It is a staple of the national racing calendar. It's muddy. It's noisy. It's the Grand National.

Since 1839, the country's finest horses have gone hoove-to-hoove in a 4-mile battle of brawn, bridle, and balletic athleticism around a challenging Aintree course. Due to the higher-than-usual jumps and massive field size, it is often seen as the acid test of the season.

Because of the nature of the race, plenty of unfancied shocks have emerged from the field to cross the line first.

In this article, we highlight five Grand National horses that left mouths agape, betting tickets torn and thrown in the air, and champagne corks popped by those who back the underdog.

5 Biggest Grand National Shocks

1. Mon Mome

• Year: 2009
• Odds: 100/1
• Trainer: Venetia Williams
• Jockey: Liam Treadwell
• Weight: 11st-0lbs

The only 100/1 winner of the race within the last 50 years, Mon Mome cruised into contention between the final two fences before pushing on past 2008 winner Comply Or Die to win by a mammoth 16 lengths.

It was a Grand National debut for jockey Liam Treadwell, while Mon Mome's victory was helped by the fact that he had six pounds on the closest finisher. In a race such as the Grand National, weight can make a massive difference in the run-in.

Fun Fact: At the time, trainer Williams became only the second woman after Jenny Pitman (Corbiere in 1983 and Royal Athlete in 1995) to train a National winner.

2. Noble Yeats

• Year: 2022
• Odds: 50/1
• Trainer: Emmet Mullins
• Jockey: Sam Waley-Cohen
• Weight: 10st-10lbs

It was a memorable retirement ride for Waley-Cohen, who became the first amateur jockey to win the race since Marcus Armytage won on Mr Frisk in 1990.

He expertly coaxed Noble Yeats from the back of the field in the early stages, through mid-division at the halfway point, before producing him alongside Any Second Now when heading to the last fence.

He was one of only 15 horses to finish, speaking to the challenging nature of the race in 2022.

Fun Fact: Noble Yeats became the first horse since Bogskar in 1940 to win the race as a seven-year-old.

3. Auroras Encore

• Year: 2013

• Odds: 66/1

• Trainer: Sue Smith

• Jockey: Ryan Mania

• Weight: 10st-3lbs

Auroras Encore looked the least likely of the three horses approaching the penultimate fence at the head of the field. At one point, it looked as if Teaforthree had beaten off the competition and was up to four lengths in front of Auroras Encore at one point. But between the second last and the last, jockey Ryan Mania put the after-burners on and made up three to four lengths to join the eventual third-placed Teaforthree.

It was a fairytale story for Mania, who had given up the sport for six months in 2011 after the trainer he was partnered with, Howard Johnson, lost his licence.

Fun Fact: For the first time in the race's history, the whole field was still in contention up to Canal Turn (the eighth fence).

4. Last Suspect

• Year: 1985
• Odds: 50/1
• Trainer: Tim Forster
• Jockey: Hywel Davies
• Weight: 10st-3lbs

An apt horse name for this list, Last Suspect was one of the last suspects for bookies and punters alike to come out on top, but some fancied his chances. Notably, jockey Davies was one such believer - he insisted trainer Forster and the owner, the Duchess of Westminster, enter him into the race on account of his endurance and jumping ability.

The Last Suspect made a big mistake at the third-last—he landed on all fours and almost came to a halt—and was almost out of the frame at the last.

Showcasing his endurance, however, he miraculously ate up ground on the runners in front of him, including eventual second place Mr Snugfit and 1983 Grand National winner Corbiere to win by one and a half lengths in one of the most thrilling Grand National finishes of modern history.

Fun Fact: Last Suspect was bred by Eileen Wren, the Countess of Mount Charles and a descendant of the great architect Sir Christopher Wren, who rebuilt 52 churches in London after the Great Fire in 1666 - including St Paul's Cathedral.

5. Foinavon

• Year: 1967
• Odds: 100/1
• Trainer: John Kempton
• Jockey: John Buckingham
• Weight: 10st-0lbs

In one of the most astonishing turn-ups for the bookies in Grand National betting history, Foinavon glided to the finishing line almost unopposed after the rest of the field fell, refused to run, or were badly hampered in a mêlée at the 23rd fence.

The entire field came to a crunching stop after a couple of loose horses caused carnage. Only Foinavon, who came from way back in the field, was able to pick his way through the pile-up and scoot into a 200-yard lead.

