SNOW LEOPARDESS


READ ALL ABOUT IT! - THE GRAND NATIONAL’S GREATEST STORIES 1974 – Beltrán Alfonso Osorio y Díez de Rivera, the 18th Duke of Alburquerque, completes the National for the first time at his sixth attempt when finishing eighth behind Red Rum aboard Nereo. Two years later, the ‘Iron Duke’ – who has broken over 100 bones in the pursuit of National glory – is knocked unconscious for two days on his final ride in the race.


1908 – Rubio once broke down so badly that he was taken out of training and found employment pulling the guests’ bus of what is now the Saracen’s Head hotel in Towcester. But his powers of recovery took the horse,


foaled in California, back to the track, and he became the first American-bred National hero.


1956 – Devon Loch and Dick Francis, wearing the colours of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, have the National in their grasp leaving the Elbow but the leader half-jumps and lands on his belly, handing the race to E.S.B. The metaphor ‘to do a Devon Loch’ is now used to describe any sudden and unexpected defeat.


1967 – Popham Down, having unseated Macer Gifford at the very first fence, causes chaos as he ducks to his right at the 23rd obstacle, the smallest on the National course at 4ſt 6in. One horse, starting at 100-1, skips clear of the mayhem and that fence now bears his name – Foinavon.


1977 – Red Rum won his first Grand National when overhauling Crisp in 1973 and returned in triumph 12 months later. Aſter second placings in the two years that


followed, ‘Rummy’ sealed his legendary status with a third Aintree victory and the Ginger McCain great was buried next to the famous winning post when passing at the age of 30 in 1995.


1981 – Bob Champion fights from lung and testicular cancer to win the National aboard the injury-plagued Aldaniti – and goes on to raise over £15million for cancer treatment and research. The victory is immortalised in the 1984 film Champions, in which the jockey is played by John Hurt.


Aidan, in faimilar colours of JP McManus, guiding Champ to victory at Newbury


The legendary Red Rum - can Snow Leopardess be another great National story


18 RACING TV CLUBMAGAZINE


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