Horse race
| Grand National | |
| Location | Aintree |
|---|---|
| Date | 3 April 1971 |
| Winning horse |  Specify |
| Jockey | John Cook |
| Trainer | John Sutcliffe |
| Owner | Fred Pontin |
| Conditions | Good |
| ← 19701972 → | |
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 The 1971 Grand National in full (BBC) | |
| Highlights of the 1971 Grand National, along with 1970 and 1972 BBC Sport |
Commentator Peter O'Sullevan describes the climax of the 1971 NationalThey're inside the final furlong now, Black Secret coming to challenge with Specify on the far side Sandy Sprite in between the two, it's Johnny Cook getting up on Specify... It's Specify and Black Secret, Specify is just gonna win it, at the line Specify is the winner!
The 1971 Grand National was the 125th renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 3 April 1971.
Gay Buccaneer was very unlucky having been the clear leader at the Canal turn on the first circuit, only to be interfered with by a loose horse which resulted in him going from first to last, and finishing tenth. Specify was the winner from a close finish between the leading five in the final furlong.
Finishing order
| Position | Name | Jockey | Age | Handicap (st-lb) | SP | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Specify | John Cook | 9 | 10-3 | 28/1 | |
| 02 | Black Secret | Jim Dreaper | 7 | 11-5 | 20/1 | |
| 03 | Astbury | Jimmy Bourke | 8 | 10-0 | 33/1 | |
| 04 | Bowgeeno | Graham Thorner | 11 | 10-5 | 66/1 | |
| 05 | Sandy Sprite | Ron Barry | 7 | 10-3 | 33/1 | |
| 06 | Two Springs | Roy Edwards | 9 | 11-4 | 13/1 | |
| 07 | Vichysoise | Philip Blacker | 9 | 10-3 | 100/1 | |
| 08 | King Vulgan | John Crowley | 10 | 11-0 | 16/1 | |
| 09 | Regimental | John Lawrence | 8 | 10-6 | 66/1 | |
| 10 | Gay Buccaneer | Pat Black | 10 | 10-0 | 66/1 | |
| 11 | Final Move | Tommy Stack | 11 | 10-0 | 66/1 | |
| 12 | Limeburner (remounted) | John Buckingham | 10 | 10-0 | 100/1 | |
| 13 | Common Entrance (remounted) | Mouse Morris | 10 | 10-0 | 100/1 | Last to finish |
Non-finishers
| Fence | Name | Jockey | Age | Handicap (st-lb) | Starting price | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Brian's Best | Richard Evans | 11 | 10-11 | 33/1 | Brought Down |
| 01 | Country Wedding | Bob Champion | 9 | 10-0 | 50/1 | Brought Down |
| 01 | Craigbrook | Peter Ennis | 12 | 10-1 | 80/1 | Fell |
| 01 | Gay Trip | Terry Biddlecombe | 9 | 12-0 | 8/1 | Fell |
| 01 | Twigairy | Eddie Harty | 8 | 10-6 | 25/1 | Brought Down |
| 03 | The Laird | Jeff King | 10 | 11-12 | 12/1 | Fell |
| 04 | Battledore | John Enright | 10 | 10-6 | 45/1 | Refused |
| 06 | Copperless | Martin Gibson | 10 | 10-1 | 100/1 | Fell |
| 06 | Pride of Kentucky | Tony Mawson | 9 | 10-0 | 50/1 | Brought Down |
| 06 | Soldo | David Mould | 10 | 10-7 | 66/1 | Fell |
| 08 | Highworth | Dick Woodhouse | 12 | 10-5 | 100/1 | Pulled Up |
| 08 | Indamelia | Philip Hobbs | 8 | 10-5 | 100/1 | Fell |
| 10 | Cnoch Dubh | Tommy Carberry | 8 | 10-11 | 20/1 | Fell |
| 10 | The Otter | Buck Jones | 10 | 10-1 | 12/1 | Fell |
| 10 | Zara's Grove | Gordon Holmes | 8 | 10-0 | 66/1 | Fell |
| 11 | Lord Jim | Stan Mellor | 10 | 10-9 | 9/1 | Fell |
| 12 | Kellsboro' Wood | Andy Turnell | 11 | 10-0 | 100/1 | Fell |
| 15 | Miss Hunter | John Fowler | 10 | 10-0 | 33/1 | Fell |
| 19 | Smooth Dealer | Arthur Moore | 9 | 10-3 | 33/1 | Refused |
| 19 | Vulture | Sean Barker | 9 | 10-0 | 16/1 | Fell |
| 22 | Beau Bob | Richard Dennard | 8 | 10-3 | 40/1 | Unseated Rider |
| 22 | Money Boat | Bobby Coonan | 7 | 10-7 | 16/1 | Fell |
| 27 | Charter Flight | Bill Rees | 9 | 11-8 | 25/1 | Pulled Up |
| 27 | Flosuebarb | Joe Guest | 11 | 10-1 | 33/1 | Pulled Up |
| 27 | The Inventor | Brian Fletcher | 10 | 10-7 | 20/1 | Refused |
Media coverage
A special Grand National Grandstand was presented by David Coleman on the BBC for the twelfth year. Three commentators were used this year, Peter O'Sullevan, Raleigh Gilbert and Julian Wilson. Peter Bromley was the lead commentator on BBC radio.
Aftermath
John Cook retired from racing the following year on medical advice and emigrated to Australia where he died after a long illness in 1999
References
 | This article has an unclear citation style. The references used may be made clearer with a different or consistent style of citation and footnoting. (August 2014) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
- "1970 & 1971 – The Grand National & Aintree 1970-79". Seventiesnationals.webs.com. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
- The Grand National : the history of the Aintree spectacular, by Stewart Peters & Bernard Parkin, ISBN 0-7524-3547-7
- "Grand National Anorak |". freewebs.com. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
- "Cook, John – Jockeypedia".
- "Past Winners of The Grand National". grand-national.net. Archived from the original on 4 November 2011. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
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