|
|
| Red Rum
training on Southport beach |
"The
might and the aura of Red Rum one has to go back beyond 12 years
when he won his first National, when he was a mere two year old
in 1967.
His very first footsteps on a racecourse were at Aintree you know,
a very humble and a very meagre two year old selling plate over
five furlongs on the flat, and would you believe he actually won
it. He shared in the victory because he did win with a horse called
Curlicue.
And
the jockeys that rode him - from Lester Piggott right through Pat
Eddery and Tommy Stack who finally partenered him in his thrid victory.
 |
| Donald
McCain junior tempting Rummy with a treat |
Tommy,
at one time trained the horse when he became a jumper and the horse
was written off as a cast off, he was of no further use, mainly
because he鈥檇 perhaps become a bit ring rusty, all the races he had
on the flat and over the sticks.
Suddenly
a gentleman from humble, almost as humble as Rummy鈥檚 beginnings,
a humble training establishment in Southport, behind a car showroom,
the now great Ginger McCain
bought the horse at Doncaster for what to him was a fantastic sum,
six thousand pounds, when he got him home he found he was lame,
"Oh my God what was I going to say to Noel Le Mare whose money
I have spent".
With
the care and love of Ginger MaCain, and the magical seas of Southport,
the horse was restored to full health, in time for the 1973 Grand
National.
The
tragic thing about that race, as far as Rummy was concerned, as
far as I was personally concerned was, Rummy did not get the full
credit because the Australian horse, Crisp, the top weight, made
every inch of the running from flag fall to within 50 yards of the
winning post, and Rummy captured, caught him on the line. And the
reason Rummy did not get the full credit was, Crisp was carrying
23 pounds in weight more. Crisp carried 12 stone, which is top weight,
and people thought the weight has done it for this "no mark" from
Southport so to speak. But the following year, by God he proved
them all wrong, he carried top weight and he beat L鈥檈scargot.
Second
in the following two years, 75 and 76 after running his heart out
as usual and in 1977 who ever was there will never forget what happened.
He came on the scene when the National, the Grand National was at
its lowest ebb. The racecourse was up for sale, it was going to
be built on, housing development, and factories and God knows what.
Nobody wanted to know the Grand National. That horse inspired the
British public, and the racing press and the media of this country,
this race has got to be saved. The four legged creature that did
most to save the Grand National and put it back where it belongs,
at the summit of sporting achievement was none other than Red Rum."
|
