Moifaa was a huge brown gelding that resembled a starved elephant.

Arthur Birch, born in 1875, was a little known jockey.

Together in 1904, they combined to produce that kind of magic that comes from nowhere in the odd Grand National.

Moifaa had form, of sorts.

As a four-year-old in New Zealand, he had won four of his nine races. The next season, carrying 13 stone, he won a three-mile handicap.

He was then shipped over to England. 

Arthur, meanwhile, continued his life in the shadows, and no one was more surprised than himself when offered the ride.

Arthur's previous attempt at National glory, in 1901, had been on 66/1 chance Padishah, who, not unexpectedly, failed to finish.

A week before the National, Arthur partnered Moifaa in a full four-mile workout over fences at Epsom (an unthinkable scenario these days). Arthur was astonished at its pace and power, and secretly began to harbour well-founded dreams of Aintree glory.

The favourite for the race that day (25 March 1904) was the King's topweight, Ambush II, but as much interest centred on that good horse and previous winner Manifesto, who, aged 16, was making his last appearance at the course.

The early fences exacted a heavy toll, among the many fallers being Ambush II, who came down at the third.

At the fifth, Arthur found himself in front, the last place he wanted to be so soon. Moifaa had other ideas: it didn't so much jump the remaining fences as plough through every one. Arthur had no choice but to let the hard-pulling giant make his own way.

Moifaa won by an easy eight lengths to become the first-ever Colonial winner of the race.

Moifaa is an English phonetic spelling of the Māori phrase "Moi-fa."

The name is derived from the Māori language (New Zealand), where it translates to: 'Go Far'.