The 1983 Grand National delivered one of Aintree’s great milestones when Corbiere, trained by Jenny Pitman, powered through the rain and mud to give the race its first winning female trainer. Pitman’s rise had been rapid but hard-earned, and Corbiere, a strong, doughty chestnut with bottomless stamina, became the horse who defined her early career.
Ridden by the equally tough Ben de Haan, Corbiere travelled and jumped with remarkable assurance in gruelling conditions. Always prominent, he measured the big fences with a calm confidence that belied the chaos unfolding behind him. Turning for home, he dug in with trademark grit, fending off the persistent challenge of Colin Magnier on Greasepaint in a pulsating finish to win by three-quarters of a length.
For Pitman, it was a moment that transcended sport. In an era when women were still fighting for recognition in racing’s upper tiers, her victory shattered a symbolic barrier and showcased the professionalism, resilience and horsemanship that would later bring her a Gold Cup and further National success.
Corbiere ran honourably in subsequent renewals, but it was that muddy afternoon in 1983 that etched his name – and Jenny Pitman’s – into Grand National history. A triumph of preparation, courage and quiet revolution.
