1938 Grand National

1938 Grand National

Grand National
Location	Aintree Racecourse
Date	25 March 1938
Winning horse	Battleship
Starting price	40/1
Jockey	Bruce Hobbs
Trainer	Reg Hobbs
Owner	Mrs. Marion duPont Scott
Conditions	Good to firm

External videos
Highlights of the 1938 Grand National (British Pathé)

The 1938 Grand National was the 97th renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 25 March 1938.

The steeplechase was won narrowly by American thoroughbred Battleship, a 40/1 shot ridden by 17-year-old jockey Bruce Hobbs and trained by Reg Hobbs, for owner Marion duPont Scott. Royal Danieli finished in second place, with Workman third and last year's second-placed Cooleen was fourth. Workman won the National the following year and Cooleen also finished fourth in 1939.

Battleship is the only horse to have won both the Grand National at Aintree and the American Grand National.

Thirty-six horses ran in the race, including the previous year's winner Royal Mail, who was pulled-up before the second Canal Turn with a broken blood vessel.

Media coverage and aftermath

Winning rider Bruce Hobbs later explained that he had Fred Rimell to thank in part for his victory. Hobbs stated that Battleship had landed very steeply at Becher's Brook and cut his chin on the ground, causing the pair to come to the seventh fence wrong. Battleship had to veer sharply to take the jump and as Hobbs stated. "He caught me off balance and I was starting to fall off when suddenly I got a push up the bum back into the saddle" [From Rimell]. Of the finish Hobbs stated "I didn't hit the little horse because he wouldn't go for the stick, but he gave everything and got up and won. I thought it was half a length but they gave it as a head and all the Irish said if there was a photograph I would have been second." Hobbs himself never raced in the National again after a fall later that year resulted in a back injury that ended his riding career.

Finishing order

Position	Name	Jockey	Age	Handicap (st-lb)	SP	Distance
01	Battleship	Bruce Hobbs	11	11-06	1040 40/1	A Head
02	Royal Danieli	DL Moore			1018 18/1
03	Workman	Jimmy Brogan			1028 28/1
04	Cooleen	Jack Fawcus			1008 8/1
05	Delachance	John Moloney			1011.1111111111 100/9
06	Red Knight II	Davy Jones			1028 28/1
07	Blue Shirt	Bob Smythe			1008 8/1
08	Hopeful Hero	Mr W Dawes			1100 100/1
09	Under Bid	Marius Pringle			1040 40/1
10	Bachelor Prince	Danny Morgan			1025 25/1
11	Lough Cottage	Richard 'Dicky' Black			1040 40/1
12	Provocative	Fred Rimell			1022 22/1
13	Drim	Mr BK Tighe			1100 100/1

Non-finishers

Position/Fate	Name	Jockey	Age	Handicap (st-lb)	SP
Fell (1st)	Inversible	Matt Hogan			1033 33/1
	Frobisher	Perry Harding			1066 66/1
	Prominent Lad	Hywell Jones			1100 100/1
	Dominick's Cross	Bob Everett			1022 22/1
Fell (3rd)	Pontet	JE Parkinson			1066 66/1
	Didoric	Don Butchers			1050 50/1
	Emancipator	Mr CRD Gray			1100 100/1
Fell (6th)	Brighter Cottage	W O'Grady			1040 40/1
	Dawmar	Roger Burford			1100 100/1
	Takvor Pacha	A Kalley			1014.2857142857 100/7
	What Have You	Sean Magee			1100 100/1
	Hurdy Gurdy Man	John Hislop			1100 100/1
	Cabin Fire	Tim Hyde			1033 33/1
Fell (10th)	Airgead Sios	Thomas McNeill			1025 25/1
	Stalbridge Park	Gerry Wilson			1016.6666666667 100/6
	K.D.H.	George Archibald			1100 100/1
Fell (16th)	Rock Lad	Jack Bissill			1066 66/1
	Tapinois	A Scratchley			1100 100/1
	Blue Prince	Billy Parvin			1050 50/1
Fell (22nd)	Dunhill Castle	Frenchie Nicholson			1020 20/1
Fell (22nd)	Rockquilla	Thomas F Carey			1028 28/1
Pulled Up (24th)	Royal Mail	Evan Williams			1012.5 100/8
	Lazy Boots	Sir C Congreve			1100 100/1