Despite a valiant effort from the favourite Honey End, who narrowed the gap of victory to a mere 20 lengths, Foinavon cantered home.

Some suggest his victory is unfairly tarnished - despite being held up at the 23rd, he managed to finish three seconds faster than the 1966 Grand National winner.

Fun Fact: The 23rd fence at the Grand National has been named after Foinavon since 1984.

Check out our dedicated Grand National betting page, for all the runners and odds in the biggest race of the year

The Grand National has a unique ability to transform normal thoroughbred horses into nationwide superstars. No other horse racing event captures so many millions of bettors – from expert punters to grandparents enjoying a family sweepstake.

The race can catapult winning horses into the public domain and lock in those iconic memories for years, sometimes decades, to come.

Here at BetMGM we’ve sifted through the archives to find 10 iconic Grand National horses that have transformed the sport of racing.

From Red Rum to Tiger Roll, these horses have each made an impact on how the country relates to the sport, and to betting. Not every horse was a success at Aintree but all 10 remain in our hearts.

10 Iconic Grand National Horses

Our Grand National horses list doesn’t only feature those who went down in history for the right reasons. Most legends of this race earned their fame by winning punters a lot of money. Yet the first name on our list is reserved for a horse that failed to capture the hearts of a nation…

10. Red Marauder – 2001

Famous for being the slowest Grand National winner in history

The Grand National is a notoriously long race. It runs over four miles and takes between nine and 10 minutes to complete. Punters follow their horses, desperate for them not to fall at one of the 30 fences and complete the race in full.

So when an already-long race goes on seemingly forever, viewers get even more tense. This is what happened in 2001 when Red Marauder took 11 minutes and 0.1 seconds to pass the post and record the longest Grand National winning time since Zoedone in 1883.

It also set the longest winning distance record as just four horses finished the race.

Red Marauder wasn’t exactly a marauderer. The going was incredibly heavy and the weather truly awful. Horse racing was in the grip of a foot and mouth scandal that had already enveloped Cheltenham Festival. A slow, drawn-out Grand National was not what the public needed.

Still, at 33/1 jockey Richard Guest steered Red Marauder home. The huge winning distance and handful of finishers highlighted just how heavy the going was, and quite how much stamina Red Marauder had in his legs.

Legacy: 11:00:01 remains the slowest Grand National time since 1883. Red Marauder’s winning distance was only beaten in 2012 by Neptune Collonges.

9. Amberleigh House – 2004

Famous for ending Ginger McCain’s Aintree drought

Iconic trainer Ginger McCain hadn’t won the Grand National since Red Rum delivered the business back in the 1970s. Three decades on and McCain was coming to the end of his career. Amberleigh House was not fancied among tipsters but won a three-way battle at the last to cross the line.

Victory for the 16/1 shout gave horse racing fans ample opportunity to reminisce of the old days. A horse from Red Rum’s stable winning the National was a rare thing. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house. McCain retired from the sport two years later. Legacy: The McCain stable continues to produce successful race horses but they’re yet to land another Grand National win.

8. Don’t Push It – 2010

Famous for finally landing AP McCoy a Grand National victory

AP McCoy will go down as one of the greatest jump jockeys of all time. He smashed records across the UK and Ireland, and claimed a remarkable 31 Cheltenham Festival race wins. Perhaps his biggest achievement was not giving up on the National as the big prize continued to elude him over his career.

McCoy rode in his debut Grand National in 1995 (Chatam, fell at Fence 12). He finished third three times in the 2000s and it appeared as though he would never claim a victory in this race.

Then came Don't Push It, the 10/1 joint favourite that Jonjo O'Neill had trained to match perfectly with the jockey. Carrying a hefty weight didn't affect the horse, as he stormed to victory in 2010 by five lengths. McCoy's win sparked an emotional afternoon at Aintree, while the punters certainly got one over the bookies. Legacy: McCoy retired in 2015 after riding 4,358 winners. He rode Don't Push It again at the 2011 Grand National but the 9/1 favourite could only manage a third-place finish.

