Red Rum was a phenomenal racehorse. Bred as a sprinter he won over 7 furlongs as a 2 year old. Never a top flat horse he went from trainer to trainer and ended up with a small time trainer, ginger McCain whose stables were at the back of a garage and his gallops the sands on the beach.
Rummy suffered from pedal osteitis by this time and working in the sea proved beneficial to his feet.
He had proven himself a good natural jumper and when entered for the Grand National. He favourite, an Australian horse Crisp, was carrying 23 lbs more than Rummy. Crisp led by a great distance all the way, Rummy caught him in the last two lengths of the long run in. It set a new fastest time record.
Rummy won the following year carrying a lot more weight - 168 lbs. the following two years he came second.
I well remember watching him run in his fifth National. I never backed him but when he was fighting up the run in I was screaming for him to win!
He did, no horse has come close to his record.
He was going to run in th following National but suffered a hairline fracture so was retired.
Red Rum was paraded around County shows throughout the UK. I was against it thinking they were taking advantage of the horse until I saw him! That horse relished the attention.
The show was running a bit late and so when the show jumpers went into the arena to collect their prizes Rummy, with a rider and a leader, stood quietly watching as the jumpers paraded. As soon as he was led forward he was like a 2 year old, bucking and showing off. He knew he was famous and loved it.
After he died he was buried at Aintree by the finishing post. A statue also stands at Aintree in his memory.
Rummy suffered from pedal osteitis by this time and working in the sea proved beneficial to his feet.
He had proven himself a good natural jumper and when entered for the Grand National. He favourite, an Australian horse Crisp, was carrying 23 lbs more than Rummy. Crisp led by a great distance all the way, Rummy caught him in the last two lengths of the long run in. It set a new fastest time record.
Rummy won the following year carrying a lot more weight - 168 lbs. the following two years he came second.
I well remember watching him run in his fifth National. I never backed him but when he was fighting up the run in I was screaming for him to win!
He did, no horse has come close to his record.
He was going to run in th following National but suffered a hairline fracture so was retired.
Red Rum was paraded around County shows throughout the UK. I was against it thinking they were taking advantage of the horse until I saw him! That horse relished the attention.
The show was running a bit late and so when the show jumpers went into the arena to collect their prizes Rummy, with a rider and a leader, stood quietly watching as the jumpers paraded. As soon as he was led forward he was like a 2 year old, bucking and showing off. He knew he was famous and loved it.
After he died he was buried at Aintree by the finishing post. A statue also stands at Aintree in his memory.