Some people take no interest in sport. There are many others whose lives are almost defined by an interest in sport. I have built a wide ranging bank of sporting memories over a life time. We soak it all up. We relate to it. It is so often the default conversation when blokes get together. We have opinions. We have passion. It matters.
There have been many books written and programmes made whose title have been along the lines of "Sports Greatest Moments". I could come up with my list of course - it is objective - or is it subjective - ha! For me it is only about the moment being able to stir emotion, need to applaud, get out of your seat - know the commitment - the fantastic effort - feel total respect - it forces a tear.
Here is my nominated greatest moment in sport and it is not of human endeavour but of equine endeavour - two great racehorses who could give no more.
Like every great moment they are nothing special without background knowledge - the journey of the participants - the back story - or in this case to some extent what was subsequently to come.
Let me set the scene. The greatest jumping horse race in the world - the Grand National.
The following extract is taken from Wikipedia :
The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England. First run in 1839, it is a handicap steeplechase over 4 miles 514 yards (6.907 km) with horses jumping 30 fences over two laps. It is the most valuable jump race in Europe, with a prize fund of £1 million in 2016.
The course over which the race is run features much larger fences than those found on conventional National Hunt tracks. Many of these, particularly Becher's Brook, The Chair and the Canal Turn, have become famous in their own right and, combined with the distance of the event, create what has been called "the ultimate test of horse and rider".
The annual Grand National is the oldest jump race, the longest distance jump race, the jump race with the biggest fences, the most horses running (40) - the hardest race to win. The most valuable to win. Up until the 1973 Grand National only one horse had one it twice - Reynoldstown in the 1930's.
Every April for the last umpteen years we have had a bet on the Grand National - the whole nation does. The winner becomes a household name. It is a great event - a great British tradition.
My nominated Greatest Moment in Sport is the finish of the 1973 Grand National.
Before I justify my nomination I need to explain about the handicap system. The Grand National is a handicap. This means the horse with the best previous form has to carry the heaviest weight. The horse with the weakest or unproven ability carries the least weight. The objective is to give all horses an equal chance - in theory they should all finish in a dead heat if the allotted handicaps are right.
It is very hard to carry big extra weight in the Grand National - because the course is so long - the fences so big and because the ground is often rain softened in April and this takes its cumulative toll.
The 1973 race.
The favourite to win despite his top weight is a huge bay (almost black) Australian bred horse called Crisp. Crisp was a champion - first in Australia and then because he was exceptional brought to the UK to be tested against the best - and he was a champion here too. For the National Crisp was allotted the heaviest weight in the field. He had to carry around the 4 mile plus course a massive 12 stone.
Another fancied runner was Red Rum because he was a young horse that had shown some promise but was only allotted to carry 10 stone 5 lbs - a huge 23 lbs less than Crisp.
What happened in the race is best watched rather than described.
Before doing so Crisp's fantastic and monumental and courageous effort has to be put in context. The Grand National course record was beaten by both the first and second horse home. And Red Rum. Red Rum subsequently went on to be the greatest Grand National horse ever. A household name. Rummy (with his big white fluffy nose band) a horse everyone loved. In total he won an unprecedented 3 Grand Nationals and finished second twice. And like Crisp he was to carry 12 stone around this huge course.
Here is the link to the 1973 race. What an unbelievable effort from Crisp - no one knew at this time how good Red Rum really was!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiGaX0d_Pjk
What a race - what a commentary - what heroes. For me it never fails. Tears well up. Could you respect two wonderful athletes more. That brutally long Aintree run in after the final fence. Crisp so tired he was moving sideways at the Elbow - treading water in the end - and poignantly Dick Pitman his old school jockey - despite the magnificent prize almost within grasp - only hand and heeled Crisp in the end - no need for the stick - he knew Crisp had given his all and showed wonderful respect for this great horse. He had given everything. Red Rum dogged - determined and foot perfect - to become a giant - a freak of nature. Their efforts supreme. My Greatest Moment in Sport without doubt.
As a postscript both horses went on to live long and happy lives. Red Rum died at 30 and was buried as a tribute on the finishing line at Aintree.