7. Mr Frisk – 1990

Famous for the fastest Grand National win

It wasn’t quite “blink and you’ll miss it” but Mr Frisk’s Grand National triumph in 1990 was remarkably fast. Amateur jockey Marcus Armytage led the 11-year-old round Aintree in a time of 8:47:80. It was a blistering pace that smashed Red Rum's 1973 record by 14 seconds. What made the feat so remarkable was the head-to-head finish with Durham Edition that Mr Frisk won by less than a length. The pair appeared to give each other energy towards the end of the gruelling steeplechase. Had Mr Frisk been on his own then perhaps the record wouldn’t have been broken. Legacy: Mr Frisk’s triumph remains the fastest time in Grand National history. Many Clouds (2015) is the only other winner to have run under nine minutes.

6. Neptune Collonges – 2012

Famous for the closest win of all time (nose)

Most Grand Nationals end with a horse running a length or more clear, having proven themselves worthy winners of a +4-mile steeplechase. 2012 provided horse racing betting fans with the closest end to a Grand National in the race’s history. Neptune Collonges was more than a length behind Sunnyhillboy when they went over the last jump and careered towards the finish line. It looked like Sunnyhillboy would win it but Neptune Collonges charged past in the final inch of the race. Stewards took more than 90 seconds to deliberate the result as they studied freeze frames. Neptune Collonges, it turned out, had snuck in by a nose. Legacy: Neptune Collonges’ victory was the last to be televised on the BBC and it inspired an uptick in popularity for horse racing among non-traditional punters.

5. Mon Mome – 2009

Famous for the biggest modern-day upset in 50 years

The beauty of Grand National betting is the fact anyone can win this race. You can back a huge outsider and, with luck, walk away with serious profit. That’s what happened for a few lucky punters in 2009 when Mon Mome beat the previous year’s champion Comply or Die by 12 lengths.

This wasn’t even close. The bookies badly priced Mon Mome at 100/1, believing jockey Liam Treadwell had no chance in his first National. How wrong they were.

Treadwell orchestrated the perfect race and saved the bookies from a multi-million pound loss. Those who backed Mon Mone strolled away with healthy profit from their day in the sun. Legacy: Mon Mome remains the only horse since Foinavon in 1967 to win the Grand National priced at 100/1.

4. Foinavon – 1967

Famous for winning at 100/1 after a notorious pile up at the 23rd fence

The Grand National fences are what makes this race so difficult. They range from 4ft 6in to as high as 5ft 4in, with the water jump the only one considerably lower. Back in 1967 they were made of sterner stuff than today and horses were tested to the limit to get round the course.

Foinavon was not expected to even place at the 1967 Grand National but emerged as an unlikely winner at 100/1 when a pile-up at the 23rd fence ended the race for most runners.

Jockey John Buckingham steered Foinavon into a gap at the fence and managed to land the jump at the first attempt. By the time another horse got over Foinavon already had a 30-length lead. He eventually won by 15 lengths.

Legacy: More people were able to watch Foinavon’s triumph on TV than ever before. An estimated 80% of UK households had televisions by the mid-1960s. Foinavon remained in the public memory for years after the race and the 23rd fence is now called Foinavon

3. Devon Loch – 1956

Famous for falling in the 1956 Grand National

Devon Loch was on course to win the 1956 Grand National when he spectacularly fell on the final straight. The horse, owned by the Queen Mother, has run a near-perfect race up to that point. Yet with the post in sight he appeared to leap in the air and splayed his legs.

No-one is quite sure why Devon Loch did what he did. Some suspect he was spooked by the crowd, or perhaps a shadow on the turf looked like a jump.

What was a certainty was ESB won the race at odds of 100/7 by 10 lengths. Devon Lock didn’t even finish. The Queen Mother is reported to have reacted to the belly flop by saying: “Oh, that’s racing.”

Legacy: Devon Loch has become a catch-all term for someone who blows their own lead.

2. Tiger Roll – 2018 and 2019

Famous for winning successive Grand Nationals in the modern era Tiger Roll had it all. Cheltenham pedigree, a stayer's personality and the engine to moonwalk over Aintree's Grand National course. By 2018 he was already famous for winning the Triumph Hurdle and National Hunt Challenge Cup. The Grand National beckoned. He set off in the 2018 race with a 10/1 start price, behind favourite Total Recall (7/1). Tiger Roll beat Pleasant Company by a head. A year later he was back and everyone had their eye on the Gordon Elliott icon. Punters threw money at him, so much so that bookies cut their odds to 4/1. That, for a Grand National, is eye-wateringly short. Broadcasters did nothing but talk about Tiger Roll. Could he match Red Rum's achievement of back-to-back Nationals in the 1970s? You bet he could! Tiger Roll won the 2019 Grand National 39 seconds faster than his triumph the previous year, three lengths off Magic of Light.

