Bill Balfe

Bill Balfe, born on 24 March 1912 in County Limerick, may or may not have been the worst jockey ever to ride in the Grand National, but his partner, Elsich,  was almost certainly the worst horse.

It had never won a race nor, indeed, finished closer than 400 yards to a winner. 

So how, then, did it qualify to run in the National?

To prevent such poor horses from competing, strict standards had been set: to be eligible to run, horses must have been placed in a steeplechase of not less than three miles. Failing that, they must have won a race worth at least £500.

Together, in a three-mile chase at Worcester, Bill & Elsich trailed in last of three runners, four fences behind the first and second. But it was enough to qualify them for the National. 

Oddly, in that Worcester race, a mongrel dog had broken free of its owner and, yapping and snapping, proceeded to chase the pair up the run-in. This, no doubt, encouraged Elsich to keep going.

In 1946, Elsich - foaled ten years earlier - was owned and trained by 73-year-old Charlie Edwards, an eccentric who had erected his own granite tombstone, cut with all the usual details save the date of his death, high on a hill overlooking his Mount Seifton stables in Craven Arms, Ludlow, Shropshire. 

The Grand National that year was run on Friday, April 5.

A heavy overnight rain has softened the course, making it perfect going for steeplechasing. The sun came out at midday. A light wind blew. Visibility was perfect.

The field got off at the first attempt with Prince Regent, Limestone Edward, Heirdom, Lough Conn and Symbole just ahead. All five cleared the first safely.

Not so Bill and Elsich who, together with Young Yat (Tommy Cullen) and Astrometer (Micky Gordon) crashed to the ground. 

That was not the end of Bill's association with Elsich.

The pair raced next at Cheltenham, coming down at the third from home, before finishing fourth of five at Hereford on Easter Monday. Bill rode him for the final time when trailing in last at Woore some months later.

Elsich raced a total of 50 times, falling on 22 occasions and pulling up on another 9.

Bill continued to ride - usually modest, recalcitrant individuals - until retiring during the 1953-54 season when his last known ride was Nature's Gift for trainer J Penney at Stratford on March 12.

He then found work in Cowley driving a forklift truck at British Leyland.

Bill Balfe, aged 88, died in July 2000.