Here are a couple of Wiki links if you want to read more about the horses. Red Rum's subsequent nationals are also on You Tube
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crisp_(horse)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Rum
There have been many books written and programmes made whose title have been along the lines of "Sports Greatest Moments". I could come up with my list of course - it is objective - or is it subjective - ha! For me it is only about the moment being able to stir emotion, need to applaud, get out of your seat - know the commitment - the fantastic effort - feel total respect - it forces a tear.
Here is my nominated greatest moment in sport and it is not of human endeavour but of equine endeavour - two great racehorses who could give no more.
Like every great moment they are nothing special without background knowledge - the journey of the participants - the back story - or in this case to some extent what was subsequently to come.
Let me set the scene. The greatest jumping horse race in the world - the Grand National.
The following extract is taken from Wikipedia :
The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England. First run in 1839, it is a handicap steeplechase over 4 miles 514 yards (6.907 km) with horses jumping 30 fences over two laps. It is the most valuable jump race in Europe, with a prize fund of £1 million in 2016.
The course over which the race is run features much larger fences than those found on conventional National Hunt tracks. Many of these, particularly Becher's Brook, The Chair and the Canal Turn, have become famous in their own right and, combined with the distance of the event, create what has been called "the ultimate test of horse and rider".
The annual Grand National is the oldest jump race, the longest distance jump race, the jump race with the biggest fences, the most horses running (40) - the hardest race to win. The most valuable to win. Up until the 1973 Grand National only one horse had one it twice - Reynoldstown in the 1930's.
Every April for the last umpteen years we have had a bet on the Grand National - the whole nation does. The winner becomes a household name. It is a great event - a great British tradition.
My nominated Greatest Moment in Sport is the finish of the 1973 Grand National.
Before I justify my nomination I need to explain about the handicap system. The Grand National is a handicap. This means the horse with the best previous form has to carry the heaviest weight. The horse with the weakest or unproven ability carries the least weight. The objective is to give all horses an equal chance - in theory they should all finish in a dead heat if the allotted handicaps are right.
It is very hard to carry big extra weight in the Grand National - because the course is so long - the fences so big and because the ground is often rain softened in April and this takes its cumulative toll.
The 1973 race.
The favourite to win despite his top weight is a huge bay (almost black) Australian bred horse called Crisp. Crisp was a champion - first in Australia and then because he was exceptional brought to the UK to be tested against the best - and he was a champion here too. For the National Crisp was allotted the heaviest weight in the field. He had to carry around the 4 mile plus course a massive 12 stone.
Another fancied runner was Red Rum because he was a young horse that had shown some promise but was only allotted to carry 10 stone 5 lbs - a huge 23 lbs less than Crisp.
What happened in the race is best watched rather than described.
Before doing so Crisp's fantastic and monumental and courageous effort has to be put in context. The Grand National course record was beaten by both the first and second horse home. And Red Rum. Red Rum subsequently went on to be the greatest Grand National horse ever. A household name. Rummy (with his big white fluffy nose band) a horse everyone loved. In total he won an unprecedented 3 Grand Nationals and finished second twice. And like Crisp he was to carry 12 stone around this huge course.
Here is the link to the 1973 race. What an unbelievable effort from Crisp - no one knew at this time how good Red Rum really was!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiGaX0d_Pjk
What a race - what a commentary - what heroes. For me it never fails. Tears well up. Could you respect two wonderful athletes more. That brutally long Aintree run in after the final fence. Crisp so tired he was moving sideways at the Elbow - treading water in the end - and poignantly Dick Pitman his old school jockey - despite the magnificent prize almost within grasp - only hand and heeled Crisp in the end - no need for the stick - he knew Crisp had given his all and showed wonderful respect for this great horse. He had given everything. Red Rum dogged - determined and foot perfect - to become a giant - a freak of nature. Their efforts supreme. My Greatest Moment in Sport without doubt.
As a postscript both horses went on to live long and happy lives. Red Rum died at 30 and was buried as a tribute on the finishing line at Aintree.
Here are a couple of Wiki links if you want to read more about the horses. Red Rum's subsequent nationals are also on You Tube
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crisp_(horse)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Rum
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