The 1917 Grand National was cancelled because Aintree Racecourse had been taken over by the War Office. However, a substitute race known as the War Steeplechase was held at Gatwick Racecourse. The Gatwick races held from 1916 to 1918 are typically excluded from official Grand National records.
The 1917 War Steeplechase was won by Ballymacad, ridden by jockey Edmund Driscoll and trained by Aubrey Hastings.
Limerock, ridden by Bill Smith, was clear on the run-in but collapsed yards from the winning post, in a manner similar to Devon Loch in 1956.
Finishing order PositionNameJockeyAgeHandicap (st-lb)SPDistance01BallymacadEdmund Driscoll?9-1202ChangWillie Smith79-903Ally SloperIvor Anthony811-1004VermouthJohn Reardon712-3?Father ConfessorA Aylin811-7??Queen ImaalAlfred Newey?11-3?Yellow ChatGeorges Parfrement611-0?Blow PipeEdward Lancaster1210-0?
Non-finishers FenceNameJockeyAgeHandicap (st-lb)SPFate?TempledowneyTom Hulme?12-7Fell?Irish MailErnest Piggott1012-4Pulled Up?Carrig ParkCharles Hawkins?11-6FellRun-InLimerockBill Smith?11-5Fell?Hackler's BeyCaptain D Rogers1010-10?Fell?KeniaA Saxby?10-10Fell?Thowl PinCharles Kelly1210-7???CharlburyJoe Dillon910-6?Pulled Up?Denis AuburnRoger Burford1010-4?Pulled Up?FargueHarry Brown79-7Fell?GrithorpeHerbert Smyth?9-7?Fell
The Grand National 1839-1930 by David Hoadley Munroe
References
http://www.grand-national.net/gatwick.htm