Saturday 31 March 1973 – 1st Red Rum, 2nd Crisp, 3rd L’Escargot, 4th Spanish Steps

17 Comments

  1. FACT This was going to be the last Grand National but Red Rum's performances called the management to keep the race and not sell the racecourse!

  2. The greatest ever race. Outstanding courage from both horses, for Red Rum to chase down the leader on his own just fantastic. The ground given as Firm.

  3. When you think Red Rum won the following year with 12 stone, Crisp trying to give him 23 pounds was almost impossible.

  4. The saddest moment in sport for 36 years until Tom Watson failed to win the 2009 Open

  5. Had 15 pence on crisp and as a 12 year old burst out crying as they crossed the line, everyone wax’s lyrical about red rum and rightfully so but with top weight crisp went out on his shield that day, wondering did he ever run in the gold cup or red rum for that matter ?

  6. Breaks my heart every time I see this. Possibly the greatest Grand National run ever by Crisp, even though he finished 2nd. To give up over a stone, to take such a lead, and to jump the fences so beautifully, was unbelievable.

  7. A big shout out also for L'Escargot. At one stage he was almost three fences behind Crisp. For him to get to within 25 lengths at the end was a minor miracle. Of course, he went on to win the race in 1975, to add to his two Cheltenham Gold Cups. He was certainly a class horse.

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