<P> Ben Nevis was a chestnut gelding with a white blaze bred in England by AS Pattenden. Ben Nevis was named after a mountain in Scotland . He began his career on the amateur Point - to - point circuit but had little success and was exported to race in the United States . </P> <P> In America, Ben Nevis was unbeatable, winning eight times while setting two course records . He was a repeat champion of the Maryland Hunt Cup . His other major victories were repeat wins in Maryland's Grand National point to point purse . In 1979, he was taken back to England to attempt to win the prestigious Grand National, and was sent to be trained by Captain Tim Forster at Letcombe Bassett in Oxfordshire . </P> <P> In the 1979 Grand National, Ben Nevis was strongly fancied and started fourth choice in the betting but fell at The Chair obstacle . In the 1980 edition of the race, he went off a odds of 40 / 1 outsider in a race run on heavy going . He was ridden by the American amateur Charlie Fenwick, a merchant banker . By the second circuit, he had taken the lead . At the last jump, he was in front by 10 lengths, and at the end of the race he won by 20 . Ben Nevis became the third American - owned jumps racehorse to win the Grand National . He died of colic in early 1995 at the age of 27, and was buried alongside the 13th fence at the Grand National course in Butler, MD . </P> <P> In 2009 Ben Nevis was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame . </P>

When did ben nevis win the grand national