# 1938 Grand National

The 1938 Grand National was the 97th renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 25 March 1938.
The steeplechase was won narrowly by American thoroughbred Battleship, a 40/1 shot ridden by 17-year-old jockey Bruce Hobbs and trained by Reg Hobbs, for owner Marion duPont Scott. Royal Danieli finished in second place, with Workman third and last year's second-placed Cooleen was fourth. Workman won the National the following year and Cooleen also finished fourth in 1939.
Battleship is the only horse to have won both the Grand National at Aintree and the American Grand National.
Thirty-six horses ran in the race, including the previous year's winner Royal Mail, who was pulled-up before the second Canal Turn with a broken blood vessel.

## Media coverage and aftermath

Winning rider Bruce Hobbs later explained that he had Fred Rimell to thank in part for his victory. Hobbs stated that Battleship had landed very steeply at Becher's Brook and cut his chin on the ground, causing the pair to come to the seventh fence wrong. Battleship had to veer sharply to take the jump and as Hobbs stated. "He caught me off balance and I was starting to fall off when suddenly I got a push up the bum back into the saddle" [From Rimell]. Of the finish Hobbs stated "I didn't hit the little horse because he wouldn't go for the stick, but he gave everything and got up and won. I thought it was half a length but they gave it as a head and all the Irish said if there was a photograph I would have been second." Hobbs himself never raced in the National again after a fall later that year resulted in a back injury that ended his riding career.

## Finishing order

| Position | Name | Jockey | Age | Handicap (st-lb) | SP | Distance |
| 01 | Battleship | Bruce Hobbs | 11 | 11-06 | 1040 40/1 | A Head |
| 02 | Royal Danieli | DL Moore | | | 1018 18/1 | |
| 03 | Workman | Jimmy Brogan | | | 1028 28/1 | |
| 04 | Cooleen | Jack Fawcus | | | 1008 8/1 | |
| 05 | Delachance | John Moloney | | | 1011.1111111111 100/9 | |
| 06 | Red Knight II | Davy Jones | | | 1028 28/1 | |
| 07 | Blue Shirt | Bob Smythe | | | 1008 8/1 | |
| 08 | Hopeful Hero | Mr W Dawes | | | 1100 100/1 | |
| 09 | Under Bid | Marius Pringle | | | 1040 40/1 | |
| 10 | Bachelor Prince | Danny Morgan | | | 1025 25/1 | |
| 11 | Lough Cottage | Richard 'Dicky' Black | | | 1040 40/1 | |
| 12 | Provocative | Fred Rimell | | | 1022 22/1 | |
| 13 | Drim | Mr BK Tighe | | | 1100 100/1 | |

## Non-finishers

| Position/Fate | Name | Jockey | SP |
| Fell (1st) | Inversible | Matt Hogan | 1033 33/1 |
| | Frobisher | Perry Harding | 1066 66/1 |
| | Prominent Lad | Hywell Jones | 1100 100/1 |
| | Dominick's Cross | Bob Everett | 1022 22/1 |
| Fell (3rd) | Pontet | JE Parkinson | 1066 66/1 |
| | Didoric | Don Butchers | 1050 50/1 |
| | Emancipator | Mr CRD Gray | 1100 100/1 |
| Fell (6th) | Brighter Cottage | W O'Grady | 1040 40/1 |
| | Dawmar | Roger Burford | 1100 100/1 |
| | Takvor Pacha | A Kalley | 1014.2857142857 100/7 |
| | What Have You | Sean Magee | 1100 100/1 |
| | Hurdy Gurdy Man | John Hislop | 1100 100/1 |
| | Cabin Fire | Tim Hyde | 1033 33/1 |
| Fell (10th) | Airgead Sios | Thomas McNeill | 1025 25/1 |
| | Stalbridge Park | Gerry Wilson | 1016.6666666667 100/6 |
| | K.D.H. | George Archibald | 1100 100/1 |
| Fell (16th) | Rock Lad | Jack Bissill | 1066 66/1 |
| | Tapinois | A Scratchley | 1100 100/1 |
| | Blue Prince | Billy Parvin | 1050 50/1 |
| Fell (22nd) | Dunhill Castle | Frenchie Nicholson | 1020 20/1 |
| Fell (22nd) | Rockquilla | Thomas F Carey | 1028 28/1 |
| Pulled Up (24th) | Royal Mail | Evan Williams | 1012.5 100/8 |
| | Lazy Boots | Sir C Congreve | 1100 100/1 |