Red Rum

Red Rum

After a modest career on the flat in which Red Rum won just two races his handlers turned him to jumps racing in 1968 where he became immediately successful, winning three times. He went off the boil unfortunately in the 1969/70 but came back with four wins the following season.

It was at this point that trainer, Ginger McCain first spotted the horse’s potential and he managed to persuade one of his clients to buy the horse and have him looked after at the Southport Stable. It was the beginning of the most successful Grand National trainer/horse partnerships ever known.

Things in actual fact got off to a bad start, when it was learned that ‘Rummy’ had contracted a bone disease, thought at the time to be incurable. McCain than began the now famous ‘rehab’ course in training by taking the horse on to Southport beaches where he trained on the sands. Much to the amazement of most, ‘Rummy’ got better and was soon ready for the race track again.

Red Rum had an excellent season in 1972/3, winning five times before being entered for his first Grand National. It was to be the beginning of a Grand National run, which saw Red rum win three times and finish second twice.

1973 Grand National

This race will go down as one of the greatest ever seen at Aintree. It witnessed one of the great staying performances of all time which saw Red Rum come back from a country mile to beat the great top weighted, Crisp on the line to record his first victory. The win for Red Rum was as jubilant as it was disappointing for Crisp who had literally ran himself into the ground, only to be caught in the last stride with the rest of the field nowhere to be seen. It is one of the must see horse races of all time.

1974 Grand National

Red Rum won four more races before being entered once again for the Grand National of 1974. This time however he would have to carry the maximum weight of 12 stone, almost two stone higher than in 1973. He also had take on the Cheltenham Gold winner, L’Escargot, who was in receipt of a pound and was favourite to win.

That year in fact, Red Rum went off as only third favourite, but it became clear by the end of the first circuit that he was running the race of his life. Red Rum duly won the race, becoming the first horse, since Reynoldstown in 1936 to win back to back Grand Nationals. Three weeks later Red Rum won the Scottish Grand National at Ayr off top weight

1975 & 1976 Grand Nationals

After his second success, Red Rum went into a minor decline, winning only twice in 18 starts in a two year period. It also saw him having to give way to the great L’Escargot in the 1975 Grand National, where he managed an incredible second, proving once again, despite having a poor season that he was still the horse for Aintree.

The same can be said for the 1976 Grand National where once again he had to give way, this time to Rag Trade, but where he completed the course finishing runner up for the second year running.

1977 Grand National

The scene was set therefore for Red Rum’s final bow at Aintree in 1977, by which time he was 12 years old. 1976/7 season had only been a mediocre one, but by the time of the Grand National, McCain had begun to see a sparkle in the old war horse and had every confidence of yet another big run.

With Tommy Stack back in the saddle, Red Rum was foot perfect once again over this frightening Aintree racecourse where he took the lead eight fences from home. Challenged until the third last by Churchtown Boy, ‘Rummy’ proved too strong again and ran in an easy 31 length winner from Eyecatcher, to who he was giving 21lb. He was the first horse to win three Grand Nationals.

It was a remarkable end to a spellbinding Aintree career and carved red Rum’s profound name in the hearts of every race-goer at the time. Red Rum died at the age of 30 in 1995 and was buried by the Aintree winning post. The spot is marked with an engraved stone listing his Aintree record. There is also a life size bronze statue of Aintree’s Legend of legends.