Legacy: Tiger Roll is a modern-day icon in horse racing following his magic at Aintree. He didn’t go for a third win after the handicapper suggested he carry 11st 4lb as a 12 year old – a weight considered too high for his owner Michael O’Leary.

1. Red Rum – 1973, 1974 and 1977

Famous for winning the Grand National three times He was never a contender for the crown but many thought Red Rum deserved to be named 1977 Sports Personality of the Year following his TV appearance at the ceremony that December. His televised stroll around the BBC studio capped off a remarkable few years for the McCain-trained horse, who won back-to-back Grand Nationals in 1973 and 1974, before coming back to secure victory as a 12-year-old in 1977.

The public loved Red Rum because he was simply brilliant. He won them a lot of money as the bookies scrambled to get a price low enough to deter punters. Brian Fletcher ran him at maximum weight of 12st in the 1974 National and he was still the best horse for the Grand National at 11/1.

What many people forget is that Red Rum also placed second in the 1975 and 1976. His record is unparalleled and he became a nightmare for the bookies.

Legacy: Red Rum's success at Aintree raised the Grand National's reputation far beyond the UK and Ireland. The race became a big hit in the United States and Australia, and by the 1980s sponsors were beginning to circle. One could argue horse racing is what it is today thanks to Red Rum. His ashes are buried at the Aintree winning post.

Get odds and specials on our dedicated Grand National horse racing page. It's showtime!

The Grand National history is packed with iconic moments. Millions of people watch this race every year and most aren’t seasoned horse racing fans. What they love more than anything is drama; something to talk about over the office water cooler on Monday morning.

We’ve seen it all down the years. Records broken, wins surrendered, mass pile-ups, and barriers shattered. This race is over 180 years old, is one of the longest steeplechases on the planet, and attracts viewers from around the world.

No wonder we found it easy to find 10 memorable Grand National moments. In fact, the nard part was reducing the number to just 10!

10 Memorable Grand National Moments

From iconic winners to major shocks, below are our 10 famous moments in the Grand National…

10. Only two finishers – 1928

The record for the fewest finishers was set when just two crossed the line

The Grand National is famed for its large number of runners, which usually means we get a good amount of horses crossing the line. That didn’t happen in 1928 when just two horses completed the race from 41 that started.

The mess began at the Canal Turn where all but seven horses fell. By the last jump there were just three left. Great Span then lost his jacket as his saddle slipped, before Billy Barton fell. Tipperary Tim was able to cross the line for a 100/1 victory. Billy Barton’s jockey managed to remount and be only the second horse to finish.

Did you know? The Grand National has never had fewer than two horses finish the race! It probably never will.

9. Bob Champion’s post-cancer triumph – 1981

The jockey had been diagnosed with cancer just two years before the race

Bob Champion was a decent jockey in his time but his impact has been felt far beyond the world of racing. He was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1979 but came through chemotherapy to return to the saddle and win the 1981 Grand National atop Aldaniti.

The 10/1 shot cruised to victory by four lengths and made Champion an instant living room hero. He was swiftly awarded an MBE, set up the Bob Champion Cancer Trust, and had a biopic made of his life. John Hurt played the lead.

Did you know? The Bob Champion Cancer Trust has raised more than £15m for cancer research

8. Virtual Grand National – 2020

Covid-19 cancelled the 2020 Grand National, so the sport went virtual

April 2020 was a time of lockdown for the entire nation. Cheltenham Festival had been given the go-ahead the month before but coronavirus was now out of control. Lockdown forced the cancellation of all football, rugby, tennis, golf… and horse racing.

The Grand National was scrapped but organisers had a backup plan. They simulated a race of 40 horses, which was broadcast live on ITV, with bookmakers taking wagers as usual.

The ‘winning horse’ was Potters Corner, an 18/1 shot. Bookmaker profits went to the NHS Charities Together fund.

Did you know? Bookmakers priced Tiger Roll at 5/1 to win the virtual Grand National. He finished fifth

7. The void race – 1993

30 of the 39 runners didn’t realise the start was recalled, meaning the race was voided

The Grand National has always had a problem with starting the race. How do you herd around 40 horses together and let them begin fairly? The answer is you can’t. Instead, stewards aim to get all horses roughly bunched together before letting them race.

