Remembering ‘The Old Sergeant’

by Jane Clarke

The 175th running of the Grand National at Aintree on April 15 marks the centenary of the 20th Century's oldest winner, ice-cream-loving Sergeant Murphy. The 13-year-old chestnut gelding, a recognised stalwart of the race, is not quite the most senior hero in its long history, though – that accolade going to dual winner Peter Simple who scored at the incredible age of 15 back in 1853.

An Irish-bred son of the good 'chasing mare Rose Graft, Sergeant Murphy had previously run in the 1918 War National at Gatwick as well as finishing seventh to Poethlyn in 1919 when the race returned to Aintree He was fourth behind Troytown in 1920 and again fourth of just five finishers two years later despite refusing at the Canal Turn ditch, losing his bridle in the process and being remounted. Among his ten career victories was the 1922 Scottish Grand National.

Sergeant Murphy was the first American-owned National winner, having been bought for £1,200 in 1921 by carpet tycoon John Sanford for his Cambridge undergraduate son Stephen ("Laddie") to ride to hounds with the Leicestershire. Things did not work out quite to plan however, for the Sergeant proved too headstrong a ride and was sent back into training at Newmarket with George Blackwell, better known as a Flat trainer, whose Rock Sand had won the 1903 Triple Crown.

Sergeant Murphy's partner at a very foggy Aintree in 1923 was Captain Geoffrey Harbord "Tuppy" Bennet, a veterinary surgeon renowned as one of the most competitive of amateur riders. The pair, watched by HM King George V and sent off at odds of 100-6, were up with the leaders and foot-perfect throughout the first circuit. At Becher's second time round, they jumped to the head of the field to hold off all challengers and win by three lengths from the 1921 victor Shaun Spadah.

"The Old Sergeant" as he was now affectionately known, returned twice more to Aintree, finishing fifth in 1924 and, in his swansong the following year at the age of 15, last of ten finishers. In six Grand National appearances, he never failed to finish.

Tragically neither horse nor rider survived long after their Aintree triumph. Bennet, just 29 years old, died from a kick to the head following a fall at Wolverhampton that December while, three years later at the age of 16, his gallant partner fractured a leg in a race at Bogside Bennet's injury led to the introduction of compulsory crash helmets for jockeys.

2023 also recalls a 30-year anniversary perhaps best forgotten – the infamous 'National That Never Was' Starter Captain Keith Brown was the man at the centre of the chaos when the tape became wound around the neck of jockey Richard Dunwoody aboard the appropriately named Won't Be Gone Long. Lack of communication and total confusion meant that the ensuing false start was not clearly signalled and resulted in around half of the 39 runners jumping off while others waited behind. Despite the fact that those who went ahead continued for two full circuits, the upshot was the race being declared void, all bets refunded and the joy of "winners" the Jenny Pitman-trained Esha Ness and jockey John White cruelly short-lived. It was this fiasco which led to the bright yellow starter's flag replacing the old red one with immediate effect.