The Biggest Grand National Outsider Winners in History

The Grand National has always been a race where anything can happen. That's part of what makes it one of the most exciting events in sport. With huge fields, famous fences, unpredictable conditions and more than four miles to cover, favourites are never guaranteed success.

In fact, some of the most memorable winners in Grand National history were the ones hardly anyone expected.

From 100/1 shock victories to famous underdog stories that still get talked about decades later, outsider winners are part of what gives the Grand National its magic. They remind punters that the Grand National is never as simple as backing the shortest price.

Here are some of the horses that won the Grand National at the longest odds and became legends because of it.

Foinavon – 100/1 in 1967

No outsider story is more famous than Foinavon.

Sent off at 100/1 for the 1967 Grand National, very few people gave him any real chance. He was considered a solid jumper but not a likely winner in a field packed with stronger fancied rivals.

Everything changed at fence 23.

As the field approached what was then simply the seventh fence on the second circuit, a loose horse caused chaos. Almost the entire field was brought to a standstill in a huge pile-up, with horses and jockeys scrambling everywhere.

Foinavon, ridden by John Buckingham, was far enough behind to avoid the trouble. He calmly jumped the fence, moved into the lead and suddenly found himself with a huge advantage.

He stayed there.

The shock victory was so memorable that the fence was later renamed the Foinavon Fence, ensuring his place in Grand National folklore forever.

Tipperary Tim – 100/1 in 1928

Another famous 100/1 winner came almost 40 years earlier with Tipperary Tim.

Before the race, a friend is said to have joked with jockey William Dutton, saying, “Billy Boy, you’ll only win if all the others fall.”

Remarkably, that's almost exactly what happened.

The 1928 Grand National turned into one of the most chaotic renewals ever run. Heavy ground and difficult jumping conditions caused horse after horse to drop away. By the closing stages, only two horses were left standing.

Tipperary Tim was one of them.

He crossed the line first at 100/1, creating one of the race’s greatest underdog stories and proving that sometimes racing really does write its own script.

Gregalach – 100/1 in 1929

Back-to-back 100/1 winners sounds impossible but that's exactly what happened.

Just one year after Tipperary Tim shocked Aintree, Gregalach repeated the feat in 1929.

Unlike the dramatic survival story of Tipperary Tim, Gregalach’s victory came through a strong and determined performance rather than complete chaos. Still, very few punters had him on their radar before the race.

His success proved that outsider victories weren't just rare accidents. The Grand National’s unpredictability meant huge-priced runners always had a chance if conditions fell their way.

To have consecutive 100/1 winners remains one of the strangest chapters in National history.

Mon Mome – 100/1 in 2009

For modern racing fans, Mon Mome is the outsider winner that proved huge shocks still happen.

Winning the 2009 Grand National at 100/1, he became the first horse in more than 40 years to score at triple-figure odds.

Ridden by Liam Treadwell, Mon Mome was not completely unknown but he had been largely overlooked by punters who focused on more fashionable runners.

He travelled strongly throughout the race and jumped with confidence, eventually pulling clear to win by 12 lengths, making the result even more surprising.

His victory was a reminder that the National still has room for fairytale finishes, even in the modern horse racing betting era.

Caughoo – 100/1 in 1947

Caughoo’s 1947 victory remains one of the most debated results in Grand National history.

Officially sent off at 100/1, his win created huge controversy because many believed the dense fog at Aintree had made it difficult to judge what was really happening during the race.

Some even argued that Caughoo had received an unfair advantage due to poor visibility for the rest of the field.

Whatever the debate, the record books show him as the winner and at triple-figure odds, he remains one of the race’s biggest shocks.

His success only added to the Grand National’s reputation for drama and unpredictability.

Auroras Encore – 66/1 in 2013

Not every huge outsider needs to be 100/1 to feel like a major shock.

Auroras Encore won the 2013 Grand National at 66/1, surprising almost everyone in the betting market.

Ridden by Ryan Mania, he arrived with little attention compared to the leading contenders but produced the performance of his life when it mattered most.

He travelled smoothly, stayed the distance strongly and pulled away impressively in the closing stages.

At the time, it was one of the biggest-priced winners the modern race had seen and another reminder that proven stamina often matters more than reputation.

Rule The World – 33/1 in 2016

Rule The World may not have started at the biggest price on this list but his story made him one of the most unusual winners.

Sent off at 33/1, he won the Grand National without having won a race over fences before.

That alone made him a rare case.

Ridden by David Mullins, he used strong staying form and a clean round of jumping to outlast more established rivals.

His success showed that sometimes a horse doesn't need a perfect profile to win the National, just the right set of conditions on the right day.

Why Outsiders Thrive at Aintree

The Grand National creates more surprises than almost any other major race because it tests so many different qualities at once.

Speed alone isn't enough. Horses need stamina, bravery, jumping accuracy and luck. A well-backed favourite can be travelling perfectly and still lose everything with one mistake at Becher’s Brook.

Meanwhile, an outsider with the right temperament and a trouble-free round can suddenly find itself in contention.

That unpredictability is what makes the race so popular for punters. Every runner has a story and every longshot carries the possibility of becoming the next Foinavon.

Betting Lessons from Big-Priced Winners

Outsider winners don't mean favourites should be ignored but they do remind bettors to look deeper than the betting market alone.

Strong stamina, reliable jumping, previous Aintree experience and the right ground conditions can often matter more than reputation.

Some horses are simply built for the Grand National, even if their odds suggest otherwise.

That's why smart punters look beyond the headline prices.

Because at Aintree, the biggest stories are often written by the horses nobody expected to win.