The Aintree Grand National is one of the most famous horse races in the world. If there has been a decade which captured the imagination, excitement and victory of this steeplechase it has to be the 1970s. The mighty Red Rum trained by Ginger McCain and owned by Noel Le Mare. This horse racing replay features all these protagonists. The first National win for the legendary Red Rum.
The 1973 Grand National is arguably one of the greatest ever seen.
It’s a truly amazing race.
Two favourites headed a strong field of 44 including 9/1 shots Red Rum and Crisp.
Such was the class of this race, the course record was broken. This had lasted 38-years, set in 1935 by Reynoldstown.
In 1973, L’Escargot finished a gallant third. A horse that would prove a hard nut to crack finishing runner-up behind Red Red the next year and winning The Grand National 1975. Not forgetting L’Escargot won the 1971 Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Much of this story comes from Crisp who was originally trained and raced in Australia in the mid-late 1960s. In fact, he won the Australian Grand National. He was brought over to the UK by Fred Winter in 1970. Known as ‘The Black Kangeroo’, he won the 1971 Queen Mother Champion Chase. The gelding headed to the 1973 Aintree Grand National with a top weight of 12 stone. Red Rum some 23lb better off in the weights (10-5).
It was going to be a clash of the Titans and a race which would be talked about till this day.
31st March 1973
Aintree Racecourse
Grand National Steeplechase
Distance: 4m 856y
Going: Good to Firm
Runners: 44
Horse Racing Replay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMqsk7rHkHk
After jumping the 22nd fence (Becher’s Brook), Crisp looked to have an unbeatable lead, over a distance clear (33-lengths). Jockey Richard Pitman heard one of the fallen jockeys shout: ‘Kick on, you will win!’ However, he also heard race commentator Peter O’Sullevan say: ‘Red Rum is coming out of the pack.’ His jockey, Brian Fletcher, realising Crisp had a colossal lead kicked on endeavouring to catch his leader. At the final fence, Crisp had a lead of 15-lengths. However, the welter weight started to take its toll and Crisp began to tire with every stride. Red Rum was chasing hard and with the dying strides he collard the mighty effort of Crisp by ¾ length. Some 25-lengths in front of L’Escargot (12-0).
It was a course record: 9m 1.9s.
O’Sullevan’s words rang out across the crowd: ‘Crisp is getting very tired, and Red Rum is pounding after him. Red Rum is the one who’s finishing the strongest. He’s going to get up! Red Rum is going to win the National. At the line Red Rum snatches it from Crisp.’
Pitman blamed himself for the loss saying: ‘I committed suicide from the front!’
Meaning he went too fast on Crisp.
‘He ran the race of his life. He gave everything. And I got it wrong.’
‘I could hear the roar building behind me… and I knew what it meant.’
Decades later he said: ‘It still hurts.’