...long time since I've seen the whole race. What a beast the second was. Cleared some of those fences as if they were hurdles. He went a fence clear on the snaff with RP motionless. Only goes to show that "losers" are remembered. I wonder if that was the greatest performance by any second/loser/finalist in any sport ever?
Great performance Donegal that will live in the memory for all racing fans , as much for the runner up as the winner although at the time in 1973 we didn't know how great a performance until Red Rum had achieved what he had achieved over 5 glorious Aintree nationals.
Another great performance that sticks in my mind was the Welsh Grand National weight carrying effort from Royal Judgement , carried 12st giving Burrough Hill Lad 19lb ( from memory ) beaten comfortably in the end but the winner won the Cheltenham Gold Cup about 11 weeks later.
Great memories
Great performance Donegal that will live in the memory for all racing fans , as much for the runner up as the winner although at the time in 1973 we didn't know how great a performance until Red Rum had achieved what he had achieved over 5 glorious A
Every time I watch the race, a little bit of me wills Crisp to hang on just this one time.
They beat Golden Miller's course record by 18.5 secs. As Tony Morris pointed out in Great Moments In Racing*, Crisp went on to trounce Red Rum at level weights over 26 furlongs at Doncaster, but earned a first prize of a mere £1673. And injured himself too badly to have another go at the National. Even L'Escargot, the third in Crisp's National, went on to win the race a couple of years later. Crisp was the only one of the big three not to get his reward.
*A fantastic book, detailing great races from Flying Dutchman through to Grundy. I bought mine remaindered for 20 pence back in about 1978, but I evidently got ripped off, because you can get it for 10 pence now. It's worth about 300 times that.
Every time I watch the race, a little bit of me wills Crisp to hang on just this one time.They beat Golden Miller's course record by 18.5 secs. As Tony Morris pointed out in Great Moments In Racing*, Crisp went on to trounce Red Rum at level weights
Still one of my favourite moments from any drama was in Life On Mars, where all the coppers are watching the National Crisp is clear and they all must have backed him and Sam Tyler says, "Won't win, Red Rum catches him", to a load of derision from the other coppers, but he was right< how did he know!
Still one of my favourite moments from any drama was in Life On Mars, where all the coppers are watching the National Crisp is clear and they all must have backed him and Sam Tyler says, "Won't win, Red Rum catches him", to a load of derision from th
Crisp {the black kangaroo} easily won the 1971 Champion chase - https://www.facebook.com/racingtv/videos/crisp-wins-the-1971-champion-chase/768189717437133/
..followed up with a fifth place in the '72 Gold cup [not far off the winner]
Hoss was allotted 12st whereas Rummy ran off a weight of 10st 5lb.
Not bad for a 2 miler
A cherry tree was planted over his grave, which flowers at Grand National time.
Must get emotional when that tree blossoms.
Crisp {the black kangaroo} easily won the 1971 Champion chase - https://www.facebook.com/racingtv/videos/crisp-wins-the-1971-champion-chase/768189717437133/..followed up with a fifth place in the '72 Gold cup [not far off the winner]Hoss was allotted