kept his feet, and something seemed to click. On the second circuit, he started jumping with a precision that had previously eluded him, and began to creep closer to the leaders.

As they turned for home, Lean Ar Aghaidh led, with The Tsarevich and Maori Venture in hot pursuit.

At the last fence, the three were locked in battle. But from the famous “Elbow” on the run-in, Maori Venture found another gear, pulling away to win by five lengths in 9 minutes 19.3 seconds, the third fastest time ever at that point.

The favourite, West Tip, could only manage fourth.

Retirement and a Happy Ending

Maori Venture’s victory was a fairytale for Joel, Turnell, and Knight. But there would be no repeat when Joel announced the horse’s retirement the very next day.

True to his word, he left Maori Venture to Steve Knight in his will, ensuring the horse enjoyed a long and happy retirement at Childwick Stud.

Knight later said, “Winning the National was the highlight of my riding career by a long way and it was a great honour to have been given the horse. I am glad he was able to enjoy such a happy life in retirement”.

Maori Venture lived to the ripe old age of 24, passing away in 2000. He never ran in the National again. One and done, but what a “one” it was.

The Race That Changed Lives

Maori Venture’s National win was more than just a sporting upset. It was the culmination of decades of dreams for Jim Joel, a crowning achievement for Andrew Turnell, and the ride of a lifetime for Steve Knight.

For the horse himself, it was the perfect swansong in a career that had its ups and downs, but ended with immortality.

He didn’t become a famous sire as being a gelding, that wasn’t on the cards. But his name is etched in Grand National history, a reminder that sometimes, the outsiders have the best stories.

And let’s be honest: if you’d backed him at 28/1, you’d still be telling everyone about it today.

Final Thoughts

The Grand National is the race where dreams collide with reality, where legends are made, and where, just occasionally, the outsider gets to steal the show.

Maori Venture’s 1987 victory is a testament to perseverance, luck, and the magic that happens when horse, jockey, trainer, and owner all get their day in the sun.

So next time you’re tempted to write off a 28/1 shot, just remember Maori Venture. Sometimes, the best stories are the ones nobody sees coming.

And if you ever find yourself on a flight during the National, maybe ask the captain for updates, you never know when history’s being made below!

If you enjoyed this tale, just imagine what other stories are hiding in the annals of Aintree.

The Grand National: never predictable, always unforgettable.