In 1993 30 of the 39 runners bolted and their jockeys didn’t notice the stewards had called a false start. Seven went on to complete the course, with Esha Ness recording the second-fastest ever time.

Yet the false start meant the race was void and the stewards opted not to re-run it with just nine horses. Instead, the whole thing was scrapped.

Did you know? Bookmakers paid back £75m in wagers when the 1993 Grand National was declared void

6. Tiger Roll wins again – 2019

Not since Red Rum in the 1970s had a horse defended their Grand National title

Tiger Roll was top of the world when he arrived at Aintree as defending Grand National champion in 2019. His remarkable victory the previous year had fulfilled what many believed was his destiny to win the Grand National. Could he do it again?

Tiger Roll was loaded with 11st 5lbs on the saddle and the bookies still slashed their odds to as short as 4/1.

But he was always going to win again. Tiger Roll cruised under Davy Russell and crossed the line 40 seconds faster than the previous year. Covid-19 was the only thing stopping him going for three in a row.

Did you know? Tiger Roll is thought to have cost the bookmakers £250m with his triumph in 2019, a record in the history of the Grand National

5. The ultimate pile-up – 1967

A mass pile-up at the 23rd fence gave Foinavon the chance to upset the odds

Foinavon is considered the biggest against-the-odds upset in Grand National history. Other horses have also won at 100/1 but none in quite these circumstances. It all happened on the 23rd fence, when the unseated Popham Down ran across the jump and collided with the field. Every horse bar Foinavon either went down, was unseated, or was blocked from jumping the fence.

Foinavon snuck through and won the National by 15 lengths. By the time he’d crossed the line most horses had got over the 23rd jump, or their jockeys had given up. TV footage of the melee caused activists to begin arguing more ardently for safer jumps to help horses and jockeys’ welfare. It remains perhaps the most controversial of all Grand National incidents.

Did you know? The Tote paid out a record 444/1 on Foinavon’s triumph

4. The photo finish – 2012

Sunnyhillboy and Neptune Collonges could only be split by a photo on the line

Sunnyhillboy was on course to claim a 16/1 victory for J.P. McManus when he was pipped at the line. Neptune Collonges, ridden by Daryl Jacob, was a 33/1 outsider that literally came on the outside of Sunnyhillboy in the home straight.

Neptune Collonges won by a nose but only after the stewards had a good, hard look at the photo finish. After four miles and two-and-a-half furlongs of racing, there was little more than an inch in it.

Did you know? Sunnyhillboy won nine of 29 career starts and unseated his rider at the last fence of the 2013 Grand National

3. Red Rum vs Crisp – 1973

The two favourites put on a royal rumble at Aintree

Red Rum won his first Grand National in 1973 as the joint-favourite with Crisp at 9/1. It was apt, then, that these horses were neck-and-neck down the final straight at Aintree. Australian Crisp was carrying top weight at 12st and was 15 lengths clear of Red Rum at the final fence.

However, his rival hunted him down in front of the grandstand and made his lighter weight (10-5) count.

In a sign of just how remarkable the feat was, third-place L'Escargot came in 25 lengths back.

Did you know? Crisp beat Red Rum by eight lengths in a match race at level weights later that same year

2. Rachael Blackmore makes history – 2021

No woman had ever won the Grand National before Blackmore came along

It took 44 years after Charlotte Brew became the first woman to ride in the Grand National for a woman to win it. Rachael Blackmore is well accustomed to shattering barriers and she did just that in 2021 when leading Minella Times to victory.

It was a moment that had long been coming and has already proved a flagship event in horse racing. Sixteen percent of UK jockeys are now female, with more entering the sport every year.

Did you know? Despite Blackmore’s success there are still rarely more than one female jockey competing in the National each year

1. Devon Loch flops – 1956

The horse was on course to win for the Queen Mother but fell on the home straight

Some say he was scared by the crowd, others think a shadow spooked him. No-one will ever know for sure why Devon Loch took a belly flop when leading the Grand National and with the finish line in sight.

Devon Loch had done the hard work, zipping on good conditions to secure a commanding lead. All he needed to do was canter past the post.

But viewers watched in shock as he half-jumped and landed on his belly, legs splayed, on the turf. Jockey Dick Francis couldn’t get him back up and ESB ended up winning at 100/7.

Did you know? Having a ‘Devon Loch’ moment is when a sports team or player makes a mistake from a seemingly winning position