1963 Grand National

The 1963 Grand National was the 117th renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 30 March 1963.

1963 Grand National

Grand National
Location	Aintree
Date	30 March 1963
Winning horse	Ayala
Starting price	66/1
Jockey	Pat Buckley
Trainer	Keith Piggott
Owner	Raymond Bessone and Keith Piggott
Conditions	Soft

External videos
BBC
British Pathé Highlights

The race was won narrowly by 66/1 shot Ayala, ridden by 19-year-old jockey Pat Buckley. Forty-seven horses ran and all returned safely to the stables. Ayala was jointly owned by his trainer, Keith Piggott, father of Lester Piggott, and by Raymond Bessone, the hairdresser also known as Teasy-Weasy. Piggott's father (and Lester's grandfather), Ernie, rode the winners of the National in 1912 and 1919. Owen's Sedge who came 7th in the race was owned by American actor Gregory Peck. Peck attended the Grand National then immediately left for Los Angeles where he won the Best Actor Academy Award for his performance as Atticus Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird (film).

Finishing order

Position	Name	Jockey	Age	Handicap (st-lb)	SP	Distance
01	Ayala	Pat Buckley	9	10-0	66/1	3/4 Length
02	Carrickbeg	John Lawrence	7	10-3	20/1	5 Lengths
03	Hawa's Song	Paddy Broderick	10	10-0	28/1
04	Team Spirit	Willie Robinson	11	10-3	13/1
05	Springbok	Gerry Scott	9	10-12	10/1
06	Kilmore	Fred Winter	13	11-0	100/8
07	Owen's Sedge	Pat Taaffe	10	11-6	20/1
08	French Lawyer	Tim Ryan	9	10-0	50/1
09	Dark Venetian	Dave Bassett	8	10-2	33/1
10	Nicolaus Silver	Bobby Beasley	11	11-0	28/1
11	Eternal	Tim Brookshaw	12	10-10	25/1
12	Chavara	Roy Edwards	10	10-2	40/1
13	Carraroe	William Mclernon	11	10-1	33/1
14	Siracusa	David Mould	10	10-0	33/1
15	Sham Flight	Jimmy Fitzgerald	11	10-1	50/1
16	Blonde Warrior	Brian Lawrence	11	10-9	66/1
17	Loyal Tan	Terry Biddlecombe	8	10-5	66/1
18	Woodbrown	John Kenneally	9	10-0	66/1
19	O'Malley Point	Michael Scudamore	12	11-1	33/1
20	Frenchman's Cove	David Dick	8	12-0	100/6
21	Forty Secrets	Clive Chapman	9	10-7	50/1
22	Dandy Tim	Larry Major	10	10-0	50/1	Last to complete

Non-finishers

Fence	Name	Jockey	Age	Handicap (st-lb)	Starting price	Fate
16	Mr Jones	Paddy Farrell	8	10-0	28/1	Unseated Rider
27	Out And About	Josh Gifford	8	10-7	25/1	Unseated Rider
06	Good Gracious	Paddy Connors	9	10-7	66/1	Fell
20	Jonjo	Duke of Alburquerque	13	10-6	66/1	Unseated Rider
27	Peacetown	Robin Langley	9	10-4	50/1	Fell
29	Gay Navaree	Patrick Cowley	11	10-1	50/1	Fell
06	Wingless	Terry Biddlecombe	8	10-3	66/1	Unseated Rider
10	Avenue Neuilly	David Nicholson	8	10-4	66/1	Fell
10	Connie II	Joe Guest	11	10-0	50/1	Fell
04	Wartown	Johnny Gamble	12	10-1	66/1	Refused
20	Look Happy	John Haine	10	10-0	40/1	Refused
06	Merganser	John Mansfield	10	10-4	66/1	Fell
01	Magic Tricks	Owen McNally	9	10-0	66/1	Fell
06	Solonace	Ken White	12	10-0	66/1	Fell
25	Loving Record	Toss Taaffe	9	10-12	100/7	Pulled Up
29	Dagmar Gittell	Johnny East	8	10-5	100/7	Pulled Up
12	Moyrath	Francis Carroll	10	10-2	33/1	Refused
23	Seas End	John Kempton	11	10-3	66/1	Pulled Up
22	College Don	Jumbo Wilkinson	11	10-0	66/1	Pulled Up
28	Reprieved	Peter Pickford	10	10-1	50/1	Pulled Up
11	Holm Star	Gene Kelly	9	10-0	66/1	Pulled Up
28	Capricorn	Adrian Major	10	10-0	66/1	Pulled Up
11	Melilla	Gordon Cramp	9	10-0	66/1	Pulled Up
11	Mr. What	Tommy Carberry	13	10-8	66/1	Refused
09	Vivant	Rex Hamey	10	10-0	40/1	Fell

Media coverage

David Coleman presented Grand National Grandstand on the BBC. The commentary team remained the same as the previous year, Peter O'Sullevan, Bob Haynes and Peter Montague-Evans.