Red Rum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Red Rum |
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Red Rum at Castle Park, Bristol in 1981
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| Sire | Quorum |
| Grandsire | Vilmorin |
| Dam | Mared |
| Damsire | Magic Red |
| Sex | Gelding |
| Foaled | 3 May 1965 |
| Died | 18 October 1995 |
| Country | Ireland |
| Colour | Bay |
| Breeder | Martyn McEnery |
| Owner | Noel le Mare |
| Trainer | Ginger McCain |
| Record | 100: 24-15-23 |
| Earnings | £146,409.80 |
| Major wins | |
| Grand National (1973, 1974, 1977) Scottish National (1974) |
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| Honours | |
| Life-size statue at Aintree Racecourse Smaller bronze statue inside Wayfarers Arcade, Southport Red Rum Handicap Chase at Aintree |
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| Last updated on 15 February 2009 | |
Red Rum (born May 3, 1965 – died October 18, 1995) was a truly amazing Irish racehorse. He became a champion Thoroughbred steeplechaser. He made history by winning the famous Grand National race three times. No other horse has ever done this! He won in 1973, 1974, and 1977. He also came in second place in 1975 and 1976.
The Grand National is known as a very tough race. It's often called "the ultimate test of a horse’s courage." Red Rum was also famous for his incredible jumping skills. He never fell in any of his 100 races!
His 1973 victory was a thrilling comeback. He was far behind but managed to win. Many people still consider it one of the greatest Grand Nationals ever. In a UK poll in 2002, Red Rum's third win was voted the 24th greatest sporting moment of all time.
Contents
The Early Life of a Champion Racehorse
Red Rum was born in Kells, County Kilkenny, Ireland. His breeder was Martyn McEnery. His father was Quorum, and his mother was Mared. McEnery gave Red Rum his name by using parts of his parents' names.
Red Rum was first trained for shorter races, about one mile long. But he became famous for winning the Grand National, which is a much longer race. It's four miles and four furlongs! He even ran a flat race at Aintree Racecourse when he was young. Famous jockey Lester Piggott rode him twice early in his career. Comedian Lee Mack, who was a stable boy then, had his first riding lesson on Red Rum.
After being with a few different trainers, Red Rum found his perfect home. A car dealer from Southport, Ginger McCain, bought him for his client Noel le Mare. McCain famously trained Red Rum on the sandy beaches of Southport, England. Galloping and swimming in the sea water helped Red Rum's hooves. He had a bone condition in his hooves called pedal osteitis. The sea water was like a special treatment for him. Ginger McCain later won the Grand National again in 2004 with another horse named Amberleigh House.
Red Rum's Grand National Victories
The crowd are willing him home now. The 12-year-old Red Rum, being preceded only by loose horses, being chased by Churchtown Boy... They're coming to the elbow, just a furlong now between Red Rum and his third Grand National triumph! It's hats off and a tremendous reception, you've never heard one like it at Liverpool – Red Rum wins the National!
The 1973 Grand National was incredibly exciting. Red Rum raced against an Australian horse named Crisp. Crisp was carrying more weight and led for almost the entire race. He was 30 lengths ahead at one point! Even at the last fence, Crisp was 15 lengths clear of Red Rum.
But Red Rum and his jockey, Brian Fletcher, never gave up. They pushed harder and harder in the final stretch. Just two strides from the finish line, they caught the tired Crisp. Red Rum won by a tiny margin, three-quarters of a length. This race is often called one of the greatest Grand Nationals ever. Crisp's jockey, Richard Pitman, later said he felt like he was "tied to a railway line with an express train thundering up."
A year later, Red Rum won again at the 1974 National. He carried a very heavy weight of 12 stone. After that, he also won the Scottish Grand National. He is the only horse to win both races in the same season!
Red Rum finished second in both 1975 and 1976. In the 1976 race, Tommy Stack became his new jockey. Red Rum always seemed to perform his best at Aintree. The next year, in 1977, Tommy Stack rode the 12-year-old Red Rum to his third Grand National victory. This amazing win is seen as one of the greatest moments in horse racing history.
A Champion's Retirement and Celebrity Life
Red Rum was getting ready for his sixth Grand National attempt in 1978. However, he suffered a small fracture in his leg. After a final gentle run at Aintree Racecourse, he had to retire from racing. The news of Red Rum's retirement was a huge story. It was the main news on TV and on the front pages of newspapers the next day.
Red Rum became a national celebrity. He would open supermarkets and lead the Grand National parade every year. His image was everywhere: on playing cards, mugs, posters, and puzzles. Many books were written about his life. A children's story about him was also published.
He even helped open the Steeplechase rollercoaster at Pleasure Beach Blackpool in 1977. That same year, he turned on the famous Blackpool Illuminations. In 1975, a song called "Red Rum" was released as a tribute to him. In 2010, a bar at Aintree Racecourse was renamed "The Red Rum" in his honor.
In 1977, Red Rum was a special guest at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards. Viewers loved it when he seemed to recognize the voice of his jockey, Tommy Stack, who was appearing by video link.
Red Rum's Lasting Legacy
Red Rum's feats, of three Nationals and two seconds, are legendary. They will never be equalled, let alone surpassed. They say records are there to be broken, but Red Rum’s at Aintree is one which will stand the test of time.
Red Rum passed away on October 18, 1995, when he was 30 years old. His death was a major news event on television and in newspapers.
He was buried at the winning post of the Aintree Racecourse. This spot is still a special place for his many fans to visit. His epitaph (the words on his grave) reads:
- Respect this place
- This hallowed ground
- A legend here
- His rest has found
- His feet would fly
- Our spirits soar
- He earned our love
- For evermore
Even eleven years after his death, Red Rum remained incredibly famous. A survey found he was the best-known racehorse in the UK. About 45% of Britons named Red Rum when asked to name a horse. Black Beauty was second with 33%. In 2002, the public voted Red Rum's third Grand National win as #24 in the list of the 100 Greatest Sporting Moments.
In the early 1970s, the future of the Grand National race was uncertain. But Red Rum's amazing wins captured the hearts of the nation. His historic triumphs brought huge public support. This helped raise money to buy Aintree Racecourse and keep the Grand National going.
Red Rum's trainer, Ginger McCain, passed away on September 19, 2011, at the age of 80.
Red Rum's Grand National Record
| Grand National | Position | Jockey | Age | Weight | SP | Distance |
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| 1973 | 1st | Brian Fletcher | 8 | 10–5 | 9/1 JF | Won by ¾ Length |
| 1974 | 1st | Brian Fletcher | 9 | 12–0 | 11/1 | |
| 1975 | 2nd | Brian Fletcher | 10 | 12–0 | 7/2 F | |
| 1976 | 2nd | Tommy Stack | 11 | 11–10 | 10/1 | |
| 1977 | 1st | Tommy Stack | 12 | 11–8 | 9/1 JF | Won by 25 lengths |
Commemorations and Tributes
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- The Red Rum Handicap Chase is a race held at Aintree.
- There are statues of Red Rum at Aintree Racecourse, in Southport, and at Ayr Racecourse.
- Merseyrail named one of its trains after Red Rum in 2008. This was part of a "Merseyside Legends" program.
See also
- List of racehorses
- Repeat winners of horse races
- 1973 Grand National
