The 2021 Grand National is set to happen this April, bringing together some of the finest horses and jockeys to compete for the best racing prize. Horse racing enthusiasts have already started their preparations to bet on Grand National online in a few months. They are trying to find the best offers and promotions from the top bookmakers, while also keeping an eye on the latest news and tips.
1- Devon Loch (1956)
Winning the Grand National is one of the highest honours for any racehorse. Every jockey and trainer dreams of winning this prestigious race. One can imagine the pain and disappointment for a rider if he gets to the brink of victory and then goes on to lose.
This was the case with Dick Francis, the famous post-war National Hunt jockey. He rode Devon Loch in the 1956 Grand National and went to the front of the race with three jumps remaining. The racehorse extended his lead further and had a great advantage on the final stretch.
Victory for Devon Loch looked inevitable, and then came the moment that shocked all the spectators. With the glory in sight, the British racehorse suddenly jumped into the air and landed on his stomach, allowing E.S.B. to claim the race.
The mystery of Devon Loch’s unexpected behaviour couldn’t be solved to this day, even though many came up with their theories to explain the racehorse’s inexplicable action.
2- Red Rum (1973)
It is very unlikely that any British horse racing fan would not have heard of the legendary Red Rum. His achievements in the notoriously difficult Grand National earned him international fame and immortalized his name in history.
One of the most memorable moments of his career came in 1973 when he came up against Crisp at Aintree Racecourse. The Fred Winter horse started well and soon left all his competitors behind. At one point, he had a commanding lead of 30 lengths in hand. It looked that only a miracle could change the fate of the race that was massively in favour of Crisp then.
However, Red Rum hadn’t yet given up on the race and started reducing the gap with his unbelievable speed. The spectators could barely believe their eyes when the Ginger McCain trained horse made up the ground on the final stretch and went on to win by the slightest of margins.
3- Don’t Push It (2010)
Tony McCoy is one of the biggest horse racing names, with the former Northern Irish jockey riding a record 4,358 winners. He had won many prestigious races but the Grand National had always eluded him, despite his many attempts. That all changed in 2010 when he rode Don’t Push It to victory at Aintree.
