Amazing story of Irish horse winning Aintree Grand National as the only horse on track

There was a big Irish connection and an amazing story attached to the winner of the 1928 Aintree Grand National.

A 42-strong field lined up for the centrepiece steeplechase in Liverpool with a 100/1 shot Tipperary Tim, ridden by Billy Dutton, among them. 

Tipperary Tim was a rank outsider and had a wonderful sporting link to the Premier County. Not only was he bred by John Ryan in Cashel, but he was named after famous Tipperary marathon runner, Tim Crowe.

Tim Crowe was born on July 20, 1883 at Bishopswood, Dundrum, County Tipperary. He was the youngest son of James Crowe, Bishopswood, and Bridget Crowe (née Davern), Rossacrow, according to an article on the Tipperary Athletics website. He was named after his brother who had died in infancy in 1881.

Tim Crowe was an extraordinarily successful distance runner; twice junior cross-country champion of Ireland, and he won sixteen national senior championships on the track, road and cross-country, and twice competed for Ireland in the International cross-country championships.

He competed in the Polytechnic Marathon in London in 1921 where only four of the 39 starters finished the actual course after Tim and others ran a mile off course. Despite that, he came home in sixth place. In 1926, as trainer, he accompanied the Tipperary senior hurling team, the All-Ireland champions, on a tour to the USA.

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Since 2010 the Tim Crowe memorial trophy is presented to the first Tipperary athlete to finish the annual Dundrum 10 km road race.

Getting back to Aintree

On that day in 1928, a similar sized field to the one Tim Crowe ran against in London, lined up against Tipperary Tim, a horse with just as big an engine and heart as Crowe. Before the race, and given his long odds against 41 other rivals, Tipperary Tim's jockey heard his friend shout out to him before the start: 'you'll only win if all the others fall.'

Well, as if by some sort of divine prophecy, all of Tipperary Tim's rivals faltered with most falling and others being pulled up to allow the unlikely hero emerge. He finished a distance ahead of one other horse who was remounted after taking a tumble early in the famous race. 

Tipperary Tim was one of the biggest outsiders to win the Aintree Grant National at 100/1. Only four horse since have won the race at odds of 100/1, most recently Mon Mome in 2009. 

The race was criticised for having so many fallers with critics saying the great race shouldn't be won simply by avoiding accident. Tipperary Tim didn't win much afterwards but his win had a ripple effect. The fences were changed the following year to try and keep more horses in the race while famous racing commentator Peter O'Sullevan credits Tipperary Tim's victory as inspiring him to a career in the sport. He placed his first ever bet on the horse, and a nice win it would have been too!

Tipperary Tim actually ran in the race again in 1929, and again was 100/1, but he fell and his career over fences petered out. 

As for Tim Crowe, in his later years, he was active well into his 70s and was known to cycle to Dublin for an All-Ireland final, up and down on the one day. He once had a bicycle shop in Dundrum and he died on November 11, 1962 at his home in Bishopswood, aged 79. He is buried in Clonoulty cemetery.

As it happens, the year Tim Crowe died, another horse bearing his name, Dandy Tim, ran in the Aintree showpiece. Unfortunately, he unseated his jockey and failed to finish the race. What are the chances? 100/1?