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The first grey to win the Grand National since the Lamb in 1868, Irish-bred Nicolaus Silver was near the front of 35 runners in the 1961 race after the first circuit of the track, and took the lead two fences out to win by five lengths. He beat Merryman II, Team Spirit, and Mr. What, all past or future National winners in this race, all carrying heavier weights than the winner, as well as two Russian horses, the latter getting 'round, but not placing well. His jockey, Bobby Beasley, was the grandson of Harry Beasley, who had won the National on Come Away, and grand-nephew of Tom Beasley, who won the race three times, and his trainer, Fred Rimmell, had won the National with E.S.B. in 1956. Purchased by his owner, Charles Vaughn, in the fall of 1960 for £2,000, four months later Nicolaus Silver's repaid him with the National purse and bonus totalling £20,000. In 1960 he ran fourth in the Grand Sefton Trial Chase, then went on to win the Grand Sefton Chase in November. He went on after the National to place second to the great Pas Seul in the Whitbread Gold Cup. His sire, Nicolaus, was a half-brother to Nearco and was described by his breeder, Italian Federico Tesio, as the best looking horse he had ever bred; he stood in Ireland and got some very modest winners on the flat, and more successful steeplechasers, although none as successful as Nicolaus Silver. Grandsire Solario was a good stayer who won the St. Leger and other top races; he was leading sire in Great Britain 1937, and got several other sons who produced top jumpers. Nicolaus Silver's dam, Rays of Montrose, also produced the grey Laird O' Montrose, a fair hurdler; her sire, Montrose, was a long-running good stayer, from a sire line that led to Hurry On, and her tail female line had some Melbourne blood. |
