John Hanlon rode in fourGrand Nationals.
The Iron Duke (1850)
Jumpaway (1856)
Sting (1867)
He failed to finish on all three occasions, but it was a different story in 1855.
Riding Wanderer, a 25/1 shot, he won by two lengths from Freetrader after taking a pull on his free-running mount just after The Canal Turn. This allowed both Freetrader and Maurice Daley to storm passed, and, attempting to cut each other's throat, they were a spent force jumping the last.
John and Wanderer regained the lead and won going away.
The result did not please its owner, Mr Dennis, who - believing that Wanderer could not act on the prevailing heavy conditions - heavily backed another horse (Roundaway) instead.
Because of severe frost, the race had been postponed from the Wednesday of the previous week.
Full details of the above Grand Nationals can be found here Heroes and Heroines of the Grand National