The legendary steeplechaser Red Rum is credited with having saved the Grand National - after becoming the only horse in history to have won the iconic race three times.

The thoroughbred's victories in 1973, 1974 and 1977 reignited interest in the race at a time when people were lamenting the fact that the final National might not be far off.

Making its debut in 1839, when it was known as the Grand Liverpool Steeplechase, it was renamed the Grand National in 1847. Its long association with Aintree racecourse has continued ever since.

© Trinity Mirror / Mirrorpix / Alamy Stock Photo

 

End of an era?

In the early 1970s, racing fans were deserting Aintree in their droves. As chairman and managing director of Topham Ltd, Mirabel Topham owned the racecourse and she was looking to sell it. Consequently, she was reportedly reluctant to spend any money on the venue.

The facilities were becoming run down and jockey John Lawrence was quoted as saying the atmosphere made going to the racetrack “the reverse of a pleasure”.

Racing historian John Pinfold, author of An Aintree Dynasty, described how people were becoming increasingly disillusioned and how they stayed away from the once thriving racetrack. In the early 1970s, the stands were virtually deserted on the first two days of the Grand National meeting.

It was vastly different from the glory days of the race prior to the Second World War. Half a million people had paid to see the Grand National in 1932 - and around 400,000 people packed in for the first post-war meeting in 1946.

By the early 1970s, every race was billed as possibly being the last. The Daily Express correspondent, Clive Graham, wrote an editorial after the 1972 race and asked, "Was this the last ever Grand National?"

In 1973, Topham sold Aintree to a local property developer, Bill Davies, with a stipulation that the National must be held for the next five years. It was against the backdrop of a declining track and falling spectator numbers that Red Rum suddenly burst on to the scene in 1973.

 

Birth of a legend

The Irish steeplechaser was bred in 1965 by Martyn McEnery at Rossenarra stud in County Kilkenny, Ireland and by taking a combination of the last three letters of his dam, Mared, and sire, Quorum, the horse was named Red Rum.

He won his first race at Warwick as a two-year-old and two races as a three-year-old. Leading jockey Lester Piggott rode Red Rum in a few races.

However, the bay gelding didn't start to truly excel until after he was bought by Southport car dealer Ginger McCain, for his client, Noel Le Mare.

McCain had worked as a stable boy and competed in point-to-point races in his youth, but he grew to 6ft 3ins tall and couldn't be a jockey. He became a car salesman, with a stable yard behind his showroom.

He first saw Red Rum in 1967, when he won a race for two-year-olds. He then saw him being ridden by Piggott in 1968 and again in 1969, when he finished second over hurdles. McCain had his full training licence but hadn't had any winners thus far.

 

Living the dream

He then met retired businessman Le Mare and they shared a dream of having a Grand National competitor. In 1972, McCain was delighted when he saw six-year-old Red Rum was up for sale at 6,000 guineas.

Red Rum had suffered from an incurable bone disease, pedal osteitis, which had prevented him from achieving his true potential, but McCain trained him on Southport Beach, where the salt water was beneficial for his hooves.

The horse improved dramatically under his fifth trainer and won six of his nine races over the next seven months, with total prize money of £29,646.

Red Rum developed into a world-class steeplechaser as a result of his training on the beach. He won his first Grand National in 1973, ridden by jockey Brian Fletcher.

It was considered to be the greatest victory of Red Rum's career. He was 30 lengths behind the race leader, Crisp, but with an incredible burst of speed, he caught up and overtook his rival on the final stretch, winning the race.

 

People's Champion

The Grand National was known as “The People’s Race” - and what it needed was an equine superstar to become “The People’s Champion” to save Aintree in its darkest hour.

Red Rum was dubbed the horse who saved the National. The public got behind him and by the time he won his second Grand National in 1974 (again ridden by Fletcher), he was already a celebrity.

In 1975 and 1976, ridden by Fletcher and Tommy Stack respectively, Red Rum came second in the National. When he won his historic third National in 1977, ridden by Stack, it was voted one of the greatest sporting achievements in history - in all sports and not just horse racing!

The prospect of the end of Aintree and the National was now unthinkable. Davies leased the course to Ladbrokes, who invested more than £3 million. In 1984, the Jockey Club, helped by public donations, bought the racecourse from Davies.

 

Red Rum's retirement

Sadly, Red Rum's career came to an abrupt end while in training for the 1978 National, when he suffered a fracture – he was retired.

To this day, he remains the only horse to win the Grand National three times and to come second twice. He never fell in 100 races and after his retirement, he became an icon.

He won £146,409 in prize money during his racing career, but was thought to have made more than £1.4 million in official openings and public appearances after his retirement. He was even invited to switch on the Blackpool Illuminations.

Red Rum attended the 1977 BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards, standing alongside McCain when he was interviewed. When Red Rum saw his favourite jockey, Stack, being interviewed by video link, the horse pricked up his ears and stood to attention, proving his special bond with the jockey.

 

Final resting place

Every year, Red Rum led the Grand National parade and was a celebrity until his death, aged 30, in October 1995. Today, his memory lives on, 24 years after his passing.

The news of his death made page one of the national newspapers and he was buried at the winning post at Aintree. His epitaph reads, "Respect this place, this hallowed ground, a legend here his rest has found."

In 2016, Carlisle Racecourse celebrated Red Rum Day on 13th October, when race-goers were invited to "Wear Red for Rummy" and free "Red Fizz" cocktails were handed out.

Red Rum is still considered by many to be one of the most remarkable horses in racing history. What a boy!

This year's Aintree Grand National will take place on 6th April, when around 600 million viewers will be watching the famous race on TV in more than 140 countries worldwide.

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