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My own would be Red Marauder winning in 2001. What a dramatic race it was. I really couldn’t believe of the 4 horses to finish I had backed the winner. Richard Guest gave him a super ride given what happened on the day with the conditions and the mayhem Paddy’s Return caused at Canal Turn.
No question,
Royal "Alfie" Athlete
,i had stayed loyal to this fellow for 5 years before he won the National,i had backed him at 66/1 and he still won at 40/1 on the day!Mrs Pitman used to say she could ask this fella to jump a 10ft brick wall and he would have a go!To this day i have a photograph of me, Alfie and Mrs P in my conservatory!Legends of the turf!
1974, Red Rum, 12 stone on his back, running everything else into the ground. My favourite race, and, in my very biased opinion, the best performance ever in the National.
1967, I was only 4 at the time, but every time I watch it I still get this tingle, especially as the commentator does his best to try and sort out who’s who and what’s what.
Red Marauder, remember hoping he’d stay on his feet.
Willing on Spartan Missile in vain
16 horses turning towards the last two fences, all with a chance, and watching Mon Mome trounce the lot of them.My favourite horses - Red Rum, Spanish Steps, Proud Tarquin, Esban, Go-Pontinental, Barona, Charles Dickens, The Dikler, Astbury, Black Secret, Vulgan Town, Huperade, Well To Do, Crisp, Quintus, Argent, Colebridge, Pearl Of Montreal, Nereo, Sonny Somers, Tubs VI, Tartan Ace, Red Candle, L'Escargot, Bula, Beau Bob, Rouge Autumn, Rough Silk, Frodo, Deblin's Green, Prince Tino, Eyecatcher, The Pilgarlic, Captain Christy, Mr Midland, Interview II, Credit Call, My Virginian, Flush Of Diamonds, Scout, Money Ma
One of my earliest. I was only six and shocked all the old ladies in Langholm by telling them that Team Spirit would win the 1964 race and he did.
Red Rum and Crisp – one special race and the first I watched in colour.
1977 Red Rum the third time – need I say more.
1981 Aldanit only Aintree can bring stories like that.
2004 Amberleigh House. The crazy world of Ginger McCain back on the BBC. The PC brigade shocked to their boots and Ginger not giving a damn. What will be be like if Donald Junior pulls it off. Heart rules head this year as I rooting for Cloudy Lane gaine along with Niche Market and Character Building.
I’m sure anyone who has seen some of my posts would expect me to say Mon Mome…
And they’d be right!
My ‘best’ memory isn’t so much from him winning though. In Manchester they showed the race live on a ‘big screen’ & I’d estimate there was around 2,000 people there. 1,998 dissapointed folks & me dancing like a loony next to my Mum who had Comply Or Die each way, also dancing like a loony.
Thinking about it, King Johns Castle in the 2008 National was pretty much what got me into horse racing properly in the first place. Anyone think he can do one better this year?
I think it’s got to be Crisp – the way he tackled those fences out on his own for so long – and Red Rum – the way he reeled poor Crisp in – when I watch that replay I long for Crisp to just hold on knowing that Rummie of course would have his glory and return to win the race again!! Crisp was legless and going up and down virtually on the spot – for Richard Pitman it must have been like one of those dreams where you’re running and running but not getting to the end.
King John’s Castle; yes anthonycutt..two people at the preview tonight were quite keen on him; one of the few horses that I haven’t backed ante post so far..and then you have to mention him as well….just when I’d decided to have no more bets. I’ve been checking him out tonight; has hardly ever fallen and came close to beating a National specialist in Comply or Die.
For me it has to be SILVER BIRCH. His run in the X Country Chase at Cheltenham was the final piece in the jigsaw for me and watching him bound around from fence to fence and dig deep in the long run for home was just magical. Oh and I also tipped him up to my boss at the time at 50-1!!
Suny Bay’s 2 runner-up spots are also worth a mention, especially his gallant 2nd under a stopping weight behind Earth Summit. I really though he was going to do it over the last couple of fences but the weight told in the end. I always loved watching the grey boy jumping in the National.
I think Red Marauder deserved to be priced 100/1 much more than Mon Mome. Richard Guest said he was ‘the worst jumper ever to win a national’
He must have made 10 jumping errors in the race and went through rather than over most of the fences. Somehow he just wouldn’t go down. What a horse!
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