On this day in 1977, racehorse Red Rum won a historic third Grand National championship at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England, after taking home victory in 1973 and 1974 and finishing second in 1975 and 1976. Red Rum remains the most successful horse in the history of the Grand National, which is considered by many to be the world’s toughest steeplechase race.Red Rum, a bay gelding, was foaled on May 3, 1963, at the Rossennara Stud in Kells, County Kilkenny, Ireland. His moniker was derived from the last three letters of the names of his dam and sire, Mared and Quorum. Early in his racing career, it was discovered Red Rum had a debilitating bone disease; however, trainer Ginger McCain, who bought the horse for Noel Le Mare, trained him on the sand and in the sea water at Southport, Merseyside, which apparently cured Red Rum of his foot problem.Red Rum was scheduled to run in the 1978 Grand National, but on the morning of the race it was determined he had a hairline fracture. The horse, age 13, was then retired from racing; however, his fame in Britain continued to grow and he made numerous publicity appearances. In October 1995, Red Rum, then 30 and in failing health, was put down. The champion horse was buried near the winning post at the Aintree track.
Posted on: Wed, 02 Apr 2014 07:02:18 +0000
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